Gnaw On This ... The Gospel for This Sunday

The Gospel isn't meant to be gulped down on a Sunday morning, but gnawed on through the week so it really becomes a part of us. 
You've got to work at it ... like a dog with a good bone! 

Here's the Gospel for this Sunday ... with some notes and more "food for thought"

13th Sunday After Pentecost - John 6:56-69

Jesus said, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father."

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

The Backstory - What's Going On Here?

This is the end of the long discourse on bread in John's Gospel that has carried us for the past five weeks, starting with the feeding of the five thousand. If we were to go back and read all of chapter 6 as a piece, we would notice that the tension and conflict is continually growing in breadth and depth throughout.

After the feeding, the people are crying with one voice, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world," But as soon as Jesus starts revealing more and more not only what the feeding was about, but who he is ... there is more and more discontent and more and more people turn from praising Jesus to turning against him.

The lectionary unfortunately cuts us off just before the climax of this passage. Even some of Jesus' disciples have turned against him and we are left with two paragons -- one of ultimate virtue and one of ultimate vice. Just after Peter (representing ultimate faith and virtue) confesses that he is all in with Jesus, John completes the passage with verses 70-71:

"Jesus answered them 'Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?' He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was to betray him."

We see Jesus for who he really is ... and it's not easy. The lines are drawn. John asks us -- which side of that line will we be on?

A few things to chew on:

*Murmuring or complaining is a common theme in scripture. Most famously, the people of Israel murmur against Moses in the desert. Earlier in this chapter, "the Jews" (John's favorite foil as Jesus' opponents) murmur against Jesus. But as this part of the Gospel ends, even those closest to Jesus ... his disciples ... are murmuring and complaining. The rebellion is inside the castle walls! Even within "the church," we find that whether or not to follow Christ is not a settled issue!

*When faced with who Jesus is and his demands on them, some of the disciples cry" ""This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" The language is even starker than that. The Greek word used for "difficult" (Σκληρός) means not only hard but even offensive. And "accept" (ἀκούειν) means not only understand but follow. Now given the graphic language that Jesus himself is using ("You have to eat my flesh and drink my blood") it could be that the disciples' reaction is just taking him literally and being pretty grossed out! (Early Christians were often accused of cannibalism when they talked about the Eucharist). But giving them credit for understanding that Jesus is talking about completely trusting in and following him -- even to the cross -- that reaction is understandable, too.

Another view 

Just Keep Swimming. Just Keep Swimming.

"Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

In Finding Nemo, Marlin the clownfish is about to give up hope of finding his son after the only clue -- a scuba mask -- has falled to a place so deep he is sure he can't swim there. It's not that he doesn't want to ... it's just that it's so hard it seems impossible.

To which his memory-challenged friend Dory says:

"Hey, Mr. Grumpy Gills. When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do?"

and then she starts singing

"Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim. Swim."

And taking Marlin's fin, Dory leads him down into the darkness to do the impossible. To find the mask.

It might seem like some trite pollyanna advice ... like "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Except that what Marlin and Dory are doing is swimming into the face of death ... so they can have a chance at finding what is most important to him -- Nemo.

Jesus has just told the disciples the most wonderful news -- that if they give their lives to him they will never hunger or thirst again. It is a vision of joy unlike any other. But now they have learned that the cost of that is that they must join him in being "given for the life of the world."

They are staring into the abyss. They know that the best life in the world is down there. But it also seems impossible.

And John's Gospel tells us:

"Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?""

Jesus isn't asking them to get on the cross right now. All he's asking them to do is to keep walking with him. And together they will do what seems impossible.

Jesus is not asking them to completely understand or to do it all at once. He's just asking "will you walk with me or go away."

Jesus is offering to take their hand and singing:

"Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."

... and slowly leading them into the darkest place where the deepest light dwells ... together.

The image of Dory and Marlin is an amazing image of discipleship for us. Dory doesn't try to tell Marlin "Oh, it's not that bad." or "It's really easy when you think about it." And neither does Jesus. Following Jesus is terrifying and hard, and he says so. It's stuff like:

"Sell all you have, give it to the poor and come and follow me."

"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

"Blessed are the meek."

"Father, forgive them."

So what do we do? Do we say, "too hard?" That's a choice we can make ... and many do. But that's not the choice of disciples.

As disciples of Jesus, we join hands - with each other and Christ -- and do it. One day at a time. One moment at a time. Trusting that the light of life is down there. And that together, we can make it.

We don't need to do it all at once, but we do need to keep walking with Christ, trying, persevering, a little bit at a time.

We don't need to do it all in one lump. But we do need to dive into the abyss. Together.

We need to just keep swimming.

Try This:

Like the disciples, we now we have reached the core of the Gospel when it becomes too hard even to bear. It happens in what I like to call the "Oh #@(*$" moments. When we catch a glimpse of what is required of us (Love your enemy. Give what you have and follow me.) and we know we can't rationalize our way out of it ... and we know this is one of those times where we are either faithful at great cost or fall away.

Paul knows this life well. In the portion of his letter to the Ephesians thatwe read this Sunday, he knows that living this life and embracing the "Oh, @#(*$#" moments is like spiritual warfare and he exhorts the people to "put on the armor of God" so we can stand against the temptations of falling back.

But he also says this:

Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

In other words, pray for help. Don't try to do this on your own. Pray for help.

This week, take a few minutes at the beginning of each day and consider what fully living Christ's call on your life might look like that day. Then pray for help. Pray for God and all the forces of good in the universe to surround you and support you in choosing to walk with Christ in those "Oh, @$$&@" moments and not walk apart from him. Pray for the strength and courage to even just a little bit take a risk for the sake of the love of God.

And when those moments come, know that you are never alone.

Collect for Sunday

Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.