Sermon/Poetry Reading

     Today we are going to be reading from the Book of John, Chapter 6, versus 25 through 70. These passages follow John 6, versus 1 though 15 in which Jesus feeds a crowd of five thousand from five small barley loaves and two small fish. Not only did He feed the crowd but the leftovers had filled twelve baskets. They also follow versus 16 through 24 in which Jesus walks on the water to meet His disciples in a boat after leaving the crowd on the other side of the lake.

     Verse 25 begins with Jesus chastising the crowd for seeking him for the wrong reasons. He says they are seeking him because of the food he provided the day before, when he had miraculously fed 5,000 with 5 small barley loaves and two small fish.

     In verse 27 Jesus tells them: “Do no work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

     In verses 32 – 33 He tells them:  “ I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

     When the crowd asked him to give them this bread in verse 34 Jesus tells them in verse 35: “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

     In verse 51 He tells them: “ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

     In verses 54-57 He says: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my bloods is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.”

     This was a hard teaching which was lost on many of the listeners. How could they eat His flesh and drink His blood? Was He espousing cannibalism? They failed to understand He was speaking of spiritual food and drink. That unless they accepted the sacrifice that He was about to provide they could never see eternal life. That unless they ate this spiritual flesh and drank this spiritual blood that only He could provide, they could not grow and be nurtured spiritually. They could never be ‘born again’.

     Like I said this was a hard teaching. One that even many of His disciples struggled with. Up until now Jesus was the biggest show of His day, and they were part of the act, they were part of the band! They were like groupies at a rock show. They were basking in the adoration of the crowd; they were mesmerized by the intoxication of instant fame. But now the show was over. Now Jesus was teaching something that many found distasteful. They were following someone most of the crowd now considered a madman. Now they were standing on a rocky road facing some hard truth, and it was a difficult pill to swallow. Now they had to decide whether to continue following Jesus without the adoration of the crowds or turn away. Unfortunately many chose to no longer follow. Of course the Lord knew this would happen.

     In verses 64-66 we read: “Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had know from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.” From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

     Even though Jesus knew it would happen, don’t you think this was a great disappointment to Him? I think it would be, remember our Lord had a flesh body with all the emotions and feelings that we have. To have so many think He was a madman and no longer want to follow Him must have been a very great disappointment. 

     In verse 67 Jesus then turns to the twelve, the twelve that He had personally hand-picked, the twelve who had been by His side from the beginning of His earthly ministry, the twelve who He loved immensely and asks: “You do not want to leave too, do you?”

     Once more, like so many other times in the Gospels, it was Peter who spoke for the group:

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

     Wonderful, beloved Peter, who so often gave quick, impetuous answers when the rest of the group remained silent. Peter, who it seems, never stopped to measure his words, but immediately spoke what was on his mind and in his heart. Words that often times earned him rebuke and chastisement, but also gave insight to who and what Peter truly was. Like a bright, precocious child, who can exasperate but at the same time invoke powerful feelings of love, there was nothing false or pretentious about Peter.

     Let’s think about what Peter was saying ‘Lord even if we wanted to leave, where else are we going to go? There is nothing else.’ And Peter was exactly right. If a person truly believes Jesus is who He says he is, knowing that everyone born must die, then where else are they going to go in this life? Are they going to turn to Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius or any other philosopher or religious leader? Are they going to turn to material things or family? Are they going to embrace Wicca or worship sun gods? Are they going to become atheists? Where are they going to turn? The answer, just like Peter voiced, is that there is nothing else. Because if Jesus Christ is the truth, then everything else is false.

     Imagine the joy and comfort those words of Peter must have given the Lord. I think at that point Jesus was so filled with love for Peter and the others that he could barely contain it. He said in verse 70: “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” He must have been so proud of these twelve men, who remained with Him when so many others walked away, yet He knew, sorrowfully I believe, that one would eventually betray Him.

     So what is the message for us? The message is this: We too must accept the sacrifice of Jesus’ Christ for our sins. We too, must eat Jesus’ flesh and drink His blood if we are to remain in Him, if we are to continue growing spiritually and live.

     Jesus did not say He was a way to God. Jesus says in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

     Jesus Christ is the life and through Him we have life. Without Him we have nothing.

____________________________________________________

Clem asked me if I would read some of my poems that reflected thanksgiving and I told him I would. After reflecting on it I decided on a couple. This first one was written after I had left my job at PSEG. One night I woke up in the middle of the night and felt a fear unlike anything I have ever felt in my life. I had just left a job that paid more than 100k/year, walking away from medical benefits and an almost unimaginable mountain of debt. Between my mortgage and credit cards I was hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, and I felt completely overwhelmed. All I could think of is what a fool I was. I prayed for help and then I opened up the bible, and the very first words I read were Jesus’ words in Mark 5:36 “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Later I wrote this poem based on that experience, it is called Just Believe.

Just Believe

Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”   Mark 5:36

in the middle of the night

I awake,

gripped with fear,

overcome by the immensity,

afraid of the unknown road ahead,

thinking of all the possible dangers,

unable to control even the smallest detail,

completely inadequate and out of control;

heading on a collision course

with disaster;

then I remember the places

from where I have come,

all the doors that have been opened,

all the chains which have been removed,

the love and grace that has brought me

to this place,

and I hear His soft, cool voice,

gently whispering in the

nighttime darkness;

“Don’t be afraid, just believe”

the fear fades away,

the doubt dissolves into nothing,

the darkness turns to light,

there is only love,

there is only Him;

and that is all that matters;

in the deepest depths,

on the highest heights,

He is there

guiding my path,

showing the way,

the Friend who stands by my side,

closer than a brother,

the King who laid down His life,

that I might live;

the One who I will love

forever.

_______________________

     As Christians many of us are really good at talking the talk, but we’re not always so good at walking the walk. I think this is why so many of us can identify so completely with the Apostle Peter. Peter could talk the talk. In Matthew 26:33, after Jesus told the apostles that they would all fall away on account of him, as prophesied by the prophet Zechariah, it was Peter who declared “Even if all fall away on account of you. I never will.” When Jesus went on to tell him that he would disown him three times that very night, Peter insisted in verse 26:35 “Even if I have to die with you. I will never disown you.” Of course as we all know, Peter couldn't walk the walk when it came to his declaration of dying with the Lord. Although later in his life he would walk the walk, being crucified upside down, as many experts believe, because he didn't think he was worthy to be crucified in the same manner the Lord was.

     Peter often spoke and reacted based on his emotions, like so many of us. Often making bold statements that he couldn't fulfill. But one of the most redeeming traits of Peter was his honesty. I think it was this honesty that made Peter cry out “Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man!” in Luke 5:8. Peter recognized the holiness and glory in Jesus, and as a result he saw the filth and sin in his own life, he saw himself as he really was, as reflected by the light of Jesus Christ. This poem was written in that same light. One day after dealing with people in the campground, the Lord kind of held a mirror up in front of my face and I saw the anger and hate, but most of all the hypocrisy of my thoughts and emotions. As is usually the case, and as in the case of Peter in Luke 5, it wasn't my feelings or thoughts that mattered, it was the answer from the Lord that truly mattered. Jesus knew Peter better than Peter knew himself, just as He know us better than we know ourselves. He knows how we were formed, He knows our weakness’ and temptations, He knows our doubts and fears and His answer is “Don’t be afraid.” This poem is called Once Again:

Once Again

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me , Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. Luke 5:4-11

back in the gutter,

covered with the filth and stench,

full of dark angry thoughts,

pointing fingers,

passing unfounded judgment;

once again;

wrapped up in the cares of this world,

thinking of short term solutions,

lost in the self absorbing pity,

searching for flesh driven answers,

drowning in vanity and pride;

once again;

go away from me Lord,

I am a sinful man!

instead You reach out Your mighty hand,

pulling me from the murky quagmire,

softly whispering in my ear:

“Don’t be afraid;”

once again;

O Lord,

I don’t know why You

suffered and died,

for someone like me,

but I know that You did;

I don’t know how someone like You,

could love someone like me,

but I know that You do;

I don’t know how someone

as perfect as You,

could save someone like me,

from the fate I so

undeniably deserve;

but I know that You will;

thank you my precious Lord,

for suffering and dying

that I might live,

thank you for Your magnificent

mercy and grace,

thank you for the miraculous gift

of Your Holy Spirit;

thank you for Your light and truth,

amidst the darkness and lies,

thank you for Your precious love,

when there is no love to be found;

thank you for this peace

You have placed in my heart,

thank you for restoring all that was lost,

thank you for allowing me to be

a son of the Living God;

thank you for the blowing wind

and swaying trees,

thank you for the nighttime moon

and morning sun,

thank you for this precious gift of life,

thank you for every breath;

let every knee bow down

before Your glorious presence,

let every voice

praise Your mighty name,

let every tongue confess

that You and You alone are LORD;

forever and ever.

.

.

.