Loving God, you invite us to abide in Christ and to open ourselves to your Holy Spirit, even though we sometimes find it scary to do so.  Open our minds and our hearts to you this day, that we might know the depths of your love, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

            Have any of you ever been offended by Jesus?... I ask this because it seems as though he offended people quite regularly during his time on this earth.  He offended religious leaders by healing on the sabbath.  He offended those same religious leaders by spending time with outcasts and sinners.  And this week, he offends some of his own disciples when he claims to be the bread that came down from heaven and talks about eating his flesh and drinking his blood.

         We can understand squirming at the idea of eating flesh and drinking blood.  That doesn’t sit well with us, either.  In fact, without some spiritual discernment, we will not understand what Jesus is saying here.  However, for many people, the claim that Jesus is the Word made flesh – God in the flesh – is (and was) equally offensive.  How could the Almighty and Holy God actually take up residence in human flesh?  Even today, many find it easier to think that Jesus was just a good man – or perhaps a prophet.

         The Greeks, and especially the Gnostics, tended to believe that the whole material world, including human flesh, was inherently evil, and that our spirit – or soul – needed to escape this earthly prison.  However, the God who created heaven and earth thinks otherwise, as God pronounces that all that has been created is good, and after the creation of human beings, pronounces it “very good” (Gen. 1)!  God does not condemn the creation, but redeems it through Christ.

         Professor Karoline Lewis, who has done a lot of work with the gospel of John, approaches today’s gospel from the perspective of relationships.  Many times, in John’s gospel, we hear Jesus’ invitation to abide in him, and he in us.  “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them” (Jn. 6:56).  And then later in John we have the image of the branches abiding in the vine.  Abiding suggests a very close relationship, where Jesus knows us completely, and we know Jesus.  For many people, however, this is a terrifying thought.

         Many of us – I would guess – are quite fearful when it comes to relationships.  We are afraid of revealing too much of ourselves, or of revealing our deepest, darkest secrets.  In fact, at least some of us are convinced that if anybody ever got to know us too well, they would go running in the opposite direction!  We also fear that somebody might get to know us very well and then use that knowledge to hurt us.

         You might remember Peter’s reaction when Jesus is in his boat and there is a miraculous catch of fish.  Peter immediately falls to his knees and says, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Lk. 5:8).  Peter, like so many of us, assumes that as soon as Jesus knows how sinful he is, he will want nothing to do with him.  However, when it comes to Jesus, this couldn’t be further from the truth.  He knows us completely, and still loves us.

         Of course, in today’s gospel, Peter’s attitude has totally changed.  He seems to have realized that he is intimately involved with “the Holy One of God” (Jn. 6:69).  However, he has also recognized that eternal life is to be found in Jesus and in his teaching.  It is no longer a scary thing to be known by Jesus, even though occasions for fear will still come.

         Where, then, do we find ourselves today?  Do we, too, find Jesus offensive and wish to distance ourselves from him?  Or, do we seek to abide in him and he in us, that we might experience eternal life?  Or – do we find ourselves somewhere in between?

         I have a vision today of a community of believers where people are open to abiding in Jesus and welcoming Jesus to abide in them and to give them spirit and life.  I have a vision of a community where people do not need to live in fear of revealing their deepest hopes and fears.  I have a vision of a community where people can be honest about how they are feeling and where each one knows that they are loved – not only by Jesus, but by those who are his followers.

         It does not matter that we are sinners like Peter and know that Jesus is holy, for Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Tim. 1:15).  In fact, Jesus came that we might have life, and have it abundantly (Jn. 10:10).  May each one of us know this day how deeply we are loved and the abundant life that comes from being forgiven and abiding in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Lectionary 21B                                 John 6:56-69

August 22, 2021

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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