Bread To Eat
Preaching
Preaching the Parables
Cycle B
"Oh, no, not for five Sundays!" a preacher may exclaim when he/she looks at the Gospel for Propers 12-16 (Pentecost 10-14). The Gospels deal with John 6 and with its single subject: bread. How can one deal creatively with the subject of bread for five sermons? Of these five passages, two are parables (or more accurately extended, metaphors) dealing with Jesus as the Bread of Life with the eating of the bread of his flesh.
Bread is a familiar and important subject, however, which is certainly big enough for five Sundays. Physical bread is the universal staff of life. In the United States alone there are 19,000 bakeries employing over 350,000 people, and each year they mix eleven billion pounds of flour, 163 million pounds of dried milk, and 616 million pounds of shortening. The average American consumes about seventy pounds of bread annually. The top food sold in supermarkets is bread, and according to the Progressive Grocer magazine, 96.8 percent of shoppers buy bread, choosing from over seventy varieties.
Spiritual bread is even more important, however. The church's most vital task is to distribute living bread to every person in the world. This bread is so vital that Jesus even identified himself as "the bread of life." And, indeed, from his very birth he has been identified with bread, for he was born in Bethlehem, a word meaning "House of bread." Bethlehem was so named because it was situated in a good, fertile area which abounded in grain. And after his baptism, Jesus was asked to turn stones into bread. In his model prayer, furthermore, there is a petition for "daily bread," and to satisfy a hungry crowd, he provided bread for 5,000 and, later, for 4,000 -- all from five loaves. When he instituted the Lord's Supper, he took bread, blessed and gave thanks for it, and said, "Take, eat. This is my body ..." There must therefore be something terribly important about bread in order for it to get this amount of attention by Jesus, and also form the basis for the whole chapter in the book of John.
Context
Context Of The Day
The subject of the Bread of Life does not constitute a unifying theme for this twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 14). The First Lesson is one of a series of lessons on David's life. The Second Lesson is the fifth in a series of semi in-course readings from Ephesians. The Gospel is the third in a series of five passages from John 6. The Psalm of the Day is related to the First Lesson, and the Hymn deals with heavenly bread (Gospel). The Prayer offers a petition for mercy in terms of forgiveness and all good things. It is apparent that no clear or important unifying theme of the Lessons and Propers exists.
Context Of The Lectionary
The First Lesson. (2 Samuel 18:1, 5, 9-15) Rebellious Absalom is killed in a war against his father, David.
The Second Lesson. (Ephesians 4:25--5:2) Since evil living grieves the Holy Spirit, we are to live in love as imitators of God.
The Gospel Lesson. (John 6:35, 41-51) Today's Gospel needs to be seen in the perspective of the series of five readings from John 6.
John 6:1-15 (Proper 12, Pentecost 10) -- Jesus provides bread for 5,000.
John 6:24-35 (Proper 13, Pentecost 11) -- Jesus teaches that physical bread is insufficient for eternal life.
John 6:35, 41-51 (Proper 14, Pentecost 12) -- Jesus says that he is the Bread of Life.
John 6:51-58 (Proper 15, Pentecost 13) -- Jesus urges his followers to eat the Bread of Life for eternal life.
John 6:60-69 (Proper 16, Pentecost 14) -- A divided response is given to Jesus' claim that he is the Bread of Life.
These five sections from John 6 constitute one unit with bread, both physical and spiritual as the unifying element. And unlike most other pericopes, these merge into each other. For instance, the last verse of the Gospel for Proper 13 (v. 35) is the first verse of the Gospel for Proper 14, and the last verse of the Gospel for Proper 14 is the first verse of Proper 15.
Context Of The Scriptures
1. John. The book of John is concerned with the identity of Jesus as the divine Son of God. Today's passage, dealing with Jesus as the Bread of Life, is but one of a series of great "I am" passages.
I am living water -- John 4
I am the bread of life -- John 6
I am the light of the world -- John 8
I am the good shepherd -- John 10
I am the resurrection -- John 11
I am the vine -- John 15
Each passage is a facet in the diamond of the deity of Jesus. Thee facets do not compete with or contradict each other, but, rather, complement each other since each offers a related truth about the nature of Jesus.
2. Related passages. Because Jesus as the Bread of Life is a metaphor found only in John, there are no parallel passages. Other references to bread in the Scriptures, however, may help to convey to us the important role and meaning of bread.
A. God feeds his people --
1. The Israelites with manna (Exodus 16:4)
2. Elijah is fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:4), by a widow (1 Kings 17:9), and by an angel (1 Kings 18:5)
B. Bread is given to the enemy --
1. Elisha feeds a conquered army (2 Kings 6:20-23)
2. Paul directs us to feed our enemy (Romans 12:20)
C. The horror of hunger is illustrated --
1. Women eat their babies (2 Kings 6:24-32)
D. A case of poisoned food is shown -- (2 Kings 4:38-41)
E. The good news of bread is shared -- (1 Kings 7:3-15)
F. The bread of Holy Communion is presented --
1. Instituted by Christ (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
2. The Church breaks bread (Acts 2:42)
G. The insufficiency of physical bread is noted --
1. "Man shall not eat by bread alone" (Matthew 4:4).
2. "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread?" (Isaiah 55:2).
Content
Precis Of The Pericope
Jesus said to the people, "Because I am the Bread of Life, anyone who comes to me will not hunger and anyone who believes in me shall never thirst." The Jews took exception to his statement that he was the Bread that came from heaven. They reasoned: Is this Jesus not the son of Joseph? Do we not know his mother and father? How then can he say that he came from heaven? In response, Jesus told them not to complain, for no one can come to him unless God the Father draws him. The prophets say that God will teach all people, and everyone who knows the Father, and who has been taught by him, comes to Jesus. No one but Jesus has seen the Father. Everyone who believes in Jesus has eternal life. Jesus is the Bread of Life, not like the bread that came as manna in the wilderness. He who eats this manna will die, but Jesus is the living Bread from heaven that, if eaten, will grant life forever. And the bread Jesus gives to the world is his body.
Thesis: Jesus, the living bread from heaven, gives eternal life to believers.
Theme: The Bread of Life gives life!
Gospel: (John 6:35, 41-51)
v. 35 -- Jesus is the Bread of Life.
v. 41 -- The Bread of Life comes from heaven.
v. 42 -- The Jews object to Jesus' claim to deity.
vv. 43-46 -- Jesus gives his response: people who come to him are drawn by the Father.
v. 47 -- Believers in Jesus have eternal life.
vv. 48-50 -- Eat physical bread and you die; eat living bread and you live forever.
v. 51 -- The bread which gives life to the world is Jesus.
Key Words In The Parable
1. "Life" (v. 35) Jesus declares that he is the "bread of life." He was speaking to live people, however -- they are alive whether or not they believe in him. But there is an important difference between "existence" and "life" -- the one is physical and the other is spiritual. It is possible for people to exist without living, and to distinguish life from mere existence, the adjective "eternal" is used. Jesus is the bread of life, and this life is real life which consists of love, peace, and joy. This is a life of God, a life of oneness with Christ.
2. "Heaven" (vv. 41-42, 50-51) Jesus said that he is the bread of life that came from heaven. He was saying that he came from God and that he is God's Son -- a claim of divinity. This was too much for the Jews to accept. After all, Christ was obviously a human being like one of them, and moreover, they knew his origin -- they knew his parents and where he lived. For a human to claim he is divine and that he is God's Son from heaven is to open himself to a charge of insanity.
This is not the only time when Jesus made this claim of heavenly origin. In John 4, Jesus told the Samaritan woman she was speaking to the Messiah. In John 8, Jesus told the man whose blindness he healed that he was looking at the Son of Man. The frequent claim of divinity aroused the hatred of several religious leaders. In John 10 we read, "The Jews answered him, 'We stone you for no good work but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.' " And when Pilate threatened to release Jesus, "The Jews answered him, 'We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God' " (John 19:7).
3. "Unless" (v. 44) Who can truly believe that Jesus came from heaven and is the Son of God? It is seemingly beyond human ability. But Jesus tells the Jews that no one can come to him "unless" drawn by God. We do not decide to come to Jesus, therefore, but he decides that we are his. We do not choose him -- he chooses us as God calls, draws, and woos us through the Holy Spirit. There is no need, therefore, for an extended emotional appeal to persuade someone to be a Christian. We come to Christ because the Holy Spirit has persuaded us through the proclamation of the Word.
4. "Has" (v. 47) One who believes in Jesus as the bread from heaven "has" eternal life. "Has" is a verb in the present tense. This means that eternal life comes before physical death and not after: "Today you shall be with me in paradise." The moment we eat the Bread of Life is the moment eternal life begins. Heaven is a present reality.
5. "Living" (v. 51) Physical bread is said to be dead in contrast to the "living" bread of Christ, and it is true that physical bread soon dies -- it gets hard, stale, and moldy. And a person who eats physical bread will also eventually die. Jesus claims to be "living bread" because he is of God and comes from God who is Life. Life gives life and Christ, therefore, is not a dead person who lived two millennia ago, but is forever living that he might give life to believers.
Contemplation
It is now time to reflect upon the parable of Jesus, the Bread of Life. What are the permanent values expressed in the passage? It is time to think quietly and privately so that we are open to the Spirit's guidance.
Insights
1. The necessity of bread. (6:48-51) We all acknowledge the fact that bread (food) is indispensable for life. This is true, however, both for physical and spiritual bread. Just as a physical body declines for lack of food to the point of death, so the soul disintegrates to the point of spiritual death. Since Christ is the Bread of Life, he is essential for a healthy, strong, and growing soul. The problem for many people lies in having a starved soul in an overfed body.
2. The source of bread. (6:41) Jesus says that the Bread of Life came from heaven as the manna once fell from the sky. Jesus is saying he is of God and from God. He claims to be the Son of God who came from heaven and who would return to heaven after his mission was completed on earth. This claim of divinity upset the religious leaders, because in their minds no human can dare to claim to be God. Because Christ is God's Son, he can feed the soul and grant eternal life, but this first calls for faith that he is indeed the Bread from heaven (v. 35).
3. Living Bread. (6:51) Jesus also says that he is "the living bread," and this suggests two things. First, Jesus is living now and forever -- he is not a dead person belonging to ancient history; because of his resurrection, he lives as much today as when he lived in Nazareth. In Revelation, the risen Bread of Life says, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive forever ..." (1:17-18). Indeed, we today pray to a living Christ, worship a living Redeemer, and serve a living Savior. Second, because Christ is the living bread, he and his Bread can make people come alive. When on Earth, his touch brought a young man to physical life; today, contact with him brings spiritual life.
4. Life in the present. (6:47) In today's pericope, eternal life is frequently mentioned: "I will raise him up at the last day," "He who believes has eternal life," "A man may eat of it and not die," and "If any one eats of this bread, he will live forever." This eternal life begins here and now at the time one first believes that Jesus is the Bread of Life. It is a special quality of life, this life in Christ. This "high quality" life consists of love, truth, joy, and peace. Contrary to popular opinion, eternal life for a Christian does not begin at physical death, but before death -- e.g., Paul assures us in Romans 8 that the life we have in Christ cannot be destroyed by death.
5. Bread for growth. In a time when many Protestant churches are concerned about declining membership, it needs to be pointed out that the Bread of Life can lead to church growth. It is, after all, common knowledge that hungry people go where they can get food; that an empty bird feeder brings no birds to your house; that you can usually tell a restaurant's quality of food by the crowded parking lot and the long line of hungry customers waiting to be seated and served. Likewise, people will come to the church where their spiritual hunger is met, where the Bread of Life is proclaimed and dispensed. Moreover, when people are fed and are excited about the food received, they automatically tell others where they, too, can get good food for their souls.
6. The Divine Call. (6:42-46) The question is often asked, "How can we get people to become Christians?" We often invite, beg, and plead for people to come to Christ, to accept him as Lord and Savior. Some believe an "altar call" should be made at the close of each worship service. Occasionally, evangelists in revivals put undue pressure and often manipulate people by putting on emotional pressure to get people to the "altar" to make a confession. According to today's Gospel Jesus would have no part of any of these pleas. He says that no one can choose to come to God on his own volition or strength, for God alone draws a person to believe. When a person knows God, he/she will acknowledge Christ as God's Son and will see God in him. We do not choose Christ, but Christ chooses us. How does Christ choose us? When the Word is preached, and people hear and accept the Word, the Holy Spirit calls, enlightens, and gathers a person into the kingdom. Our responsibility is to preach the Word clearly and dynamically so that God through the Holy Spirit will cause a person to respond in faith.
Homily Hints
1. Live before and after death. (6:47) True life in eternal life -- begins with life in Christ. It is an immediate possession which is held forever. The only difference between life in Christ on earth and life in Christ in heaven is that the latter is fuller, greater, and more abundant.
To have life before and after death --
A. Know Jesus as the Bread of Life -- v. 48
B. Believe in Jesus as the Bread of Life -- v. 47
C. Eat the Bread of Life -- v. 51
2. Speak for yourself, Jesus! (6:41-51) For every generation and with each person the question which presents itself is, "Who is Jesus?" But Jesus is never what any other person thinks or says he is, whether the person is a philosopher, theologian, scholar, prophet, Christian, or non-Christian. Only Jesus knows himself, and in this passage he tells us who he is.
A. "I am the bread of life" -- vv. 35, 38
B. "I came from heaven" -- vv. 41, 42
C. "I am the living bread" -- v. 51
3. "I can't live without you!" (6:35, 50-51) A person in love with another often claims, "I can't live without you." A Christian might very well say that to Jesus. Just as no one can live physically without food, so Christ is our spiritual food, and the soul cannot live without his nourishment.
With Christ as our Bread, we can truly live because --
A. Christ the Bread eternally satisfies our hunger -- v. 35
B. Christ the Bread gives himself to us -- v. 51
C. Christ the Bread supplies us with eternal life -- vv. 50, 51
4. Soul food. "I am the bread of life" (v. 48). Christ is spiritual bread for the soul. Just as the physical body needs food to live, so the soul needs nourishment. He is, therefore, the most important kind of "soul food." Having been fed with the Bread of Life, a person can sing, "All is well with my soul. It is healthy, robust, and strong." Some will ask, "How does Christ feed my soul?"
A. Christ feeds us with the bread of God's promises.
B. Christ feeds us with the bread of his love.
C. Christ feeds us with the bread of the Spirit's presence.
5. Modern manna. (6:41-42, 50) When the Israelites were in the wilderness without food for forty years, God provided it by sending manna. Similarly, God now sends a more vital manna for the feeding of the souls of the people. This manna is Christ, the Bread of Life. Jesus' statement that he came from heaven caused the religious leaders of his day to object strenuously, for they could see only a human being in Jesus.
Because Christ the Bread of Life came from heaven --
A. The Bread is imperishable.
B. The Bread is inexhaustible.
C. The Bread is evidence of God's grace.
D. The Bread is nourishing.
Contact
Problems
1. According to the Lectionary, a preacher faces the problem of dealing with bread for five consecutive Sundays. The problem is further complicated by the fact that we have two parables for this and for the next Sunday. How can we avoid repetition over these five Sundays? Might the subject be exhausted after one sermon alone? Can we find sufficient illustrative material to vary the theme's presentation for five Sundays?
The two "bread" parables each emphasize different elements of our relationship with Christ, however. In Proper 14, the focus is upon the identity of Jesus as the Bread of Life, and what that means both to him and to us. The following Sunday, on the other hand, we will deal with the acceptance and digestion of this Bread into our lives. Bread, after all, is to be eaten and not merely to be admired or revered. Bread must be taken into ourselves so that the food can strengthen and refresh us. On the first Sunday, then, we look at the Bread for what it is; on the second Sunday we are to eat the Bread.
2. There is a craving in our world for physical bread, but a neglect of spiritual bread. Jesus himself faced this problem after he fed the 5,000: When they returned to him on the other side of the sea, he said to them, "You seek me, not because you saw signs but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life" (John 6:26, 27).
How can we persuade people to desire spiritual bread as intensely as they seem to want physical bread? How can we get them to pray for spiritual bread as often as they pray for daily bread in the Lord's Prayer? If only people would crave spiritual bread as strongly as they pled to have stones changed into bread for their mouths and stomachs. We all feel the pangs of physical hunger, but are there no similar pangs of spiritual hunger?
Points Of Contact
1. Every person is somehow connected with bread, the symbol of food. Indeed, it is often an instance of one of two extremes: On the one hand, bread is a problem for people who eat too much -- e.g., obesity, the physical problems connected with overeating, and the billions of dollars spent annually for various kinds of diets and for exercise in health spas; on the other hand, the lack of bread causes malnutrition or even starvation. The world is aware of millions who are starving and both churches and secular organizations appeal for funds to send food to the hungry -- e.g., "Food for the Hungry" or "Bread for the World."
But is there the same concern for the billions of people who are starving for the lack of Bread of Life?
2. Bread is a familiar element in the life of every person. It does not matter how rich or poor one may be, for bread in some form is served at every meal -- e.g., crackers, rolls, biscuits, muffins, cereal, and so forth. It is a challenge for a preacher to take this most common element and translate it into a more spiritual reality. What does it mean to say Jesus is the Bread of Life? How does one eat this heavenly bread?
Illustrative Materials
1. Hunger.
450,000 people in the world today are hungry. 40,000 children under age five die of malnutrition every day -- a total of fifteen million each year. In Africa 150 million people faced starvation because of the drought in 1984. While the USA has sixty percent of the world's food reserves, the US Government gave only 25 percent of the amount needed to prevent wholesale starvation.
* * *
In a supermarket, a senior citizen found her bill was eighteen cents more than she had. She asked the clerk at the checkout counter to remove a can of cat food from her order. The clerk offered to pay for it because "I don't want your cat to go hungry." The old lady replied with a weak smile, "I am the cat."
2. Bread for the World.
It seems that every region of Earth has its own particular kind of bread: the rye of Germany, the shortbread of Scotland, the scone of England, the tortilla of Mexico, the cornbread of America, and the croissant of France. But there is only one bread for the whole world -- Jesus, the Bread of Life.
Bread is a familiar and important subject, however, which is certainly big enough for five Sundays. Physical bread is the universal staff of life. In the United States alone there are 19,000 bakeries employing over 350,000 people, and each year they mix eleven billion pounds of flour, 163 million pounds of dried milk, and 616 million pounds of shortening. The average American consumes about seventy pounds of bread annually. The top food sold in supermarkets is bread, and according to the Progressive Grocer magazine, 96.8 percent of shoppers buy bread, choosing from over seventy varieties.
Spiritual bread is even more important, however. The church's most vital task is to distribute living bread to every person in the world. This bread is so vital that Jesus even identified himself as "the bread of life." And, indeed, from his very birth he has been identified with bread, for he was born in Bethlehem, a word meaning "House of bread." Bethlehem was so named because it was situated in a good, fertile area which abounded in grain. And after his baptism, Jesus was asked to turn stones into bread. In his model prayer, furthermore, there is a petition for "daily bread," and to satisfy a hungry crowd, he provided bread for 5,000 and, later, for 4,000 -- all from five loaves. When he instituted the Lord's Supper, he took bread, blessed and gave thanks for it, and said, "Take, eat. This is my body ..." There must therefore be something terribly important about bread in order for it to get this amount of attention by Jesus, and also form the basis for the whole chapter in the book of John.
Context
Context Of The Day
The subject of the Bread of Life does not constitute a unifying theme for this twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 14). The First Lesson is one of a series of lessons on David's life. The Second Lesson is the fifth in a series of semi in-course readings from Ephesians. The Gospel is the third in a series of five passages from John 6. The Psalm of the Day is related to the First Lesson, and the Hymn deals with heavenly bread (Gospel). The Prayer offers a petition for mercy in terms of forgiveness and all good things. It is apparent that no clear or important unifying theme of the Lessons and Propers exists.
Context Of The Lectionary
The First Lesson. (2 Samuel 18:1, 5, 9-15) Rebellious Absalom is killed in a war against his father, David.
The Second Lesson. (Ephesians 4:25--5:2) Since evil living grieves the Holy Spirit, we are to live in love as imitators of God.
The Gospel Lesson. (John 6:35, 41-51) Today's Gospel needs to be seen in the perspective of the series of five readings from John 6.
John 6:1-15 (Proper 12, Pentecost 10) -- Jesus provides bread for 5,000.
John 6:24-35 (Proper 13, Pentecost 11) -- Jesus teaches that physical bread is insufficient for eternal life.
John 6:35, 41-51 (Proper 14, Pentecost 12) -- Jesus says that he is the Bread of Life.
John 6:51-58 (Proper 15, Pentecost 13) -- Jesus urges his followers to eat the Bread of Life for eternal life.
John 6:60-69 (Proper 16, Pentecost 14) -- A divided response is given to Jesus' claim that he is the Bread of Life.
These five sections from John 6 constitute one unit with bread, both physical and spiritual as the unifying element. And unlike most other pericopes, these merge into each other. For instance, the last verse of the Gospel for Proper 13 (v. 35) is the first verse of the Gospel for Proper 14, and the last verse of the Gospel for Proper 14 is the first verse of Proper 15.
Context Of The Scriptures
1. John. The book of John is concerned with the identity of Jesus as the divine Son of God. Today's passage, dealing with Jesus as the Bread of Life, is but one of a series of great "I am" passages.
I am living water -- John 4
I am the bread of life -- John 6
I am the light of the world -- John 8
I am the good shepherd -- John 10
I am the resurrection -- John 11
I am the vine -- John 15
Each passage is a facet in the diamond of the deity of Jesus. Thee facets do not compete with or contradict each other, but, rather, complement each other since each offers a related truth about the nature of Jesus.
2. Related passages. Because Jesus as the Bread of Life is a metaphor found only in John, there are no parallel passages. Other references to bread in the Scriptures, however, may help to convey to us the important role and meaning of bread.
A. God feeds his people --
1. The Israelites with manna (Exodus 16:4)
2. Elijah is fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:4), by a widow (1 Kings 17:9), and by an angel (1 Kings 18:5)
B. Bread is given to the enemy --
1. Elisha feeds a conquered army (2 Kings 6:20-23)
2. Paul directs us to feed our enemy (Romans 12:20)
C. The horror of hunger is illustrated --
1. Women eat their babies (2 Kings 6:24-32)
D. A case of poisoned food is shown -- (2 Kings 4:38-41)
E. The good news of bread is shared -- (1 Kings 7:3-15)
F. The bread of Holy Communion is presented --
1. Instituted by Christ (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
2. The Church breaks bread (Acts 2:42)
G. The insufficiency of physical bread is noted --
1. "Man shall not eat by bread alone" (Matthew 4:4).
2. "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread?" (Isaiah 55:2).
Content
Precis Of The Pericope
Jesus said to the people, "Because I am the Bread of Life, anyone who comes to me will not hunger and anyone who believes in me shall never thirst." The Jews took exception to his statement that he was the Bread that came from heaven. They reasoned: Is this Jesus not the son of Joseph? Do we not know his mother and father? How then can he say that he came from heaven? In response, Jesus told them not to complain, for no one can come to him unless God the Father draws him. The prophets say that God will teach all people, and everyone who knows the Father, and who has been taught by him, comes to Jesus. No one but Jesus has seen the Father. Everyone who believes in Jesus has eternal life. Jesus is the Bread of Life, not like the bread that came as manna in the wilderness. He who eats this manna will die, but Jesus is the living Bread from heaven that, if eaten, will grant life forever. And the bread Jesus gives to the world is his body.
Thesis: Jesus, the living bread from heaven, gives eternal life to believers.
Theme: The Bread of Life gives life!
Gospel: (John 6:35, 41-51)
v. 35 -- Jesus is the Bread of Life.
v. 41 -- The Bread of Life comes from heaven.
v. 42 -- The Jews object to Jesus' claim to deity.
vv. 43-46 -- Jesus gives his response: people who come to him are drawn by the Father.
v. 47 -- Believers in Jesus have eternal life.
vv. 48-50 -- Eat physical bread and you die; eat living bread and you live forever.
v. 51 -- The bread which gives life to the world is Jesus.
Key Words In The Parable
1. "Life" (v. 35) Jesus declares that he is the "bread of life." He was speaking to live people, however -- they are alive whether or not they believe in him. But there is an important difference between "existence" and "life" -- the one is physical and the other is spiritual. It is possible for people to exist without living, and to distinguish life from mere existence, the adjective "eternal" is used. Jesus is the bread of life, and this life is real life which consists of love, peace, and joy. This is a life of God, a life of oneness with Christ.
2. "Heaven" (vv. 41-42, 50-51) Jesus said that he is the bread of life that came from heaven. He was saying that he came from God and that he is God's Son -- a claim of divinity. This was too much for the Jews to accept. After all, Christ was obviously a human being like one of them, and moreover, they knew his origin -- they knew his parents and where he lived. For a human to claim he is divine and that he is God's Son from heaven is to open himself to a charge of insanity.
This is not the only time when Jesus made this claim of heavenly origin. In John 4, Jesus told the Samaritan woman she was speaking to the Messiah. In John 8, Jesus told the man whose blindness he healed that he was looking at the Son of Man. The frequent claim of divinity aroused the hatred of several religious leaders. In John 10 we read, "The Jews answered him, 'We stone you for no good work but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.' " And when Pilate threatened to release Jesus, "The Jews answered him, 'We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God' " (John 19:7).
3. "Unless" (v. 44) Who can truly believe that Jesus came from heaven and is the Son of God? It is seemingly beyond human ability. But Jesus tells the Jews that no one can come to him "unless" drawn by God. We do not decide to come to Jesus, therefore, but he decides that we are his. We do not choose him -- he chooses us as God calls, draws, and woos us through the Holy Spirit. There is no need, therefore, for an extended emotional appeal to persuade someone to be a Christian. We come to Christ because the Holy Spirit has persuaded us through the proclamation of the Word.
4. "Has" (v. 47) One who believes in Jesus as the bread from heaven "has" eternal life. "Has" is a verb in the present tense. This means that eternal life comes before physical death and not after: "Today you shall be with me in paradise." The moment we eat the Bread of Life is the moment eternal life begins. Heaven is a present reality.
5. "Living" (v. 51) Physical bread is said to be dead in contrast to the "living" bread of Christ, and it is true that physical bread soon dies -- it gets hard, stale, and moldy. And a person who eats physical bread will also eventually die. Jesus claims to be "living bread" because he is of God and comes from God who is Life. Life gives life and Christ, therefore, is not a dead person who lived two millennia ago, but is forever living that he might give life to believers.
Contemplation
It is now time to reflect upon the parable of Jesus, the Bread of Life. What are the permanent values expressed in the passage? It is time to think quietly and privately so that we are open to the Spirit's guidance.
Insights
1. The necessity of bread. (6:48-51) We all acknowledge the fact that bread (food) is indispensable for life. This is true, however, both for physical and spiritual bread. Just as a physical body declines for lack of food to the point of death, so the soul disintegrates to the point of spiritual death. Since Christ is the Bread of Life, he is essential for a healthy, strong, and growing soul. The problem for many people lies in having a starved soul in an overfed body.
2. The source of bread. (6:41) Jesus says that the Bread of Life came from heaven as the manna once fell from the sky. Jesus is saying he is of God and from God. He claims to be the Son of God who came from heaven and who would return to heaven after his mission was completed on earth. This claim of divinity upset the religious leaders, because in their minds no human can dare to claim to be God. Because Christ is God's Son, he can feed the soul and grant eternal life, but this first calls for faith that he is indeed the Bread from heaven (v. 35).
3. Living Bread. (6:51) Jesus also says that he is "the living bread," and this suggests two things. First, Jesus is living now and forever -- he is not a dead person belonging to ancient history; because of his resurrection, he lives as much today as when he lived in Nazareth. In Revelation, the risen Bread of Life says, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive forever ..." (1:17-18). Indeed, we today pray to a living Christ, worship a living Redeemer, and serve a living Savior. Second, because Christ is the living bread, he and his Bread can make people come alive. When on Earth, his touch brought a young man to physical life; today, contact with him brings spiritual life.
4. Life in the present. (6:47) In today's pericope, eternal life is frequently mentioned: "I will raise him up at the last day," "He who believes has eternal life," "A man may eat of it and not die," and "If any one eats of this bread, he will live forever." This eternal life begins here and now at the time one first believes that Jesus is the Bread of Life. It is a special quality of life, this life in Christ. This "high quality" life consists of love, truth, joy, and peace. Contrary to popular opinion, eternal life for a Christian does not begin at physical death, but before death -- e.g., Paul assures us in Romans 8 that the life we have in Christ cannot be destroyed by death.
5. Bread for growth. In a time when many Protestant churches are concerned about declining membership, it needs to be pointed out that the Bread of Life can lead to church growth. It is, after all, common knowledge that hungry people go where they can get food; that an empty bird feeder brings no birds to your house; that you can usually tell a restaurant's quality of food by the crowded parking lot and the long line of hungry customers waiting to be seated and served. Likewise, people will come to the church where their spiritual hunger is met, where the Bread of Life is proclaimed and dispensed. Moreover, when people are fed and are excited about the food received, they automatically tell others where they, too, can get good food for their souls.
6. The Divine Call. (6:42-46) The question is often asked, "How can we get people to become Christians?" We often invite, beg, and plead for people to come to Christ, to accept him as Lord and Savior. Some believe an "altar call" should be made at the close of each worship service. Occasionally, evangelists in revivals put undue pressure and often manipulate people by putting on emotional pressure to get people to the "altar" to make a confession. According to today's Gospel Jesus would have no part of any of these pleas. He says that no one can choose to come to God on his own volition or strength, for God alone draws a person to believe. When a person knows God, he/she will acknowledge Christ as God's Son and will see God in him. We do not choose Christ, but Christ chooses us. How does Christ choose us? When the Word is preached, and people hear and accept the Word, the Holy Spirit calls, enlightens, and gathers a person into the kingdom. Our responsibility is to preach the Word clearly and dynamically so that God through the Holy Spirit will cause a person to respond in faith.
Homily Hints
1. Live before and after death. (6:47) True life in eternal life -- begins with life in Christ. It is an immediate possession which is held forever. The only difference between life in Christ on earth and life in Christ in heaven is that the latter is fuller, greater, and more abundant.
To have life before and after death --
A. Know Jesus as the Bread of Life -- v. 48
B. Believe in Jesus as the Bread of Life -- v. 47
C. Eat the Bread of Life -- v. 51
2. Speak for yourself, Jesus! (6:41-51) For every generation and with each person the question which presents itself is, "Who is Jesus?" But Jesus is never what any other person thinks or says he is, whether the person is a philosopher, theologian, scholar, prophet, Christian, or non-Christian. Only Jesus knows himself, and in this passage he tells us who he is.
A. "I am the bread of life" -- vv. 35, 38
B. "I came from heaven" -- vv. 41, 42
C. "I am the living bread" -- v. 51
3. "I can't live without you!" (6:35, 50-51) A person in love with another often claims, "I can't live without you." A Christian might very well say that to Jesus. Just as no one can live physically without food, so Christ is our spiritual food, and the soul cannot live without his nourishment.
With Christ as our Bread, we can truly live because --
A. Christ the Bread eternally satisfies our hunger -- v. 35
B. Christ the Bread gives himself to us -- v. 51
C. Christ the Bread supplies us with eternal life -- vv. 50, 51
4. Soul food. "I am the bread of life" (v. 48). Christ is spiritual bread for the soul. Just as the physical body needs food to live, so the soul needs nourishment. He is, therefore, the most important kind of "soul food." Having been fed with the Bread of Life, a person can sing, "All is well with my soul. It is healthy, robust, and strong." Some will ask, "How does Christ feed my soul?"
A. Christ feeds us with the bread of God's promises.
B. Christ feeds us with the bread of his love.
C. Christ feeds us with the bread of the Spirit's presence.
5. Modern manna. (6:41-42, 50) When the Israelites were in the wilderness without food for forty years, God provided it by sending manna. Similarly, God now sends a more vital manna for the feeding of the souls of the people. This manna is Christ, the Bread of Life. Jesus' statement that he came from heaven caused the religious leaders of his day to object strenuously, for they could see only a human being in Jesus.
Because Christ the Bread of Life came from heaven --
A. The Bread is imperishable.
B. The Bread is inexhaustible.
C. The Bread is evidence of God's grace.
D. The Bread is nourishing.
Contact
Problems
1. According to the Lectionary, a preacher faces the problem of dealing with bread for five consecutive Sundays. The problem is further complicated by the fact that we have two parables for this and for the next Sunday. How can we avoid repetition over these five Sundays? Might the subject be exhausted after one sermon alone? Can we find sufficient illustrative material to vary the theme's presentation for five Sundays?
The two "bread" parables each emphasize different elements of our relationship with Christ, however. In Proper 14, the focus is upon the identity of Jesus as the Bread of Life, and what that means both to him and to us. The following Sunday, on the other hand, we will deal with the acceptance and digestion of this Bread into our lives. Bread, after all, is to be eaten and not merely to be admired or revered. Bread must be taken into ourselves so that the food can strengthen and refresh us. On the first Sunday, then, we look at the Bread for what it is; on the second Sunday we are to eat the Bread.
2. There is a craving in our world for physical bread, but a neglect of spiritual bread. Jesus himself faced this problem after he fed the 5,000: When they returned to him on the other side of the sea, he said to them, "You seek me, not because you saw signs but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life" (John 6:26, 27).
How can we persuade people to desire spiritual bread as intensely as they seem to want physical bread? How can we get them to pray for spiritual bread as often as they pray for daily bread in the Lord's Prayer? If only people would crave spiritual bread as strongly as they pled to have stones changed into bread for their mouths and stomachs. We all feel the pangs of physical hunger, but are there no similar pangs of spiritual hunger?
Points Of Contact
1. Every person is somehow connected with bread, the symbol of food. Indeed, it is often an instance of one of two extremes: On the one hand, bread is a problem for people who eat too much -- e.g., obesity, the physical problems connected with overeating, and the billions of dollars spent annually for various kinds of diets and for exercise in health spas; on the other hand, the lack of bread causes malnutrition or even starvation. The world is aware of millions who are starving and both churches and secular organizations appeal for funds to send food to the hungry -- e.g., "Food for the Hungry" or "Bread for the World."
But is there the same concern for the billions of people who are starving for the lack of Bread of Life?
2. Bread is a familiar element in the life of every person. It does not matter how rich or poor one may be, for bread in some form is served at every meal -- e.g., crackers, rolls, biscuits, muffins, cereal, and so forth. It is a challenge for a preacher to take this most common element and translate it into a more spiritual reality. What does it mean to say Jesus is the Bread of Life? How does one eat this heavenly bread?
Illustrative Materials
1. Hunger.
450,000 people in the world today are hungry. 40,000 children under age five die of malnutrition every day -- a total of fifteen million each year. In Africa 150 million people faced starvation because of the drought in 1984. While the USA has sixty percent of the world's food reserves, the US Government gave only 25 percent of the amount needed to prevent wholesale starvation.
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In a supermarket, a senior citizen found her bill was eighteen cents more than she had. She asked the clerk at the checkout counter to remove a can of cat food from her order. The clerk offered to pay for it because "I don't want your cat to go hungry." The old lady replied with a weak smile, "I am the cat."
2. Bread for the World.
It seems that every region of Earth has its own particular kind of bread: the rye of Germany, the shortbread of Scotland, the scone of England, the tortilla of Mexico, the cornbread of America, and the croissant of France. But there is only one bread for the whole world -- Jesus, the Bread of Life.
