God's Last Words

THINKING ETERNALLY

JOHN 6: 24-35

As we prepare to participate in the Sacrament of Holy Communion I want to remind you of why we do so by using an example I used before to make a dramatic point you should remember but probably don’t.

When American engineers designed railroad tracks, they made them just as they did in England. The reason England built the tracks 4 feet, 8½ inches is because the wagons used on the tracks were 4 feet, 8½ inches.

The reason the wagons were built 4 feet, 8½ inches was because the ruts in the roads were exactly that measurement, and they didn't want to break their wheels by not fitting into the ruts.

I fear that's many Christians. We demand to do things in church the same way it’s always been done. We become a right or left rut. A man may say, "I'm a right rut. I'm right, and I'm in a rut. I don't know about those left ruts, but my rut's right."

I remember attending my first Consistory meeting as a Deacon. There were several other “newbies” there also. The older members of the church wasted no time in making sure that each motion for action was seconded by the Emeritus Elder/Treasurer for 30 years we’ll call “we’ve always done it that way.”

“We’ve always done it that way,” has one motivation in mind – to preserve, protect, and perpetuate policies, actions, and attitudes designed to ensure one view or method will dominate the course of action for that organization.

Now don’t get me wrong, the church and religious ritual is the one place that “We’ve always done it that way,” may be appropriate, provided the action is consistent with belief and the teachings of Jesus and the Heavenly Father.

But, unfortunately, because we humans sin and that we are often prejudiced in favor of solutions that seem to work relative to a situation I always become skeptical when I hear someone say it, because it limits options and solutions to problems, which in themselves may later become problems.

Why were the ruts 4 feet, 8½ inches? Because the Roman Empire built the roads and their war wagons to that measurement. You know the reason the Roman war wagons were 4 feet, 8½ inches?

Because that's the width of two horses' rear ends.

So our railroads, intermodal truck trailers, and some roads are built the size of 2 horses standing side by side. I wonder how many times we collectively have behaved as a couple of horses' rear ends?

I wonder how much of our faith is based on our own needs and not what God provides? We look for our own desires and expectations and miss what God offers.

JOHN 6: 24-35: So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"

Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal."

Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?  Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'

"Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.

For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

The people come to Jesus because they are starting to count on Him to meet their needs because He has come from the Father who has provided for them before. But Jesus points out that the gift comes from God, not the fragile humans God chooses to use to give them the gifts.

The Definition of Human Insanity: Albert Einstein said that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results was insanity.

Jesus told the Jews to pay attention to God’s saving grace to know what salvation will mean for them. Salvation will not require humans to do something, but rather receive something that will be done for them.

To think eternally we are to receive the bread from Heaven and the living water from Jesus Himself by believing Him. Nothing else is necessary. Believe, tell, and receive and eternal life will be ours.

We are free to change and take up God’s ways because God and Jesus never change – they always do it the same way fro us!

Jesus comes in the bread and cup of communion. We do this in remembrance of Him and not in remembrance of how we feel about ourselves receiving Him. This passage has always been Jesus telling the Jews to get over themselves and get God.

God created the world in His love.

Love created relationship.

Relationship created Christ.

Christ created community.

Community created loving neighbor.

Loving neighbor created service.

Service created sacrifice.

Christ’s sacrifice created salvation.

Salvation created eternal life.

And God created eternal life for relationship.

Amen.