Sun. July 21 — Ninth Sunday after Pentecost Readings

Jeremiah 23:1-6 p. 561

Ephesians 2:11-22 p. 148

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 p. 32

Focus text: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 (From “My Pastoral Ponderings”)

Those first apostles have just returned from their first mission trip. And they are excited. But Jesus responded to their enthusiasm with this invitation to “come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while. But I don’t think that this rest is simply physical rest. I think Jesus is offering them spiritual rest, rest for their souls. When we think of rest, we usually think of rest for our bodies. But when Jesus thinks of rest, he is talking about rest for our souls. And these are very different. But what about spiritual rest? Are we getting enough of that? And what happens when we don’t get enough rest for our souls? When we don’t spend enough time in prayer? When we don’t spend enough time in worship? When we don’t spend enough time with God’s Word? Rest for our weary souls is what Jesus offers to us all. Cast your burdens at his feet. Entrust him with what is troubling you. And then, of course, go. Go and be his hands, his feet, his ears, and his voice.

Questions: Where were the disciples before verse 30? What had they been doing? Is there anything we can learn from this about training workers? What did Jesus plan for them? Why did they especially need a rest this time? Is it OK to have some time to ourselves for rest or is that being lazy when there is work to be done? Did the crowds respect their wishes and give them some time alone? Is there anything we can learn from Jesus' attitude here? Why did Jesus have compassion on them? Why do you think Jesus asked the disciples to give them something when He knew they wouldn't have been able to? What did Jesus do when everyone had left? How is your prayer life?

Sun. July 28 — Tenth Sunday after Pentecost Readings

2 Kings 4:42-44  p. 261

Ephesians 3:14-21 p. 149

John 6:1-21 p. 74

Focus text: John 6:1-21 (From “Lifeway”)

Yogi Berra went to his favorite pizza parlor after a game. The cook asked the all-star catcher if he wanted his pizza cut into six or eight pieces. Yogi said, "You had better make it six; I can't eat eight."

In this amazing miracle, the Lord Jesus breaks down the miracle into bite size pieces so that the disciples could understand the deeper issues of faith contained in the miracle. The feeding of the multitudes is the 4th miracle of 7 miracles performed by Jesus recorded in John's Gospel. Each miracle communicates additional truth about the Kingdom of God over and beyond Christ's power to meet physical needs. John refers to the miracles as "signs" designed to teach spiritual truth to the saints.  

Jesus is asking similar questions of His followers. What are we going to do about the multitudes that have desperate needs? What about your co-worker? A student? Your spouse? 

Questions: Why did "a great multitude" (John 6:2) follow Jesus? How can anyone feed 5000, 15000 or even more people with a kid’s meal, and then end up with more food after than before? Is there significance to the left over bread filling these many baskets?

 

Sun. Aug. 4 — Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost Readings

Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 p. 49

Ephesians 4:1-16 p. 149

John 6:24-35 p.75

Focus text: John 6:24-35 (From “Devotable.Faith/Daily”)

Over the summer, my mother attended a week-long extensive class covering just the science of bread; how it’s prepared, baked, and even served. Hearing her share everything she had learned made me realize that bread really is a part of so much of our lives. Bread is a part of so many cultures and lifestyles, and we see in Genesis 3:19 that bread is a source of food for all of humanity. Most people eat bread daily, and it is safe to say that many people crave this delicious carb. Individuals consume bread to meet the needs of physical sustainment, but through Jesus’ statement that He is the Bread of Life, we see that He is the only one who can meet the needs of spiritual sustainment. 

Jesus shares the Bread of Life does not mean that He is physically bread, but He is our Sustainer, and Giver of life. He is the Bread that is enough for all our spiritual needs. Through Christ, we will never go spiritually hungry, nor will we need to seek anything else besides the One who gives life because He is truly enough. Only through Salvation in Jesus Christ alone, is anyone satisfied forever. In John 6, we see Jesus meeting the physical needs of the crowd, and delivering the amazing truth that He always meets our spiritual needs through Salvation. A physical piece of bread helps end hunger for the time being, but Jesus being the Bread of Life ends spiritual hunger for eternity.

Questions: What kind of "hunger and  ... thirst" is Jesus talking about in John 6:35?

How can Jesus say that those who comes to Him shall never hunger and thirst?

What kind of hunger and thirst do the people Jesus is addressing above, as well as many people in church buildings today, focus on?

 

Sun. Aug. 11— Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost Readings

1 Kings 19:4-8 p. 254

Ephesians 4:25—5:2 p. 150

John 6:35, 41-51 p. 75

Focus text: John 6:35, 41-51 (From “Interrupting the Silence”)

“I am the bread of life,” Jesus said, not once but twice. “I am the bread of life.” When was the last time you ate the bread of life? I’m not asking about the Holy Eucharist because I don’t think that is what Jesus is talking about in today’s gospel (John 6:35, 41-51). I’m not denying that the eucharist can be and is bread of life but maybe it’s just one slice in a larger loaf of bread. Maybe the bread of life is the eucharist and more than the eucharist. Maybe you and I are to become the bread of life, just like Jesus.

Think about all the people, relationships, and experiences that have fed, nourished, and sustained your life. Think about a time when someone else fed and nourished your life and I mean more than that they fixed your supper. I’m talking about the kind of people that spend their time and their presence with us. They love us. They teach us. The care for us. They encourage us. And our lives are fed and nourished by them. Sometimes it’s not even what they say or do, just being in his or her presence is itself bread. Aren’t there some people that when you spend time with them you just feel well fed and full? Recall someone who offered you wisdom or guidance, who listened to your life, or spoke a word of hope or encouragement that nourished and sustained your life. They were bread for you.

Have you ever been given a starter batch of sourdough? It holds the potential to become bread, to feed and nourish. What if Jesus is the starter batch in us? What if rather than making an exclusive claim about himself Jesus is giving us the recipe to become as he is, to become the bread of life for the world? When have you been bread in someone else’s life?  When have you fed and nourished them? When have you sustained them? When have you strengthened them? 

Questions: Why didn’t Jesus just speak more plainly to let them understand? What kind of principles can we draw from the fact that Jesus’ body and blood is our food and drink? What does this tell us about what kind of faith saving faith is? What does this tell us about how we need to live our lives as we believe in Jesus?

Sun. Aug. 18 — Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost Readings

Proverbs 9:1-6  p. 459

Ephesians 5:15-20 p. 150

John 6:51-58 p. 75

Focus text: John 6:51-58 p. 75 (From “The Living Bread”)

“There is in this passage an invitation to allow Jesus to so permeate our lives that we in essence feed on him, he becomes the source of our energy and our power, and as long as we feed on him there is life.  It is a conversation about relationship, not just a personal relationship where Jesus become our buddy, but a relationship in which his life defines our lives.  Yes, he is the bread of heaven, the bread of life, and the living bread, the manna sent from God to sustain the lives of God's people. Therefore, as we "feed on him with thanksgiving," we find strength and power for living.  The point here is spiritual not material.  It is with our hearts that we feed on him, that we draw him in to our lives, and as we do, we find that empowerment needed to live life with boldness rather than fear, with love rather than hate, with hope rather than pessimism.”

Questions: So what is Jesus telling people to feed on to have everlasting life? What does Jesus mean by "The one who ... drinks My blood has everlasting life" (John 6:54)? How important is the rest of your life vs. living "forever" (John 6:58)?

 

Sun. Aug. 25 — Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost Readings

Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-1 p. 167

Ephesians 6:10-20 p. 151

John 6:56-69 p. 75

Focus text: John 6:56-69  p. 75 (From “Working Preacher”)

“The issue raised in this text revolves around a division between those who believe and those who do not. The text makes clear, however, that unbelief can be found not only among “them” on the outside, those we so easily forget or write off. The pain of unbelief is found among us (and within us!), reflected in this text both in those disciples who leave and in the one who stays to betray Jesus. Where will we find ourselves in this narrative? Are we the disciples who turn and leave, or those who with Peter confess that Jesus is the one – the only one – with the words of eternal life?

Chapter six begins with a huge crowd that needs to be fed. At the end of the chapter, only twelve are left, and even one of them will betray Jesus. Yet God is working life in the midst of apparent failure and rejection. The church is still called to see that it is in such places that the Word of Life is doing its work around us, among us, and within us. The Word, the Spirit, and the Father continue to call, and enlighten, and draw us to life.”

Questions: Why were the people following Him going away now? Were these "disciples" (John 6:66) true believers who lost their faith? How would you respond to spiritual teachings that you find difficult to understand or accept?