Calvary Presbyterian Church
The Rev. Debra May Cerra
August 2, 2009

John 6:24-35 (NRSV)
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. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26 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. 27 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." 28 Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30 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? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 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. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." 35 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.

“Food that Endures”

Have you ever eaten too much? A thanksgiving meal is always a great place to overindulge. Or how about a picnic: hamburgers and hotdogs; potato salad and macaroni salad, corn on the cob and fresh jersey tomatoes. It’s hard to say no to such good food.
I have overeaten a few times in my life. And each time, when my stomach feels as if it is going to burst, I vow that I won’t do it again. I even promise myself that I I won’t eat again until I am starving. But, you know what? I never learn. Just hours after we have all the fixing from Thanksgiving dinner stuffed in the refrigerator or the wonderful summer salads put back in the coolers, someone suggests that we eat again. And so we pull it all out and enjoy “leftovers.” And it starts all over again!
This morning Jesus message is about food – food that perishes and food that endures for ever. This passage, coming on the heels of the feeding of the five thousand, begins with the multitude looking for Jesus. A day earlier, the people who saw Jesus feed the crowds with five barley loaves and two fish, acknowledged that he was “indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” (6: 14) They wanted to make Him their King. Yet, in spite of their insightfulness just hours before, when they found him on the other side of the sea, they questioned him: “Rabbi, when did you get here?” (25) Jesus did not answer their trite question but instead said, “You’ve come looking for me not because you saw God in my actions but because I fed you, filled your stomachs – and for free.” (26-27) These people wanted Jesus to care for them – to meet their physical wants and interests with no thoughts about what Jesus could bring to their spiritual needs.
“There was a name in nineteenth-century China for persons who came to church because they were hungry for material food. These people converted, were baptized, joined the church, and remained active members as long as their physical needs were met through the generosity of the congregation. But once their prospects improved and they and their families no longer needed rice, they drifted away from the church. Hence the missionaries called them “rice Christians.” This same thing happened in East Germany and Romania just before the liberation of eastern Europe – “when the church was manifesting courage, and pastors were speaking out against the Communist regimes. The people came to cheer the church on, and to join the congregations in their opposition to the tyrannical state. But after liberation from the heel of the Soviet boot and local dictators, the crowds dispersed and the churches began to look as straggling and abandoned as they had before the stirrings of political liberty took hold.”
The people in nineteenth century China and eastern Europe during WWII came out in support of the church when there was something in it for them. This is not a new problem. As we can see from John’s writing, it goes back to the earliest gathering of the followers of Jesus. And we still fight the “what’s in it for me” mindset.
Think about Jesus’ words to the people. With regards to the feeding of the 5000 Jesus said to the crowd, “Don't waste your energy striving for perishable food like that. Work for the food that sticks with you, food that nourishes your lasting life, food the Son of Man provides. He and what he does are guaranteed by God the Father to last." (27) Yet even then the people waffled: “‘Why don't you give us a clue about who you are, just a hint of what's going on? When we see what's up, we'll commit ourselves. Show us what you can do. Moses fed our ancestors with bread in the desert. It says so in the Scriptures: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Jesus responded, ‘The real significance of that Scripture is not that Moses gave you bread from heaven but that my Father is right now offering you bread from heaven, the real bread. The Bread of God came down out of heaven and is giving life to the world.’” (30-33)
The people still did not understand because they thought that Jesus was talking about bread made from flour and yeast. When they said, “’Master, give us this bread, now and forever!’ Jesus replied, ‘I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever.’” (34-35)
This morning we have a visual to depict Jesus’ words, “I am the Bread of Life.” This table was given us by Christ himself. Even before the first words of the New Testament were written, the Lord’s Supper was firmly fixed at the heart of Christian faith and life.
With bread and juice, in words and actions, the promises of God are made visible and concrete. All that the life, death, and resurrection of Christ means is confirmed at the table. We celebrated this sacrament regularly and frequently enough because it is integral to worship and not an addition to worship.
Holy Communion is more than a recalling of events of long ago. In this sacrament, we bless God for all God has done, is doing, and promises to do, and offer ourselves in obedient service to God’s reign. The power and presence of Jesus is a reality. We are joined anew with Him who is the source of life.
As God’s children, we come trusting in God’s love and mercy, confident that when we eat this bread and drink this cup we abide in Christ and He in us. We are assured of participation in Christ’s self-offering. Christ’s love is received, the covenant is restored, and the power of Christ’s reign for the renewing of the church is proclaimed.
Holy Communion is both a personal and a communal experience. The Sacrament is for each person, but we gather at the Lord’s Table not simply as individuals. We come to the table as members of God’s family, the body of Christ, the church. The Lord’s Supper is the family meal of the people of God.
When we partake of the elements of bread and juice, not only do we participate in the salvation events from the past, but we become part of God’s future as well. This Sacrament is a joyful resurrection feast, an anticipation of the great Banquet of the New Age, of the coming of the kingdom of God. We see what we ought to be, the holy community, the pledge of creation’s destiny, the world as God wills it. We are given a foretaste of the goal of all ages, when every creature of heaven and earth will acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord.
The many faceted meaning of this sacrament is seen in the names given to it. The title Lord’s Supper recalls Jesus’ institution of the sacrament with his disciples. Eucharist, which means thanksgiving, reminds us that we receive all of the benefits of God’s grace with joy. Holy Communion reminds us that in this sacrament we are made one with Christ and with each other. The Breaking of the Bread describes the sacrament action by which Christ is known to his disciples. And Jesus explains it all in one sentence: “I am the Bread of Life.” (36)
Remember the rice Christians? Remember the crowed that pressed in on Jesus? They were interested in Christianity and the church as long as there was something in it for them – as long as their needs were met. But that is not the crux of Jesus Christ. Jesus came from God and He came to do the work of God. Jesus gave His life for the sake of the world – for you and for me – so that when we trust in Him we might have everlasting life.
Sisters and brothers, do you believe the good news of Jesus Christ? Though He cares for our well-being, Jesus is not about material things – the feeding of our bodies or our personal happiness. Jesus Christ is about new, transforming life along the way. He is about restoration and hope, grace and truth. Indeed, Jesus is the Bread of Life. Let Him feed you – today and every day. Amen and amen.