11th Sunday after Pentecost
August 20, 2006
Vicar Gary Schultz
Text: John 6:51-69
Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Have you ever thought of leaving behind your life of faith in Christ? The former followers of Christ in our Gospel for today did. They did not understand Jesus’ words and were disappointed that He did not come to bring them a perfect life here on earth. They doubted, grumbled, and were offended at Jesus’ words. They didn’t know how He could be the living bread from heaven. They didn’t understand that Jesus came to give life abundantly greater than life here on earth.
Do you ever question or doubt Jesus’ promise to bring life to our dying world? Do you ever question how Jesus’ death on the cross could bring eternal life to us? We may say that we would never consider turning back from Jesus, to set Him aside. But the truth is, any time that we set anything ahead of God, we have gone away from fearing, loving, and trusting in God above all things.
Jesus’ words are not always simple to follow. We ourselves may ask: This is a hard saying; who can listen to it? Are we really to believe that Jesus is the Living Bread from heaven? Are we really to go through the trials and chances of life believing that Jesus is going to deliver us from death? Are we really to go through life, forgiving our enemies and serving our neighbors in our daily vocations? Are we really to trust in God to take care of all things – even when they don’t seem to be going our way, when life seems out of control, when we are surrounded by sickness and death, when it seems there is no hope? Are we to really spend time in worship and prayer, when at times these may seem to have no benefit for us right now? Do we think of biblical teaching as putting restrictions on the freedoms of our earthly life? When we are troubled with sickness and disease, do we place the promise of medical treatments and procedures above Jesus’ promise of life? These teachings of the Bible can be difficult. They are hard to understand. We can be tempted to toss aside God’s promises and turn back to our former lives and no longer walk with Christ. Our sinful nature is always ready to turn back from our life in Christ and go another way.
Our sinful nature causes us to say yes to Jesus’ question “Do you want to go away as well?” When life seems to be passing us by, when we do without the luxuries and pleasures of this world, when we are faced with death around us – deaths of our families and friends, sicknesses and injuries of ourselves and others – we may think about forgetting about Jesus as the Bread of Life, leaving Him behind, and following Him no longer. We would rather have something that would instantly change our earthly situation. We would rather be healthy and wealthy now, to have the perfect life, to be free from sickness and depression, from stress and worry, from danger and injury. The old Adam in us is ready to look at Jesus’ promise of eternal life and turn back because it doesn’t help me right now in my earthly life. However, our attempts at fixing our broken lives by ourselves without Christ leads straight to death.
Jesus is speaking of a bread beyond our earthly needs, which Our Father already provides us with. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever. This Bread is Jesus, who brings to us a greater promise, a promise above all of our earthly concerns, desires, and needs.
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” In the New Testament days, people usually had a shorter life span than we have today. The threat of death was eminent. And so it is for us today. As each second ticks by, our earthly lives are only getting shorter. Yet, we with Peter can still proclaim: “You have the words of eternal life.” Eternal life – life that goes on forever – is a real promise that we, and all the church before us, gladly cling to.
These words of Peter are a well-known confession to us. We often proclaim them in the Divine Service at the announcement of the Holy Gospel, as we just did earlier. In addition to Jesus’ spoken words, His entire life and actions convey and make known to us Jesus and His work for our eternal life. Christ, the Bread of Heaven, has the words of eternal life.
Even more than Christ’s specific words and actions, Christ is Himself the Word of God, who became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth (Jn 1:14). In the Old Testament, when God the Father speaks, it is through the person of Christ – the Word. The Word of God the Father spoken in the creation in Genesis is none other than Jesus before He came to earth in the form of a man. This is our word of eternal life!
Therefore, it is fitting that Peter would say to Jesus, “You have the words of eternal life” because Jesus is the Word. Eternal life was granted by the Word of God becoming a man in Jesus Christ, living a perfect life on our behalf, suffering and dying on the cross, and rising to life on the third day. Jesus’ promise of eternal life first required His own death. Jesus’ death on the cross on Good Friday is our word of eternal life because by it our sins were paid for. Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday is our word of eternal life because sin and death were defeated on the cross. Jesus rose triumphantly over the grave! The words of eternal life give us forgiveness through Christ’s death. The words of eternal life promise our sure and certain resurrection through Christ’s resurrection. He paid for our death with His eternal life, so that through His death, we have eternal life! What seems to be a contradiction – Jesus’ death brings life – is the great truth and the word of eternal life.
Today, the words that the pastor speaks over the bread and wine on the altar are the very words of Jesus – the Word. They are words of eternal life! They are known as the Verba: the Words – the Words of Our Lord. Here are the words of eternal life that give to us Jesus – our True and Living Bread from heaven. This is not just thinking about some historical event or a reenactment. It is the very voice of our Lord, guaranteeing our inheritance of eternal life, right now. Eternal life isn’t something that we are waiting around to get. It is already ours, ready for that day when Our Lord will call us to Himself. The Sacrament of the Altar is a sure and certain means of receiving the forgiveness of the cross of Christ and the Life that He brings.
The people were not wrong to seek physical help from Jesus. Jesus certainly cares for our earthly needs. In His ministry, He healed and cared for many. It is not wrong to seek help and healing from Jesus. It is not wrong to give our concerns to Him, to ask Him for a Christian spouse, to pray for patience in suffering, to plead for relief from pain. It is not wrong to seek help in marriage. Jesus hears our cries for mercy.
But Jesus does not promise an easy life on this earth. Amid the trials and afflictions of earthly life, He comes among us to give us the certain hope of our eternal life – life with Christ in heaven forever. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all (Ps 34:19; Gradual). We are assured that Jesus has endured the affliction of the cross Himself in order to make us righteous and deliver us from our afflictions.
Through the words of eternal life, God the Father, by the Son and through the Holy Spirit, has drawn you to Himself. “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” reminds us of God’s gracious gift of faith to us. In Holy Baptism, Jesus speaks words of eternal life as He places His name upon you. His saving name gives us the promise of eternal life. The words of the pastor in Absolution – I forgive you all your sins – are just as valid and certain, even in heaven, as if Christ our dear Lord dealt with us Himself.
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Jesus Christ came not to bring political fulfillment or to give us lives of luxury and pleasure on earth. Rather, Jesus is the Bread of Heaven who comforts us in every sorrow, trial and affliction now by granting us eternal life in heaven – new life in Him. Thanks be to God for calling us to faith in His Son, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, that we may steadfastly follow His steps in the way that leads to life eternal (Collect). The Words of eternal life are words of comfort, hope, and strength as they keep us in the one true faith in Christ Jesus, in whom we have believed, and have come to know, the Holy One of God. We can now joyfully proclaim with St. Peter: “You have the words of eternal life.” Alleluia! Amen.
The peace of God which passes all understanding, guard and keep your hearts and minds in the true faith unto life eternal. Amen.
Vicar Gary Schultz
Text: John 6:51-69
Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Have you ever thought of leaving behind your life of faith in Christ? The former followers of Christ in our Gospel for today did. They did not understand Jesus’ words and were disappointed that He did not come to bring them a perfect life here on earth. They doubted, grumbled, and were offended at Jesus’ words. They didn’t know how He could be the living bread from heaven. They didn’t understand that Jesus came to give life abundantly greater than life here on earth.
Do you ever question or doubt Jesus’ promise to bring life to our dying world? Do you ever question how Jesus’ death on the cross could bring eternal life to us? We may say that we would never consider turning back from Jesus, to set Him aside. But the truth is, any time that we set anything ahead of God, we have gone away from fearing, loving, and trusting in God above all things.
Jesus’ words are not always simple to follow. We ourselves may ask: This is a hard saying; who can listen to it? Are we really to believe that Jesus is the Living Bread from heaven? Are we really to go through the trials and chances of life believing that Jesus is going to deliver us from death? Are we really to go through life, forgiving our enemies and serving our neighbors in our daily vocations? Are we really to trust in God to take care of all things – even when they don’t seem to be going our way, when life seems out of control, when we are surrounded by sickness and death, when it seems there is no hope? Are we to really spend time in worship and prayer, when at times these may seem to have no benefit for us right now? Do we think of biblical teaching as putting restrictions on the freedoms of our earthly life? When we are troubled with sickness and disease, do we place the promise of medical treatments and procedures above Jesus’ promise of life? These teachings of the Bible can be difficult. They are hard to understand. We can be tempted to toss aside God’s promises and turn back to our former lives and no longer walk with Christ. Our sinful nature is always ready to turn back from our life in Christ and go another way.
Our sinful nature causes us to say yes to Jesus’ question “Do you want to go away as well?” When life seems to be passing us by, when we do without the luxuries and pleasures of this world, when we are faced with death around us – deaths of our families and friends, sicknesses and injuries of ourselves and others – we may think about forgetting about Jesus as the Bread of Life, leaving Him behind, and following Him no longer. We would rather have something that would instantly change our earthly situation. We would rather be healthy and wealthy now, to have the perfect life, to be free from sickness and depression, from stress and worry, from danger and injury. The old Adam in us is ready to look at Jesus’ promise of eternal life and turn back because it doesn’t help me right now in my earthly life. However, our attempts at fixing our broken lives by ourselves without Christ leads straight to death.
Jesus is speaking of a bread beyond our earthly needs, which Our Father already provides us with. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever. This Bread is Jesus, who brings to us a greater promise, a promise above all of our earthly concerns, desires, and needs.
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” In the New Testament days, people usually had a shorter life span than we have today. The threat of death was eminent. And so it is for us today. As each second ticks by, our earthly lives are only getting shorter. Yet, we with Peter can still proclaim: “You have the words of eternal life.” Eternal life – life that goes on forever – is a real promise that we, and all the church before us, gladly cling to.
These words of Peter are a well-known confession to us. We often proclaim them in the Divine Service at the announcement of the Holy Gospel, as we just did earlier. In addition to Jesus’ spoken words, His entire life and actions convey and make known to us Jesus and His work for our eternal life. Christ, the Bread of Heaven, has the words of eternal life.
Even more than Christ’s specific words and actions, Christ is Himself the Word of God, who became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth (Jn 1:14). In the Old Testament, when God the Father speaks, it is through the person of Christ – the Word. The Word of God the Father spoken in the creation in Genesis is none other than Jesus before He came to earth in the form of a man. This is our word of eternal life!
Therefore, it is fitting that Peter would say to Jesus, “You have the words of eternal life” because Jesus is the Word. Eternal life was granted by the Word of God becoming a man in Jesus Christ, living a perfect life on our behalf, suffering and dying on the cross, and rising to life on the third day. Jesus’ promise of eternal life first required His own death. Jesus’ death on the cross on Good Friday is our word of eternal life because by it our sins were paid for. Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday is our word of eternal life because sin and death were defeated on the cross. Jesus rose triumphantly over the grave! The words of eternal life give us forgiveness through Christ’s death. The words of eternal life promise our sure and certain resurrection through Christ’s resurrection. He paid for our death with His eternal life, so that through His death, we have eternal life! What seems to be a contradiction – Jesus’ death brings life – is the great truth and the word of eternal life.
Today, the words that the pastor speaks over the bread and wine on the altar are the very words of Jesus – the Word. They are words of eternal life! They are known as the Verba: the Words – the Words of Our Lord. Here are the words of eternal life that give to us Jesus – our True and Living Bread from heaven. This is not just thinking about some historical event or a reenactment. It is the very voice of our Lord, guaranteeing our inheritance of eternal life, right now. Eternal life isn’t something that we are waiting around to get. It is already ours, ready for that day when Our Lord will call us to Himself. The Sacrament of the Altar is a sure and certain means of receiving the forgiveness of the cross of Christ and the Life that He brings.
The people were not wrong to seek physical help from Jesus. Jesus certainly cares for our earthly needs. In His ministry, He healed and cared for many. It is not wrong to seek help and healing from Jesus. It is not wrong to give our concerns to Him, to ask Him for a Christian spouse, to pray for patience in suffering, to plead for relief from pain. It is not wrong to seek help in marriage. Jesus hears our cries for mercy.
But Jesus does not promise an easy life on this earth. Amid the trials and afflictions of earthly life, He comes among us to give us the certain hope of our eternal life – life with Christ in heaven forever. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all (Ps 34:19; Gradual). We are assured that Jesus has endured the affliction of the cross Himself in order to make us righteous and deliver us from our afflictions.
Through the words of eternal life, God the Father, by the Son and through the Holy Spirit, has drawn you to Himself. “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” reminds us of God’s gracious gift of faith to us. In Holy Baptism, Jesus speaks words of eternal life as He places His name upon you. His saving name gives us the promise of eternal life. The words of the pastor in Absolution – I forgive you all your sins – are just as valid and certain, even in heaven, as if Christ our dear Lord dealt with us Himself.
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Jesus Christ came not to bring political fulfillment or to give us lives of luxury and pleasure on earth. Rather, Jesus is the Bread of Heaven who comforts us in every sorrow, trial and affliction now by granting us eternal life in heaven – new life in Him. Thanks be to God for calling us to faith in His Son, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, that we may steadfastly follow His steps in the way that leads to life eternal (Collect). The Words of eternal life are words of comfort, hope, and strength as they keep us in the one true faith in Christ Jesus, in whom we have believed, and have come to know, the Holy One of God. We can now joyfully proclaim with St. Peter: “You have the words of eternal life.” Alleluia! Amen.
The peace of God which passes all understanding, guard and keep your hearts and minds in the true faith unto life eternal. Amen.
posted by Luther Memorial Chapel at
8/23/2006
