Tag Archives: John

Jesus is the Son of G*d

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on August 23, 2015
Tags: Eternal Life, , John,   

The Words of “LIfe Age-Long” — Rev. David J. Schreffler

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August 23, 2015
Sunday

“So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:67-69

“Thus we may be stunned when we hear that the disciples are now the ones who are bothered by what Jesus has said. We may have been tempted to simply write off the rest of the crowd as stubborn and obtuse, but the reference to “the disciples” sounds uncomfortably close to home. In verse 61, the disciples begin to grumble (NRSV “complain”), just as “the Jews” did in verse 41. Here, the problem seems not so much that the disciples have difficulty understanding what Jesus is saying; they understand quite well, but cannot believe and follow what Jesus has said. How often do we find the same to be true about ourselves?

Peter’s response to Jesus is not a word of despair or a statement that they will have to settle for Jesus because there is nothing else. Peter and the others who remain have been given the gift of knowing that Jesus is the one who can give genuine life. Here, as elsewhere in this chapter, the paradox remains: faith only comes as the Father draws us, and yet Peter and the others (and we too) are asked for our response. Peter and the other twelve “choose” to remain, and yet the greater and prior reality is that they have been chosen (verse 70). The mystery of faith and unbelief is not answered by supposed solutions to the paradox, but by grateful confession that the Father has indeed drawn us to faith in Jesus, and thus to eternal life.” Brian Peterson, Professor of New Testament
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, SC

The disciples are bothered by what Jesus has said, but they do not flee like the “others” — they stick around because they know that, though they do not always understand, still Jesus has the “words of “eternal life”. The literal definition of the words translated as “eternal life” is “Life Age-long”. “Life age-long” is richer in meaning (I think) than eternal life because eternal life seems to suggest only life “after” we die. But Jesus’ words are more meaningful than just meaning “at a later time”. Jesus words are for us right now, and will last throughout all time. “Life age-long” means we do not wait for eternal life, but instead we begin “age-long” life right now — and that reality should change how we live right now, every day.

“Lord, to whom shall we go – for you have the words of “Life Age-Long”. How we live each day will determine if we agree with Peter or not.

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on August 9, 2015
Tags: , John   

Is Jesus’ Bread Gluten Free? — Rev. David J. Schreffler

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August 9, 2015

Sunday

“It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” John 6:45-51

“When Jesus offers himself as the Bread of Life those who are listening find it difficult to eat. Over the next four chapters of John (6-10) the opposition to Jesus grows. The world is not ready to change its diet even if their diet only makes them sick. Jesus proclaims that he is Israel’s food and all of the needs and longings of God’s people can be found in him. “The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The problem is that “Jesus Bread” is difficult to eat.

If Jesus is the bread of life, which provides for our ultimate human needs, then why does it leave us so hungry or why is it so difficult to take a bite?”

“Is Jesus’ Bread Gluten Free?” August 5, 2012 (“The Hardest Question” website)
by Roy M. Terry IV

Why is Jesus’ Bread so hard to eat? Of course, we must define “the bread” of Jesus. When Jesus says “I am the bread of life” — he is referring to himself — his teachings, his ways, his love, his mercy, his grace. It is so hard to eat because it seems so simple and so radically different at the same time. It is so radically different because it redefines how G*d wants people to treat one another, to love one another, to serve one another, to accept one another, and to love and serve G*d. No longer are we supposed to put people outside of community if they are different from us — we are to love them. No longer are we to judge others, unless we welcome the same judgment with which we judge others. And, we are to love all people — all people — not just the ones we find easy to love.

The teaching of Jesus is also simple because it comes down to two words — love and serve. Love and serve others — love and serve G*d. Simple, right? Love and serve G*d and love and serve our neighbors — putting G*d and everyone else in front of our own needs. Not so simple when we look to live into this reality — when we look to eat the bread of Jesus and then show others that this truly matters in our lives. This is why Jesus’ bread could be so hard to eat — because once we do we should live as if it really matters to us. And if it really matters, then let’s show it.

Pastor Dave