Tag Archives: John

Jesus is the Son of G*d

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on August 2, 2015
Tags: , John   

Bread That Feeds the World — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

 

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August 2, 2015
Sunday

“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.” John 6:35

“The bread that comes down out of the heaven” is not an analogy between manna (God’s provision via Moses) and the feeding story (God’s provision via Jesus), but an analogy between manna and Jesus himself. At this point, they are looking at Jesus as the new and improved Moses. Like Moses, they see Jesus as one who can feed them as Moses once fed their fathers. Like an improved Moses, they see Jesus’ bread as an “always” kind of provision, not just a 40-years-in-the-wilderness provision.
Jesus is the bread that comes down from heaven, but instead of merely feeding “our fathers in the wilderness,” he is nurture for the cosmos and – drawing from the previous verses – instead of a 40 year provision his bread is into the ages.

Jesus continues this thought throughout John’s 6th chapter: “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 for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’” “Bread That Does Not Spoil” (“leftbehindandlovingit” web site)

Jesus is not only the “bread that comes down from heaven”, he is the bread that feeds us to live the kingdom life. Jesus is trying to get the people to change from thinking of bread as “bread”, and instead to thinking of his body (in terms of his ministry) as the bread that everyone needs to live. Bread will feed you today — his bread will bring you eternal life. But how do you get people who are chronically hungry to think of bread in this way? Those who are hungry now, want bread to fill their stomachs now. So, in giving the people bread now, will they be able to see how his teachings, his love, his mercy and his grace will lead to a life that not only feeds the body but also feeds the spirit as well? They will make the connection if they continue to follow, to listen and to learn — from watching us following, listening, and serving all people in the name of Jesus.

We look to Jesus to feed us words that help us make sense of this world right now. But if we stay on the journey with Jesus, if we continue to listen to his teachings, and to study his words, we will receive the words that lead to eternal life — and live a life of love and service along the way.

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on July 31, 2015
Tags: , , John   

I Believe The Children Are Our Future — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

imageJuly 31, 2015

“Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my little boy dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, “Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.” The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” John 4:46-53

“The biggest place in the world is that which is being filled by the people who are closely in touch with youth. Being a king, an emperor or a president is mighty small potatoes compared to being a mother or the teacher of children, whether in a public school or in a Sunday School, and they fill places so great that there isn’t an angel in heaven that wouldn’t be glad to give a bushel of diamonds to boot to come down here and take their places.” Billy Sunday (1862 – 1935) A Sermon, “Motherhood” “For All The Saints”, volume IV (p. 462)

So often we hear that the “children are the future of the church”. I can’t disagree. We are in the best possible position to teach the faith to someone when they are just a child. Once they have reached adulthood, they begin to believe more in their ability to “intellectualize” things in their lives than to find faith. They are more willing to follow the teachings of politicians, of sport’s figures, or of the ramblings of an “on-line” prophet than to believe and follow the teachings of Jesus and the words of the prophets. But, to me, the most important thing today is to teach our children to carve out time in their busy schedules for the church — either in the activities of a youth group — or attending regular youth activities. If we can get them involved with other children in learning about faith, in having fun at church, and being leaders in the church, they have a better chance to stay connected to the church when they reach adulthood. This will give them a chance as adults and help them to be better able to compare the “on-line” ramblings of a modern-day prophet to the words of grace, mercy and love of Jesus.

Pastor Dave