Bread of Life

Sermon John 6:25-35 November 20, 2016 Thanksgiving theme

Bread of Life

Proclamation of the Day:

In the first year of the presidency of George Washington in 1789, a Day of National Thanksgiving was set side for the last Thursday of November. Since that time, Americans have celebrated this day in remembrance of all the blessings which God has poured down upon this nation and her citizens.

In the presidential proclamation for Thanksgiving Day in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln had this to say:

"It is the duty of nations as well as of citizens to owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord....

"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.

"It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens."

President Lincoln was not a popular president. As a matter of fact, the people at the time thought him inept and had all kinds of names to call him. He was president during a time that this country was torn apart with war. Brothers were fighting brothers. Freedom was for some but not for all. And the meaning of freedom could not be agreed upon by many.  But, Where bread is broken…Healing can begin.

There have been many times in our American history when we can say, “these are troubling times” Some would say that of our history today while others would vehemently disagree. Yet, we are here and we gather together to hear the Word of God for us today.

We come to these words from the gospel of John around the season of Thanksgiving because it talks about bread…and who doesn’t love bread?! I love the commercials about bread. And especially Oprah Winfrey’s commercial for Weight Watchers when she proclaims, “I love bread.” Bread has been a staple for human consumption for as far back as we have history. Bread is what has gathered communities and families. It is only fitting that Jesus uses bread to provide thousands with satisfaction from their hunger.

The crowd followed Jesus around the lake to the other side and wanted more from him. Jesus points out to them that they want more signs because their bellies are full. They just want the earthly feeling of being full. He tells them not to work for this earthly feeling but to seek after that which sustains the heart and the soul for all of life. They remain confused and want to know what kind of work is it they have to do to have that fulfillment. Jesus tells them the ‘work’ to be done is ‘believing’-believing in him who was sent by God. The crowd is still confused and again asks for a sign. They utilize the only reference in their history of faith and ask Jesus if he will send down manna as the sign for them to believe just like God did for their ancestors. Jesus again points out that it is not about bread, it is not about work and it is not about signs-it is about LIFE. What Jesus offers them is life.

 

In him-in Jesus-the embodiment of God himself-is life. It is not in the signs and the wonders, it is not in the works that he has done, it is not in the words that he has said, but the life is in him for those who can believe in him as he has come down from heaven.

Bread is the metaphor. But, Jesus wants the crowd to understand that he is not a metaphor. And so, we find throughout this gospel the desire for Jesus to turn those around who seek after him. To help them see the light of God in him. Jesus is God. Jesus is the feast of joy of God’s love.

As Christians in the church we are often still seeking Jesus like the people in the crowd. We follow after him and wonder and ask the same bewildered question, ‘When did you get here?’

We forget that Jesus is always here.

Jesus is here drawing us together into the one body, the one faith, the one baptism in order to be his people for the world.

“For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

When we gather around the table of Thanksgiving with family and friends this year, let us remember that where bread is broken…healing can begin.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln, we are invited to take time to remember the good and abundant life to which we have been blessed.

We are reminded to take time to ask forgiveness of one another and to bless one another.

Yes, this country has been through the best of times and the worst of times.

It will continue to go through many more growing pains along the way.

Yet, this week on Thursday we pause and remember the One who brought us life and as we break bread together we will remember the words of Jesus, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Amen.