Pastoral Letter 225
Dear Members of St. Andrew’s Uniting Church, Friends and Adherents,
Grace and peace to you all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
After a great day and a successful Market Morning last Saturday, I hope you all had some time to rest and regather your energy and strength to keep moving forward with our plans and programs. We still have a few more programs before the end of the year, such as Fashion Parade, St. Andrew’s Day and Christmas, beside our normal weekly and monthly gatherings. Once again, I would like to assure you that all the things that we are still able to do, is the result of our team effort, working in unity and people power. God has always been with us, leading us on our way and we are sure that He will be with us as we continue to do our best for His glory. Speaking in Olympic terms, it is safe to say that all of us deserve Gold Medal and nothing less. So, once again a big thanks you to everyone for everything you do and your willingness to give your best.
As we move forward, let us be ready to help and support each other and as Paul says, run the race which is set before us. We need to do this with all our strength, with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our spirit and God will lead us on the way and at the end give us the crown that we deserve.
A reminder that the Documentary “The Golden Chain of Mercy” will be World Premiered in Sydney, in Event Cinemas, Top Ryde, on the Opening Gala Night of the Armenian Film Festival, this Friday 16 August 2024 6:30 pm. The news we have is that this session is Sold Out, but if you want to see it and not to miss, please secure your tickets for the rescreening of the film on Sunday 25 August 2024 at 3:00 pm as soon as possible. Please go the following link:
If you are not able to join us for worship, please light a candle and worship with us following to the attached Order of Service.
Here are some prayer points for this week:
- Pray for the sick, the poor, the homeless, refugees and those who feel lonely.
- Pray for those who are under the pressure of financial burdens and struggling to make ends meet.
- Pray for world peace, especially for the Middle East, Palestine, Israel and Lebanon.
- Pray for Liam as he is inducted into the role of the Lane Cove Chaplain.
- Pray for the days ahead and the guidance of the Presbytery leaders for the future of our church.
Best Regards
In Christ
Krikor
MESSAGE
Jesus the Bread of Life
John 6:35-58
Have you ever noticed that even when you eat your favourite food, you still get hungry again in a few hours? While we crave good food and love eating it, it doesn’t please us for long.
The billboard of a health-food restaurant says: “Eat here and live long!”; while the billboard of the next-door barbeque place says: “Eat here and die happy!”. Both of these slogans represent the varying mentalities of eating.
During the year we have fellowship meals, Pizza Nights and St. Andrew’s Day Lunch. They are a time of sharing, giving thanks to God for His blessings and at the same time celebrating our success in all we do as a church and the body of Jesus Christ. I hope we do not centre our attention on the food. Instead of centring the gatherings on food that we eat, we should remember that the real value lies in sharing time together as the members of this congregation and family.
If we do some research, we will discover that all of Jesus’ I AM statements are found in John’s gospel. They are:
1. I am the bread of Life which came down from heaven (6:35,41,51)
2. I am the light of the world (8:12; 9:5)
3. I am the door of the sheep (10:7,9)
4. I am the good shepherd (10:11,14)
5. I am the son of God (10:36)
6. I am the resurrection and the life (11:25)
7. I am the way, the truth, and the life (14:6)
8. I am the (true) vine (15:1,5)
Though it looks like each one of the “I AM”s refers to physical needs, each represents a particular relationship of Jesus to the spiritual needs of men and women. Jesus is the Light in the darkness, the Gate to security, and the Shepherd that guide. He is the way, the truth and the life. In every one of these we see that Jesus wants us to receive him, not for the gifts He can give us, but for what He can be to us.
Right after the feeding of the 5 thousand Jesus made the first of the recorded, I AM statements. At this time Jesus was so popular that in fact, the crowds wanted to take Him, by force if necessary, and make Him their King. That was the main reason why Jesus crossed the lake to get away from them. The following day when they figured out where He was, the crowd followed Him across the lake. It was at that point that Jesus told to a record-breaking crowd: “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35
Interestingly in the first part of our reading today we find three questions asked by the people and three answers of Jesus that led Him to make His first statement in the line of the “I AM”s, where He declares to be the Bread of Life. In other words, He proclaims to be the main necessity for the survival of the human being.
Throughout the public ministry of Jesus, many opinions arose about His identity. This is probably best summed up with the question of Jesus in Mark 8:27: “Who do people say that I am?” In response to this question, Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ. In these eight sayings of the Saviour, the focus is not on what others think of Him; instead, the emphasis is upon who Jesus declares Himself to be. The pronoun He uses “I” tells us that the statement is very personal. The word “am”, is in the present tense, not I “was” in the past, or I “might be” in the future, but I am – right here, right now. The literal meaning is this: “I am, I am…” As God said to Moses: ‘I AM WHO I AM.” Every time Jesus used one of the “I AM”s, He is vigorously stated that He is the Yahweh, the great God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
On the other hand, the questions asked by the people clearly show their interest in three different dimensions.
1. The first shows the group of people who were in search for material. “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Actually, they were looking for Jesus to get more free food. Or they were looking for an earthly king who can give them freedom from the oppressions of the Roman rulers. These all deal with material things. Missionaries in third–world countries talk about “Flour Christians” or “Rice Christians”. These are people who quickly convert to the Christian faith in exchange for food. But when the food is finished, they quickly turn their back to God. Jesus told the crowd: “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval” (6:27). I guess when Jesus planned not to feed the multitudes again, they turned their backs and went away. As they did.
2. The second shows the group of people who were in search for rules they can hang on and a list of works to do. This way of thinking leads the church into legalisms. You know it is easier to make rules than to build relationships and bridges to connect one individual to another. Jesus wants to live in the hearts of every believer, and He wants us to let the Spirit to write His/God’s Law in our hearts. The Christian faith is not just a list of things ‘to do’s or not ‘to do’s. It is a life to be lived according to His will and directed with His commandments. So, when the crowd demanded a list of works, Jesus gave this surprising answer: “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (6:29). Jesus wants a genuine love relationship with every one of us. That kind of relationship can’t be bought with materials, and it can’t be built on rules.
3. The third shows the group of people who were in search of signs and miracles which proved that He was the man of God or a prophet. They were looking for visible signs to put their trust in Him or believe in Him. These people asked Jesus this irrational question: “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?” (John 6:30). They are conditional believers; they want to see and then believe. It is strange; just the previous day Jesus had fed over 5000 people with two fish and 5 barley loaves. They have witnessed it and have eaten from the food provided. And yet the very next day, they are asking Him for a sign! Surely the feeding of the 5000 gave them some kind of faith that they came across the lake either by boat or circled around the lake to find Him asking for more food. The number of similar people is big in the church today. People who are looking for more and more personal satisfaction and rewards instead of taking responsibility to be God’s people on the earth with a certain mission and vision and to be His living witnesses. That’s why so many people today hop from one church to another looking for something exciting or stimulating. We should always remember that Jesus did not come to give endless spiritual highs. Jesus came to give us a chance to know Him and the Father who sent Him to the world. His message was crystal clear that day when He said: “The bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.”
At that point Jesus declared: “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe” (John 6:35-36).
After saying the words: “I am the bread of life,” many of his followers left and went away. Similarly, after claiming: “I am the light of the world,” the Pharisees mocked Him. When he stated: “I am the good shepherd,” the crowds condemned Him. And after declaring: “I am the resurrection and the life,” the chief priests began the process of persecution that led to His execution.
John tells us that the people grumbled and mumbled, and they left. Hence the response of the crowd clearly shows us the difference between what they want and what they need. It is very sad that often the very thing people need the most is the last thing they are looking for. The people who walked out on Jesus wanted what He could give to them similar to a customer who demands service for the money he pays. In the mind set of doing business with Jesus when they see that Jesus is not interested to give food again, they walked away. Even some disciples left and went and no longer followed Him.
Jesus declared Himself to be the bread of life that can provide satisfaction. The bread was the most important part of the meal. In Jesus’ day, meat was simply a side dish, and bread represented a major part of the meal. When Jesus says that He is the bread of life, He’s saying that He’s the most important part of life and is available to everyone. Also, the bread was a means to have fellowship; if you share a meal with someone it means you want to establish friendship. Also, it symbolizes God’s presence, and every time people eat bread, they should think of Him. So, it was considered to be sacred that’s the main reason that if a person would see a scrap of bread on the road, he would pick it up and put it on a tree branch for the birds to eat. Bread was never to be crushed under foot in the common dust because it is mystical and sacred element.
Friends, God wants to give us the bread of life, Jesus Christ, and we must take Him by asking Him to come deep down inside. We may even comment on how good the bread looks and how sweetly it smells. But it will do us no good unless you take it, eat it and digest it. It’s time to believe and receive.
Some years ago, I visited an elderly man in the hospital who was suffering from dementia and heart failure. Though he was born in a Christian family and attended Sunday School when he was young as well attended church services, but for very long time he was away from the church. You tell me what this man needs. Food, wealth, set of rules, miracles (probably in his situation). Before I left, something interesting happed. He started to sing, and he sang “Silent Night” few times and he repeated few times “The Saviour Is Born”. I don’t know if he was expressing his faith, but I was sure that in these difficult moments he was turning to Jesus the source of life, the Bread of Life.
Friends, we don’t have to do anything to be saved because it’s all been done for us. But we do need to respond.
Will we believe? Will we receive Him? Will we desert Him, or will we declare Him to be the Bread of Life and our only hope?
Amen!