JN 6: 56-69 

Jottings on John…Pentecost + 14…Revised 2018

Breathing a sigh of relief that we’ve come to the end of JN for this year? How about going out with a bang rather than a whimper?! Take this opportunity to end on a high that leaves us all waiting expectantly. Not only for Christmas with its ‘In the beginning was the Word’, but our next stretch of JN in 2019!

Our passage is a kind of summary of ‘Jesus the Living Bread’ theme in Ch. 6. More, there’s a progression going on here. On Jesus’ part. Progressions we might consider preaching from:

Jesus encourages His contemporaries to move on from Moses & the Manna from heaven. To  progress from Moses to Him, the Greater than Moses. Something they fail to grasp with a few exceptions. We’re told in our passage that even some of Jesus’ own disciples fail to ‘get it’! ‘Get’ Him! Make the progress He expects of them / us. It’s their turn to appreciate the role Manna plays in their Hebrew forbears’ Faith. And the unique Role Jesus plays as ‘Daily Bread’ on earth in His day.

Now it’s time for us to progress our experience guided by Holy Spirit. From seeing things as 1st C. Christians saw them & on to a new & largely unexplored 21st C. version! Scripture based, of course, & true to the Faith, but a 21st C. version in which Jesus becomes ‘true & living Bread’ for today. ‘Joining all the dots’ necessarily involves risking continuing progress into an unknown future.

Making progress in the context of JN 6, feeding on the Living Bread, entails journeying into God, as much as expecting God to journey with us. Or into us. Aren’t we often told we need to ‘internalise’ understandings these days? Is it stretching the imagination too much to explore ways we can better ‘feed on’, internalise, God the Jesus Way. As Living Bread for our journey? And find ways we can become, in our turn, & as Jesus’ disciples, ‘living bread’ (small capitals) for others round us as we journey together through today’s wildernesses? Wildernesses, as the Hebrews discovered, are for making progress against the odds.

Reading our passage I’m reminded of someone I once knew who gave the appearance of over-preaching the Word & under-celebrating the Eucharistic sharing in Bread & Wine. The very first words of this passage remind us to celebrate both & celebrate them jointly & equally. We may do this in our own style, but do them both we must. To be true to Jesus & what He says in v. 56 about being part of Him & He part of us. 

Afterthought: This is our last ‘ration’ of JN for this year’s calendar. How well we tackle John, & this passage in particular, will inevitably be a test of how our preaching comes across! This will include both preacher & congregation wrestling with the ‘hard bits’! Let’s carry out our Calling by preaching confidently & enthusiastically so we make Godly progress together.

Brian