1. Amazing, Challenging, Overwhelming Grace August 9, 2015 Proper 14 B

2. ‘Feeding of the Five Thousand’ Vital to Evangelists Vital to Evangelists All 4 (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) All 4 (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) Most Detail (outside of Passion) Most Detail (outside of Passion) Vital to Lectionary Compilers Vital to Lectionary Compilers Every year at this time of year Every year at this time of year Mark’s: 5 weeks of ‘John’ Mark’s: 5 weeks of ‘John’ All about GRACE All about GRACE Revealing and Giving of ‘Bread of Life’ Revealing and Giving of ‘Bread of Life’

3. GRACE Amazing Amazing Challenging Challenging Overwhelming Overwhelming Insiders (Disciples) Insiders (Disciples) Outsiders (Crowds) Outsiders (Crowds)

4. Insiders (Disciples): John 6: 1-15Feeding of 5000 John 6: 1-15Feeding of 5000 ‘Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.’ ‘Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.’ John 6:16-21 Walking on Water John 6:16-21 Walking on Water ‘…and they were frightened’ ‘…and they were frightened’ ‘Who is this that even wind and sea obey him?’ ‘Who is this that even wind and sea obey him?’

5. Outsiders (Crowd) Participates in and Benefits from the ‘Miracle’ Participates in and Benefits from the ‘Miracle’ ‘This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” ‘This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” They wanted to make him king! They wanted to make him king! Dismisses, then Challenges them: Dismisses, then Challenges them: ‘Truly, truly I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of bread.’ ‘Truly, truly I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of bread.’

6. Jesus’ Challenge to the Crowd: “You THINK you ‘GET IT’! “You THINK you ‘GET IT’! “You THINK you KNOW what you NEED’ “You THINK you KNOW what you NEED’ BUT BUT ‘If you don’t THINK AGAIN/ARIGHT ‘If you don’t THINK AGAIN/ARIGHT Then I cannot GIVE you WHAT you TRULY NEED!” Then I cannot GIVE you WHAT you TRULY NEED!”

7. Crowd’s Response to Jesus’ Challenge: ‘So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ‘So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ‘Eating my flesh and drinking my blood’ ‘Eating my flesh and drinking my blood’ “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” John 6:66 “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” John 6:66

8. Amazing, Challenging, Overwhelming Grace! What about Us? What about Us? THIS Feast (obviously connected to THAT Feast) THIS Feast (obviously connected to THAT Feast) How are we to Come? How are we to Come? So that we may RECEIVE what HE desires to GIVE to us? So that we may RECEIVE what HE desires to GIVE to us?

9. Dialogue with Crowd: ‘Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.’ ‘Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.’ ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ ‘For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ ‘For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ ‘I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’ ‘I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’

10. Two Part ‘Work of God’ (2)Commitment (2)Commitment ‘Believe in him’ ‘Believe in him’ ‘Come to me…..Believe in me’ ‘Come to me…..Believe in me’ (1)Discernment (1)Discernment ‘whom he has sent.” ‘whom he has sent.” “on him…. The Father has set his seal” “on him…. The Father has set his seal”

11. Two Part ‘Work of God’ (1)Discernment (1)Discernment ‘whom he has sent.” ‘whom he has sent.” “on him…. The Father has set his seal” “on him…. The Father has set his seal” ‘The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; ‘The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead’ Acts 17.30-31 and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead’ Acts 17.30-31

12. Two Part ‘Work of God’ (2)Commitment: (2)Commitment: “Believe in him” “Believe in him” “Come to me… Believe in me” “Come to me… Believe in me” Entrust yourself to me Entrust yourself to me Submit yourself to me Submit yourself to me ‘Receive from me what I desire to give to you ‘Receive from me what I desire to give to you In the way I desire to give it to you!’ In the way I desire to give it to you!’

13. ‘Work of God’ Romans 10: 9-10 Romans 10: 9-10 ‘If you confess with your mouth that ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.’ ‘If you confess with your mouth that ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.’

14. Do you believe in your heart that THIS is the ONE Do you believe in your heart that THIS is the ONE ‘that God raised.. from the dead’? ‘that God raised.. from the dead’? ‘On Whom the Father has placed his seal’? ‘On Whom the Father has placed his seal’? ‘That God sent into the world to give life to the world’? ‘That God sent into the world to give life to the world’? Have you confessed with your mouth that ‘Jesus is Lord’? Have you confessed with your mouth that ‘Jesus is Lord’? (Lord of all; Lord of you!) (Lord of all; Lord of you!) Have you ‘come’ to him? Have you ‘come’ to him? Entrusted yourself to him? Entrusted yourself to him? ‘

15. Amazing, Challenging, Overwhelming Questions Amazing, Challenging, Overwhelming Questions Such is the nature of Grace! Such is the nature of Grace! IF we come to THIS Feast IF we come to THIS Feast With THAT kind of Faith With THAT kind of Faith He will give us ‘the Bread of Life’! He will give us ‘the Bread of Life’!