Can We Turn Back Now?!

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
August 27th 2006

Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Sermon Series: “The Lords Supper Still Matters, But Why?”
“Can We Turn Back Now??!”
John 6: 56-69

Today marks the end of our five week attempt to better understand the Lord’s Supper. It was my hope that today we would hear something inspiring which would send us out refreshed, renewed, and with an increased awareness of the many meanings of the Lord’s Supper. However, this passage does not end quite like I would have hoped. Many disciples have decided not to follow Jesus because of the difficulty of his teaching. And, Jesus is not sure if the last twelve disciples will want to stay with him. Personally, I would like to see this passage end with a more uplifting story. It is another example of how Jesus does not always work the way we always expect.
All of Jesus’ talk about eating his flesh and drinking his blood is an invitation. It is an invitation, not to participate in a monthly ritual, but to participate in a new reality. Our participation in the Lord’s Supper joins us with Jesus in witnessing to a new way of living that is often at odds with the culture in which we live. In our society, the rules of division and exclusion, of who is welcome and who is not, are clear. While churches that claim to follow Jesus are often at the forefront in enforcing the exclusion, Jesus himself is in direct opposition to this when he invites all people to follow. In fact, the only requirement for fellowship with Jesus is that they do not try to keep others from joining in the fellowship. Unfortunately the followers of Jesus have a hard time accepting this.
The invitation to join in the Lord’s Supper is itself an invitation to follow in the way of Jesus Christ. It means we are to live our lives in such as way that we give witness to the new reality which Jesus embodied throughout his life, death and resurrection. At this table, we are to imitate the practices of Jesus by casting aside the barriers which divide God’s children. At this table, our human practice of separating God’s children based on race, class, gender, ability, sexuality is reveled for what it is: Sin. Being welcomed to the table, in Jesus name, means that all are; welcomed, loved and affirmed. No exceptions.
Today, Jesus finally takes a break from talking about eating and drinking his flesh and blood. By the time he is finished many disciples are not happy. In fact, they are offended. During his ministry Jesus seems to casually discard the traditions of the faith. Our passage is no exception. We can almost hear the crowd grumbling. How can he say such things? Doesn’t Jesus know what the scriptures say? What Jesus is teaching here, and throughout his ministry, is so difficult, so troubling, and so offensive that all but the twelve leave! (It is clear that Jesus does not know much about how to build a successful church…)
As the disciples, who are too challenged by Jesus, leave they say: “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” It is almost as if they are hoping Jesus will change his ways if they threaten to leave. However, it is clear Jesus does not intend to change. And, as a result, “…many of (Jesus’) disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.” Not content to leave well enough alone, Jesus turns to the disciples and says: “Do you also wish to go away?” This sort of encounter is not exactly what we expect from Jesus.
Because of the nature and tone of this encounter there have been more than few misinterpretations of this passage. Most often, misuse of this, and other passages like it, has overemphasized the exclusionary tone of Jesus’ speech. As a result the difficult nature of Jesus invitation has been used as the justification for the church to exclude people in Jesus name. Christians have, and continue to, erect barriers (often claiming scriptural authority) in an attempt to show the seriousness of Jesus call. However, this practice often looses sight of the goal and instead becomes an end unto itself. This is usually followed by questions like: “Who is saved, and who is not?” Instead of sharing the message of Jesus Christ, the church has too often hidden the good news behind walls of exclusion.
From the moment Jesus began his earthly ministry, we human beings have been troubled and even offended that Jesus really welcomes people like tax collectors and sinners. The egalitarian and communitarian nature of Jesus’ call has often proved too radical for the disciples. With great diligence the followers of Jesus has looked for the exemption clause. After all, decency and order demand a solid set of rules defining the welcome and the unwelcome. But every time the church finds its exemption or creates more rules regarding who is welcome, Jesus speaks a resounding no! Like it or not, Jesus says, all are welcome. And when you follow me, you are to do the same.
This is not a new struggle and it is one with which the church will always struggle. Many of the very first followers of Jesus were un-able to accept this teaching. Our human nature seems to simply be inclined to cling to the ways of division. Because of this reality then, our table practice must become a living witness which shows our love of division and exclusivist practices for what they really are: Sin. At this table we must show that all the walls of division are broken down in Jesus Christ. And when we leave here we are called to share this radically inclusive welcome to a divided world.
Over the last five weeks we have heard a great deal about the Lord’s Supper. At this table, we are reminded that our identity is found in Jesus Christ. We are renewed in our calling to serve God outside the walls of the building. And, we are invited to come and give witness to a table fellowship that breaks down the barriers which divide. Yet despite our intensive focus on the Lord’s Supper, we have only scratched the surface of the meanings of the great mystery of our faith. Our hope is that this is only a beginning where, for the first time or once again, we have caught a glimpse of the new reality found in Jesus Christ.
I end this morning with the three invitations to the Lord’s Supper from the Book of Common Worship. Listen to their words and may you find one which speaks to you so that the next time you come to this table your are indeed, renewed, refreshed, and reenergized in your journey of faith:
This is the joyful feast of the people of God. They will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God.

According to Luke, when our risen Lord was at table with his disciples, he took the bread, and blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him. This is the Lord’s table. Our Savior invites those who trust him to share the feast which he has prepared.

Jesus said: Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Amen.

Eat Flesh?!

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
August 20th 2006

Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Sermon Series: “The Lords Supper Still Matters, But Why?”
“Drink Blood?!”
John 6: 51-58

Attempting to do a five week series on the Lord’s Supper runs the risk of being rather repetitive. After all, we are using only chapter six in the Gospel of John. Reading this long chapter can quickly give the impression that it has little to say about our lives. Talking about the body and blood of Jesus as the food for eternal life seems like conversations not meant for those concerned about life in this world. However, despite the initial appearance, Jesus is really speaking about living life in the here and now.
At first glance it appears this passage is simply a reiteration of the previous one. However, it is not. When Jesus talks about flesh and blood he is connecting this conversation with a larger issue. When Jesus talks about eating his flesh we are supposed to hear this through the lens of the opening chapter of the Gospel. There is a clear connection here to the verse that reads: “And the Word became flesh and lived among us…” (John 1:14a). This is important because it grounds our entire discussion of the Lord’s Supper on our belief that God came in the form of a human being. (If you want to impress people the fancy way of talking about this is the doctrine of the Incarnation.) The basis of this belief is the simple premise that human history matters to God because God chose to be made known in history. In other words, any talk of the Lord’s Supper or this passage which is not grounded in life today is exactly the opposite of what Jesus was teaching. While there is much more which can be said about this doctrine, we will focus this morning on its implications for our celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
Jesus’ invitation to eat of his flesh and drink his blood is metaphor. If we consider that this passage is laying the foundation of the ritual of the Lord’s Supper, then the invitation to eat and drink is an invitation to participate in the ritual and, more importantly, an invitation to live our lives in the pattern of Jesus Christ. In other words, partaking in the Lord’s Supper nourishes us to live our lives as Jesus disciples in the world.
The point of doing a five week sermon series on the Lord’s Supper is not to ensure that we subscribe to proper orthodoxy. If our study of the Lord’s Supper focuses only on the right beliefs about the substance of the bread, or on the right way to celebrate the meal we will have failed in our task. When the practice of the Lord’s Supper is divorced from our lives in the world then it is no longer the Lord’s Supper. If our celebration of the Lord’s Supper does not lead us to live transformed lives or if it becomes an individualistic spiritual practice then it is no longer the Lord’s Supper. These forms of table practices would have been unrecognizable to Jesus. That is why today we focus our discussion about the Lord’s Supper on the ways in which Jesus practiced table fellowship. In this way our practice, of eating the flesh of the one who was the Word in the flesh, will be worthy of the term Lord’s Supper.
Our modern understanding of the Lord’s Supper is taken from the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. It is also influenced from the ways in which Jesus shared meals. The institution and practice of the Lord’s Supper is an extension of Jesus’ many challenges to the meal sharing practices of his day. The modern practice of this ritual has lost much of its radical roots. However, we can begin to understand how challenging Jesus practice was, by looking more closely at the social order and social mores regarding the eating of meals in Jesus day.
The social structure of Jesus’ world was rather different from our own. There was a well defined social order. The top of the social order included the governors and rulers, who were followed by priests, military generals, and the leading merchants. At the bottom of the social order, which was about two-thirds of the population, were the peasants, followed by the Artisans (carpenters and such), and finally the Expendables. There were people who generally did not fit within the socio-economic structure. They made up about ten percent of the population. This was the well defined social world which Jesus lived.
It is also important to know that the practice of eating was also very detailed and a microcosm of the society itself. Eating became the way in which to enforce the social order. Only those people who belonged to the same class would share meals together. It was highly irregular to cross these class boundaries. Since the expectation of shared meals was that there would always be reciprocation it would make no sense to share meals with people who could not offer the same sort of meal in return. A meal was a social transaction meant to solidify and support the very foundation of society. Anthropologists have noted that throughout all the worlds’ cultures and throughout history eating is an easy way to map economic distribution, social hierarchy and political differentiation. Who knew that how we eat could say so much about society?
Since Jesus had the reputation of being “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners,” it is clear that he violated the acceptable eating habits of his society. We know that Jesus was indiscriminate in his meal sharing. It was not uncommon to find Jesus eating with people from across the socio-economic spectrum all at the same time. Historian John Dominic Crossan paints a rather vivid picture of this, he says: “Anyone could be reclining next to anyone else, female, next to male, free next to slave, socially high next to socially low, and ritually pure next to ritually impure… (one might image) what a social nightmare that would be.” Jesus radically inclusive table practices were a real threat to the social order. This is the foundation for the practice of the Lord’s Supper.
Maybe the world of Jesus day is so far removed from our world. Maybe any talk about radically inclusive and socially challenging table practices no longer apply in our world. After all, aren’t we taught from a very young age that we live in a classless society? Well, that may be the talk but let us talk a closer look at reality. How often do the heads of major corporations actually eat with the custodial staff of the same corporation, or invite them into their homes? If we are really honest with one another there are class and racial division alive and well in our society. This is no where more evident than in our practice of eating. A short look at who we eat with, who we invite to our homes, who we invite to our holiday gatherings say a great deal about whether we are supporting these exclusionary practices.
We live in a culture where we are taught from an early age: “You are known by the company you keep.” However, Jesus teaches us a different way of living. While our practice of meal sharing in our homes may not be living out this model of life our practice of this table gives us a glimpse. When we gather around this table it is true that we do cross many of our social norms. We have folks from different races and from across the socio-economic spectrum. However, our practice at this table compels us to follow the way of Jesus in all aspects of our life. It is not enough for us to challenge the pattern racial segregation and social stratification of the world at this table in this place. We are called to do this in all areas of our lives.
Our identity as followers of Jesus Christ is found in the eating the flesh and drinking the blood. This marks us as disciples of the Word which came in flesh. This same Word, Jesus Christ, was known as a glutton and a drunkard. As we seek to be faithful disciples in all areas of our lives we are compelled to look at our eating habits. We are called to say no to those practices which enforce the continued divisions of our day and yes to those practices which may just end up giving us a reputation of gluttons and drunkards. Are we up for this challenge? I pray that God gives us the strength to accept that reputation with pride because it was good enough for the one we call Lord. Amen.

Eat Flesh?

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
August 13th 2006

Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Sermon Series: “The Lords Supper Still Matters, But Why?”
“Eat Flesh?!”
John 6:35, 41-51
Around the second Century, a number of misconceptions began to surface about Christians and their worship practices. In response to these misconceptions, a group of Christians called Apologists worked to end the confusion. It was their job to describe in detail the worship life and practices of the community of faith. I want to start this morning by sharing a few of my favorite misconceptions.
In the ancient world the people who knew anything about Christians were aware that they referred to one another as brothers and sisters. It was also known that that the community would gather weekly for what was called agape or love feasts. Take this knowledge and add to it the knowledge that these love feasts would begin by everyone sharing a kiss and you can see where this might lead. It did not take long before people had the impression that Christian worship was actually an incestuous orgy. So it was important to clear up this confusion.
Another misconception had to do with the celebration of communion. After hearing Christians talk about eating the body and blood of Jesus who they referred to as a child and as the final sacrifice, the imaginations of non-Christians ran wild. It was believed that an infant was hidden inside the communion bread. (And it gets better) The belief was that the newly baptized member was required to cut the loaf and unknowingly kill the child. This infant sacrifice is what bound the community together particularly since it would insure that no one would share this information. So Christians, it was believed were really people who really ate human flesh!
While these rumors might seem over the top for us, these misconceptions were understandable. After all, only those people who had been baptized were allowed to be present for the prayers of the people, the recitation of the creed and the celebration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. All those who had not been baptized were excused about half-way through the worship service. This exclusion served two purposes. The first was grounded in the fear of persecution. The second was to assure that all who participated in these activities would fully understand the practices. While this exclusion seems far removed from our present reality, it is still reflected in our practice today.
In the Book of Order, the constitution of our church, only those who have been baptized are welcome to participate in the Lord’s Supper. It says: “The invitation to the Lord’s Supper is extended to all who have been baptized.” Maybe you have already noticed but in case you haven’t, I never mention this when we celebrate communion. This means that by the letter of the law, I have violated our constitution. However, I am not alone in believing that I am operating well within the spirit of the law.
In the Constitution of the church (The Book of Confessions and the Book of Order) makes allowances for opening the table to all people. It says: “Even one who doubts or whose trust is wavering may come to the table in order to be assured of God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ.” In the worship guides published by the denomination (Book of Common Worship) you cannot find any invitation to the Lord’s Supper which invites or welcomes only the baptized. And, looking at who Jesus ate with during his life and ministry, it is clear we are on solid ground when we welcome all who seek to trust in Jesus, baptized or not, to partake in the Lord’s Supper. I share these details because it is important to know that we are taking church governance seriously and that the invitation is deliberate in its openness.
This unwillingness to exclude anyone from the table is not driven by what might be called political correctness. Instead, it is rooted in the life of Jesus Christ, the reformed tradition and the government of our church. So, if someone comes to worship and is not baptized, they will not be turned away from the table. All who wish to participate are welcome. However, those who are not baptized will be encouraged to learn more about the meanings and purpose of this celebration as well as to receive the sacrament of baptism.
Church tradition teaches that the “I am the Bread of life” passages from John are meant to help us understand the Lord’s Supper. In this passage Jesus claims he is the bread of life and the bread of heaven. It is a claim which connects heavily on the traditions of the past while at the same time creating something new. This is most evident in the repetitive use of “I am.” It is a regular feature in the Gospel of John. This is meant to be understood through the lens of the Exodus story where Moses encounters God in the burning bush. Moses asks God what he is to say when the people ask who sent him. God says: “I am who I am.” Jesus’ use of this same formula is not coincidence.
Another connection is the way in which Jesus compares himself with the manna in the wilderness. Jesus is the new manna which will not rot at the end of the day. The last connection is a bit more subtle. When the crowd is complaining to Jesus, it is very similar to the complaining which the people do to Moses when they are in the wilderness.
The parallels between Exodus and the Gospel of John are not limited to this passage. Much like the Exodus story functions to give form and identity to the people of God, so too does the Gospel of John for the followers of Jesus. The Lord’s Supper is built on the foundation of Exodus and interpreted through the actions of Jesus. The Lord’s Supper becomes the way in which form and identity is given to those who seek to trust in Jesus. Who knew that all this could be conveyed in the simple practice of eating bread and sipping a thimble of juice?
There is much happening when the Lord’s Supper is celebrated. It is thick with meaning and symbolism. However, if we are not aware of this and do not tell this to others, then this practice may loose any meaning. It may just end up being seen as something we are supposed to do that just makes worship last a little longer. So to avoid this pitfall we must address the question: “What meanings are conveyed in the Lord’s Supper?”
First, we have to acknowledge that there is not one meaning of the Lord’s Supper. This sacrament, which reveals to us the grace of God, is ultimately a mystery which is beyond our ability to fully explain and to fully understand. But, we can say a few things. The Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of the history of God’s involvement in the world. This remembrance is emphasized with the words: “Do this in remembrance of me.” It is also a thanksgiving for God’s love and grace made known to us in Jesus Christ. This is emphasized with the term Eucharist which is the Greek word for giving thanks. The Lord’s Supper is also about uniting with believers in all times and places. This is meaning is conveyed when we use the word communion. It is the realization that our identity as Christians is found in a community of faith. The Lord’s Supper is also about anticipation. At the table we proclaim our hope that Christ will come again and that peace and social justice will finally come for all in God’s kingdom. If we loose touch with the multiple layers of meaning, our celebration of the Lord’s Supper will become ritualistic and cease to be the Lord’s Supper.
Remembering what God has done and what God has promised to do, serves as the catalyst for our involvement in the world. At this table we are nourished with the reality of our God given identity and the call that it places upon our lives. As we anticipate the peace and justice of God’s coming kingdom, we are to work for peace and justice now. When we remember how God provided manna in the wilderness so that everyone had what they needed, it compels us to work for that reality now. It is only when our understanding (doctrine) of the Lord’s Supper becomes lived out in our lives that this table can truly be called the table of the Lord.
This is the story of our faith which needs to be shared. Unfortunately it is not getting much press these days. The church of Jesus Christ in the Unites States is in desperate need of a new generation of apologists. There are many popular misconceptions about Christianity. One of the most common is that the story of our faith, of the God we know in Jesus Christ, can be reduced to a narrow partisan political agenda. It is a misconception which is just as wrong and foolish as the idea that the Christians in the second century were eating the flesh of newborn babies. It is time that we all become a new generation of apologists. It is time that the love of God in Jesus Christ is freed from the chains of ignorance and manipulation. The story for which the would is hungry to hear is the one which begins and ends with the love of God in Christ, where all have enough and where social justice and peace is not just rhetoric or a hope for life after death. This is the story we proclaim at this table. Let us proclaim this story with the rest of our lives. Amen.

From Water to Bread

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
August 6th 2006
Communion Meditation
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Sermon Series: “The Lords Supper Still Matters, But Why?”
“From Water to Bread”
John 6:24-35

Today we continue our sermon series called The Lord Supper Still Matters, But Why? In preparation for this week I originally thought it might be helpful to revisit the issue about the substance of the bread and the juice or wine. In other words, does the bread and cup actually become the body and blood of Jesus Christ? Or, does it only seem like the bread and cup becomes the body and blood of Christ? Or, are the bread and cup merely symbolic? While these are not unimportant questions they are not the most important ones, or the ones we will deal with today.
Thinking of these questions reminds me of something Ed Loring, Partner in the Open Door Community and former Columbia Theological Seminary Professor, once said. He told the story of what it was like to be on the campus of Columbia Seminary campus during the height of the struggle for civil rights. It went something like this: While the heart of the civil right movement was located in the same city as the seminary campus, we were busy arguing about weather the virgin birth was an essential tenet of the reformed faith. As we seek to better understand the Lord’s Supper, this story is an important reminder that when our faith is disconnected from the world around us, we are not doing the work of the Lord.
At the heart of this mornings passage is the issue of hunger. The crowd, having been fed by Jesus in the wilderness the day before, is once again looking for Jesus. When they find Jesus and ask him about how he came to this new place Jesus ignores their question. Instead of answering their question, Jesus addresses the deeper need which has brought them to this place. Jesus says: “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life.”
This week I have overheard all the work Karen has been doing in order to restock numerous food pantries in the aftermath of the devastating storms. As I learned of the need and the ways that this presbytery has coordinated with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, I kept thinking how Jesus words in this passage could be severely abused. Could we not follow in Jesus footsteps and tell all the hungry people looking for food that Jesus is the bread of life and if they would believe they would no longer be hungry?
This really is not too much of a stretch. After all, the crowd has come to Jesus hungry and looking for food and Jesus chastises them and tells them to work for the food which does not perish. Jesus says: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Since our culture believes that people in need are inherently flawed human beings this passage could easily be used to justify personal actions and public policies which harm the working poor, all the while doing it in the name of Jesus. Or maybe we are already doing this.
We could do this but it would be an abuse of scripture. This passage in which Jesus calls the crowd to search for spiritual bread would not have happened if Jesus had not fed them real bread the night before. In Jesus’ first encounter with this crowd he feed them real bread and real fish. Jesus does not talk about spiritual bread until they had received real bread. Any actions or policy which ignores this reality is not done in the name of Jesus.
This passage also serves as a reminder fore us as we seek to understand the implications of the Lord’s Supper. If we disconnect our worship life from the ‘things’ of everyday life or the world around us, we are not partaking of the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner. Jesus says: “I am the bread of life.” These words are not a call to ignore the physical needs in this life. Instead, they serve as clear reminder that our physical and spiritual needs are deeply connected.
In the last couple of weeks we have spoken about the physical needs of feeding and the reality that there is enough for everyone. Today, we are reminded that Jesus calls us to also address the deeper needs or hungers as well. If we do not address them, we are not living out the gospel. “I am the bread of life…” These words from Jesus are metaphorical. Jesus was not inviting the crowd to literally dine on his body and drink his blood. Instead it is an acknowledgment of the deeper human needs and longings which go beyond the physical. Jesus invites all who hear these words to acknowledge and address those longings and hungers in him.
In our culture one of the ways these longings and hungers are obvious is in advertising. Marketers are very astute at taping into our deepest needs so we will work for that which ultimately cannot feed those hungers. Despite our knowledge of this most of us have a hard time fully resisting these messages that promise the latest ‘thing’ will really provide eternal happiness. It is these types of hungers or needs which Jesus speaks when he says: “I am the bread of life…”
It is our hope that eating the Lord’s Supper will lead us to feed these deep hungers on a level which the latest and newest ‘thing’ simply cannot. Gathering at this table calls each one of us to remember and name those hungers in our lives. And, we are also called to repent of the ways we feed those hungers in unhealthy and unfulfilling ways. Jesus is the bread of life which sustains us and can set us free from for those hungers as well.
Some of you may have heard that there is a struggle going on in our denomination. There is growing talk that congregations are seeking to form a new denomination. It may be a bit premature to speak in this way but personally, I think not. While there are many reasons for the divisions today is not the day to explain them. You see, I believe it is time to recognize that while we continue to argue and organize, that the world around us is deeply hungry for physical and spiritual bread. While we argue about who is welcome in the church as members and leaders, about biblical interpretation and about power and control; people are hungry. I believe this does not please God.
In my humble estimation I believe it is time to move forward. While, we are not a congregation in turmoil it is important that we be aware about what is happening. In these moments I think two things need to be said. The first is for those congregations which are seeking to leave. To them I say; go with God’s blessing, but please do not try to destroy the house as you walk out the door. And for those who will stay it is important to remember that despite the nasty things being said about us, they are still our brothers and sisters in Christ.
No matter what happens now or in the future the good news is that the gospel does not change. The world is still in need. The world is still hungry and longs for things like: relationships of depth, for a place to belong, for a life-changing experience of God that encompasses the whole person, and for a world of social justice, righteousness and peace. Our call is to proclaim our faith in Jesus Christ with our words and with our actions. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” This invitation is extended to all people. Despite news to the contrary, Jesus never turned anyone away. That is the good news. It is my hope and prayer that Presbyterians become known for this good news story. Amen.