Tenth Sunday after Trinity John 6:24-35 Exodus 16:2-4; 9-15So, the Olympic Games 2024 are in full swing. If we watched some of it on TV, we have seen some wonderful athletics and happy medal winners, but also the near misses and disappointments. For those who love to watch sport in this way, it is a great time and those who don’t like it, well, they can just try to ignore it… I am reminded, though, of a particular quote, that says, ‘Give them bread and games’, as a reference to the notion that that is all that people want to keep them happy. It comes from a fuller quote, attributed to the Roman poet Juvenal, in his 10th Satire, of about 100AD. This quote says, ‘Give them bread and circuses and they will never revolt.’ It describes the way that the Roman government began to provide free food and entertainment, in order to keep them happy, after the Roman Republic ended and the Roman Empire began. It was all free and the scheme was based on the idea that bread and circuses were the only remaining interests of the people. If the Olympics and games in general are not the real topic of today’s readings, bread is a feature in those readings: God’s provision of manna in the wilderness, in Exodus 16, and Jesus talking about food that truly satisfies in John 6. In both accounts, there is a hidden meaning to explore.After their Exodus, the people who had been led out of slavery in Egypt had begun to grumble at the lack of the food they had in the past. They seemed to have forgotten their time as slaves in Egypt, and were concerned with their stomachs, craving for the food they had before. Their complaint against Moses and Aaron reached the Lord too, and he turned things around by sending them a new kind of bread, ‘manna’ which means ‘what is it?’. This was bread from heaven that was found as a layer on the ground each morning, like dew. There was always enough for all.In John’s Gospel, too, there is mention of ‘bread from heaven’, when Jesus talks about the bread that the people were looking for since he fed the five thousand from five loaves of bread and two fish. He tells them not to work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give them. In both accounts, then, we find that what people are looking for is feeding; but is it the food that truly satisfies? We know that we don’t live by bread alone, as Jesus has said, ‘but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4).Today, with the Olympic Games, we are reminded of that other item in the earlier quote: ‘circuses’ or ‘games’; in other words: entertainment in sport. At that level of sport, the stakes are high. Athletes compete to the best of their ability and after a long time of training. Their aim is of course to earn the gold medal, the pinnacle of their success. But only one in each item can be crowned with it. So what about the hidden meaning in the biblical accounts and references to ‘bread from heaven’ and the things that satisfy? Well, if it is physical hunger that needs to be satisfied, then, surely, physical food is necessary. For food – and bread is a generic reference to it – is what our bodies need to survive and remain healthy. But there is another kind of hunger, a spiritual one, that every person is in need of having satisfied, and that can only be fulfilled by God himself. A loaf of bread will feed us physically for a day; but God’s Spirit feeds us for ever. Our need for forgiveness, for love, for belonging, for comfort and for peace: they are satisfied by God alone. He does that through Jesus, his Son, whose work of reconciliation on our behalf has set us truly free, and allows us to enjoy life for ever. God’s provision is as generous as it is complete: bread to feed the body (as we see in Exodus) and bread to feed the soul (as found in Jesus). We need the former, sure, but we most certainly also need the latter, to truly satisfy and give us peace in our soul. And the Olympics? O well, we may enjoy them for a time, but our true and lasting crown comes from God. Amen.
Ninth Sunday after Trinity John 6:1-21 Ephesians 3:14-endIt is not the usual way things are arranged in the natural world: according to design, people don’t walk on water, and five barley loaves and two fish are not enough to feed thousands of people. But Jesus does exactly these particular two things in John’s account for today; so, what do we do with that, or, in other words, how do we interpret these events, these phenomena and Jesus’ performance at this stage in the Gospel story? In the passage from the letter to the Ephesians, we are encouraged ‘to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.’ An interesting phrase: the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. It is quite true, of course, that it is not easy to fathom the mystery of God’s love for us in Christ. The usual way God’s love for his people is explained in the Bible is through metaphor, and comparison with the love of a parent for a child, or a lover for the beloved. And how rational is that, exactly? As the song says: ‘you can’t see it with your eyes, hold it in your hand … Ever since time nothing's ever been found that’s stronger than love’ But even though we cannot explain love, we know that it is essential for our wellbeing, in both the giving and the receiving of love, and we know that it is very powerful. So what does Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand and his walking on the sea tell us, other than that he is able to overthrow the laws of nature? This account in John’s Gospel comes after Jesus’ teaching about his relationship to God, giving proof of his calling, and rebuking those who refuse his offer, saying that those who lack the love of God, don’t accept the one whom he has sent (chapter 5:42). Perhaps we can deduce at least that God’s love for us is simply to be accepted gratefully, with an open mind, and without trying to rationalise it. After all, much of John’s Gospel is about the challenge of the Good News to all existing worldviews, and offers a new perspective of God’s purpose for us. Something that we cannot deserve or work towards earning it. Of course, the crowds are puzzled, as are we! How does Jesus do it? Even if we have a vague notion of the why – God’s love and the revelation of who Jesus is – the how will ultimately escape us. We may ask, ‘Does this matter?’ The feeding of the five thousand gave the people reason to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world’. It was a recognition of Jesus’ identity, if not completely understood. His walking on water, it has been said, can be a theme for meditation. Our lives are full of moments when a storm breaks out, metaphorically speaking; when we are tossed about by the waves and the wind, and the journey of life gets rough. As we are struggling through those times, the presence of God may be felt as comforting, but it may also disturb us: who is this, that follows us like a ghost! This event in John’s Gospel tells us exactly who this is, and if we allow ourselves a moment to listen, we can hear those words: ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ I like the way this passage ends: ‘Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward they were going.’ Jesus’ presence with us, in the boat, offers us peace but even more than that: safety. With him on board, we reach the harbour even quicker than we imagined. As soon as fear is taken away, we see things in their true perspective and we can rejoice. Rejoice, then, in the love of God that surpasses knowledge, and be filled with the fullness of God. No, it is not rational, and it is not something we can work out scientifically. But we can accept it, like a gift, undeserved, and wonderful. Amen.
Eighth Sunday after Trinity Mark 6:30-34; 53-end Jeremiah 23:1-6Jesus really doesn’t get a lot of rest. No sooner has he healed people and cast out demons in one place, or he has to move around and do the same thing in another village. But even then, those who saw Jesus and the disciples go, would follow them. When Jesus took the disciples away by boat, suggesting they find some rest, the people hurried to find him again on foot, ‘from all the towns, and arrived ahead of them,’ it says. As he went ashore, then, ‘Jesus saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.’ The image of a shepherd and sheep is one that we find in the Bible several times, as a metaphor for the people and those who look after them. Of course, from Israel’s history, there is also the connection with king David, who had been a shepherd, watching his father’s flock, before his destiny as another kind of leader found him. And in Jeremiah 23, God is saying that he will gather the remnant of the flock that had been driven away by Judah’s rulers, and bring them back to their fold. He goes even further, by promising to ‘raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.’ The name of this new Branch, this new shepherd, will be: ‘The Lord is our righteousness’ or, in different translations: ’God-Who-Puts-Everything-Right’ or ‘The Lord our righteous Saviour’. In any case, he will be very different from the ones who had led the people earlier and either neglected them or led them astray. The shepherd whom God himself was to appoint would be caring and just, and lead the people – like sheep – to safe watering places. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see Jesus in this role. We certainly see him do what is necessary: healing the sick and feeding and teaching them, even if it did exhaust him too. What, then, does it all mean?The final passage of Mark 6, and the end of today’s reading, summarises it nicely: that Jesus’ ministry and the response it received is widening. There were even those who got healed by touching Jesus’ cloak, as he went through towns and villages where the sick were laid in the marketplaces. This added to the number of Jesus’ followers, but also brought the resentment of the religious leaders to a new level. But Jesus does not hold back; his compassion and his love went together, in order to bring in God’s kingdom. The world was in a bad place – it needed saving. Jesus did not just perform miracles in order to show how powerful he was; although we should not underestimate the power of God in Jesus. He was not a show-off entertainer either. It was all about his love and compassion, and the inauguration of a new era, of the Kingdom of God breaking in and giving the people the hope that they so desperately needed. Nobody else could give them that hope; the hope of forgiveness, of a restored relationship with God and with their neighbour; the hope of peace. Yes, in history, and even today, there are many who try to make the world a better place and they are commended for it. Some do it as a result of their faith; others have a different motivation. And we also have a duty to do our best for those in need. But ultimate inner peace and restoration can only be found through God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, and his righteousness. He was to fight in the struggle against the forces of evil and win the victory through his obedience. He is the Righteous Branch, the Shepherd who will lead his flock through the wilderness into the Promised Land of God’s peace. That is where our hope comes from; and that is the way we are called to follow. Amen.
Seventh Sunday after Trinity Mark 6:14-29 Ephesians 1:3-14What has it been said about an inheritance? It only comes to a person through the death of a testator. The words ‘Last Will and Testament’ refer to the document that is drawn up to declare how a person’s earthly goods are to be disposed of after their death. The words ‘will’ and ‘testament’ have other meanings too: ‘will’ referring to ‘desire’ and ‘testament’ to ‘covenant’. In biblical terms, then, we find God’s desire and his covenant with his people as primary definitions of these words.What’s in a word? Well, we have to use words in order to communicate. We speak and make our intentions and our thoughts and wishes known in conversation and through written sentences. It is not true that, in the common proverb, ‘sticks and stones can hurt my bones but words can never hurt me.’ Words can hurt, and tear a person down, as well as – thankfully – heal and build them up. The power of words is quite evident in the passage from Mark’s Gospel for today: John the Baptist was executed because of words, rashly spoken by king Herod, and other words, coming from his wife Herodias, through her daughter. John had got himself into trouble, because he had said to Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ It all was a bit of a mess. Although Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, his rash promise turned the tables rather dramatically and John was executed. Paired with this story, we have the letter to the Ephesians, chapter 1. It begins with a greeting in the traditional style and then a prayer of thanksgiving by way of introduction. What follows resembles a homily about our adoption as children of God through Jesus Christ, ‘according to the good pleasure of God’s will’. It is through the obedience of Christ – even to death on a cross – that this has come about. For we have redemption ‘through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us the mystery of his will.’ Jesus’ death happened as part of God’s plan of salvation for humankind, so that they can indeed obtain an inheritance; to the praise of his glory. The beheading of John the Baptist seems to be at odds with God’s meticulous planning of our redemption. It looks more like a casual, almost accidental event, as the result of some unfortunate mistake. But it also brings home to us the risk of speaking out against such things as immorality and selfishness. Let us not forget, though, that God speaks judgement over these things; he does vindicate his people, even if we don’t see it happen straight away. Within a decade, Herod had been banished and left to die disgraced. John the Baptist, however, had his story written up by Mark (and Matthew and Luke) and he is honoured as a strong and fearless witness to the Kingdom of God. Our inheritance, then, as followers of Christ and therefore children of God, is secure. As Ephesians 1:13-14 says, ‘In him – Christ – you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.’ Words have great power, especially when God speaks them, according to his will and testament. May we truly hear and rejoice. Amen.
