10th Sunday After Trinity

Readings: Exodus16v2-4 & 9-15; Psalm 78v23-39; Ephesians 4v1-16; John 6v24-35.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth, and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

A Word: In the reading from Exodus we hear that the people who were saved from slavery in Egypt are now engaged in complaining to one another, about their leader Moses and his brother Aaron. From their complaints it seems that they have forgotten the bad things that happened to them in Egypt and are only calling to mind the times when they were not hungry. Moses turned to God and God intervened by telling Moses that he would not only feed the people but also test whether they would follow His instructions. Moses’ brother Aaron was a good public speaker appointed to support his brother. As Aaron told the people what God had said to Moses, the people saw a sign in the desert wilderness. For the Lord appeared to them as a cloud in a place where clouds were not seen. Aaron told the people that God would provide them with enough meat and bread to fill them – and that evening a flock of quails flew in and set down to rest in the camp. Then the next morning after the morning dew lifted, the people found a fine flaky substance on the ground, called manna that they could make into bread. In the psalm we hear thanks and praise to God for this ancient time in the wilderness when God fed his people with the quails and manna that kept them well-filled. In the gospel of John, we hear Jesus teaching the crowds and telling them that they are more interested in food than heavenly signs. Jesus tells them to stop concentrating their attention on food that does not last and instead to focus on the food that survives into eternal life – which is to believe in the one that God has sent to them. In reply, the people ask Jesus for a sign and remind him about Moses and the manna that their ancestors ate in the wilderness. Jesus tells them that it was God who gave them the manna – not Moses – and goes on to say that he is the bread of life, the true bread from heaven, the bread given by his father. For Jesus knows that what God wants is for his people to be spiritually fed by believing in Jesus – so they will never again be spiritually hungry or thirsty. In the letter to the people in Ephesus, Paul says that the purpose of the body of Christ, the Church is to draw others and teach them so they become part of the unity of faith and are not tossed back and forth by false doctrine and wild nonsense. For there is only one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father of us all. Paul also says that God’s people are called to lives of humility, gentleness, patience, peace, love for one another and unity of Spirit because all of God’s people has been given gifts, gifts given to empower the body of Christ to grow, to enable it to work properly and to build it up in love. For each one of us is made to fit with each other - a bit like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle that when all fitted together makes a picture.

Today, as we remember how God sticks with us and helps us even when we moan and complain like those the wilderness, let us do our best to give God thanks and praise for past help given. Also, as we consider Jesus’ instruction to focus on him, the living bread that feeds our spirits and opens up for us eternal life – let us also be reminded that as Jesus’ people here on earth our calling is to work together in accordance with the gifts God has given to us, to grow in unity of faith and to draw others to God and his son Jesus by accurate teaching.

Let us pray: Dear Lord, as we pray, help us to only ask for the things that are pleasing to you. Help us to recognise the gifts you have given us and to understand how you desire us to use them so that all people will be told and know that you hold open the gate of mercy to all who put their trust in you. Guide and lead us throughout our lives so that we never wander from the way of life opened to us by Jesus your Son. Amen

Thank you for joining us.