11th Sunday After Trinity

Readings: 1 Kings 19v4-8; Psalm 734v1-8; Ephesians 4v25-5v2; John 6v35 & 41-51.

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 the 1st Book of Kings we hear what God did for Elijah. For after Elijah had walked for a day in the wilderness, Elijah was so distressed that he asks God to take back his life from him because he feels he is no better than his ancestors. Then in his exhaustion, Elijah falls to sleep. We know that God heard Elijah’s prayer but had other plans in mind for him because God sent an angel to him to speak with him and feed him twice. As a result, Elijah was strengthened by the angel’s visitation and food and subsequently continued his walk through the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights until he reached the mountain of God. Then in the psalm we hear a witness testimony that proclaims that God heard the psalmist’s cries and helped him by sending his angel to stand by him, to protect him and to deliver him. In response, the psalmist blesses, glorifies, magnifies, exalts and praises the Lord. These ancient readings tells us that God hears all of our prayers and then answers them. However some may be answered in ways that we may not expect, for God may send his holy angels to help and assist us or maybe just provide us with all that he knows we need.

Feeding and helping his people is something that recurs throughout the scriptures. So it should be of no surprise that in the gospel of John, we hear Jesus telling the crowds that he is the bread of life, the living bread that came down from heaven, the bread that feeds our hunger and thirst. For as Jesus says, he is the one sent into the world by the Father, the bread given for the life of the world, the bread of life that draws us into the body of Christ, so that everyone who eats it will live forever. However not everyone believed what Jesus had to say and those who struggled to accept his word complained about him to one another. In response to this, Jesus teaches, that it is only possible to be drawn to Jesus if the Father calls us. Jesus also says that the Father will teach everyone who is drawn to him and that on the last day Jesus himself will raise up all those who come to him to life everlasting.

But what does it mean to be taught by God? In the letter to the people in Ephesus, Paul reminds us that the Lord’s people are called to become imitators of God, God’s beloved children, a people who live like Christ. For by trying to do this we are changed and become the people that God created and designed us to be. A people who live a self-sacrificing life of love. A people who are tender-hearted and forgiving towards one another. A people who turn away from their sinful ways. A people who choose to speak the truth. A people who hold themselves back from acting in anger. A people who work and labour honestly. A people who say words that build up those who are spoken to and those who hear. A people who by taking all of this positive action find they become able to resist the devil and not be tempted into sinning.

Let us pray: Dear Lord, we thank you for your mercy, gentleness to us and gift of pardon and peace in your one true sacrifice which takes away our sin. We ask for your help to live as you call us to do, keep us secure on the foundation of Jesus so we may be preserved from the sins that destroy us and receive your gracious promises and eternal riches, at the end of our lives. Amen.

Thank you for joining us.