Sermon - 8-8-21

<p>Sometimes Jesus is so annoying</p> <p>We are in the midst of the Gospel of John’s discourse on the Bread of Life</p> <p>It began a couple of weeks ago when Pastor Ellen read about the miracle of the loaves and fish feeding 5,000 people</p> <p>Everyone is in awe of witnessing this incredible miracle</p> <p>Jesus has them in a really good place</p> <p>He captured their attention in a big way</p> <p>They suspect something incredible is going on</p> <p>They seek him out, track him down, and really are curious</p> <p>They engage him, wanting to understand what’s going on</p> <p>And then he blows it</p> <p>He rambles on and on for three weeks in the lectionary about being living bread from heaven</p> <p>I’m with the Jews on this one</p> <p>They are feeling confused, frustrated, and they begin to complain</p> <p>“Hey, we know you – we know your mom, we know your dad – what do you mean ‘You came down from heaven’?!”</p> <p>And then Jesus doubles down on being annoying</p> <p>First, by telling them not to complain</p> <p>And then by talking way over their heads about learning from the Father, coming to Jesus, hearing from the Father through Jesus…</p> <p>Their one assurance,</p> <p>Very truly</p> <p> </p> <p>Is that Jesus is the bread of life.</p> <p>I think that the reading from Ephesians offers us more information that seems actually helpful</p> <p>We are given instructions that we can apply… like</p> <p>Speak the truth</p> <p>Don’t make room for evil</p> <p>Lift one another up</p> <p>Be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving</p> <p>Why didn’t Jesus “very truly” speak more directly like this?</p> <p>I wonder about the message he’s sending us through this twisted discourse</p> <p>I see the closest connection between Ephesians and John when I read in Ephesians:</p> <p>“We are members of one another” and</p> <p>Give yourself to one another like Christ is given to us</p> <p> </p> <p>I think Jesus is being annoying on purpose</p> <p>Because there are no easy answers to the incarnation of Christ in the world</p> <p>There are no