Looking into the lectionary - I am the bread of life

August 18, 2024 Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost  John 6:51-58 The Gospel text for August 18 continues the lectionary’s journey through John 6, the culmination of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. This chapter weaves together statements about bread, life, eternity, flesh and relationship with God beginning with Jesus’ feeding of the large through the Eucharistic overtones in today’s text. It also contains one of John’s distinctive “I am” sayings, pointing to Jesus’ identity: “I am the Bread of Life” (v. 35). At one level, John 6 is a conversation between Jesus and his followers about bread and eating. Or so it seems. But in John, there are always multi-layered meanings and polyvalent symbols. If we settle too quickly on one understanding of the text, we are impoverished. The chapter is not just about eating but is a revelatory discourse by Jesus on faith and his identity. At the heart of the discourse is John’s reflection on what faith is, who Jesus is, and how we as believers participate in Christ’s life. Our passage begins: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (v. 51). This is not a simple proposition. How is Jesus living bread? What does it have to do with eternal life? How is this bread Jesus’ flesh, and are we indeed asked to eat it? It was clearly confusing to his hearers. They immediately dispute among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (v. 52). And later in verse 60, they say, “This teaching is difficult, who can accept it?” A preacher engaging this text might begin by acknowledging that there is mystery and depth in this text. It has no one singular understanding or meaning. There are themes and truths and hearkenings to other biblical texts, however, that offer rich direction for sermons. Here are some that I find evocative and applicable. ... Thanks to this week's writer Barbara Chaapel. Read the rest of the commentary on the website. Order of worship for August 18, 2024, by Barbara Chaapel The Outlook staff will be off August 5-9 for sabbath by Teri McDowell Ott Upright and godly (August 18, 2024) by Eric Nolin The bread and the cup — Christian ed for Children by Joelle Brummit-Yale Want the worship resources for August 11, 2024? You can find them here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... Purposeful Presbyterians A former moderator reflects on the purpose of General Assembly. — Susan Andrews Blessed are the Rest of Us: How Limits and Longing Make Us Whole Micha Boyett invites parents and others operating in high-achievement “hustle” culture to live into a value system embodied by Jesus and exemplified in the Beatitudes. — Sarah S. Scherschligt The love of being in community If the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, mind and soul, and the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves, then we must stay in community with one another, writes Shani McIlwain. Missional confirmation: Strengthening youth in their missional identities and vocations The "Changing the World" confirmation curriculum emphasizes a missional approach to confirmation, commissioning the baptized to serve God’s kingdom and change the world through the Holy Spirit. Hasta que haya equidad: The importance behind the General Assembly approval of RSG-05 Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri, former co-moderator, discusses the significance of the assembly's resolution to consider and support Hispanic Latino-a-é ministry. New show ‘The Promised Land’ tells Moses’ story in the style of ‘The Office’ RNS spoke with writer and director Mitch Hudson, who is also a crew member on 'The Chosen,' about what's next for the new series.