Although today’s reading highlights the Beatitudes, today I plan to offer praise and thoughts for creation, and ponder how we have often failed to care for the environment. I will propose we should increase our efforts to care responsibly for the earth and all its wonders, and also advocate for legislation that protects the earth’s resources, and their fair distribution.
Man started interfering with Nature when the world’s population was only about 100,000 and, even when we were hunter gatherers, we altered the distribution of earth’s flora and fauna as we chose what game we would kill and what edible plants we would gather, and which ones tasted nice and sweet to cultivate. Fire and cooking were blessings, as they increased the calorific value of what we ate. Now the earth’s population is more than eight billion, and concrete and comfortable dwellings cover a significant proportion of arable land, which has always been limited by the mountains and the sea anyway; and, as well, we’re running out of traditional energy resources.
It is possible for man to live sustainably: the islanders on Tikopia (in the Solomon Islands) have lived on one tiny island for over a thousand years, cultivating it carefully and limiting their population growth. The world started getting into trouble when we limited deaths from infectious disease and then deaths from cancer and coronary heart disease. It certainly makes economic sense for the New Zealand government to reintroduce smoking! Those who indulge die off at around age sixty, and won’t fill up retirement homes as Alzheimer’s patients! Yes, the introduction of the pill has made contraception available to women increasing their independence, if they can afford it, although the pill needs to be stored in a fridge in the tropics, so is of limited value to women there.
Several of today’s hymns praise God for the natural world around us. Although I was amazed to see two large kauri in Madeira that had been planted in the 17th century, it wasn’t until the 18th century that appreciation of natural beauty increased in Europe: French and English explorers, in particular Sir Joseph Banks, sent home strange plants to Kew gardens. As climate change brings more devastation, we need to keep those seed banks secure. Some of you may remember that in the sixties we were given dire warnings that the world would run out of food. But since then more productive strains of food have been developed and at last New Zealand is looking at genetic engineering more positively. Thanks to Sir David Attenborough and others, television has revealed many natural wonders to us over the past seventy years. These wonders occur in the depths of the earth, in the crevices of volcanoes and 60,000 feet deep at the bottom of the oceans, and in the many karst cave systems. There are plants, the amazing root systems of trees that communicate with each other, fungi and insects, fish and plankton.
Let God fill you with wonder and joy at all that he has created. And being filled with joy, let us be happy to share his bounty with those that are less fortunate than most of us here.
I was happy to see that people are now leaving their spare produce outside the library, because I expect those who are struggling to feed their families prefer to keep their difficulties to themselves. The Old Age pension is no longer enough to live off, especially if you’re renting, and our Council doesn’t want social housing on the east coast of the Coromandel in case it encourages surfers! But we senior retirees need help with our housework and our gardens, and that could always be done when the sea is calm as long as they (the surfers) don’t want to waste petrol driving all the way to Raglan.
Up to 95 per cent of our food can be from plants. My John looks after our veggie garden. We’ve stopped growing potatoes because they take up too much space, but I always plant two kumara, a month before we leave on our annual February sailing holiday, so that the kumara leaves act as weed mat while we’re away. I just regret that I didn’t think to plant a pine nut and a fig tree twenty years ago when I planted our other fruit trees.
Thinking about abundant garden produce makes me think of food storage. How many of you bottle fruit still? Or have a large enough freezer to hold enough excess garden produce to last you through the winter? I remember leaving our one acre garden in the UK thinking, I won’t ever have to bottle again, only to be shown my cousin’s larder in Morrinsville, stuffed full of bottled fruit. That UK garden had thirty apple trees, which I only looked at closely after my mother died and found at least half of them were diseased. I’m grateful here for the constant service provided by our primary industries in the war against pests.
So, give thanks for creation – for its beauty, for being able to walk through forests and calm our anxieties, for all the food and healing herbs God has provided us with. And let us share his bounty with as many others as possible. Amen
Today is another Sunday looking at Jesus’s proclaiming to be the Bread of Life. Last week we heard of Jesus revealing that he is the “living bread”: a revelation that causes more misunderstanding than joy, and generates lots of moaning and arguing. I propose today that we move into gnawing and munching and stumbling in this conclusion. Is gnawing and munching is the best way to approach and eat this statement today? This kind of eating tries to get as much as possible out of the meal. It’s a time when politeness may go out the window as we tear the meal apart, eat with our fingers, suck up all the flavour and goodness and then lick the plate. How will we each choose to engage with and digest Jesus as the Bread of Life today?
The larger group of disciples had now been put in a position where they had to make a choice. They complained, they were offended, they disengaged. They found this particular teaching too problematic and too difficult. They had been fed, taught, healed and loved by Jesus; but it was not enough to enable them to engage with this statement that he is the ‘Bread of Life’.
It seems logical to assume that the larger group of disciples comprised those who believed, those who wanted to believe, those who used to believe, and those who were trying to believe.
I know that sometimes it’s disheartening when I lose the support of friends that I thought I had alongside me in a common cause. But, then again, it has been I myself that has withdrawn my support in some cases … as I no longer agreed with the focus or desired outcome, or the politics, or the people who were being excluded.
This is similar to what I have heard has happened in many larger parishes after Covid. Disciples have not returned. They are just not coming any more. For some reason these disciples have made a choice that Jesus is no longer the priority, as the Bread of Life in their lives, at the moment. Of course, anyone is free to withdraw and change their choice at any time, as God’s love is a freeing love. John writes that Jesus is not fazed, and reveals that Jesus knew this may happen. Jesus is not concerned about numbers but more about revealing his role, which is about proclaiming and serving the kingdom of God and standing firm. Therefore, Jesus asked the twelve disciples directly, “Do you, also, want to go away?” There’s something very vulnerable and poignant in this question, to disciples who are now waiting, watching, wondering and maybe worrying.
I would like to think that Jesus asks the question compassionately and with understanding, although – would he have in the synagogue setting? What emphasis? “Do you, also, want to go away?” or “Do you also want to go away?”
Maybe this question makes us feel uncomfortable; and/or maybe it makes us feel comfortable? The truth here may be the realisation that we are a mixture of disciples. Disciples who believe, who want to believe, who used to believe, who are trying to believe … and that’s ok in my understanding because for me, it is more about engaging with the lifeline. The Lifeline.
Peter engaged and responded to Jesus with a searching question of his own. He answers from the perspective of his own belief, his courage, and his faith. In today’s terms he is probably clarifying his developing theology, which is always a work in progress – like all preacher’s cope with – and here Peter is considering, What are the alternatives? He sees Jesus’s teachings as sometimes quite involved, hard to understand in fisherman terms, but he sees that they do have life in them. And if Jesus is truly who he says he is, why would I choose death, when life is right there in Jesus’s words, in his body, and in the strange way he is talking about being the bread of life, that he is asking us to eat? Peter’s conclusion proclaims that Jesus is Life itself, and to whom else would he go? I wonder if Peter’s thinking represents all or maybe just some of the twelve disciples?
Jesus said, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.” This statement gives much cause for gnawing and munching and stumbling about.
Over the last four weeks, throughout this chapter of John, Jesus has repeated the phrase that he is Bread of Life, the living bread. He keeps on coming back to it, circling around with familiar questions and observations and always returning to it as his central statement. Jesus is proclaiming that, as the Bread of Life, he is an essential on the dinner plate for spiritual sustenance and growth, just as bread is for physical nourishment.
To fill up the plate more – last week a preacher at Te Atatū shared this helpful analogy: “When one is practising or learning a piece of music, one has to really focus and pay total attention to every note and the progression of notes, the tempo, the volume, the phrasing. It is all-encompassing and timeless. One has to munch and gnaw on the music with attention. And when it comes together, after wrestling and repetition, it is extremely fulfilling and joyful. Life-giving, in fact. But then – and this is the eternal part – I understand it could be better. Better with more time, more engagement, more communion with the piano and the score and the playing.”
One could use following a cooking recipe for a meal, too, as an example. I think these examples might be similar to what Scripture is teaching us about the depth of the statement that Jesus is the Bread of Life. Teaching us as members of this faith community, as a group of worshippers, who may be nibbling or munching food with our fingers or gnawing on the bones or licking the plate clean.
What is life-giving and life-fulfilling is actually to be engaged with the Lifeline. Jesus is the Bread of Life.
(Based on John 6:51-58; I Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14; Ps 111)
While God’s word usually brings joy, these readings seemed more self-focussed. My devotional at the moment is about wisdom, and I could discern the readings all had something to say about wisdom! I wouldn’t have to struggle to thread them together to make a coherent whole!
However, Proverbs 16:1 says “We can make our plans, but the Lord gives the right answer”, and it turned out that my initial plan for this reflection was off the mark; I had to resort to divine input!
As I said, I have been wisdom-focussed for the past six weeks as the Reverend Doctor Selwyn Hughes has led me through the Book of Proverbs. This is the book that I consulted during the Covid lockdowns as I sought to send uplifting Scripture to the family each day in an attempt to give them a different point of reference. Aimed mainly at the grandees, there was always something that I could find that I thought would resonate with them. Proverbs, after all, is thirty chapters, and contains a total of 915 proverbs, give or take, depending on the translation and how individual proverbs have been grouped or divided; a truly magnificent collection of sayings and wise advice that we would all benefit from reading on a regular basis.
Our reading from First Kings told us how Solomon came to be so wise. But, I have to say, the selection we heard today is the sanitised version. The reading begins in Chapter 2 with three verses that tell us that Solomon succeeded his father and his kingdom was firmly established. It then resumes some way through Chapter 3. Between the two excerpts, perhaps to ensure his kingdom stays firmly established, Solomon displays behaviour that is cut-throat and power-seeking! Following his father David’s advice, he disposes of old enemies, anyone who can adversely affect his tenure on the throne, and refuses his mother Bathsheba’s request to let his older brother marry the young lass who was employed to look after King David in his old age, instead having him and his supporters killed too! This to me does not sound like the great wise man we have come to know. Or is it?
You see, despite this murderous interlude, Solomon’s life turns around when he has a dream in which God asks him the big question: “What do you want?” Can you imagine the magnitude of that question? God is asking! How would you respond? Well, Solomon answered, “Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.” He asked for wisdom! And he was granted it! And he got not only wisdom, but riches, fame and long life to boot. It could be argued that Solomon was wise simply because he asked for wisdom!
Solomon’s father David gets most credit for the Book of Psalms. We know that David’s past was one of great ups and downs (Goliath and Bathsheba are in-your-face examples). But David always longed to be right with God and was humble enough to admit to his wrongs and seek God’s forgiveness. He was in awe of God. So today’s psalm of praise is important in providing a context for what Solomon likely picked up from his father. Each element of praise is like an argument being constructed. The crowning glory is summed up in the last verse: “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise Him forever!”
Praise Him forever indeed!
Some people interpret the term “fear” negatively. I used to. These days I have come to understand that it more accurately means ‘giving God undivided attention’. Giving God our undivided attention is the foundation of wisdom. Following his way will make us wiser.
Despite the startling interlude between our 1 Kings excerpts, we have to assume that Solomon benefitted from his father’s input and example. David was at times, after all, humble, was aware of his limitations, was aware of God’s grace, and was able to give God his undivided attention. I think he was wise.
How then can we relate this narrative to the Gospel we heard today? John has Jesus revealing that he is the ‘living bread’, the centre of our belief. A revelation that causes more misunderstanding than joy! It generates lots of moaning and arguing.
You will recall the Scripture about how God’s ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts higher than our thoughts. It is a very succinct way of reminding us that we are not in God’s league. The moaning and arguing crowd couldn’t grasp what Jesus was telling them. It was beyond their comprehension. Those listening were confused. How could they eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus? That was cannibalism. And I would be wondering how much do we need to eat and drink, and what happens when it all runs out?
Well, let’s find comfort in the realm of ‘mysteries’. My good friend AI had this to say about mysteries: “A Christian mystery generally refers to a profound, often supernatural, truth or aspect of faith that surpasses human understanding but is revealed through divine revelation. These mysteries are central to Christian theology and spirituality and include concepts that are believed to be beyond the full grasp of human reason but are accepted by faith.” Things we cannot really grasp can be regarded as mysteries.
Some key Christian mysteries are the Trinity (that there is one God in three persons), the Incarnation (that Jesus was fully divine and fully human), the Eucharist (that Jesus is fully present in the bread and wine), the Resurrection (that Jesus overcame death to give us eternal life) and the Atonement (that Jesus reconciled us with God). We proclaim our belief in them regularly when we affirm our faith. Things I don’t fully understand, when my reasoning has run out, I put into the realm of mystery and move on. And I’m happy with that!
I have explained before that when I came back to faith I was enabled to make 180 degree turns in several areas of my life, almost straight away. My tongue became tangled when I tried to curse and swear. I started to see good in others rather than bad. I was able to put hurts of the past behind me (I was learning to forgive). Things generally took on deeper meaning. I started to think less about me and more about you. All of this was a mystery! I didn’t fully understand any of it but it has had a very positive impact on my life. In the words of Billy Preston (one-time pianist with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones), I reckon “that’s the way God planned it”. He went to work and I benefitted. I don’t know how but I am so grateful.
First Corinthians explains that God’s wisdom is so great that the wisdom of the wise and the intelligence of the intelligent are no match. In fact, God makes the wisdom of the world look foolish. Some obvious examples of that worldly wisdom could be the internet – conceived to empower and enlighten the world but overwhelmed with pornography and scams; antibiotics designed to overcome disease used to such excess that they’re promoting superbugs; painkilling drugs turned into mind-numbing thrills; military-grade weapons made available to not much more than children; and the list goes on.
I’m not saying everything we do is useless or ineffective. There is much good to be found in man’s wisdom. Almost everything I can think of started from a desire to make things better, more productive, longer lived, more efficient, cheaper and happier. The problem is more found in the end-user. Short term gain, maximum profit, social status and the like impact the good, rendering the new good idea another ‘problem in the making’.
How do we discern, then, whether our thoughts, words and deeds are going to be wisely carried out? What yardstick could we use to make judgments?
The other day I came across this practical definition of wisdom by Joyce Meyer: she says wisdom is simply the proper use of knowledge. This being lived out as doing now what we’ll be happy with later on in life. She says, “Learning to live out Godly wisdom is a daily process in which we’re all learning and growing, and a process that any of us, regardless of our past choices, can begin today. If we do as God instructs us each day, then our tomorrows will be pleasing to Him and pleasant for us.” This is a great way to analyse what is going on around us and to guide what we do.
Back to the Gospel. You may realise that everything in the Old Testament points ultimately to Jesus. The Book of Proverbs, the repository of much scriptural wisdom, points to Jesus. This is confirmed in First Corinthians 1, verse 24, which says, “Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.” What this is telling us is Jesus is wisdom. If we are to acquire and possess true and lasting wisdom it can only be found in the life and teachings of Christ. I hear the Gospel telling us that Jesus is so important to our lives that we are doomed without Him. To be Christ-followers we have to believe and we have to do. Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” And He emphasised it by adding, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.” The act of eating his flesh and drinking his blood confirms our place with Jesus.
Recall that when Jesus was trying to explain all this to the crowd there was argument. While the Bible doesn’t directly forbid cannibalism, it does contain various passages that are interpreted as condemning it. Those listening were confused. How could they eat his flesh and drink his blood?
Luckily, we have discerned that Jesus was not speaking literally. He was revealing the mystery of holy communion. By partaking of this holy meal we are asserting our faith in Jesus, we are accepting that our eternity is only accessed through Him. At the least it serves to remind us of who he is, and who we are. And personally it always reminds me how blessed I am.
[Holy Spirit moment: “What is true in the physical world is true in the spiritual world.” We need spiritual food (Jesus) just like we need breakfast!]
Jesus is the wisdom of God. He calls us to communion in the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine. We come to the banquet as special guests. Special, not for who or what we are or have been. but because he has issued the invitation to us. Jesus is the wisdom of God. His life and his word are the examples we need to follow. These examples are what will help us to make decisions now regarding our thoughts, words and deeds that God and we will be happy with later on in life.
Proverbs 3:5-6 say: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Let that be our takeaway this morning. If we are in communion with the Lord, partaking of all that he has to give, we are better prepared for life and eternity than if we rely on own efforts.
James (in verses 17-18 of his Chapter 3) gives a wonderful summary of God’s wisdom: Wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favouritism and is always sincere. And [he who is a peacemaker] will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
A wonderful summary of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God.
I’m putting this up for those who haven’t heard it before, and for those who have. It’s worth a read. It’s worth multi-reads. It delivers an especially helpful perspective to anyone facing doubt, confusion, challenge – anyone just wondering where life all fits together.
The poem was written by Grant Colfax Tullar (1869 – 1950). At least, that’s what Wikipedia claims, although I see it has also been credited to Benjamin Franklin and Corrie ten Boom. The latter certainly didn’t write it, but she used it in her books and presentations and, if you know anything about ten Boom, you’ll appreciate why. Anyway, my money is on Tullar, who, Wikipedia says, was an American minister, composer, and hymn writer, whose “most famous [work] is the poem The Weaver“.
Whoever wrote it, it’s going to be difficult for me to get their permission; but I’m sure copyright won’t mind if I present it here. Be encouraged, even if you’ve already drunk of it before.
My life is but a weaving Between my God and me. I cannot choose the colours He weaveth steadily.
Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow; And I in foolish pride Forget He sees the upper, And I the underside.
Not ’til the loom is silent And the shuttles cease to fly, Will God unroll the canvas And reveal the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful In the weaver’s skilful hand, As the threads of gold and silver In the pattern He has planned.
He knows, He loves, He cares; Nothing this truth can dim. He gives the very best to those Who leave the choice to Him.
stfrancischurchtairuanz 