In the 27th Psalm, the psalmist proclaims, “I am confident, I believe, I trust that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Fifty-seven psalms later, this good living is manifested in the house of the Lord. God dwells in Jerusalem’s temple, and God makes room for God’s people, and indeed every created being.
Lifeforce
If you have been paying close attention these last five weeks, yes, we have been talking about bread the whole time. But we haven’t been talking about the same kind of bread the whole time. Jesus has been explaining a process. We’ve moved from Jesus talking about the bread of heaven to living bread to flesh and blood.
Love Beyond Loaves
God gives daily bread, manna, to the Israelites as they wander in the wilderness. Don’t me wrong, this is a remarkable gift. We need our daily bread and our daily watering to exist. And each week, this is a specific petition we offer collectively to our Creator. Give us something, God, that keeps us alive, allows us to move forward.
Charge to New Deacons
Last week, we read of that famous miracle – feeding the multitudes. In the wilderness, short on resources, surrounded by thousands of people, Jesus provides bread in abundance.
Jesus is SO efficient, and SO effective in this endeavor, that the crowds want to make him king. Who wouldn’t want a ruler that puts a loaf on every plate and a chicken in every pot?
The Joy of Enough
We’re reading John’s gospel this morning, but somehow, someway, today’s text helps me understand Matthew’s gospel with a new sense of clarity. Matthew’s author reminds us that Jesus hasn’t come to abolish the law or the prophets – that is to abandon the covenant story of the First Testament – but instead, Jesus has come to fulfil the law and prophets (Matthew 5:17).
Spirit Fed. Spirit Led.
Two weeks ago, Mark’s author painted a picture for us: Twelve disciples, Jesus-followers, each equipped with a makeshift walking stick, and a threadbare tunic, and hand-me-down sandals, glimpsing God’s messy but wonderful kin-dom. Sure, you are bound to get a little sand on your feet when you walk along the shoreline, but with a little grit and determination, you simply shake the dust off your feet.