August 27 Sermon Doubts and Questions

The second lesson began: Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Ephesians 6:10

Of course we’d like to be strong in the Lord and have a share of His power.

We’d like our faith to increase and grow stronger. Sometimes it does. But then challenges to faith arise. Maybe it’s a tragic loss or personal set back that causes us to doubt – to question - to ask “Where is God when I need him.”

Today’s gospel suggests a different kind of challenge, but with a similar result.

Have you ever thought it would have been easier to believe if they lived back when Jesus walked on earth? Then you would have seen the miracles and heard him preach.

Those gathered around Jesus in today’s gospel saw a miracle – the feeding of the five thousand. Then they listen to him preach. But many didn’t find it easy to believe – they said , "This teaching is hard to swallow; who can accept it?" John 6:60

They had been his disciples –been traveling with him – and decided they had had enough.

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Some of Jesus’ teaching is difficult to understand – even puzzling, leaving us struggling with questions. But I don’t think that’s the only problem.

The really difficult teachings aren’t the ones I don’t understand, but the ones I do understand – and are hard to live.

Like when he said “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you… forgive anyone who has wronged you – turn the other cheek… sell stuff and give to the poor… Don’t judge others, for the standard you use will the standard applied to you… deny yourself and take up your cross…”

Even the basic commandment for his followers isn’t easy: “Just as I have loved you, so you also should love one another. By this – by your love – will all know that you are my disciples.”

These are hard sayings – demanding – because that’s not the way the world works – not the way human nature leads us. They’re hard because they call us to be different – to have a new nature - His nature and a new attitude - the attitude of Christ.

I guess the real problem is that Christ wants to be my Lord and master. He really expects me to follow His way. But a little voice inside me wants to sing “I did it my way”. I have to change my tune to “I’m doing it His way.” And that ain’t easy.

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Christ’s teaching is not always easy to understand.

What do you do when what you’ve heard or read causes you to question – to doubt?

Jesus’ is demanding.

Suppose you feel you can’t accept his teaching? - apply it to your life?

What then?

Today’s gospel suggests two responses.

One group, in the face of a challenge, gives up.

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. John 6:66

They couldn’t understand or accept what Jesus had taught, so they just walked away.

That’s also not an uncommon response to a major set-back - or a tragic loss. In the face of un-deserved suffering or misfortune, some believers ask “Where were you when I needed you Lord? You let me down.” Like some in today’s gospel, they give up on the lord. Turn back and walk away.

There’s no suggestion that Jesus ran after them. Rather,

Jesus asked, "Do you also wish to go away?" 6:67

Do we wish to go away?

Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and take up the cross. He speaks of peace and forgiveness instead of getting even and revenge. He speaks of sharing our abundance with those who have less. He makes demands of us. He would be our Lord and master.

Do we wish to go away?

But if go away, where would we go?

What offers more hope?

What person offers answers that are more meaningful than those we get from Jesus?

Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.” 6:68

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Some of His teaching may not be easy to accept, yet Peter recognizes that Christ’s words are life giving.

That’s what Jesus had said:

It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless.

The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 6:63

At the beginning of John’s gospel– we read “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” God’s word took on human form in Jesus Christ. By itself the flesh is useless. Only the Spirit gives life to the flesh – and the Spirit is embodied in Jesus – and in the words that he speaks. Christ’s words convey Spirit and life to us.

What would it look like to be guided by the Spirit?

Jesus was filled with the Spirit, so look at how He lived – how he treated people – and look at what he says in the gospels. There you the Spirit of God in human form - walking and talking as a man.

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If you want to know about life guided by the Spirit, then know Jesus.

If you would know Jesus, then you must know His word.

The more time you spend immersed in His words in the gospel, the better you know Jesus.

And Jesus says, The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

His words convey the Spirit to us.

His words are the means the Spirit uses to enter our minds to guide us and ultimately transform us.

Jesus words are life giving, for they begin a spiritual renewal in our minds - our attitudes - that we might have a new nature - the attitude of Christ.

To know Jesus, you must be immersed in His Word - the gospel.

That’s why we have Bible study classes.

That’s why I keep urging you to read the bible everyday.

That’s why I keep making suggestions of passages you should re-read.

It’s not for you to gain information - Bible facts - but rather for you to gain inspiration - by letting the Spirit influence your mind - work on you through the Word of God.

It’s not that I want you to get to know the bible - but rather that you come to know Jesus Christ better by continuing to study what he said and did.

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What about our questions? And those hard sayings that are tough to swallow? What about events which challenge our faith?

They are all important in our spiritual formation.

C. S. Lewis reminded us that we are not sprung into this world as fully formed moral creatures. Instead we are formed choice-by-choice. As we choose the good or the gray, taking the well traveled path or negotiating the path through the wilderness, we become either more Christ like or less. We are the sum of the individual choices we make.

So in that sense, any hour of any day can be the hour of decision. And Paul would remind us, that our choices are the prelude in a winner-take-all contest.

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Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might... For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers of the unseen world, against the mighty powers of darkness...” Ephesians 6:10, 12

This implies there is more to reality than we can understand - that reality is more complex than the physical world that we can observe

The evil that we hear about on the news - the senseless violence, the drugs, the crime, is more than simply some people making mistakes. Rather, there are real forces that oppose the will of God - forces beyond our understanding

You’re up against more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get. God’s word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

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Jesus response to the difficulty some had in accepting his hard saying was simply a call to faith. Will you continue as a disciple - a learner?

Will you trust that, even though you can not fully understand my teaching today, as you continue to

follow you will grow in understanding and wisdom?

Maybe that is the basic question.

Are we wise enough to believe the mystery of the gospel - the mystery of God that is beyond our understanding.

Can we trust enough to follow Jesus in his way?

...and live the ever unfolding mystery of faith.

With Peter we answer; “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.