John 6 : 56 - 69
56-59 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
61-67 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
66-67 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68-69 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
REFLECTIONS:
Thoughts from Scott:
For some reason, this is the verse that gives me comfort and assurance when I’m doubting and faltering. Jesus is making a bold, bold statement—HE is our connection to God, to the life we long for. But that’s not the part that gives me comfort. Actually, it scares me a bit. If I was hearing those big words from another human being, I’d start running.
Apparently, a lot of people DID run away from Jesus. His words were too hard. Too big. Audacious. So, we know that most of the crowds who were following Jesus, well, they began to scatter, until there was just that core group of twelve—the ones who had been living day in and day out with Him. Jesus asks if they are going to abandon Him as well. Peter is the one who steps up and stands up for Jesus.
It's the vulnerability of this scene that encourages me. In the eyes of most church leaders I’ve known, this would count as failure, and yet here it is. I can’t fathom why any gospel writer would include this faceplant of a failure unless it had actually happened. Unless it was true. It’s hard, but it’s REAL.
For some people, faith is about CERTAINTY. And SUCCESS.
But then there is Peter. The most notoriously flawed disciple blurts out this intimate, profound confession of faith: “Where else would we go? YOU have the words of life.” I choose to believe that, inwardly, Peter was as baffled with Jesus as everybody else. Peter shows me that I can trust Jesus even when I don’t understand him.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Often in our interactions, we are trying to convince the other person and prove that we are right. How does that show up in your own conversations with others? What might it look like to speak from a mindset of “Here is my perspective, the way I see it. I would also like to understand how you see it.”? How might this change things?
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
What is this person’s “truth” that they are trying to say to me?
Pathways toward Centeredness
Most of us have places of “dissonance”, where what we intellectually believe conflicts with our inner hearts and attitudes. What might that be for you? You might consider bringing those places of dissonance into your time of prayer and centering, having a gentle conversation (in relationship) with the Holy (God).
Questions for Reflection
In this text, Jesus is equating himself with the very things that sustain each of our lives. What are the things that “sustain you?” What might be the invitation that Jesus has for you in this season of life?
In this text, Jesus speaks words that are difficult for many to hear, and the majority of his followers abandon him. What about the way of Jesus is hard for you to hear and bring into your thinking and living?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
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