At the Table of Grace
John 6:24-35
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
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This past week, watching the Olympic games got me thinking about a saying that's probably overused and unoriginal at this point. I thought back to that phrase parents, teachers, friends, or mentors would shout when you're having a difficult time, "Have faith in yourself!" Faith is great, don't get me wrong, but by itself, faith is just a concept, an idea; and an idea by itself won't get you very far. So perhaps that's why it's better to say, "Believe in yourself." That's what Jesus tells his disciples to believe. Jesus doesn't say anything about faith because he wants them to act on what they already know. However, what if we find we don't have the strength to believe? What if we find that we can't even muster the strength to believe in ourselves, let alone put our faith and trust in God? What do we do then?
I find that it's always gut-wrenching to see an Olympian fall or injure themselves during an event. However, this year with skateboarding added as an Olympic sport, it was even more so as a couple of times athletes took a hard fall onto a hot and hard surface when they missed a landing. Honestly, it's difficult to watch, yet I always find it amazing how those from other countries would support them. The skateboarding event was particularly moving because many of the athletes were so young; I guess it proves that adults aren't always the most mature know-it-alls we claim to be. This is all to say that those athletes believed in themselves, the training they endured, the financial, mental, and emotional costs, and everything else that goes into such preparation. There’a a lot of credit that should be given to these athletes.
Of course, some struggle more than others and realize the toll such stress places on the body, and if the strain of believing affects athletes in top physical condition, then what can we do about our own belief, belief in ourselves, and our belief in God? We don't ask ourselves this question often enough, and maybe we don't ask it because we think it means we're weak or that confronting our weaknesses makes us too vulnerable. To know when enough is enough, though, and to say that your body has reached its physical and mental limit, that takes real courage; and those who say otherwise are often too scared to face what's going on in their own lives, so they attack others out of their fear. So it's okay for us to wonder, ask what it means to believe in our work, and follow the living God. It's okay ‘cause Jesus still sets a place for us at the table.
We are under so much pressure to perform in our work, lives, and relationships that the stresses can reach an unbearable level. So often, we talk about the Communion table being a place of welcome for others, but I want us to think of it today as a place of grace and healing for you. It is a place that has been prepared for you by Christ, who cares and loves you. The seat that Christ prepares for you is ready for you to sit at and be refreshed, and if you find you don't have the strength to make it or you don't know the way Jesus will come to carry you. We need to remind ourselves that grace abounds in God. Jesus is the bread of life that will satisfy the hunger of our souls. There is grace enough to help our unbelief. And in accepting this grace, we might then be transformed by the power that it offers.
Jesus said and still says, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." To believe is to put our faith in action, to physically manifest the teachings of Jesus Christ. To make the teachings of Jesus Christ tangible takes the endurance of an Olympian and the humility to say that there will be moments when our best is not enough or that there is so much on our plate that what we planned just can't happen. Yet, belief is more than simply working ourselves to the bone. Belief or our ability to believe rests on our saying yes to God's grace. Grace that we extend to ourselves knowing that our souls wrestle with doubt and pain, grace that we extend to ourselves to fill the cracks in our broken hearts that need mending. Grace that comes from the table God has set from the beginning of time so that all might sit and find the answers to the questions written on their hearts. Amen.