Monday morning matins: John 6, 24-35

The theme for our devotions  this week is the Lord's Supper - here and then. Celebrating confirmation in that frame of reference seems fitting. Not only do the confirmands go to the Lord's table for the first time to receive the Lord's flesh and blood under the bread and wine, but we are also encouraged to look beyond this time and age to the world to come and to anticipate the Lord's banquet with all the patriarchs, saints and martyrs in whose company we will have every reason to be welcome, grateful and full of praises - because the host will address his people graciously: He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. (Rev 3:5 NIV) There we will behold him face to face, who is the source of all life and joy and blessing. Reconnected with him, we will enjoy fullness of life, grace upon grace and never-ending bliss. Being with Jesus Christ: that's the goal - that's fulfillment and the purpose of our life. That's when our song: "Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing ..." will have changed from desire to fulfillment. At last the triumphs of his grace will be adequately lauded.

Looking for Jesus? He will find you!

The crowd searches for Jesus. Real seekers? Well, they are looking for God. Seems like a good idea. Wish more people would follow suit or what do you think? The problem is that people generally look for God in the wrong places. It is as Luther explains the sinful human predicament in his explanation to the 3rd Article of the Apostolic Creed: "I cannot by my own reason of strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him...". How is that? It seems as if these people here are spot-on, doesn't it? Are they not  looking for Jesus in whom we find all the fullness of God incarnate. [cf. Col.1,19] Jesus sees more than meets the eye. He doesn't bluff himself about why these people are really looking for him. It's not because they adore him or even trust in him as the one, who was sent by the Father as the Lamb, who carries the sins of the world. No, they ate the bread loaves and had their fill. That's why they are running after him. They are looking for more bread, but mere bread. They would go as far as making him their "bread king". Perhaps he would eventually also provide fun and games - and then that would be a life, wouldn't it?  Jesus as a means to an end. He - the provider of those things, we want. Its not so much about Jesus, but about the things he gives and makes possible. But Jesus does not give in to this temptation. The devil tried him with that too, but he did not falter that time either. Jesus wants us to recognize him as the "priceless treasure, fount of purest pleasure; truest friend of me ..." [LSB 743,1] - he as a person, a goal in himself and not just our stepping stone to higher things, which we desire.
Now Jesus does not just expose the misdirection of these people. He directs them to the true goal of all human life: Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. Although we can't find Jesus - he can and he does show himself to people so that they see him and  believe in his father and accept him as who he is and what he does for us and for our salvation. That was his mission. That's what he did and keeps doing. Therefore if you are looking for Jesus, don't worry. He will find you!

The work God requires? Believe in the one he has sent!

The people don't catch on immediately. It takes time. Jesus Christ continues to draw them ever closer to himself - step by step. The people do want to do God's works - even though they don't realize that's something they can't do without Jesus Christ. It's only in him [IX] that we humans can please God. There is no other way or means. God himself has put his seal of approval on him alone: This is my beloved Son - hear him!
The people want to do something. They want to take this into their own hands. Let's get this done: What must we do to do the works God requires? That too is typical. We human beings think we can do the works God requires, climb the mountains we have to climb, dig the tunnels we need to dig and dance the dance we have to dance ... face it and then let's just do it! Well, God requires something else. It's as Luther teaches us to sing in his hymn on the 10 commandments: "And put aside the work you do, so that God may work in you!" Now that's tough for the old Adam. I am not good at this. But even Jesus tells us and we heard it yesterday in the gospel: "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Those that don't do works, but receive life from their parents, from their teachers, from society ... they live life to the fullest and Christ puts them in our midst so that we may catch on from them.
God's work is that he gives life in abundance and that he wants us to live this presented life - this miraculous gift, which we can't attain, but only receive - free, mahala - even if it's endlessly precious and no gold or silver can ever weigh it up. He wants us to live it trusting his goodness, believing in his faithfulness and receiving this whole new way of life every day anew. So - Jesus: Please, give us always such wonderful bread, such miraculous life! And he says: 

Give us such bread. "I am the bread of life!"

Such divine life is only possible in, with and through him Jesus Christ. It's not just about understanding his words or seeing his miracles. It's about him coming into our lives and we being incorporated into his. That's more than just a sociable meeting at table - its about realistic unity, incorporation and bodily harmony. Jesus describes this picturesque: I am the vine, you are the branches! Here it is about bread and eating and thus taking in the sustenance of life: Jesus Christ himself. Even if we talk and think that life is sustained by eating, it is the bread that does this miracle of giving us energy, power and the go to move ahead and keep going. Jesus Christ is this bread, that gives us life everlasting. Being in him and he in us, there is no way that death will harm us. No, in, through and with Christ we have eternal life. We eat his body at his table so that one day we will sit with him at his table and rejoice in his glorious, gracious and blessed presence - world, joy and life without end - where we will never by hungry or thirsty again because he is our love and our life - now and forever. Amen.