"Give Us This Day"

Exodus 16:11-16; John 6:25-40

 Preached by Pastor Alva Looze
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In our first reading this morning from Exodus when we look back to verse 2, it tells of the hold community grumbling against Moses and Aaron because they didn't have enough food and they were out in the desert starving. The Lord then told Moses "I will rain down bread from heaven for you." They were to gather enough bread for the day and on the sixth day; they were to gather enough for two days. God heard their grumbling and he told Moses to tell the Israelites "At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread." Is this the kind of bread Jesus is talking about in the Lord's Prayer when he says "Give us this day our daily bread? Are we to pray for only enough for the needs of the day, and we are not to worry about the unknown future, but to live a day at a time? And/Or………

In our lesson from John, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread. I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." In English the word "bread" in some contexts, is synonymous with food. In many East Asian dialects, the word for "rice" and the word for "food" are the same. Bread is the biblical metaphor for this because bread was the staple, basic, bottom-line food of Jesus' time.

Was it bread that the crowd was looking for when they sought Jesus on the other side of the lake? He had recently performed the miracle of feeding the crowd of thousands with five loaves and two fish. Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill." They had seen how God's grace enabled a crowd to be fed, and he tells them that they are only thinking of their stomachs not their souls.

The crowd hailed Jesus as the prophet who was to come into the world. They realized that he could satisfy their hunger, that he could free them from Roman control, and that he could put their nation on easy street. Jesus was not flattered by their interest in him when they sought him out after he crossed the sea. And he said, "Very truly, I tell 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."

When Jesus spoke of the bread of heaven, of the food that endures, he did not speak of what we should or should not do every day. Jesus spoke of the bread of heaven; he spoke of himself, of belief in him and of faith in God.

It is good to have enough bread. How much better it would be if all people had enough bread. But to go to Jesus for only bread which will satisfy our bodies and leave us hungry in the days to come is to miss what it is all about. Jesus tells us, "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." It is so easy to focus on our physical needs that we tend to forget that there are greater things. Things that not only satisfy the body but the soul. Bread is a good image for this because bread is important to all of us.

But think of bread in another way. There is enough bread produced in this world today to feed everyone on this planet. Yet thousands go hungry. Why? Are we not sharing enough? Do we not know of how the reach the hungry? Do we not care enough? Our farmers are paid by our government not to grow food. Large wholesalers of food stuffs toss food out that has come to it's expired date rather than distribute it to places and persons who are in need and so people starve in the midst of plenty, "Give us this day our daily bread".

John's purpose is to say that Jesus is more than Moses, he has come to do more that Moses did when he lead the people out of physical slavery in the land flowing with milk and honey. Jesus came to give eternal life and the river whose water gives life to all people He did not come to be the wonder worker to fill peoples stomachs. John wants us to know that Jesus is more than a wonder worker. That he is more than one who is able to provide the food that our bodies need.

There are hungers, which are only satisfied by God. There is the hunger for truth, there is the hunger for life, and there is the hunger for love. Only Christ can satisfy the hunger of the human heart and soul. Share that new with others, that when God touches us we use it, that when we are feed we try to feed others.

I'd like to close with a poem from Charlene Elizabeth Fairchild adapted to my life.
How often I've come to your table Lord!
To taste the bread, to sip the wine,
To share, in fellowship, the mystery
Of love divine.

Yet every meal is holy.
Every breaking of bread,
No matter how humble or lofty the house,
Be it a cathedral or a shed
Or even the great outdoors
Is your sanctuary
When we ask your blessing
To be upon it.

I've stood beside a bed of pain and dying.
Helped to serve.
Whispered the words:
"The body of Christ broken for you,
The blood of Christ shed for you,
Take and eat."
With tears running down my cheeks
I've blessed you God for such a gift.

And the memories Lord!
Memories.
Watching my mom knead the dough,
Smelling the heady aroma of fecund yeast,
The scent of heaven in baking bread.
Pleasured as only a child can be
I know now I had a glimpse of thee.

Twas Easter morn many years ago
I went to the altar rail,
I knelt in awe with all the rest
Cupped my hands in front of me
To receive
Heard the words, partook.
Tilted the chalice to my lips
And remembered as only a young teen could
That God, my God, did this for me.

PRAYER
God, you have given us this wonder prayer. Help us to understand what it means.

Amen

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