River of Life, Bread of Heaven

Message for World Communion Sunday, October 7, 2018For a video of the sermon, click here: https://vimeo.com/294134246.

Luke 22:14-23 (NIV)When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”  In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

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Two years agostanding on the bank of the Jordan Riveron a path worn downby the passage of centuries of feetLooking out at the water rushing by

I wonderedCould this be whereit all began

Hundreds of miles of shorelineso the likelihood wasn’t highbutsomewhere along those shoressomewhere along that riverJesus had stoodlooking out at the waterrushing by

And soI wondered

Could this be where Jesus stoodCould his feet have rested where minenow made an impression in the muddy bankCould this be where he walkeddown the slopehis feet entering the cold waterwading out to where his cousin John waitedCould this be where it all beganCould this be where Jesus was baptized_________________

Standing on the bank of the Jordan Riveron a path worn downby the passage of centuries of feetLooking out at water rushing byand thinking

This beautiful worldpopulated by beautiful peoplemade in the image of God

Daily I am amazed by thebeauty I seein the world around mein the kindness of strangersin the laugh of a childin a smile set amongst deep wrinkles

That beauty, though,that image of Godall too oftenseems overlaidwith a sharp patinatainted sullieddamaged

This beautiful worldcreated by Godfilled with beautiful peoplecreated by God

and yetwe seeand experiencecrueltydisregardcallousness and care-less-ness

where human beingsbecome less than we areless than we could beless than we should bewhere the image of Godis covered overwith somethingquite else entirely

While this spirit inside melongs for something pureand holy and spotlessand joy-filledwhile it longs for what isclean and good and true

All around us the worldseems to clamor loudly forclear-cut divisionspeopleanalyzed and judgedand neatly wrapped up intounambiguous categoriesof “us” and “them”

Nevermind the damage doneto the people placedso firmlyon one side of the dividing lineor the other

Nevermind the damage doneto relationshipsto communitiesto countriesto the world

The lines are drawnThe sides are taken

The image of Godin each otherno longer recognizedno longer looked forno longer seen_________________

Standing on the bank of the Jordan Riveron a path worn downby the passage of centuries of feetLooking out at the water rushing byI pondered

Jesus came willinglyinto that ancient, 2000-years-ago worlda world that was deeply divided

divided by politicsdivided by religiondivided by financial statusby ethnicityby raceby languageby genderby abilityby age

And I wonderedwould Jesusborn into that ancient worldin a distant landwould herecognize his worldin ours

We who areso deeply divided

divided by politicsdivided by religiondivided by financial statusby ethnicityby raceby languageby genderby abilityby age

Jesus’ worldin many waysnot so different from ours

Jesus came willingly into that worldto show a different wayan alternative waya betterlife-sustaining way

He came to challengethe self-sufficiency of the timeHe came to disrupt the complacencyto confront the crueltyto oppose the callousnessto expose the injustice

He poked and prodded and provokedHe risked scandal and censure

Without a thoughtfor his own comfortfor his own preferenceshis own safety_________________

In Christ’s familyIn this familyThere is no one inNo one outNo insider no outsider

In Christ’s familyIn this familyThere are onlychildren of God

In the deepest place in mein the truest part of who I amI long for thisI long for a place

where the divisions of the worldare put aside

where each personis known and valued and loved

where flaws are seenand challengedbut never judged

where cruelty is replacedwith compassion

where judgment is replacedwith understanding

where corruption is replacedwith justice

where difficult truths are toldin deeply embedded love

whereperfection is never expectedbut always sought

which is onlyonlyonly possiblethrough Christ

In Christ’s familyIn this familywe are a church for all people

I long for thisI long for this placethis waterthis tablethis forgivenessthis joythis peace_________________

Standing somewherealong the banks of the Jordan Riveron a path worn downby the passage of centuries of feet

As Jesus walked down to the riverAs his feet entered the cold waterAs he prepared to be baptizedAs he began his public ministry

In that momentDid Jesus pauseDid he look out at the water rushing byand think

about all that lay aheadabout all that that momentwould set in motionMoving as inexorably forwardas the waterin that never pausingJordan River?

Did he think abouthis lifewhich would be givenfor us

Teachingand healingand challengingand forgivingandloving

Jesus would spend his lifefor us

Allleading up to a mealshared with his friendson the last nightof his life

This mealwhich we celebratetogetherthis day

This mealwhich we sharewith Christ-followersacross the worldon thisWorld Communion Sunday

A mealwhich took simple breadand declared it to be holy“My body,”he cried,“Broken for you.”

A mealwhich took simple wineand declared it to be holy“My blood,”he declared,“poured out for you.”

Why would Jesus do thisfor usWhy would he give so muchfor usWhy would he giveit all

for usfor youfor me

Why would Jesus do this

Jesus sawa peoplenot defined by politicsnot defined by religionnot defined by financial statusby ethnicityby raceby languagenot defined by genderby abilityby age

Jesus sawinsteadthe image of Godin youin meperhapssomewhat sulliedperhapsnot quite luminous

But Jesus sawthat image of Godstillthere

Still

It cannot be taken awayfrom youIt cannot be put asideI cannot be lost

And for thatJesus was willing

to give itall

My body, he said, broken for youMy blood, poured out for you

And sowe come here this morningtogetherrecognizing the brokennessof our livesour familiesour communityour churchour world

We come here knowingthat we have a Godwho meets us here

at this waterat this table

Standingsomewherealong the banks of the Jordan Riveron a path worn downby the passage of centuries of feetJesus walked down to the riverfor a baptism meant tocleanse from sinnot his sinnot his mistakesnot his

Jesus walked down to the riverfor a baptism meant tocleanseour sin

YoursMine

Standing herecoming forwardon a spiritual path wornby the passage of centuries of feet

Together we comewith the children of Godstretched across this globe

Together we cometo surrender to God’s careto accept God’s forgivenessto rejoice in God’s love

Thanks be to God!