“FEED THY CHILDREN, GOD MOST HOLY”
John 6:51-58

Take a look at the cover of today's bulletin, and you'll see a picture of woman and a little boy reading a book together. I'm holding in my hand a copy of that same book. It's entitled, “Three in One, A Picture of God.” And it utilizes the illustration of an apple to describe what God is like. For example, the book says, “The apple has three parts: the peel, the flesh, and the core. The One true God has three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.” And then the book goes on to explain how God the Father gave His Son for the salvation of the world, and how the Holy Spirit creates the saving faith in our hearts to trust in that promise. It's a simple lesson about the Holy Trinity.

It's a fitting bulletin cover for this, the start of our Fall educational program here at Good Shepherd—a reminder of how important it is that we grow in our knowledge of God's love and, “walk in the way of understanding,” as today's Epistle reading says.

That's a big battle these days—to grow in our knowledge of God's will and to walk in the true way, in God's way, of understanding. Even as the back of the bulletin cover today notes, physically speaking, much of our society has become couch potatoes rather than exercisers. And, so also, the illustration is an apt description of what our spiritual lives can be like as well—that, for many of us, we have become lazy concerning our wisdom and knowledge of God.

With the result that, we are prone to rely upon our own wisdom and our own reason to interpret life's moral and ethical decisions. What's the social acceptability among young people today concerning drinking, drug use, and sex? The guideline usually is the manner in which their peers behave. After all, how can you argue against such things when almost everyone you know is engaging in the same activities? It's what's considered routine behavior.

Or, when it comes to adults, there's the matter of couples living together without being married or having an extra-marital relationships on the side, defending the rights of the homosexual, or, in the workplace finding ways to take advantage of employers or customers—all of which can be justified with the argument that, “that's just the way it is nowadays, you can't be so narrow-minded.”

And, in the midst of all of this, God would have us act in a manner which is totally unrealistic and out of step with the real world. Surely even God doesn't expect us to be so rigid and unbending! Isn't He, after all, a loving and forgiving God?

Well, this is where getting back to the basics—back to the ABC's, the foundational stories of the Bible, is so important for us. Perhaps we have allowed ourselves to become jaded by the society around us. Or maybe we have forgotten some of the more fundamental teachings of God's Word. Or, even more likely, we have put out of our minds and out of our consciences the truth as to Who God really is and who we are in relation to Him.

And it's understandable why we might done that. It's because the alternative is unthinkable! For, just imagine what it would mean if God really was so strict and inflexible on these matters! Imagine if God doesn't simply give people the benefit of the doubt. Imagine if those matters which we thought were inconsequential to Him, things that He would brush under the carpet, things that can't be outweighed by the good things or good intentions we had, were actually matters for which we will all be held accountable on the Final Day. Just imagine what it would be like if God is not the God which we had allowed our imagination to conceive of but, rather, was the actually the God Who declared, “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:41-42).

Does the Bible really say that? And the answer is, “it most certainly does.” Which is followed by the urgent question, “But isn't there forgiveness?” And the answer is, “There most certainly is.” But, with forgiveness, there must also be repentance.

And, right about here is where a number of people switch off their attention and concentration. Once again, conventional, worldly, human wisdom tell us that if the Church is ever going to appeal to more people, if it's ever going to gain more people, then it has to stop talking about such deep, religious, potentially-offensive things as sin and repentance. Instead, it should appeal to people's good natures, brighten their day, make them feel good about themselves. But don't risk losing their interest or bringing them down with such heavy talk about the fact that we are poor, miserable sinners who justly deserve God's temporal and eternal punishment.

“So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink .”

Leave it to the Lord not to mince words. Leave it to Christ to totally discard human reason and wisdom, which would much rather talk about our own selves and keep to our own agendas and, instead, to set the record straight as to what His role in our lives is all about.

“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” Jesus isn't just referring to the matter of the life that He bestows in Holy Communion, where we eat His flesh and drink His blood. He is also talking about taking in His life to such a radical extent that He would consume us as we consume Him; namely, that Christ would so fully take hold of us that we would repent of our own lives—in other words, change out minds about how clever and smart and important our own beliefs and opinions are—and surrender all to God's will.

And, for all of us here, that means returning to the source of that will—to the Bible. Have you ever had a conversation with someone about spiritual matters, and they say, “Well doesn't the Bible say something like…” and then express some sentimental thought that has absolutely nothing to do with Christianity? Or, even more amazing, they quote what they think is a Bible verse but actually is found nowhere in Scripture?

We're no different in our own estimation of the Christian faith. The further we get away from God's Word, people, the more inventive we become and the more resistant we become concerning what God's will truly is.

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

The days are evil—not just in regard to the unbridled sin that we see taking place in the world, but the days are evil when it comes to the lack of true Christian faith and spiritual understanding that is but a remnant throughout the world today.

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight." “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”

Only the banquet of God's Word can fill the empty void within and evoke a sense of love, comfort, and clarity about life. It is a child's wide-eyed wonder over a captivating Old Testament Sunday School story. It is the inspirational time spent early in the morning or late at night with Bible in hand, when no one else is around—just your own prayerful heart and God's eternal Word. It the bond that is shared with those saints who have gone before us whose familiar voices that once sang the liturgy by our sides now sing those anthems in the eternal chorus.

It is all this and so much more rolled into one. One God, one will, one assurance of salvation, found in one place alone—in the banquet of the Gospel. Feed Thy Children, God Most Holy! Amen.

Proverbs 9:1-6

Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" To him who lacks sense she says, "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight."

Ephesians 5:15-20

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 6:51-58

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