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<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>Belief in the proposition that Jesus’ death is
efficacious for salvation, no</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>matter how fervently held, does not have the power
to communicate divinity from</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>Jesus to the one who holds the proposition to be
true. There must be something</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>bodily going on between Christ and believers
(starting with Christ and moving to</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>believers!) in order that the life of God, which is
fully present in the Son, becomes</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>their life as well.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>Such a communication of divine life is indeed the
promise given by Jesus to</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>all who eat his flesh and drink his blood.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/Archives/17-1_Communion/17-1_Fredrickson.pdf"><FONT
size=4>http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/Archives/17-1_Communion/17-1_Fredrickson.pdf</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>David E. Fredrickson, 1997</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>In Series B, however, the lectionary has clustered
five texts from John 6 in consecutive</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>Sundays. From the 10th Sunday after Pentecost to
the 14th, we meet the following texts: John</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>6:1-15, 24-35, 41-51, 51-58 and 60-69. If you are a
solo pastor, preaching on the same chapter in</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>John for the four Sundays in August and Labor Day
weekend is not the most attractive option.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>Vacation plans might thankfully intervene in your
schedule. If you serve in a staff situation, more</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>than likely the one who is up for the Sunday
following your sermon on John 6 will kindly inform</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>you that you just preached the sermon being
developed from the text for the next Sunday. If you</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>find yourself in either situation, you might wonder
what to do that is responsible and faithful not</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>only to the text but also to your context of
ministry. It is a splendid opportunity to help your</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>congregation begin to see the majesty and depth of
this Gospel as seen through one of its finest</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>chapters.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/Archives/5-3_Imagination/5-3_Berge.pdf">http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/Archives/5-3_Imagination/5-3_Berge.pdf</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Paul S. Berge, Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary,
1985</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>If we're to make any impact for God on the life of the world,
even our own small bit of it, like Jesus we have to become bread for it. Give
our humanity for it. ('Flesh' translates very adequately as 'humanity', I
suggest.) </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/marginallymark/MMKJN65158P10.html"><FONT
size=4>http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/marginallymark/MMKJN65158P10.html</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western
Australia</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>There is an Irish saying, "the person who speaks the truth
should have one foot in the stirrup." He should be ready to ride off at once.
People do not like the truth, especially when it challenges their attitudes; and
the reaction is often to try to destroy the evidence of the truth or the one who
witnesses to it. The political and religious authorities of the time of Jesus
were at enmity most of the time. Now, instead of listening to his challenge to
internalize their publicized values and bring their attitudes and behavior into
conformity with them, they decide to work together to plot the death of Jesus.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.bible.claret.org/liturgy/daily/sundays_pierse/cycleB/B_20thSunOT.htm">http://www.bible.claret.org/liturgy/daily/sundays_pierse/cycleB/B_20thSunOT.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Gerry Pierse</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 2pt 0cm" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><FONT size=4 face="Times New Roman">Early
Christians were indeed accused of human sacrifice - cannibalism - and the
drinking of human blood as people heard snippets of their beliefs: “they meet to
eat flesh and drink blood”. These accusations were cited as cause for
persecution - after all, what civilised society would tolerate such
behaviour?</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 2pt 0cm" class=MsoNormal><FONT
size=4></FONT> </P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 2pt 0cm" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><FONT size=4 face="Times New Roman">In response, we
tend to over-spiritualise this teaching. We know that Jesus is speaking of a
mystical Body and mystical Blood and that their meaning goes beyond mere altar
bread and sip of wine. We know that receiving Bread and Wine brings us into
Communion with Christ himself and with all who form the Body of Christ - living
and dead. </FONT></SPAN></P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.wellsprings.org.uk/weekly_wellsprings/year_b/sunday_20.htm"><FONT
size=4>http://www.wellsprings.org.uk/weekly_wellsprings/year_b/sunday_20.htm</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn Turner</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV></FONT></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>