FOR WHAT ARE WE SEARCHING?

GRACE, MERCY AND PEACE TO YOU FROM GOD OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.  AMEN

Have you ever dropped in on an on-going conversation and wondered “what on earth are we talking about”? Sort of like our gospel this morning. Conversations start somewhere and unless you are there at the beginning, it is really hard to know what is really going on. So…let’s go back to the beginning, actually last Sunday, to find out where we are today in this ongoing conversation in John.

Last Sunday the focus of John’s Gospel was the feeding of the 5000, a story most of us have grown up with since our Sunday School days. Jesus’ fame is growing. Crowds are following him wherever he goes bringing with them their sick and lame. To find some alone time, Jesus and his disciples find a boat and go across the Sea of Galilee thinking they will be alone.

The growing crowd however figures out where they have gone and also take to boats to cross the sea. When they get to the other side they do indeed find this Jesus who heals. By this time there are about 5000 people so Jesus asks them to be seated and begins sharing his message. As we know already the day goes on and it is time to eat and there are no McDonalds close by.

There was a young boy however who had thought ahead and brought his dinner with him…2 small fish and 5 loaves of bread. Was he willing to share? You bet he was! And we know what happened next…

BUT, in John it is a bit different from the other 3 gospels where the disciples distribute the food. In John it is Jesus himself who distributes the food and feeds personally all those folks. And remember how much was left over? 12 baskets of bread! Abundance in excess!

So remember those 2 things…Jesus personally feeding the crowd and the abundance of food that became available.

So after all this, Jesus slips away for some “me time”. He did this periodically, especially after being with large crowds, to decompress, to relax, and to spend personal time with his Father, the one who sent him into this crazy world in the first place.

While he was gone his disciples decided to get back in their boat and go back home to Capernaum.  AND This is where we now enter the ongoing conversation…

The crowd, in the meantime continued milling around hoping for another glimpse of Jesus. Finally someone noticed he was gone and so were the disciples and so back into the boats they all went to return also to Capernaum. The Sea of Galilee was a super busy place that day!

So today we find Jesus in the meeting place in Capernaum with his 12 disciples and a whole host of folks looking for him. When they found him they asked “Rabbi, when did you come here?” A rather strange greeting don’t you think? Everyone had been going and coming across the sea in sequence…Jesus and the disciples and then the crowd and then reversed at the end of the day. BUT…in actuality Jesus did not get into the boat with the disciples to return to Capernaum…no one had seen him get into the boat, so the crowd really was curious as to how he got back.

How about you? Are you wondering too? We all need a little mystery in our lives…something to wonder about, maybe even start searching for an answer? To do so check out John 6: 16-21.

So Jesus ignored their question of “When” and got right to the heart of the matter…Look with me again at his response…”Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.”

Jesus rarely, and probably never, minced words. He went right to the issue…free food.  Remember the day before they had been fed fish and bread…enough that they were really physically full. And that, by the way, is one of the “signs” Jesus refers to. In John “signs” are what the other gospel writers call miracles.

Isn’t it interesting though, that Jesus did not ask them why they were searching for him? Well, maybe not… based on the circumstances. It is pretty obvious that if you get a free meal one day, you will go back the next for the same thing. 

BUT…what about us here today? For what are we searching? Why did we choose to come to church this morning? Well…parents said come is also sort of obvious. But for the rest of us…take a moment and think back to earlier this morning or even last evening when you started thinking about this morning? Why church?

Maybe because from little on we have always come to church on Sunday? Feeling an obligation to someone or something to do so? My favorite is “guilt”! I will feel guilty if I don’t show up in church. I have never really figured out why I feel guilty…maybe the commandment about keeping the Sabbath holy? Guilt is a great motivator, but then coming to church becomes escape from punishment…hmmm…is that why I come to church? To escape punishment?

If the bottom line is not habit, obligation or to escape punishment, for what are we searching? Why are we here?

What is there about being here this morning that is so important we gave up an early golf time, extra snoozing time, or any of a myriad of other things to be doing? Let’s look at our bulletins for a moment…

Well…the first thing we did was confess our sins and receive absolution. Although I discovered during Lent when we did not do this I really missed it, I do confess my transgressions every day and am absolutely sure God forgives me all of them.

Our gathering hymn and other hymns throughout the service? I love to sing and church is one of the few places I get to sing with others, but…I do sing with the radio on occasion too.

Oh yes…the liturgy…asking God for mercy and then singing his praises for that mercy he so graciously and lovingly bestows on us. This is followed by prayer and hearing God’s word through scripture readings. Actually though all things I can and do elsewhere. Well…I also confess my faith at times other than church, and certainly can give my monetary gift to the church without being physically present to do so. So far I can do everything I do here…elsewhere. So why am I here? What about you? Why are you here? So…this Sunday we celebrate with Holy Communion. We come to the Lord’s table to be reminded of his death and resurrection with the words…given for you. I must admit this reminder is part of why I am here this morning, but it does not happen every Sunday and I want to be here even on non-communion days .SOOO…maybe it doesn’t have anything to do with my searching at all! Maybe it is about God and his love for me and for you! Remember the declaration at your baptism…you were called by name, sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. The Holy Spirit? God’s love in action? And once here, knowing it is absolutely the right place to be…singing praises to God, praying for all those in our hearts, being reminded of God’s love through the life, death and resurrection of his only Son when he took all of our sins and left  them in the tomb so we  can have this incredible relationship with God now and throughout all eternity.

And now may the peace that passes all understanding be in your hearts and minds forever.    

AMEN