Have You Decided?

The Holy Gospel According to St. John, the 6th Chapter

Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.” Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

“Have you been saved?”  When I’m asked that I say “YES”... because I am... and, well... because I like to mess with people who ask that question... I too fall short of the Glory of God it turns out!  Have you been asked WHEN you were saved?  When I’m asked that, I say “On the first Easter, about 2000 years ago!”  I know that’s not the answer they’re looking for, but that’s the truth... and I like to mess with people... like I said, I fall short of God's Glory!     

God’s done all the saving in Christ’s life, death and resurrection.  Like the hymn says, “The strife is O’er, the Battle Won!”  We baptize infants in part because it’s clear they can’t even make decisions about the potty, let alone salvation, which makes it really clear that salvation is God's doing and not theirs.  On that first Easter, God made the salvation decision for all of us and God’s decision was “YES!”  Christ’s resurrection included everyone and all of creation long before any of us were even gleams in anyone’s eyes.  Our traditions are pretty good at remembering that, but sometimes we forget that there actually are SOME decisions that ARE for us to make... NOT decisions that make or break salvation... but decisions about how we will choose to RESPOND to the gifts God has given us.  

It’s like the decision Joshua asked the people of Israel to make.  The people were IN the Promised Land.  They were there, so their decision would not determine if they got there or not… 'cause...they were there!  Their decision was how would they RESPOND to the gift they had already been given.  The crowds that Jesus addressed faced a similar decision.  How would they RESPOND to the gift which God had given them in Jesus?  Jesus was there.  The gift was given.  A decision to not continue to follow Jesus wouldn’t cause God to vacuum Jesus back up to heaven and take salvation away!  But the crowds and the disciples DID have a decision to make.  Would they drink in the Jesus life... a life where they would not be in complete control... a life that included mystery and an uncertain future... a life that led them to do what was in the other’s best interest instead of focusing first on what’s in it for me and what makes ME feel good, OR... would they go a different way?    

In today’s story, a huge number of people chose to go a different way.  They simply couldn’t live in the mystery.  They couldn’t stand for their future to be out of their control so they decided... to step away.  To stop following the Jesus Way of living.  After they left, Jesus turned to the disciples and asked them to decide as well.  Would they continue to follow or not?  You see, neither Joshua nor Jesus wanted the people to “PLAY” at their faith any longer.  Both challenged the people... to EITHER go ALL IN and BE God’s people ALL THE WAY or don’t.  Wishy washy fence sitting was not an option. 

These days people lament declining church membership and it does make things interesting... no doubt.  Many also mourn the loss of a culture that pressured people to be members of churches in order to fit in, but I actually see those things as a gift!  It’s a gift because you are here because you have genuinely decided to respond to God’s gifts, not because it makes you look like a good American to your neighbors and not because it makes grandma happy and not because you need a church membership to advance in your career.  You’re here... at least I hope you’re here... because you have come to the decision that Jesus REALLY DOES have the words of eternal life.  You’re here because you’ve decided that drinking in the Jesus life... a life filled with generosity, compassion, radical inclusion, love and grace... brings this world a tiny bit closer to becoming the Kingdom of God each day and leads you toward a life overflowing with meaning, purpose, direction and joy!  You’re here, doing the hard and difficult and frightening work we’re doing, because you’d rather be part of a smaller group of dedicated, passionate, authentic, self declared saints and sinners, than a huge group of fake, plastic, superficial people trying to fill the hole in their souls with wealth and fame and popularity which, God knows, will never come close to filling that hole.  

The people answered Joshua, saying “We have decided to follow the LORD, for he is our God.”  Simon Peter answered for the group, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.”  You and I have the same decision to make... but it’s really not just one decision either.  Instead, it's about a million little decisions in every moment of every day.  Our decision is whether in this moment or that, will we choose to live in this world the Jesus Way, OR to follow the gods of this world that tell us to keep the OTHERS… the DIFFERENT… the STRANGER out; that there isn’t enough for everyone, so you better grab all you can no matter who it hurts; that cut-throat beats compassion and that power is stronger than love.   

We all have a million decisions just like that to make every day, in every interaction with every person we meet.  Will we follow the Jesus Way of living and draw the stranger in and put the other before ourselves?  Will we say the hurtful thing trying to make ourselves feel bigger by making someone else feel smaller or will we say the kind thing that lifts someone up?  Will we step on and demonize the poor, saying, “At least I’m not like that!” or will we care for the least, the last and the lost remembering that what we do to the least of these we do to Christ?  The Good News is that no matter if we choose the Jesus Way, OR in that particular moment fall short of the Glory of God and choose our own more fearful way, God’s decision FOR US remains unshakable and true.  

May God give each of us the power and the courage in each moment of our lives to choose to live our faith “ALL IN”... to fully drink in the life which God has given us freely in Christ.  May we drink in the Holy, the Eternal, the Transformational Life we have been given and may we courageously choose in each of those moments to live the Jesus Way.  Amen.