The Show Me State

Pentecost 11 (8-20-06)

Rev. Steven D. Spencer, Pastor

John 6:24-35

John 6:24 when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?" 26 Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." 28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." 30 Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' " 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." 35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

As some of you may know I spent a year in Missouri serving a church as a vicar. The State's nickname is the "Show Me State." It's said that the name came from the many impoverished farmers and coal workers from Missouri that went to Colorado to work in the deep lead mines. They weren't familiar with methods used to extract the lead. And sometimes they would ask several times how to do things and would often end the conversation with: "Show Me!"

Is Jesus a Moses version 2.0?

When it comes to religion, people want signs, works and wonders. In other words, they want proof, and they want something to do, they want a sign. They're in that show me state of mind.

That's why the people liked Moses. He came with signs: The ten plagues, The Passover, The Red Sea Hike. More to the point for today's Gospel lesson, it was during the time of Moses that manna fell from heaven for forty years, and the people of Israel were fed. Those were amazing signs, people like signs.

Moses came with works, too. After forty days on Mt. Sinai, he came into the camp with the Ten Commandments and many more Laws as well. He told the people what to do, how to live. He gave the direction; and in that direction, they found purpose. Moses told them works to do, and people like works. It makes them feel like they are earning something, even salvation.

This was a hero that people could get a handle on: A man who brought bread from heaven and told them how to live. Moses was the model of a devout Israelite, the man of signs and works; and as the people continued to remember and honor his memory, they also remembered that he had promised that a prophet like himself would come. Some day, that Prophet would arrive.

Of course, the people didn't quite get the story on Moses right. It wasn't Moses who brought the manna from heaven, but God; and as the Lord's spokesman, all Moses did was tell the people it was coming. It wasn't Moses who authored the Ten Commandments; again, the Lord gave them to Moses, and Moses simply repeated them to the people. Moses never claimed any pride in these acts, but merely acknowledged that he was a prophet of God.

But it's always easier to put trust in what you see rather than what you don't.  Moses was the hero in the eyes of the people throughout the generations. He'd been a wise and fearless leader; and he'd come with the signs and the works.

In today's Gospel lesson, Jesus has just left the multitudes and appeared across the Sea of Galilee. The crowds follow Him, and with good reason: He's just fed 5,000 men with five barley loaves and two fish. Just like Moses, this Man works miracles with bread. Maybe, just maybe, this is the Prophet whom Moses said would come! So the people track down Jesus on the other side. If He is the Prophet, then it makes sense that He'll also do what Moses did: He'll make sure they're miraculously fed every day for the rest of their lives. What an awe-inspiring thought.

But when the people found Jesus, He doesn't respond as they think He should, but says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him" (John 6:26-27). Jesus is different from what they remember of Moses: Moses gave them food and told them what to do. Jesus tells them to forget about the bread and fish. He's not here to be the daily meal ticket, instead go and look for everlasting food. At the same time, though, He tells them that He is the Son of Man, come with God the Father's approval to give them everlasting life.

He's all about everlasting food, not daily bread, so they still going to have to worry about groceries. Yet, He might be the second Moses; in which case, He's going to give them commandments and tell them what to do. So they ask, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" In other words, "What commandments should we obey in order to get this bread for eternal life?" Show me; show me Jesus what I must do? Come on, empower, direct, give me a purpose driven life. They are stuck in the show me state.

The Lord's response is short and surprising: "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." That's it: The work of God is to believe in Jesus. Believe in Jesus, and you will have eternal life. It's a strange message, and it goes against all that they naturally believe: To get something good, you have to work for it; to get something eternally good, you must have to work a whole lot harder. Yet this Jesus declares that all they have to do is believe; it can't be that easy, can it? There has to be hard work involved. Better not trust this Man yet. (Of course, that's the great irony. If believing in Jesus is so easy, how come they can't just go ahead do it?)

In any event, they're looking for Moses version 2.0, the one who gives them bread and tells them what to do. Is Jesus a second Moses? Better find out. They say, "What sign will you perform then, that we may see it and believe You? Ah ha, they truly are stuck in the SHOW ME STATE!  What work will You do? Our fathers ate manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" The gauntlet thrown down: Why should we believe in You, Jesus? We followed Moses because of the signs he showed-manna from heaven. Why should we switch from Moses to You?

They are quoting Scripture to the very Word of God become flesh. They throw Scripture into the very face of God. Oh what ignorance, what arrogance, to believe that they could alter the path of God to become a mere puppet to fill their stomachs. They were twisting Scripture to their understanding. Conforming the Word of God to the thoughts of man.  The Lord sets them straight with His answer: "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." The news is astonishing. First, Jesus makes clear that Moses didn't bring the manna down; it was God who gave the bread from heaven. But more than that is not that God gave, but that God gives. At that moment, God is sending bread down from heaven to give eternal life to the world! What good news! The people exclaim, "Lord, give us this bread always!"

Jesus responds, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." This is Good News indeed and far better than what they thought Moses had to offer. Remember what they thought was the message of Moses: "Do these things and you'll get bread." What Jesus says is far better: "Believe in Me and you'll live forever."

You see, here's the thing with Moses. Even today, we give thanks for his service to the Lord, for he truly was a mighty man of God. He was God's instrument to lead Israel out of Egypt, and to give the Ten Commandments to the people. It was under his leadership that the people survived the wilderness, and during his time that manna fell, quail arrived, and water flowed from a rock. But despite all these miracles, Moses couldn't keep a single one from dying. No matter how hard the people tried to keep the commandments and do those Law-works of God, they couldn't do them and they perished. Moses was a great prophet, but he couldn't save any of them. A greater Prophet was coming who would.

Jesus Gives A Sign to the Show Me State of Mind!

Jesus announces the glorious news that He is the great Prophet whom Moses declared was coming. He is sent from God to save, and He will do all the work required for the salvation of the world. He will live the perfect, obedient life. He will suffer God's judgment on the cross and die for the sins of the world. When He breathes His last, there is no more work to be done to atone for the sins of the world. There are no works of God left to do; that's why He simply tells the people to believe in Him, because He has eternal life to give with the forgiveness of sins. What shall be the sign for those with the Show Me State of mind, a sign that the work is done? The Bread of Life hanging on a cross, given there for the life of the world.

And He invites you to taste the very bread of His body in Holy Communion, taste and see that the Lord is Good and that His mercy endures forever. Because by His body and His blood, by His suffering and death, by His glorious resurrection and ascension Jesus declares to you, the work is done; that all your sins are forgiven, not by what you do, but by what He has done. In Jesus name, Amen!