July 25, 2021 - 9th Sunday after Pentecost - Relying on Our Relational God

Today was my first worship in the church building since the pandemic. Pastor Nick Doversberger presided for Pastor Janell.

Singing with the congregation was more meaningful than I can describe. A mask was recommended as we sang. Some folks, after the service, wondered when we would get back to the way we worshiped prior to the pandemic. The question is unanswerable at this moment, not to mention if that is what we should be desiring. 

Scriptural geography often divides the world into Egypt, which represents our bondage; the Wilderness, which is the land we traverse to get to the Promised Land; and the Promised Land itself which is the liberated life God promises. Sometimes I feel this pandemic is what we are traversing to get to a new, liberated state. If that is the case, going back to a past worship may be like going back to Egypt.    

This Tuesday Creator starts a morning Lectio Divina on the upcoming Sunday readings. I would have appreciated a Lectio Divina on this Gospel. Pastor Nick began by examining the specifics in these particular John verses. What is stressed by the feeding of the five thousand taking place on the other side of the Sea of Galilee and mentioning that it is called the Sea of Tiberias pointed to a miracle that was not just meant for the Jewish people.

There is a Passover reference and mentioning Jesus goes up a mountain ties Jesus into the Moses story of liberation. 

 Then there comes an almost parenthetical observation that caught my attention this morning. After Jesus asks Phillip "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" we have an observation that Jesus said this to test him for he himself knew what he was going to do. Where did this knowledge come from? Did Jesus tell Phillip or other disciples later that this was a test and he already knew what he was going to do?

Jesus talking about this experience in this manner doesn't fit with the Jesus I follow in my heart today. Instead I hear this as an insertion by the community story telling to explain why Jesus asks this question when he should know the answer because he is omniscient. 

It makes sense a God of relationship would ask this of the disciples as a way to collaborate in imagining what will happen next. Andrew's observation of the boy with the barley loaves and the fishes suggests a "scriptural" response that will provide the answer to that question rather than Jesus expecting Phillip to come up with a "right" answer.

The next story underscores the point. Jesus does not want the authority of a king. When he withdraws the disciples try to go back to Capernaum by rowing. It is only when Jesus is in the boat with them and back in relationship that they immediately reach the land to where they were going. 

It is too easy to forget that Jesus can be in the boat with us.