August 25, 2024 - Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Easy / Difficult Teaching

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? 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

John 6:59-63

Pastor Emillie started her sermon with a recap of the Bread of Life discourse we have been reading for the past few weeks. She reaps the extraordinary things this crowd has experienced  Yet they want to have the teachings of Jesus conform to their daily lives

"This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?”. What makes Jesus' teaching so difficult? Basically this is not the way we normally live our lives as a rule. Which, of course, begs the question why do we try to make it seem easy when we try to explain to make his teaching easy?

Once again we have John's omniscient narrator slip in to tip the scales of the argument with comments like Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining and that he knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him bestowing the narrator's omniscience onto Jesus, given that he is God.

Pastor Emillie admitted that her favorite disciple is Simon Peter since she became pastor and I can see why. He blurts out his very human reactions to what Jesus teaches.

So Jesus askes the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answers, “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.

These are familiar words tous because of the Gospel Acclamation but the context here reveals more desperation than reverence. Pastor Emillie confessed on a long journey of discovery when she was invited to a gay wedding of friends. She had many questions about Jesus and her faith initially as she determined whether or not to attend. She related this personal story as an example of why she likes Simon Peter to much as a disciple. He demonstrates the real life human struggles we all experience at times.

This one of the more relatable aspects of Pastor Emillie's ministry I find compelling and heartfelt.