St. John 6:51-69
Divine Service
Pentecost 11 (Proper 15) 

Dearly Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This morning’s Gospel text kind of makes me wish that we were using one of the Sunday Morning Liturgies that is found in the hymnal that we don’t have – Lutheran Worship.  Two of the three liturgies in Lutheran Worship use one of the verses from our text this morning as the alleluia verse immediately before the Gospel: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”  After having used that hymnal for over 15 years, I have difficulty just saying this verse – I automatically want to sing it!

Lutherans constantly stress the fact that the Bible has two basic parts – exemplified in our preaching: Law and Gospel.  The Law is the LORD God Almighty's holy will. The Law demands what we do and not do, what we say and not say, and what we think and not think.  The Law always accuses our old sinful self.  Even one violation of one commandment condemns to everlasting separation from God and Paradise, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it" (James 2:10).  Each of us has broken God's Law.  You know it.  I know it.  You and I deserve nothing less than God's punishment and banishment, both now in time and also later in eternity. That is God's good, perfect, holy, and just Law, and the Law condemns and convicts.

The other doctrine of the Holy Scriptures is the Gospel.  This is the Good News of God in Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of all sins.  This is God's gracious gift of salvation because of what Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man, did when He suffered and died for the sins of the whole world and when He rose again from the dead.  The Gospel makes no threats, issues no demands, twists no arms and forces no obedience.  It is God's sweet, comforting, soothing message of complete pardon, full forgiveness of sin, giving of eternal life and bestowing of salvation by and through His Word.  Given through Baptism, the forgiving Word and the Lord's Supper it bestows grace, mercy and peace.  That is God's good, perfect, benevolent, and gracious Gospel, and the Gospel gives life.

The Gospel Reading for this Sunday begins just after Jesus finished teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.  He taught the truth about Law and Gospel – about the consequences of sin and about salvation and the way to be with God in heaven.  These doctrines, though simple to know in terms of what He said, were not at all easy to understand and acknowledge as being true.  They were hard to take and many were offended by what Jesus said about Himself and why He had come into this world. So what causes people to be offended at Jesus ... the Law or the Gospel?  Please listen again to John 6:59-69 and hear about

... "The Scandal of Christianity"

59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you?

62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!

63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.

65 He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

The scandal of Christianity – is it the Law or the Gospel?  The offense is not the Law for we find forms of the Law through all forms of religions in the world.  Human nature, as it relates to God, seeks to earn God's favor by doing something and by being "good."  Cain sought God's favor by making an offering.  It didn't get the job done and he utterly failed.  Judas sought to undo his sin by an offering in the Temple.  It seemed like the right thing to do but the faithless act only condemned him further and led the betrayer to die in sin and suffer eternal death.

Even for those within purported Christendom, it is the natural inclination to try to earn one's salvation, to merit heaven – indeed many are the attempts to turn the tables on God by putting Him into such a position where God owes eternal life to the individual.  Entire religious systems are built around a form of the Law ... of a manageable law.  Many demand that a God-pleasing decision be made.  There are those who connect and condition one's faith to a faith-offering.  Adherents of one religious group are obligated to do penance in this life in order to earn absolution and then still to suffer after death in order to earn paradise.  Others must conform their wills, words and actions to the merciful one's unmerciful, absolute justice.  Still others slave under the ladder-climbing litany of reincarnations and progressions.  In the midst of all this, the individual soul – people just like you –ponder what eternal place will be your abode when the last day is at hand and checked off.

The natural questions surface: How much does God's gift "cost me?"  What must "I do to earn" God's grace?  In other words, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17).  Just tell me what I have to do to be right with God.  What are the hoops I must jump through?  You see, people are not offended by a system of laws.  What astonishes them is that they can't do it ... that they can't earn it ... they can't get the job done.  Why?  Because if eternal life and salvation are to be earned then God demands perfection from day one to the last breath in this world.  Man's reply is swift, "No one is perfect."  God's reply is sure, "Absolutely – not one of you is perfect."  "If a law had been given which could make alive, then righteousness would indeed be by the law" (Galatians 3:21), but "no human being will be justified in His sight by works of the Law, since through the Law comes knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20).

No friend, the scandal of Christianity is the Gospel.  In the sermon text for today, this truth is demonstrated.  Jesus proclaimed the Gospel and "On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?'"  Consider what had scandalized these people who had followed Jesus and were His disciples.

First is the Scandal of Who Jesus is.  This is the offense of the Incarnation of the Son of God; namely, that Jesus is the Christ.  Jesus said that He is the Bread of Life Who is come down from heaven (John 6:38).  Jesus declares the Good News that He is the Messiah ... the eternal Son of God "incarnate by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary" (Apostles' Creed).  Here is the one and only perfect man, the only one not born with original sin, Jesus the Christ it is, of Sabaoth Lord and there's none other god.  This is Jesus; that is, this is the Savior, "God of God, Light of Light, Begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father" (Nicene Creed), "Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven."  Jesus is Emmanuel, which means "God with us."  This is the Gospel and it is offensive to many in this fallen world.  " On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?'"

Second is the scandal of the Work of Jesus.  This is the offense of what Jesus has come into this world to do.  Many want Jesus to be a new Moses handing out more commandments and showing us how to accomplish our own salvation.  But that is not what the Messiah was born to do.  The Son of God came, not to be a Law-Giver, but to be the Sin-Bearer.  The Good News is that Jesus kept His own Law perfectly, never once sinning ... always doing, always saying and always thinking what was, is and will be absolutely perfect.  In other words, Jesus kept the Law perfectly.  In addition, Jesus paid the eternal price under the wrath of God for every sin of every man, woman and child – therefore, for all your sins.  He shed His Blood for all and therefore, for you.  He died for the Life of the world and therefore, for you. His death is your Life.  On the altar of the cross, God gave His Body for you in order that you might believe in and be fed on Him Who is the Bread of Life.  On the cross Jesus gave His Spirit for you in order that you might be refreshed and not thirst in your soul.  The Son of God satisfied the wrath of God on account of sin, so that you would be justified now and forever.  The Son of God suffered hell that you might not spend one second in that God-forsaken place, or in any place but Heaven!  This is the Gospel and it is offensive to many in this fallen world.  ‘On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’”

Third is the scandal of the Resurrection.  This is the offense that many take at Jesus being raised from the dead.  Jesus experienced death at the separation of His Body and Soul – when His Spirit was received by the Father and His lifeless Body was suspended from the accursed tree.  His Body was placed in a tomb but three days later, on the day that we call Easter, Jesus physically rose from the dead and He told those who heard Him that day that, on the last day, He would raise up the dead.  This is the Gospel and it is offensive to many in this fallen world.  While the Crucifixion and the Resurrection were still ahead of Him on the day Jesus spoke the words of the sermon text, He did speak of giving His Flesh and Blood for the world and of His return to heaven, for "Jesus, knowing in Himself that His disciples murmured concerning this, said to them, “Does this offend you’ or another possible translation: 'Are you scandalized at this?’  “What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before'"

Fourth is the scandal of the Word of God.  This is the offense that God works through His Word to bestow faith and grant His blessings of forgiveness of all sins, eternal life and salvation.  He does this by the Holy Spirit working through the means of grace.  Jesus said it thusly, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.  Yet there are some of you who do not believe.”  For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.  He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him. "

The Gospel – the Good News – is that salvation is not by, not because, of our works, but only by the grace of God alone through faith alone in Christ alone – in His Person, in His Work and in His Resurrection and in His Ascension – given to us and coming to us by means of His words that the Holy Spirit uses to give Life.  There is the Word of Christ in the water that is a Christian Baptism, for "when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. " (Titus 3:4-7).

There is the Word of Christ in the announcement of forgiveness, whether of one Christian forgiving another ... or of the pastor announcing forgiveness during private confession ... or of the called servant of the Word publicly standing in the stead and by the command, and speaking the words of Jesus to His congregation – absolving the penitent in the Name of the Triune God.

There is the Word of Christ in the Lord's Supper.  For, on the night when Jesus was betrayed by the one whom He knew would betray Him, "Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:26-28).

This is the Gospel and it is offensive to many in this fallen world, and sadly, this occurs within the congregation of those who are called disciples.  How they leave the Lord when they depart from Baptism by changing it from a Gospel Gift given from God above to a law fulfillment by man below!  How they howl at the forgiveness of sins announced and utter the words of the unbelieving scribes who asked, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Mark 2:7)!  How they neglect the true, clear Word of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar, departing from the Presence of the Lord and denying Christ's Body and Blood that grants forgiveness, bestows salvation and gives eternal life, hope, peace and joy!

This is really no different with many today as it was when Jesus said that His words are Spirit and are Life, as well as when He told them the truth that "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."  We behold the reality today of what the Bible states, namely, that "after this many of His disciples withdrew and no longer went with Him."  Look at the Church today and you see the reality of this taking place because people are scandalized by the Gospel.  Lonely pews in the Sanctuary bear witness to many who have gone away. Places at the Table are empty.

And what of those who have not left but still believe in the Lord Jesus and follow Him?  What of you?  Listen, for Jesus is speaking.  He asks a question to be asked even of the faithful as they behold so many others leaving the Presence of the Lord and abandoning the Body of Christ.  It's a question for you, dear faithful, for "Jesus said to the Twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you?'"  Are you going to be offended by the Gospel and go away?  Are you going to be scandalized because Christ's Word is proclaimed to you that you are baptized in and you are forgiven of all your sins in the Name of the Father and of the (+) Son and of the Holy Ghost?  Do you desire to depart because of the hard saying, "This is My Body; this is My Blood?"

Listen, for Simon Peter is answering. He replies to Jesus' question and he speaks the confession of the faithful in response to the hearing of the words of Jesus that are Spirit and Life. Indeed, the confession is worthy of being sung by the faithful who anticipate hearing the Gospel Reading for the day. "Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.'"

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.   Amen.

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