Sermon for July 25, 2010

Rev. George Miller
Luke 11:1-13
“Bread in Abundance ”
July 25, 2010

Bread and forgiveness; forgiveness and bread. Both play a prominent role in Jesus’ death, in his resurrection, in today’s reading.

One supplies the strength for today, the other gives hope for tomorrow. But which does what?

Look at Luke 22:19: Jesus is at the table with the disciples. He takes bread, blesses it and says “This is my body, which is given for you.”

Then, while hanging from the cross, Jesus says “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” (23:34)

Flash forward to the Resurrection. Two people, on their way to Emmaus, invite a stranger to stay the night. He takes bread, blesses and breaks it, and they discover it is the risen Christ. (24:30)

Later, he tells the disciples to proclaim the forgiveness of sins to all nations. (24:47)

Bread and forgiveness; forgiveness and bread. Each play a prominent role in today’s reading, one supplying the strength for today, the other giving hope for tomorrow. But which does what? Let’s take a look.

Jesus is on a journey, making his way towards Jerusalem, towards his death. This journey is not about geography; it is a journey of the soul. He visits friends, he shares meals, he teaches and tells stories.

And like those who are aware of their mortality, Jesus is attune to the things that really matter in life: a relationship with God, community, daily bread, to forgive and to be forgiven. Jesus shares that knowledge with others.

He teaches a prayer, one that says “Give us each day our daily bread.” He tells a story about a man asking for bread to be shared with a visitor.

As a modern American it’s interesting to hear this since during the last decade bread has received a bad rap.

Thanks to certain diets, like Atkins and South Beach, we were told carbohydrates were bad. Pasta: bad. Cereal: bad. Bread: very bad.

Meat and vegetables: good. So people gulped down bacon, cheeseburgers and fried eggs in reckless abandon.

But Jesus was not an American, nor did he have an office job with a snack machine in the break room. His office was by the beach and on mountaintops, along the road and in people’s homes.

So forget about the Atkins diet, Jesus followed the Mediterranean diet: fish and fruit, grains and grapes, bread with every meal and most likely a glass of red wine with supper.

Atkins was for over-fed Americans living amidst fast food restaurants and stores on every corner.

Jesus’ diet was in line with someone who did not have a lot of money, nor the luxury of cabinet space since he didn’t even have a home. And he walked a lot.

So daily bread was essential. It could be carried around, and it could easily be shared with anyone who asked.

So when Jesus taught us how to pray, he said “Give us the bread we need to sustain us.” We all need bread; we all need sustenance.

Then there is the forgiveness aspect. Forgiveness is like bread: it can be carried around, it can be shared with anyone who asked.

And everyone needs forgiveness; everyone needs to learn how to forgive.

Two weeks ago I said that the Bible can be reduced to the statement: “I gave you life so that you could live it.” Others will tell you that the Bible can be reduced to one word: “forgiveness.”

When we look at the attributes given to God and the teaching of Christ, none seem to be greater then forgiveness.

It’s a wonderful gift. Forgiveness allows us to confront mistakes, to release and transform them, and to step into the future.

And yet, as a culture we seem to be on an Atkins diet as far as forgiveness is concerned.

Forgiveness seems so hard for us to seek, share and do, perhaps because it involves vulnerability, honesty, and going against the human desire for retribution.

If you don’t agree, look at the ever increasing number of jails being built, the ever increasing numbers of litigation and people being sued.

This summer’s newest blockbuster, “Inception”, is about one man’s inability to forgive himself. And think of that person you’re most mad at right now, who you have yet to forgive, but perhaps are more then happy to talk about behind their back.

Forgiveness is more complex then the most complex carbohydrate. We can teach about it, hear about it, read biblical examples of how to do it, and yet we don’t always do the best job of it...

...Bread and forgiveness; forgiveness and bread.
One supplies the strength for today, the other gives hope for tomorrow. But which does what, and why does Jesus tie them together in the Lord’s Prayer when there are so many other things we can pray for?

At Tuesday’s Bible study, Marge made an interesting discovery; a word that was used.

If you notice, after Jesus teaches the Prayer, he tells a story. A man has a late night visitor, but no food to offer. So he goes to his neighbor and asks “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread...” (V.5)

Lend. Not give, or hand over. But lend.

Lend has a circular sense about it. To lend suggests passing on, sharing, releasing something so it can return.

Is this Jesus’ subliminal way to help us understand the very nature of forgiveness? That forgiveness is like a loaf of bread: it is something we give to those who ask, it is something they can pass on to others and it is something they can return to us in our time of need?

And to go a step further, what does bread and forgiveness have in common? Both barely cost a thing and almost anyone has the ability to share them.

You can go to the poorest of homes in our city and you can go to the richest of homes, and you will find in almost every abode a type of bread, be it a roll, a box of cereal or a box of crackers.

You can go to the poorest of homes in our city and you can go to the richest of homes, and you will find in every abode the capacity to forgive and to be forgiven.

To forgive someone, so they can forgive someone else, so we can also receive the gift of forgiveness in return.

In conclusion, this scripture is about a whole new way of living, of a whole new way to be, of how to make God’s kingdom present and how to live as if the Kingdom is already here.

Bread and forgiveness; forgiveness and bread.
Both play a prominent role in Jesus’ death, both play a prominent role in his resurrection, and both play a prominent part in today’s reading.

One supplies the strength for today, the other gives hope for tomorrow. But which does what?

Which are you willing to share, which are you willing to ask for, which are you willing to accept?

All thanks be to the gifts of the Spirit of which we receive, thanks be to God, our Abba and Mother and thanks be to Jesus who in his walk to death reminds us of how to walk in our life.

Amen and amen.