Holy Communion Unites Us In the Body of Christ (Proper 18)

 In the Readings, God can not completely forgive King David even when he repents and begs for mercy. Like many others King David had broken the Commandments about adultery and murder and “despised God”.  God came in person as Jesus, the divine-human, to create a new covenant of forgiveness. The Covenant of Jesus was that:

• Jesus would give up His sinless divine-human life on the cross for the sins of the whole world
• God would forgive the sins of those who believed in Jesus, repented and asked Jesus for forgiveness.
• Jesus would also be the Judge of who could have the Holy Spirit and eternal spiritual life
• Readings explain how we
• “Come to believe in the one He has sent”
• “Work for food that endures to eternal life”
• Celebrate the Covenant of Jesus in Holy Communion

1. How do we come to believe in Jesus?

Jesus Still Feeds Our Spiritual Life (Proper 17)

 The Readings remind us that we all depend on Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, to feed us spiritually as well as physically. Sadly many people stumble over the feeding miracle and miss the key spiritual message:

• Miracle teaches us who Jesus is - the divine Messiah
• Feeding of 5,000 is a foretaste of the bread and wine of Holy Communion
• Holy Communion is the covenant meal that connects us and strengthens our love relationship with Jesus
• Bread is the essential for physical life just as Jesus spiritual body and blood is essential for spiritual life
• Reminds us and feeds our spiritual life by proclaiming the Good News of forgiveness and reconciliation

2. Forgiveness and Reconciliation opens our Spiritual Eyes

We Are In the Healing and Reconciliation Business (Proper 16)

 When I was the Business Librarian at the Richard Ivey School Of Business Administration I heard a wonderful story about defining “what business you are in” as a key to business focus and success. The Adams Adding Machine Co. was a small US company making pre-computer adding machines. The son took over and decided they needed a more ambitious name for the coming computer age. He chose International Business Machines - which is still one of the most sucessful computer companies in the world. The Readings this Sunday teach us we are in the business of healing and Reconciling people to God.

1. The Church is to be Holy Spirit Led

Unforgiveness Can Kill You (Proper 15)

 Unforgiveness is an unforgivable sin. In the Lord’s Prayer we ask to be forgiven as we have forgiven others. We in effect put a curse on ourselves so God can not forgive us if we do not foegive others. After sexual sins unforgiveness is the most destructive sin, polluting our soul and wounding our spirit. It separates us from God and other people. 

• Lucille and I have seen and experienced the horrific damage unforgiveness wreaks on families in our ministry
• I was under a dark cloud for 30 years never speaking to my ex wife - it went away when we asked each other for forgiveness
• In the Readings (2 Samuel 6.1-5, 12B-19) Davids wife Michal “despised him in her heart) - and had no children.
• In Mark 6.19 “Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him.”
• The Good News is that God has chosen us to be holy and created a way for us to be forgiven in Jesus and sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

1. We Are Chosen To Be Holy

Teaching Leads To Healing and Deliverance (Proper 14)

Jesus is commissioning us as His followers to a ministry of teaching, healing and spiritual deliverance. He is teaching us to be humble servants and expect obstacles including pride and ridicule as we speak the truth to the misguided. Paul is teaching us to rejoice in opposition and depend entirely on Holy Spirit.

1. Teaching leads to experience and faith