Most of us have experience that moment – when pure hope and excitement turns instead to disappointment and heart break. For some of us, it happens when that incredible new opportunity turns out to be full of caveats and exceptions. Kind of like the first time you received a letter from Publishers’ Clearinghouse saying you’re “definitely going to win” a cash prize of up to – insert numerous asterisks here – ten million dollars. Or a bit more seriously, when that whirlwind romance that seemed so full of promise suddenly becomes less enchanting, and the hard work of real relationships takes center stage instead of the previous infatuation of the new. And the more work it becomes, the more you begin to realize that maybe this wasn’t the match made in heaven you thought it was. Maybe it was that job that you thought was perfect for you, and you felt you interviewed extremely well, but then a few weeks later you find out they’re going in a different direction.
Or maybe it’s every single time the Cubs go on a six game winning streak, only to go on to lose the next seven. Just me? The reason I lift up these moments of hurt is because I suspect that this is what many of Jesus’ lesser disciples were feeling when Jesus spoke the challenging words that we’ve been hearing these past few weeks. They’ve seen Jesus perform miracles. His teachings – though sometimes a bit confusing – often reveal a deeper truth about the nature of humanity’s relationship with God. And after the feeding of the multitudes, the disciples think they’re really on to something. If Jesus can perform such signs as this, then he must truly be the Messiah! Maybe they felt that way all along, or maybe they were just looking for a diversion from their typical lives that they thought they would eventually go back to, but at this point, they’ve really begun to hope that Jesus is the one that was promised to come. But being the one who was promised to come is not the same as being the one that they had hoped would come.
What I mean by that is the fact that most people in Israel who believed in the coming Messiah believed that that messiah would be a messiah who would be a messiah for their time, in that moment. They believed that the Messiah would be one who would liberate the Hebrew people from their oppression, and usher in an era of prosperity unheard of since the death of King Solomon a millennium prior. And the most easily identifiable oppressor that needed to be thwarted was that of Rome. So these disciples thought that if Jesus was the Messiah, he must be simply biding his time, building up a following, before he revealed his plan to force our Rome and take the throne in Jerusalem. The specifics on how that would happen probably varied from person to person, but most felt that Jesus would build up a following that would then become an army that Jesus himself would lead against Rome.
But after feeding the multitudes, Jesus’ popularity is beginning to become a tidal wave. People from all the surrounding villages are now coming to seek him out, and yet he still hasn’t made his move. In fact, it appeared as if the crowds were about to declare him their new king after the feeding of the thousands. If there was ever a time to take power and begin to wield it, it would have been then. But Jesus didn’t. Instead, he’s challenging his disciples to eat his flesh and drink his blood. He’s speaking about ascending to the Father in heaven, not about ascending the hill to Jerusalem. This isn’t what many of these disciples signed up for. He’s not the messiah they were hoping for.
Sometimes life is like that – we get our hopes up, we think we’re on the right path, and then those things we place our hope in seem to crumble. Kind of like a Chicago Bears first round quarterback. Again, just me? But then there are times where we need to realize that it’s okay if our expectations don’t meet up with reality. Sometimes reality can be even more incredible than our expectations. But usually it means work.
Our faith in Christ is much like that today. True, we are saved by grace, and not by the work we do, but our faith becomes deeper when we let the Holy Spirit guide us in holy work. The writer of Ephesians references this as he speaks of putting on the “Armor of God.” This armor is not meant for actual warfare. It’s not meant to be used against other people. It’s meant to be used as a tool to remain steadfast in God’s word, and in our faithful journey. To put on the armor of God is to rely on the promises of God found in scripture – to trust that what we know about Christ is true. But there are so many voices in our world that would pull us from God – that tell us what we need isn’t God’s grace, but instead this other shiny thing. Or maybe the voices of the devil tell us that the way to victory is through actual warfare – through forcing our will and belief on others. Notice that the opponent in our reading isn’t people. It isn’t the world as it is. It’s the devil. It’s those things that would pull us from God. And sometimes our own pride and expectation is a far more useful tool for the devil than anything the rest of the world can throw at us.
And that’s what happens for these disciples who walk away from Jesus today. They allowed their own desires and expectations to supersede the words of eternal life that Jesus offers. They want the Messiah on their terms, and they can’t abide with a Messiah who is not who they want him to be. They aren’t able to see things through, to be “all in” with Jesus as Jesus will prove he is “all in” for the sake of the world. The Armor of God is meant to be an armor to withstand the temptations and frustrations of the world for the sake of remaining faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. And sometimes even still today we feel ill equipped.
Family of God, today this passage reminds us of something that we’d rather not recognize. As I referenced earlier, sometimes the stuff in our life lets us down. Sometimes relationships that seem amazing fall apart. And sometimes things that we thought were perfect weren’t meant to be. If there’s one thing we can be confident in, it’s that this world -as full of wonders and amazing things as it is – also has the ability to let us down. And as hard as it is to believe, this church – maybe even this pastor – will occasionally let you down.
But the good news is our salvation is not tied to the things of this world. Even our church is a human-designed institution. Divinely inspired, yes, but still human in construction. For those who followed Jesus only so far, and no further, they didn’t see the eternal life promised in Christ. They only saw earthly liberation. For us and our church, there are times where we think the perfect programming or an inspirational sermon or maybe even an amazing preschool are the keys to eternal life. But today we are reminded – it is Jesus who brings words of eternal life. It is Jesus who brings the bread of salvation. And being steadfast in faith to him above all else is the thing that truly brings life everlasting. So today, people of hope, I invite you all – put on the Armor of God which is armor for peace and life. When the world disappoints, hold fast to truth and righteousness. When your pastor has a misstep or the church community fails, know that you can always rely on God’s word that will still speak in this place despite those things. For the Holy Spirit endures despite the shortcomings of this world. And in our own steadfastness and trust, in being people of hope despite the pains of this world, Christ’s words of eternal life will continue to endure, and God’s creating word will continue to bring light and life through God’s holy people.