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John 6:35, 41-51

Jesus’ Recipe for Living Bread

August 11, 2024

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Year B

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ASK (a.k.a The On-Ramp)

Good morning!
[Show a picture of cookies] Can you tell me what these are? (Cookies!)
That's right -- well done!
This next question might be a little harder to answer: Can you tell me how to make cookies?
That's right, you take some ingredients -- ingredients are the things that go into the cookies, like flour, sugar, butter, milk, and chocolate chips -- so you take those ingredients and you mix them all up and then put that mix into the oven.
Making cookies is a little bit harder than what I just said, which is why there are instructions for us to follow that help us make the cookies the best way.
Do you know the fancy name we have for those instructions?
Yep! The fancy name is "recipe."
You've probably heard that word before, but say it with me -- "recipe." Nice! One more time, "recipe."
There are recipes for all sorts of foods, not just cookies!
The thing I find very interesting about recipes is how they take ingredients that aren't very tasty when they are by themselves and then combines those ingredients into something VERY tasty, like donuts, cookies, pancakes, and brownies. Mmmmmmmm

TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway)

This word "recipe" comes to mind, today, because in today's scripture story, we hear Jesus say, "I am the living bread."
Jesus can be understood to be saying a number of different things, here, when he says he is the living bread.
For instance, just like bread helps feed people, Jesus might be saying that he helps feed people, too.
Another thing I think Jesus is saying when he says, "I am the living bread" is that just like bread is made with a recipe, the good life that God wants us to live is made with a recipe, too.
In the Jesus stories, we see Jesus live an amazing life that is full of God's love, forgiveness, and healing.
That life that we see Jesus living, that's the "living bread" and that bread, that life, has a recipe.
And guess what? Jesus is one of the very best people who can teach us what that recipe of “living bread” includes.
In fact, that recipe is exactly what Jesus taught his disciples
We see Jesus teach his disciples this recipe that includes prayer, the importance of knowing the faith stories, and worshiping God.

SHARE the Good News (a.k.a. The Destination)

Now, on their own, prayer, worship, and Bible stories might seem as unexciting as flour, milk, butter, and some chocolate chips.
But when you mix them all together, you get something that looks and tastes so much better…
…you get cookies and you get God's good life!
Both things are great to have and they are also really great things to share.
So, next time you hear that line from Jesus about being the living bread, I hope you think of the recipe of worship, prayer, and learning the faith stories.
And, I hope you remember how God's good life of love, forgiveness, and healing – which is what Jesus means by living bread – is meant to be enjoyed by us and shared with others.
That's the good news for today. Let's pray.

CLOSING Prayer

This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,

Thank you for Jesus...

...who teaches us...

...the recipe of living bread…

…using prayer, worship, and faith stories…

…that we can then enjoy and share with others.

Thank you and Amen

Originally posted July 27, 2018

Updated on July 13, 2024

Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia

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Supplies: Picture of cookies (at end of this .pdf)

Related Bread message(s): John 6:24-35, John 6:51-58, and John 6:56-69