Communicating God's Love: The Gift of Discipleship

Summary

### Summary

Good morning, everyone. Today, we gathered to worship and reflect on the profound gift of communication that God has bestowed upon us. We began with a prayer, seeking God's cleansing and inspiration, and confessed our sins, asking for His mercy and forgiveness. We then delved into the Gospel of John, where Jesus speaks about the necessity of abiding in Him by eating His flesh and drinking His blood, a teaching that many found difficult to accept.

Communication is a unique and powerful gift that sets humans apart from other creatures. It allows us to share our thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and it is deeply rooted in our nature as social beings. From the beginning of creation, as depicted in Genesis, God communicated with humanity, and this divine communication reached its pinnacle in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Jesus' teachings, though challenging, offer us the words of eternal life, and it is through Him that we can truly understand and experience God's love and presence.

The Gospel reading today highlights the difficulty some of Jesus' disciples faced in accepting His teachings. Jesus' words about eating His flesh and drinking His blood were particularly hard for them to grasp, leading many to turn away. However, Peter's response, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life," encapsulates the essence of true discipleship. Once we have encountered Jesus and His words have penetrated our hearts, nothing else can satisfy us.

As followers of Christ, we are called to communicate this profound truth to others. Our lives should be a testament to the eternal life that Jesus offers. Through the sacraments of bread and wine, we experience a holy communion with Christ, which empowers us to share His love and message with the world. Let us strive to be faithful communicators of God's word, drawing others to the One who has the words of eternal life.

### Key Takeaways

1. The Gift of Communication: Communication is a divine gift that allows us to share our innermost thoughts and feelings. It is a fundamental aspect of being human and reflects our creation in the image of God. Effective communication should be used wisely to build up, rather than tear down, and to foster understanding and love among people. [22:15]

2. Jesus, the Word Made Flesh: In Jesus, God has communicated Himself to humanity in the most profound way. Jesus' teachings, though challenging, offer us the words of eternal life. Accepting and abiding in His words leads to a deeper relationship with God and an awareness of eternity. [19:25]

3. The Challenge of Discipleship: Following Jesus is not always easy. His teachings can be difficult to accept, and some may turn away. However, true discipleship involves a willingness to receive what God is communicating and to remain steadfast in faith, even when it is challenging. [27:26]

4. Peter's Confession: Peter's declaration, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life," highlights the unique and irreplaceable nature of Jesus' teachings. Once we have encountered Jesus, nothing else can satisfy our spiritual hunger. This confession should inspire us to remain committed to Christ. [29:24]

5. Our Role as Communicators: As followers of Christ, we are called to communicate the message of eternal life to others. Through our words and actions, we should reflect the love and truth of Jesus. The sacraments, such as the Eucharist, serve as visible words that remind us of our communion with Christ and our mission to share His love with the world. [31:30]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[14:04] - Confession and Forgiveness
[17:05] - Gospel Reading: John 6:56-69
[19:25] - Peter's Confession
[20:28] - The Power of Words
[21:12] - The Digital Age and Communication
[22:15] - The Gift of Communication
[23:47] - Communication in Creation
[25:40] - Jesus' Difficult Teachings
[27:26] - The Challenge of Discipleship
[29:24] - Peter's Confession Revisited
[31:30] - Our Role as Communicators
[40:40] - Eucharistic Prayer
[41:32] - The Last Supper
[42:24] - Holy Communion
[51:50] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. John 6:56-69
2. Genesis 1:1-3
3. John 1:1-5

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Jesus mean when He says, "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them"? (John 6:56)
2. How did the disciples react to Jesus' teaching about eating His flesh and drinking His blood? (John 6:60-66)
3. What was Peter's response to Jesus when asked if the twelve would also leave? (John 6:68-69)
4. How does the sermon describe the role of communication in creation according to Genesis? [23:47]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus' teaching about eating His flesh and drinking His blood was so difficult for many of His disciples to accept? (John 6:60-66)
2. How does Peter's confession, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life," reflect the essence of true discipleship? (John 6:68-69)
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that communication is a divine gift that reflects our creation in the image of God? [22:15]
4. How does the concept of "the Word made flesh" in John 1:1-5 deepen our understanding of God's communication with humanity?

#### Application Questions
1. Reflecting on Peter's confession, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life," how can you remain steadfast in your faith when faced with challenging teachings or situations? (John 6:68-69)
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of using communication wisely to build up and foster understanding and love. Can you think of a recent situation where your words either built someone up or tore them down? How can you improve your communication to reflect God's love? [22:15]
3. Jesus' teachings can be difficult to accept, and some may turn away. Have you ever struggled with a particular teaching of Jesus? How did you handle it, and what helped you to remain committed? [27:26]
4. The sermon mentions that through the sacraments, we experience a holy communion with Christ. How does participating in the Eucharist impact your daily life and your ability to share Jesus' love with others? [31:30]
5. Communication is at the heart of creation and our relationship with God. How can you improve your communication with God through prayer and scripture reading this week? [23:47]
6. The sermon calls us to be faithful communicators of God's word. Identify one person in your life who needs to hear about the eternal life Jesus offers. How can you share this message with them in a loving and effective way? [31:30]
7. Reflect on the idea that "nothing else can satisfy our spiritual hunger" once we have encountered Jesus. Are there areas in your life where you are seeking satisfaction outside of your relationship with Christ? How can you refocus on Him this week? [29:24]

Devotional

Day 1: The Divine Gift of Communication
Description: Communication is a divine gift that allows us to share our innermost thoughts and feelings. It is a fundamental aspect of being human and reflects our creation in the image of God. Effective communication should be used wisely to build up, rather than tear down, and to foster understanding and love among people. From the beginning of creation, as depicted in Genesis, God communicated with humanity, and this divine communication reached its pinnacle in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Jesus' teachings, though challenging, offer us the words of eternal life, and it is through Him that we can truly understand and experience God's love and presence. [22:15]

Ephesians 4:29 (ESV): "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

Reflection: Think of a recent conversation where your words may have hurt someone. How can you seek to mend that relationship and use your words to build them up instead?

Day 2: Jesus, the Word Made Flesh
Description: In Jesus, God has communicated Himself to humanity in the most profound way. Jesus' teachings, though challenging, offer us the words of eternal life. Accepting and abiding in His words leads to a deeper relationship with God and an awareness of eternity. The Gospel reading today highlights the difficulty some of Jesus' disciples faced in accepting His teachings. Jesus' words about eating His flesh and drinking His blood were particularly hard for them to grasp, leading many to turn away. However, Peter's response, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life," encapsulates the essence of true discipleship. Once we have encountered Jesus and His words have penetrated our hearts, nothing else can satisfy us. [19:25]

John 1:14 (ESV): "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Reflection: Reflect on a teaching of Jesus that you find challenging. How can you seek to understand and accept this teaching more fully in your life?

Day 3: The Challenge of Discipleship
Description: Following Jesus is not always easy. His teachings can be difficult to accept, and some may turn away. However, true discipleship involves a willingness to receive what God is communicating and to remain steadfast in faith, even when it is challenging. The Gospel reading today highlights the difficulty some of Jesus' disciples faced in accepting His teachings. Jesus' words about eating His flesh and drinking His blood were particularly hard for them to grasp, leading many to turn away. However, Peter's response, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life," encapsulates the essence of true discipleship. Once we have encountered Jesus and His words have penetrated our hearts, nothing else can satisfy us. [27:26]

Luke 9:23 (ESV): "And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'"

Reflection: Identify a specific area in your life where following Jesus feels particularly challenging. What steps can you take to remain steadfast in your faith despite these challenges?

Day 4: Peter's Confession
Description: Peter's declaration, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life," highlights the unique and irreplaceable nature of Jesus' teachings. Once we have encountered Jesus, nothing else can satisfy our spiritual hunger. This confession should inspire us to remain committed to Christ. The Gospel reading today highlights the difficulty some of Jesus' disciples faced in accepting His teachings. Jesus' words about eating His flesh and drinking His blood were particularly hard for them to grasp, leading many to turn away. However, Peter's response, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life," encapsulates the essence of true discipleship. Once we have encountered Jesus and His words have penetrated our hearts, nothing else can satisfy us. [29:24]

John 6:68-69 (ESV): "Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.'"

Reflection: Reflect on a moment when you felt spiritually unsatisfied. How did turning to Jesus and His teachings help you find fulfillment?

Day 5: Our Role as Communicators
Description: As followers of Christ, we are called to communicate the message of eternal life to others. Through our words and actions, we should reflect the love and truth of Jesus. The sacraments, such as the Eucharist, serve as visible words that remind us of our communion with Christ and our mission to share His love with the world. Our lives should be a testament to the eternal life that Jesus offers. Through the sacraments of bread and wine, we experience a holy communion with Christ, which empowers us to share His love and message with the world. Let us strive to be faithful communicators of God's word, drawing others to the One who has the words of eternal life. [31:30]

Colossians 4:6 (ESV): "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who does not know Christ. How can you communicate the love and truth of Jesus to them through your words and actions today?

Quotes

1. "God has given humans the gift of communication, and we should value it greatly and use it wisely. importance of words in communication is not just about words, but about people. spoken written electronically produced the wonder of being able to impart what we're thinking what we're feeling and wondering about the world around us or the way we are or the way we should be trying to live our lives is something I think for which we should always thank God communicating is what people are doing all the time more or less successfully it's built into us and it makes us social beings." [22:15] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Well, what are we to do about this belief that God does communicate with us, and supremely so, through Jesus. I think we're probably in the position of Peter and it's his reply which gets to the heart of things. He has heard the words of Jesus. He's had that growing relationship with him and those words have about them the ring of truth and speak of a deeper reality than anything else experienced by senses alone and those words have communicated an awareness of eternity and he says Lord to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life." [29:24] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We humans have learned to communicate primarily by what we utter from our mouths. We are unique, aren't we, among creatures, in having the ability to speak languages with particular structures, rule patterns, and so on, and so on. We can change the meaning of words over the centuries to communicate with each other and to express through words those little nuances that we learn as we grow up. Although, of course, it's not the only way by which we communicate, because we also communicate by touch, by sight and sound, through art, as well as by our actions." [20:28] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "In telling us that some of Jesus' disciples decided to go off and never go with him anymore, St. John is perhaps saying to us, well, you have to acknowledge that Christian belief and discipleship have a way of sorting people out. And some, you get to a point where they say, I just can't take this, can't keep this up any longer. Of course, people do leave the church for various reasons, matters of worship, style and preferences or regularity, they just fall out of the habit. Maybe loss of faith sometimes, perhaps because of a tragedy in their life, or because those who profess to be Christians no longer meet their expectations." [27:26] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "The Jews of the Old Testament believed that God had been made known through his words to Moses and the prophets and they had committed themselves to God in a covenant relationship it was by remembering this voicing this in words communicating it to others that God's name and presence were known to them and they were able to communicate it to others and this is sort of what we heard Joshua reminding the people about and asking them to recommit themselves to in the Old Testament reading today." [25:40] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "God has communicated himself to the world in order to bring light and life to human hearts and minds and souls. He opens his gospel reading telling us that. So in Jesus, God is sharing himself with humanity. And that's the ultimate in communication that we could relate to, word made flesh. But this is not the end. is, of course, difficult teaching. It's likely to offend people, even scandalize them." [27:26] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "We are trying our best to communicate to others the one who has the words of eternal life whom we have come to believe and know is the holy one of God. the questions are always will we do it and will we do it? We are all one in Christ Jesus. We belong to him through faith. We are the heirs of the promise of the Spirit of peace. The peace of the Lord be always with you." [31:30] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "We humans have also learned to depict spoken words by developing writing originally to safeguard the words deemed to be too important to be forgotten or lost, such as religious texts, a nation's history, laws, traditions. And which need to be communicated to later generations. And nowadays, of course, we talk about being in a digital age, where words are transmitted millions of times a day across many nations on different social platforms. And yet, despite the wonders of modern technology, we still face important questions about effective, safe, respectful, thoughtful, caring communication between people." [21:12] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "In the beginning God said let there be and Saint John begins his gospel with the same idea in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God speak about God and we're immediately into thoughts about creation and questions about why God created for what purpose and what is God's nature does God communicate with us and can we communicate with God I think there's a clue to finding some answers to these questions in the word communicate whose meaning comes from the Latin word communicare or to make common and so to impart or to inform it turns up in words like community communal or commune with so if we understand that communication or sharing with is a gift of God." [23:47] (74 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "It comes back, I think, to communication, a willingness to receive what God is communicating and making our response by allowing ourselves to be drawn to Jesus, the Word made flesh, whose words are spirit and life, whose life is given for the life of the world." [29:24] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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