At ministerial today Cliff shared that his mid-week bible study was going through John and they happened to be at the same place as the parallels in Matthew for the last few weeks. The similarities in sequence and differences in story stuck me. Take a look:

Proper 14-16	John 6
Feeding of the 5000	Feeding of the 5000
Walking on the water	Walking on the water The crowd wanted to make him king by force.
Healing of the Canaanite woman in gentile-land	Boat arrives across the lake
Feeding of the 4000	People looking for more bread
Compassion - The crowd followed him for 3 days	Rebuke for seeking a sign
Who do people say that I am?	Hard teaching of Bread from heaven
Peter’s Confession: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."	"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
Flesh and blood have not revealed this to you	This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.

Christian's Secret of a Happy Life

To state it in brief, I would just say that man's part is to trust and God's part is to work; and it can be seen at a glance how contrastive these two parts are, and yet not necessarily contradictory. I mean this. There is a certain work to be accomplished. We are to be delivered from the power of sin, and are to be made perfect in every good work to do the will of God. "Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord," we are to be actually "changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. A real work is to be wrought in us and upon us. Besetting sins are to be conquered. Evil habits are to be overcome. Wrong dispositions and feelings are to be rooted out, and holy tempers and emotions are to be begotten. A positive transformation is to take place. ...

Bodies as living sacrifices

As we sacrifice our bodies as our act of worship, we lay them down to the service of others. We sacrifice our bodies so that the body of Christ may be enriched. Sacrificing body for the Body doesn't mean that we annihilate individuality. On the contrary, we must make the individual manifest through the giftings spread abroad by the Spirit. The sacrifice is not in losing our personhood, but in letting down the barriers that makes it ours. We now belong to each other. The mystery and interests of self are laid down to the intimacy and edification of the worshipping Body.

Rock and foundation (Proper A16)

This week we see God's awesome power, marvelous deeds, and peerless beauty as the rock and foundation for our faith and praise. We see in the story of Moses in the bulrushes one of those harrowing and serendipitous events that leaves us with jaw to chest. Often when I hear a story like that I shake my head and say, "It's just like God to do something like that." When the tumor disappears, or when a downed power line only gives a shock to the elbow instead of death's blow, I shake my head and almost laugh at the power of God!

If it had not been the LORD who was on our side--let us now say-- if it had not been the LORD who was on our side . . . .

Isaiah says, "Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug." God shows his mighty works! He multiplies solitary Abraham to a nation. God will comfort! His love and salvation will outlast even his marvelous creation!

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom andn knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"n
"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?"n
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen

Paul sings, then gives the punch line: therefore….

Jesus keys in on the meaning of Peter's new name in his response to his proclamation that Jesus is the messiah. "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." Peter's confession no less reveals the power of God, than the parting of the Red Sea. For here the beauty of God is flesh and blood and the revelation is heavenly.

unity

Proper 16 (21), Year A: "we are members one of another."