Pastor John Wright

The Joshua passage goes with the Gospel passage this week; the Epistle passage fits some, but in its Christological sense -- rather than its emphasis on marriage. In some ways, the Gospel passage, as Kurt Luginbuhl rightfully said last week, continues to build throughout John 6. We are here at the "altar call" so to speak, the human response to the Divine Word. We see here the significance of faith as loyalty as the crucial response of human's to the Revelation of God in Jesus Christ. We hear the same call in Joshua as well which foreshadows the Gospel reading very well.

Joshua 24:1-2a,14-25

The narrative context of Joshua 24 needs emphasized, not merely in Joshua, but in light of Genesis 12:1-9. It might be good to read the Genesis passage to see how this passage climaxes all that has gone on from Genesis 12 on. You could leaf through the territorial allotment of the tribes of Israel that immediate precedes this passage. What is the significance of this setting for the charge to follow?

What is the content of the charge to the people? What is the danger that they are to avoid? What is the role of Joshua's statement before the people respond?

Why is the reason that the people of Israel say that they will remain fauith-full to the Lord, the God of Israel?

The following dialogue is extremely fascinating. As you know, Joshua turn out to be correct in his assessment. How does Israel's denial in fact foreshadow that unfaithfulness that is to follow in the unfolding of their story? Does Joshua argue more with them? How does the scene end?

Ephesians 5:21-33

What is the role of Christ in this passage? How is Christ a model for males and females? How does v. 21 change the teaching of all that follows?

John 6:60-69

Jesus repeats his teaching from before in v. 60. What is the response of "many of his disciples"? Why? As Jesus becomes aware of their complaining, what does he do? Why? Does he seem concerned that they are offended? What is "spirit and life" in the passage? Why does Jesus know that they do "not believe"? Why is the flesh useless without Spirit?

What happens as a result of Jesus' response to the struggling disciples? What is the difference about them and Simon Peter? Does Simon Peter understand everything that is said? What does he have?

Which comes first here? Faith or understanding? What does faith allow? What happens if one loses a vital faith in Jesus Christ at the center of the human response to God's revelation in Jesus? It seems to me that the whole passage has a Eucharistic meaning as the point of the center for the life of disciples, and therefore, Jesus as the center. What happens if this center is lost or seen as just one center among others? How is this passage reminiscent of the Joshua passage?

How does this whole passage relate to the mission of our congregation? What is necessary in our response to sustain the life of the congregation?

Have a wonderful discussion!