The Living Bread of Eternal Life
Throughout His earthly ministry Jesus addressed the physical and bodily needs of His people. He healed all manner of diseases and disabilities. He tied this into their soul and spirit as He forgave people their sins, cast out demons and even raised the dead. This all happened individually, personally. The feeding of the five thousand was different. Everyone ate and was satisfied. If Jesus could do this for five thousand men not counting the women and children, think of what He could do for fifty thousand or five million! With God, nothing is impossible.
Jesus is more than a social welfare program. He is not a genie in a bottle to make all our wishes come true. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He came into the world for several reasons. He would free us from our bondage to Satan, sin, and death. The devil successfully separated humans from the Triune God when He led our first parents into sin. We are physical and moral descendants of Adam imprisoned by sin and guilt, unable to free ourselves. Jesus came to reclaim His lost and fallen creation.
Jesus came to redeem sinners from guilt and death. Not with gold or silver, but with His holy innocent suffering and death, even death on a cross. You can eat bread for a day and be hungry tomorrow. You can believe in Jesus Christ and have an eternity of feasting ahead. He is the living food from heaven that never runs out. He so satisfies our hunger and thirsting for righteousness that He tells the crowd. “If anyone thirsts, let Him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (Jn 7:37-38).
The Lord Jesus raises the bar of what it means to believe in Him. He provides for life as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer for our daily bread. He provides even more than we can expect. He gives Himself into death for the life of the world. In Him is found the true peace that passes all understanding. In Christ alone are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are satisfied to the full. “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). That Word is Jesus, the Christ, the Living Bread from heaven who says, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out” (Jn 6:37), Amen.
Life Coordinator Needed
The Southern Illinois District is seeking a District Life Coordinator. This volunteer (lay, commissioned, or ordained) would work with the District President and District Advocates for Life Team to assist SID congregations and schools in affirming God’s will to create and sustain earthly life with the anticipation of sharing the Gospel of eternal life in Christ Jesus. The District Life Coordinator would also serve as the District’s liaison with LCMS Life Ministry and with the other Illinois Districts in order to keep SID member informed of SID, state, and Synod life-affirming activities. For more information, interested individuals should contact District President Rev. Timothy Scharr at 618-234-4767 or at sidlcmspres@gmail.com.
New District President Administrative Assistant
The Southern Illinois District is pleased to announce that we have a new Administrative Assistant for the District President. Elsa Mort will be starting in late August. Elsa comes to us from the Missouri District where she has served for the past six years as the communications coordinator. Thanks be to God for filling our need for this important position!
