The Real Chew.

Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that has come down from heaven, so that a person may eat from it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:49-51)

Jesus, in John 6, makes an offer to the crowd: Feed on Me and live eternally. Their response? “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept, understand, or obey it?” (see John 6:60) In other words, they were not willing to engage in the work of faith which was necessary to accept the teaching.

Ironically, they were no different from their ancestors who ate the manna in the wilderness. Ancient Israel’s response to the supply of manna was, in essence, “Huh?”

When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” because they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you for food.” (Exodus 16:15)

In teaching the Twelve to pray, Jesus said, “Give us each day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3). To the crowd, He said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.” (John 6:51). To us, He says, “I am what you need. I am here to sustain you every day, from now through eternity.” What is our response?

Perhaps we don’t fully understand how it is that we are sustained by the body and blood of Jesus. It is indeed a hard teaching. But, as Pastor Sam reminded us, the act of communion is a vital and continual sacrament of the Christian faith. As often as we re-enact the sacred meal, we do so in remembrance of the One who feeds us daily. We are called to participate in faith, knowing that God honors those who are faithful to His word. “Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the solemn truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves.’ ” (John 6:53)

Through communion, the resurrected Christ pours the life of His Spirit into us, equipping us to do whatever He asks of us. It is a powerful sacrament, not to be taken lightly.

Lord, give us grace to consume You by faith, through Communion.