John 6:52-59 -- 52 Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, the one who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread that came down out of heaven, not as the fathers ate and died; the one who eats this bread will live forever.” 59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
Did you skip over the large paragraph of scripture at the top? Not judging, we all do it from time to time. Click on something that looks interesting, see a big chunk of verses, go into skim mode till we get to the writer's thoughts again, then slow down to see what the point is.
No? Just me? LOL. Either way please make sure to carefully read what Jesus has to say here, because his entire back and forth with the crowd, which took place in a synagogue, while He was teaching, we find out in verse 59, is so deep, yet so simple in what it is to genuinely believe in Him.
We see people were arguing with one another over what Jesus had been saying. So, Jesus instead of giving up on them, walking away, or changing what He's teaching, pushes deeper into the metaphor. To illustrate clearly what it means for Him to be the bread of life and what it will entail for Him on the cross. He gave His flesh and blood on that cross, in order to fill the hungry soul and quench the spiritual thirst.
Interesting thing about eating and drinking though… for it to provide nourishment, you must first receive it into yourself. Which means seeing it, knowing about it, walking around with it, selling it, buying it, telling others about it, serving it to others, watching others eat it, studying it, listening to others talk about it…..................... will NEVER satisfy your spiritual hunger or bring you life!
Christian, do you know you can walk around calling yourself "Christian" and never have truly received the bread of life into yourself? For many, myself included, we learn of Jesus early on, it sounds good, it's what your family wants you to do, you say the prayer, get baptized, then end up just carrying the bread around for years. Never understanding why you're still anxious, still hurting, still feeling empty inside, still not seeing change in your life. For me, it wasn't until Holy Spirit brought me to realize if you never eat it, you'll starve and die.
Beloved, if you don't absolutely know that you know Jesus Christ and have genuinely taken in the Bread of Life and aren't just carrying the loaf around, then I suggest you make it priority to pray and read all of First John. This isn't about causing doubt or questioning your faith, this is about KNOWING that you KNOW Him, and not just finding comfort and security in carrying "Christianity" around.
Well, that's where the journey went today. Tough questions and "hard sayings" as we'll see His disciples say later.
You are loved. You are prayed over. You are not alone.
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