Consuming Life
Sunday Sermon / Communion Service / February 4th, 2007
Intro: Don’t you just love the smell of bread baking in the kitchen? I remember a kid coming home and smelling the evidence of what mom had been up to. We usually had “store” bought bread but occasionally mom would ‘spoil” us.
So much of life evolves around eating. Three squares and a bed are the basics of life.
The truth is, we are very food-centric. Probably more than you’d like. We crave certain foods, we despise others. We have our favorite meals and going out to eat is a great treat and the beginning of most dates.
Text:
John 6:47-60, 63 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48"I am the bread of life. 49"Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50"This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51"I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh." 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"He 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"He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57"As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58"This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever." 59These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. 60Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?"
63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
I. Our Greatest Hunger is for God
48"I am the bread of life. 49"Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50"This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.”
a. God uses food to demonstrate what a relationship with Him can really be.
• The Bread of Life is food for our deepest hunger.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
• Our deepest satisfaction and completeness comes only from God
• Our Hearts yearn to be filled with God.
The Psalmist says it like this, 42:1 “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
Clovis G. Chappell tells a story that may help bring this Psalm to life: YEARS ago as a lad I was working one day in a field on the back side of my father’s farm. This field was washed by the songful waters of the Buffalo River. Away in the distance on the opposite side of the farm stood a range of rugged and majestic hills. Suddenly from among these hills I heard the baying of a pack of hounds…I knew that the pack was coming toward me. Then as I waited in expectation I was startled to see a deer suddenly come into view. The pursuing hounds were dreadfully close upon his heels. It was easy to see that the poor creature was almost spent. But on he came, running desperately for his life. Then as he saw me in his path, in an effort to turn, he dropped to his knees. Immediately the hounds had their cruel fangs at his throat and the long chase was over.
Why was this deer running in my direction? It was not that he expected any help at my hands. He was as fearful of me as of the hounds that hung upon his heels. He was running toward me because he was making for the river that lay just behind me. That brook offered everything to this poor spent creature. It offered escape from the deadly foes that were thirsting for his blood. It offered rest for his body that was wearied by long hours of desperate running. It offered satisfaction for his burning thirst. It offered life itself. "If I can only reach this brook," he might have said to himself, "I shall live. I shall again have an opportunity to realize my destiny in the glad freedom of my native hills." No wonder, therefore, that this poor, pursued hart was panting for the water brook.
• At times, we fail to pin point just what it is we are starving for.
• But nothing satisfies the soul like our God.
Psalm 4:22 Tells us that God’s Words are “22…are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.
John 6:55 "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.”
It isn’t any wonder that God uses food to “get through to us.”
b. You are what you eat
We naturally understand that what eat become our bodies.
• The energy, the nutrients needed.
• The vitamins and minerals.
• The foods that heal, the foods that satisfy our hunger.
We all understand food / I don’t know how to speak Spanish but I sure love Tamale’s and Chile relonos. I’ve never been to China but I know for sure that General Tso knew something about chicken. In fact it was General Tso that declared war on Colonel Sander over the Original Receipt. I’m not sure that all roads lead to Rome, but I’ve never met a pasta that didn’t make its way to my stomach. There are no shortages of Polish jokes but the Polish sausage is something to get serious about.
• Jesus is the Passover Lamb, the Unleavened Bread, He is the Manna from Heaven. His words are our “Daily Bread” and he satisfies our soul.
• Jesus is the cup, the Wine and the blessing.
• Jesus is the EVOO, He is he living water, the bread of life. .
I knew a professional body builder growing up. This guy owned the gym where I worked out. His nickname was Newt. (Because he turned several shades of red when he was working out.) As a body builder, Newt would go through cycles. A cycle started with heavy lifting and a lot of strength training. This was the “bulk” stage. This stage included eating 6 full meals per day. This would be followed by the “cut” stage when just before a competition the focus is on “getting cut” this was a time of strict dieting, removing as much fat as possible. Newt always said, “You gotta eat to grow”
II. Stay hungry for God!
49"Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50"This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.
a. See the Lord as your Portion and the Giver of all blessing
Ruth 1:6 “When she heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, Naomi and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.”
• It’s no coincidence that Naomi recognizes the Lord’s Blessing, returns to Bethlehem (Which means: House of Bread)
• There Naomi’s widowed daughter-in-law, Ruth marries her Redeemer and from their offspring Jesus, the Bread of Life is brought forth.
• We need to see God’s hand in every area of our lives. He is our provider.
Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 17
“2… God has led you in the wilderness these forty years…
3"He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD…
17"Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ’My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’
b. Hunger for the things of God is an acquired taste
• Not everyone shares.
• The Israelites lost theirs
Numbers 21:5-9 “…they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!" 6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8 The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.”
III. Come, Eat and be Satisfied
56"He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”
a. Jesus supplies spiritual life.
• In him all fears are dispelled. All sense of striving cease from our souls.
• This life is all about toiling; it’s a part of the curse.
• But in His presence is we find security
Jesus teaches us to pray, In Luke 11:3 “Give us each day our daily bread.”
The loss of daily provisions, especially in times of turmoil, such as war, can produce great anxiety.
Charles Allen in his book, God’s Psychiatry tells this story:
“As World War II was drawing to a close, the Allied armies gathered up many hungry orphans. They were placed in camps where they were well-fed. Despite excellent care, they slept poorly. They seemed nervous and afraid. Finally, a psychologist came up with a solution. Each child was given a piece of bread to hold after he was put to bed. This particular piece of bread was just to be held - not eaten.” He goes on to say, “The piece of bread produced wonderful results. The children went to bed knowing instinctively they would have food to eat the next day. That guarantee gave the children a restful and contented sleep.”
• Many see God as a taker, like he will “take from them” the opposite is true.
b. Jesus sustains spiritual life.
• Spirit, Soul and Body
• There is great healing power in Christ.
Doctors are estimating that as much as 70% if all illnesses are psychosomatic.
The University of Michigan describes,
“A disorder that involves both mind and body is called a psychosomatic illness. In other words, the illness may be emotional or mental in origin but have physical symptoms. Psychosomatic illnesses are not imaginary. They are physical disorders in which both emotions and thought patterns are believed to play a central role, and usually develop when a person’s disease-fighting ability is weakened due to stress.”
But it’s even more than stress, Emotional conditions such as anger, anxiety, depression and guilt are also contribute to health problems.
How true it is what I read to you from Psalm 4:22 God’s Words are “22…are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.”
• His Truth replaces the poisons in our lives.
John 6:63 “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.”
c. The rest comes down to application
As Erwin McManus has said “We confused existence with life”
We must not “miss” the Truth of Jesus; He is real and he along is the Giver of Life.
• Will we apply these truths to our lives? Will accept it.
• As we come to the Table of our Lord we do so with highest of respect and reverence.
• We come remembering all of what God has done for us.
• We come with Gratitude toward God.
• And most importantly we come with faith.
Conclusion: Partake Communion Together
