Introduction

Welcome, dear friends. It's good to be here with you all today. We are gathered here, in this place of worship, to seek understanding. To seek comfort. To seek hope. We turn to the Word of God for these things. We find them in the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Opening Scripture Reading – Today, we will be looking at John 6:56-66. Let's read those words together now: "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever. He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. On hearing it, many of his disciples said, 'This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?' Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, 'Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.' For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, 'This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.' From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him."

Powerful words. Words that challenge us. Words that comfort us. Words that give us hope. As we ponder these words, let's remember what G.K. Chesterton once said, "The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man." We may not fully understand everything we read in the Bible. But we can trust that God's wisdom is greater than ours. We can trust that He has a plan for us.

Suffering Signified by the Sacred Cup

In the sacred scriptures, the cup often symbolizes suffering. This is evident in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Here, the cup Jesus referred to was the suffering he was about to endure on the cross.

A. This suffering was both physical and spiritual. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, was about to take on the sins of the world. He was about to be separated from his Father, with whom he had been in perfect fellowship for all eternity. This was the cup of suffering that Jesus was praying about.

But why did Jesus have to suffer? Couldn't God have found another way to save us? The answer is no. The suffering of Jesus was necessary because of the nature of sin and the nature of God. Sin is a violation of God's holy law. It is an affront to his character. It is a debt that must be paid.

B. God, in his justice, cannot simply overlook sin. He cannot just sweep it under the rug. The debt must be paid. But we, as sinful human beings, cannot pay this debt. We cannot make ourselves right with God. We need a Savior. We need someone who can take our place, who can pay our debt. This is where the suffering of Jesus comes in. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, took our place. He paid our debt. He drank the cup of suffering that we deserved. He did this out of love for us.

C. There are several aspects of the cup of suffering. 1. The first is it is a demonstration of God's love. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." The suffering of Jesus is a testament to the depth of God's love for us.

2. The second aspect of the cup of suffering is that it is a means of redemption. Through the suffering of Jesus, we are redeemed. We are bought back from the slavery of sin. We are set free. This is the message of the gospel. This is the good news.

3. The third aspect of the cup of suffering is that it is a call to discipleship. Jesus said, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." To follow Jesus is to share in his suffering. It is to take up our own cross. It is to drink our own cup of suffering.

4. Finally, the fourth aspect of the cup of suffering is that it is a promise of glory. The apostle Paul wrote, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Yes, we may suffer in this life. We may have to drink our own cup of suffering. But this is not the end of the story. There is a glory that awaits us. There is a hope that does not disappoint.

Jesus' Gift of Life through Flesh and Blood

As we continue to reflect on the words of Jesus in John 6:56-66, we find ourselves confronted with a powerful image ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO