Communion Meditation: The Bread of Life

Jesus lost many of his disciples when told them they had to eat his flesh and drink his blood.

(John 6:53-58) 53 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever 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, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Jesus is not talking about the Lord’s Supper; rather, he’s telling us what the Lord’s Supper is about. The Lord’s Supper doesn’t give eternal life–Jesus does–and only to those with faith.

This food that Jesus offers is to make Jesus a part of ourselves, which we do through faith.

(John 6:47) “I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.”

The Lord’s Supper, therefore, is a declaration of faith. Jesus is the Son of God! The Messiah promised by the prophets of old! Jesus is Lord!

[prayer for the bread]

When we consume these emblems, we declare that Jesus is more important to us than even food. It was Jesus who skipped a meal to tell the Samaritan woman the good news. He said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34)

We are to eat spiritual food as well. More important than food, more important than life is doing the will of God. And his will is that we believe–and believing, choose to live as Jesus lived. And this is the point of communion.

[prayer for the cup]