Eating Christ’s Flesh

John 5-6 

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty…Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 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.”

John 6:35, 56, 57

What does it mean to eat Jesus’ flesh and drink his blood?

Some people point to the communion elements as more than symbols to understand this text. But Jesus pointed to his relationship with the living Father as the parallel to our relationship with him as the key. Jesus daily spent time alone in prayer with his Father and then spoke the Father’s words and performed the Father’s deeds. Jesus’ life came from his Father. So also, we are to remain in Christ by daily listening to the Word of life and obeying the leading of his Spirit. We eat Christ’s flesh by hearing, receiving, and obeying his Word (“the Word became flesh” John 1:14). We drink Christ’s blood by daily confessing our sin and need of Christ’s mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Our life comes from these daily practices, as regular as eating meals!

What food are we looking to for life?

“Lord Jesus, you are my life, for your glory.”