EAT MY FLESH--- DRINK MY BLOOD?

   I thank Pr.  Harold Premdas, for his kind permission to me to post his sermon of 3-15-2014. Thank you.

  THIS TEACHING OF JESUS IS A "HARD SAYING"                                                                        John 6:60  "Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?"
       Note: (jb) Yes it a 'hard saying' especially if taken literally, but even figuratively it makes one pause and think, or it should. but let's see what it means according to the Holy Bible, shall we?

      Introduction:        .
     
      This sermon will show us that the Bible we have, is authored by One Divine Being, with one central message, in the original human languages in which it written and in which it is read today, regardless of what English or American version or translation we use or is our favorite.  [K.J.V. used here]                                                                   The sermon will not end where it begins, for we will reference and tie together distantly separated Scripture texts. Be prepared to connect the dots. Be prepared for surprises: the ancient will become modern; the obscure will prayerfully become clear; the strange may become familiar, and so on.                                       We are going to start with a sentence from the Lord's Prayer [Matthew 6:9-12] "Give us this day, our daily bread."
      Do YOU have the fullest and proper understanding, when YOU pray this prayer? Or do YOU just repeat it by rote, sort of automatic, if you will? The sermon will propose an answer that may 'blow your mind'!.
      Let's explore what many have discovered as they probed this text:......
      John 6:53-58  "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever."

Sermon Body:
   
     The above passage, is part of the conclusion of a conversation that Jesus had with the crowd that went looking for him the next day, after the miracle of feeding the five thousand men  [plus unknown number of women and children] with 5 small loaves of bread and two small fish, that a lad, in the crowd had, for his lunch. This conversation be gins with Vs. 25 of John 6, and ends at vs.59.
      John 6:25-59  "And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum"
   
     That conversation, for the most part, took place in the synagogue in Capernaum [see John 6:24 and 59]. Some of it must have taken place in the village itself, or in the outskirts.
      The background to this conversation, however, is the miracle feeding the crowd, the account of which can be read in John 6:9. and on wards This miracle is NOT the focus of this study, but we need to make note of a few things:
1) It is the ONLY miracle recorded in all four gospels, that makes it very important, to the Author, agree?
2) The total number of people fed to full satisfaction could range from the 5,000 men mentioned to as many as 20,000 with all women and children. {No "day-care centers" then}
3)  Twelve baskets full of bread and fish were left over after the meal.
      It was Jesus Himself who brought the miraculous feeding of the day before back into the conversation by telling the crowd that found him on the other side of the lake in response to their inquiry, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"  He answered, "You are looking for me because you ate the loaves and had your fill."

     Is this the first time in History that there was a miraculous feeding of a large crowd?  OF COURSE,NOT!   The Children of Israel were fed Manna, or Angel's Food, for the 40 years during their wilderness travels. Per article pulled up on Google, that put their number of all peoples who left Egypt is estimated at somewhere between 2.5 and 3.5 million. In Numbers 2:32,  the population of men aged 20-50 numbered 603,550, as fit for military duty, thus allowing for the additions of women and children under age of 20, the Google number is very conservative.. Now, let us recall that his huge host was fed with food from heaven, the Manna, for the 40 years of wandering until they reached Canaan.
       We share a quote from E.G. White, "The Desire of Ages" book, p. 297: "The Manna falling from Heaven for the sustenance of Israel was a type of HIM who came from God to give life to the world....." [(j.B.) this is Jesus Christ, by whom ALL things were created]   Colossians 1:15-16  "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:"
      Revelation 2:17  "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that over cometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."
     But, neither the bread fed to the 5,000 men at Galilee nor the Manna in the wilderness, 15 centuries before, as miraculously as they were provided, was NOT the bread of life!
      Before discussing further the Bead of Life, let us make a reference to another symbolic bread, renewed each Sabbath, as part of the services of the Sanctuary and its successor, the Temple. This was NOT brought up in the conversation of John 6, but forms a big part of the imagery that can and should be discussed as part of this teaching, because it related very close to the topic.
      Exodus 25:30 " And thou shalt set upon the table shew bread before me alway (s). "

      Let's look at a quotation from the SDA Bible Commentary Vol 1. P. 638  "Show Bread/Presence"  two rows of six loaves [1 from each tribe of 12.] as a perpetual offering, from all 12 tribes. Which were replaced each Sabbath [in a remarkable ceremony]. The loaves, which were being replaced, being considered holy, were eaten by the priest only in the {first compartment} the "Holy Place". n {Leviticus 24:5-9} These 12 loaves constituted a perpetual thank offering to God from the 12 Tribes, for the blessing of life they received from Him daily. {This for now, has omitted the sentence from this commentary}
     
     Now, some take the two stacks of six loaves to have a neurological significance related to the 66 books of the Bible, not knowing, or not thinking about, perhaps, that in the original writing of the Bible there was less than 66 books. Numerology is not factual, as it is of man, and does not in all cases fit within Scripture, for example the number 13 is often shown in verses or chapters dealing with rebellion against God, but not in ALL cases, so as interesting as it may be, it is not a accurate guideline!

       Some of the Scribes, [ are those who could read and write], and Pharisees in the crowd conversing with Jesus made a request for a visible sign in order to convince them that His claim to having been sent of the Father was true. They went on to cite the case of the Manna eaten by their forefathers, which they believed to have been provided by Moses. Jesus replied.....
     John 6:30-34  "They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread."

   You see most of Judah was taught, that it by the power of Moses that they were fed Manna, but Christ set that straight! When He told them.....
    John 6:35-37  "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
     They did not like to hear this because.....
     John 6:41-42  "The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?"
     Note: In other words , "Jesus, we know your Father and Mother and you are their son!'  To which Jesus gave them some heavy statements.....
    John 6:45-51  "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

     These who ate the Manna have died but...
     John 6:50-51  "This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

    This last statement, had them aghast, so they asked "How can this man give us his flesh to eat"?
     John 6:53-58  "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever."

     This must be rated as one of the most difficult to understand passages, especially to those new to the Word of God, but follow me, please....
    In one of them best and most descriptive book, as well as the most Biblical accurate book ever written about Christ Jesus "The Desire of Ages by E.G. White we find this on page 389.
      " To eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ, is to RECEIVE Him as  one's Personal Savior, believing that He forgives our sins, and that we are complete only in Him. It is by beholding His love, by our dwelling upon it, by drinking it in, that we are to become partakers of His nature. What is food to the body, Christ must become to the soul. Food cannot benefit us unless we eat it, unless it becomes part of our being. So too is Christ of no value to us if we do not know Him as our personal Savior. A theoretical knowledge will do us not good. We must "feed upon Him", receive Him into our hears/minds, so that His life becomes our life. His love, His grace must be assimilated"

      Symbolically, this is what Christ said to do "In remembrance of Me"!
      1 Corinthians 11:24-25  "And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."
    This IS The Communion Service, where ALL Christians eat unleavened bread drink grape juice as symbols of His flesh body and His blood! Sorry not actual flesh and blood but in SYMBOLISM ONLY! They represent the broken body and spilled blood of Jesus who died for the sins of humanity!

Conclusion:
Now, let's go to the final sentence in the quote from the S.D.A. Bible Commentary we spoke of earlier:  "In a higher sense, this bread {the bread of the Presence, the Shew Bread} pointed to the Spiritual; bread, Jesus Christ
     So the Manna in the wilderness, the shew bread in the Tabernacle and in the Temple, the bread served on the hillside in Galilee, the bread served as part of the Communion Service are ALL dots to be connected into the the sentence of the Model Prayer Jesus taught to His disciples, "Give us today our daily bread"-- which is in full fact Jesus Christ who give all who honestly seek it, eternal life!

John 6:51 " I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

   (j.b.) My prayer for YOU, dear reader: "Father we come before your throne of Grace, seeking Thy mercy and forgiveness is Jesus' name.  Beloved Father, I ask that you, Who sees all, knows all and is ever present, give Father this reader wisdom to understand Thy word, and Your strength, to adhere within it!. That some day as Your will allows, that we all will meet Thee face to face, and give Thee our thank filled love and Thanks, Amen. In Jesus name I ask this favor Amen

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Thanking YOU for your time   johnb.   [jaybee]
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