238 - Jesus is the Bread of Life#
238 - Jesus is the Bread of Life
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Little Prince of Heaven)
The topic of sharing is: Jesus is the Bread of Life
John 6:47-57
47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, 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 you. 54 Whoever feeds on 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 Whoever feeds on 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 whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father! We thank and praise You! Thank You for preparing this time for us to share Your words here, through Your words, once again giving us strength. The life we have comes from Jesus Christ, You are also the bread of our life. We often draw from this bread, becoming more and more like You, manifesting Your glory in our lives. We completely entrust this time to the Holy Spirit to help us. In the name of Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!
When we mention food, what is its primary function? Food is not primarily for analysis, observation, or discussion, right? Food is meant to be eaten. However, with advancements in technology, people have begun to analyze and test the various nutrients contained in food, which helps us understand God’s creation better. But if you do not recognize these, can it affect your ability to absorb its energy? Not at all.
Let me share this with everyone: What is the purpose of a person's life?
It is merely to eat, drink, live, and travel, which are the pursuits of unbelievers. Some people are busy from dawn till dusk, year after year, just to eat, drink, live, and travel. But can these satisfy a person's needs? People eat and drink, yet their souls remain unsatisfied. Is it because of greed? No, because food itself cannot satisfy our hearts; it can only satisfy our bodies. Once we reach a certain point of fullness, we no longer want to eat. No matter how good the food is, if you are full, you lose your appetite. But how do we supply the satisfaction of our hearts? People in the world can only indulge in delicacies and various good things, yet their hearts remain thirsty. They labor for food that perishes, and thus they can never find satisfaction; there is always something lacking.
When God created us, He placed a special presence in our hearts, which is the Holy Spirit. I want to ask everyone a question: Where is a fish most comfortable and blessed? In the water; where is a tree most comfortable? In the soil by the stream; where is a person most satisfied? You will never find satisfaction in the world; you can only find it in Jesus Christ.
Some may say, “Not necessarily.” For example, a fish is joyful in the water, but if you catch it and place it on the sand, does it jump around because it is happy? No, so if a person is outside of Jesus Christ, they will never find satisfaction. When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord, the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart, and a person begins to find satisfaction. This kind of satisfaction can never be found in the world. Therefore, Jesus addressed this issue by saying: “Come to me, and I will give you rest.”
In the world, our burdens can only increase, but with Jesus, He will give you rest. Thus, Jesus made the proclamation: “I am the bread of life; I can satisfy your spiritual and physical hunger.” The purpose of Jesus saying this is to invite people to follow Him. Jesus did not say this to tell people not to eat. Once, when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, the devil came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” At that time, Jesus said: “Man shall not live by bread alone.” Is food important? Yes, but Jesus was saying that we do not live by food alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God, indicating that both aspects are very important; lacking either one is not acceptable.
After believing in Jesus, is it okay not to eat? No, we need physical sustenance. Just having physical sustenance without the word of God is also not enough, so we need both aspects. Jesus did not say that people should not eat; much less did He say that people do not need to work. Jesus hopes that we do not continually pursue material things that can never satisfy, but rather come to Him to receive strength to work, making life meaningful. By drawing strength from Jesus, you will become even stronger.
Eating and drinking are very universal terms; no matter which country you go to, talking about eating and drinking brings joy. Eating and drinking transcend national boundaries. Similarly, eating and drinking are also commonly used terms among Jews, capable of turning other objects into part of oneself, especially in the context of the Mosaic Law. In the Old Testament, a rabbi referred to the law as their bread; eating it represented acceptance and then following it. However, Jesus referred to Himself as the bread, which is something that is hard for the Jews to understand.
Consider this question: In the past, rabbis taught believers to eat the law as food. The Old Testament also mentions a prophet who received a little scroll from God and ate it. Rabbis also said that you should treat God's words as food. Today, some still teach this; are you eating from the Old Testament or the New Testament?
If you eat the Ten Commandments every day, the consequence will be unbearable, and you may even die. The more you eat, the less confidence you will have, and you will drift further from God. But what if you eat the words of Jesus Christ? In the Old Testament, a prophet received a little scroll from God, and after eating it, it was sweet as honey in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. The words of Jesus Christ are not like that; His words are sweet in the mouth and even sweeter in the stomach. Therefore, Jesus said, “Look at me; I am the bread of life that came down from heaven.”
When Jesus said He is the bread, did He hope that people would eat Him? Yes, at that time, the rabbis said: “He compares Himself to bread…” Is there anyone in this world who compares themselves to bread? No. So Jesus first said, “I am the bread of life; you must eat me.”
The Jews could not understand: “Is this man crazy? Why must we eat you? How do we eat you? Do we tear you apart and eat you?” The purpose of Jesus using this metaphor was hidden from unbelievers. For example, the Jews before Him did not believe in Jesus, and for them, this word was hidden. They heard it but could not understand it. However, Jesus later explained that eating and drinking His body means being united with Him. Just like hearing the Mosaic Law, turning that object into part of one’s body. We can all understand this; who, after eating a piece of lamb, has part of their body as lamb meat and the other half as their own? After eating, it all becomes your flesh.
Many beauty-conscious sisters say: “I’ve gained weight; was that piece pork? Is it not your own?” You clearly ate animal meat. Why does it finally become yours? This is what we call digestion and absorption. Once absorbed, it becomes yours. So, the rabbis told believers to eat the law of God in this way, to turn it into their own.
I also tell you: When you receive God’s words, they must become your own. Similarly, when I preach to you, it is because I understand a little of Jesus Christ's words, I convert it into my own, and then share it with you. You should also meditate on God’s words in the same way when you go back. The focus is not on how many sermons you have heard or how many sermons you have, but on how much you have digested and absorbed that is important.
I use food as an example. Is beef good? Eating beef gives you strength, just like a cow. If your stomach does not digest, eating too much can actually be bad; the more you eat, the worse you feel. If you have various delicious foods in front of you, but you keep eating without digesting, what benefit does it bring to your body? Have you ever seen someone who can eat a lot but is skinny? That’s because their digestive system is not functioning well; what they eat just comes out without any benefit. They eat those things, but they do not convert into their own.
In the past, I weighed only 108 pounds, and I was still this tall, looking particularly thin. Many people said, “If the wind blows a little harder, you’ll be blown away.” At that time, I tried various methods to eat well, but it didn’t work. Some said my lifestyle was irregular, so I tried to live more regularly, going to bed early every day, but it still didn’t work. In reality, it was a problem with my digestive system. Later, I prayed to God, and at that time, a miracle occurred. Another pastor was praying with me; he was even more interesting. He was shorter than me but thinner, and as a result, he was often stopped by the police on the street for ID checks, as he looked like a drug addict. He had also tried many methods, but nothing worked; he just couldn’t gain weight. While many people want to lose weight, I wanted to gain weight. At that time, the food was still the same as before, and I prayed to God, “Lord, just let me gain twenty pounds.” In less than three months, this happened.
I tell you, when the digestive system functions, the body will respond, and that food will become your strength, your supply. You are the same; even if you just listen to a sermon, if you can fully digest it and apply it in your life, it will have a tremendous impact on your life. Otherwise, no matter how many sermons you have heard, if you let it go out the other ear after hearing it, it is meaningless; you lack the digestive function. Therefore, I do not expect everyone to listen to too many people; what you currently receive and apply will greatly help your life.
If you keep eating without digesting, it will become a burden for you. Many people find listening to sermons to be a burden because they have not digested them. If the last meal has not been digested and you ask them to eat again, it becomes a burden for them. Brothers and sisters, I hope you can digest this week’s sermons, let the bread of Jesus Christ become yours, and let the words of Jesus Christ flow through you and be applied in your life. This is particularly important; this is the part of digestion. Digestion also has another term in the Bible called meditation, repeatedly meditating on the words until they become your own, and you can apply them; this is the part you receive.
Sharing the first point: Those who believe have eternal life
This is verse 47, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.”
Jesus said, “Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. I am the bread that came down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The purpose of Jesus saying this is to make people really eat Him? At this moment, the eating and drinking mentioned here refers to believing; believing in Jesus Christ gives you eternal life.
Look at this passage from John 3:16-18,
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned; but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Here, Jesus has made it very clear to us: whatever we believe, we will have that kind of life. In Jesus Christ, it is told to us that if you believe in Jesus, you will have the life of Jesus within you. In other words, what you eat, you will have that strength. Some chemists analyze food thoroughly, knowing how many types of vitamins are in an apple, how much nutrition is in a kiwi. So when you eat these, why can you believe that they can supplement what your body needs? Because they contain those nutrients, they can supplement you.
Brothers and sisters, think about this: Jesus has abundant life, lacking nothing. When you are willing to accept Jesus and eat Him, the life within you becomes the same as Jesus’s life; it is transformed into yours. This is what it means to eat. Here it says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,” and the purpose of giving us is to let us receive the life of His Son. Because God sent His Son into the world, it was not to condemn the world but to save the world through Him.
How can we be saved through Jesus? By believing that Jesus has paid the price for my sins on the cross, believing that Jesus’s precious blood has brought forgiveness for all my sins. He died, and after rising from the dead, I am justified. Those who believe are not condemned; God no longer condemns us. Those who do not believe are already condemned; is it because they do not do enough good deeds? Is it because they are not spiritual enough? It is because they do not believe in the name of God’s only Son. You must know how to possess the life of Jesus: the moment you believe in Jesus, the life of Jesus is within you.
Now, how does it transform into yours? It is still through faith, just like when you ate a piece of beef; it needs to go through your digestive system to transform into what you need. Brothers and sisters, you should receive the good news of Jesus Christ in this way; when you receive this good news into you, your life will change. Once it enters, there will be two different results.
The first type is those who digest well, who eat a lot of meat and are robust; why do some people eat but their bodies do not change? It is because they have not digested it. This is why Jesus said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.” The eating of the bread of life refers to what Jesus accomplished for you on the cross. When you believe this way, your spirit is no longer dead. Brothers and sisters, what is your concept of death? In the original text, death refers to separation. When God said, “You shall surely die on the day you eat of it,” Adam did not understand what death meant. I want to tell you: death is separation. When some relatives pass away, we are separated from them; that is the meaning of death. Spiritual death also means separation. When Adam had not sinned, he was with the Spirit of God, but after Adam sinned, that spirit died, and he was separated from God.
Now, when Jesus says, “After you eat Him, that is, after you believe in Him, your spirit will no longer be dead; the separation will be removed.” When Jesus died for us on the cross, the curtain between the holy place and the most holy place was torn from top to bottom, and from then on, we are no longer separated from God. As long as you believe in Jesus, you are no longer separated from God; you do not have to go through someone to have God hear your prayers. You can pray directly; as long as you are willing to believe, God has reconciled with you, and there is no longer any barrier between you and God. When you pray to Him, God will surely listen. This is the life we have after believing in Jesus.
Let’s look at a passage from 1 Corinthians 15:45, which says, “Thus it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”
The first Adam was created by God. How did God make him a living being? He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, which is actually the Holy Spirit. When Jesus preached on earth, He later said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” and He breathed on the disciples, and they received the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, after the fall of man, the Holy Spirit did not dwell within people; He temporarily stayed within them. This was the state under the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit did work, but it was very limited. The Bible records many instances where the Spirit of the Lord came upon someone… When the Spirit of the Lord came upon someone, that person changed; their life and living changed, becoming different from before.
For example, when the Spirit of the Lord greatly moved Samson, this person had extraordinary strength; his strength did not come from the ground but was given by God. Brothers and sisters, when you believe in Jesus, the moment God’s power enters you, the life of God is within you, which refers to the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. You become a living being, no longer dead. The last Adam refers to Jesus. Here it says, “The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” Are these two the same? What is the difference? One is a living being, and the other is a life-giving spirit.
In the Old Testament, to become a living being, one must be anointed with oil. Even so, the Holy Spirit did not dwell upon you; He temporarily stayed, and after the Holy Spirit finished His work, He left. This is why David prayed in the Psalms, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.”
Do not pray like that anymore. The New Testament is different from the Old Testament. The last Adam is whom we believe in; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. When you believe in Jesus, the moment you believe, the Spirit of Jesus comes to dwell in you and does not leave. So today, do not pray, “Lord, please do not let the Holy Spirit leave me.” The Holy Spirit does not leave you; He is already within you.
When we are willing to accept Jesus as our Savior, His Spirit enters us and dwells within us, and we have the resurrected life of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is different from evil spirits; the Holy Spirit does not force us; He waits for us to be willing. Therefore, I expect you to act without forcing others; wait for others to be willing and turn back, and then it will be easier for you to work. Otherwise, you may invest a lot, but others may not be willing to accept what you have given.
What is the reason the Jews could not accept Jesus? Jesus spoke so clearly: “I am the bread of life that came down from heaven; if anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. The bread that I will give is my flesh, which is given for the life of the world.” How did the Jews respond at that time? They could not accept Jesus’s statement; why could they not accept it?
First: They thought Jesus was the son of a carpenter, viewing Jesus through human eyes.
John 6:42 says, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
They could not understand. Brothers and sisters, after believing in Jesus Christ, life has already changed; it is no longer the past life. Others will not understand why you have this ability; viewing this matter through human eyes makes it impossible to accept. People will say, “Have you become a god? Why don’t you go to heaven?” Because people look at you through their physical eyes, they stumble. This is why it is harder to share the gospel with those who are familiar with you; they always look at you with a worldly perspective, making it difficult for them to accept the changes within you, especially the divine part.
Why could the people in Nazareth, Jesus’s hometown, not accept Him? Because they knew Him too well. Perhaps some people watched Jesus grow up; Jesus began His ministry at only thirty years old. They might say, “I knew you when you were playing naked; now you say you are God…” Their minds cannot turn around; they must view Jesus through spiritual eyes. And we, who do not know Jesus and have not lived with Him, actually benefit from this.
This is why many people who have believed in the Lord for a long time, with more theological knowledge, find themselves unable to do anything. Conversely, those who have just believed and know nothing see their prayers answered. Has God changed His heart? No, because our rationality diminishes God’s power. Here it says, “Is not this Jesus, whose father and mother we know?” Does it matter if Jesus is God in relation to His parents? It does not; it has nothing to do with His past.
Brothers and sisters, we should view the people around us like this; do not comment on others’ pasts. Their past does not represent their present, including their parents, who cannot represent their present. We should see how this person is being changed by God now. The original meaning of “recognize” is to know, to know what was known before; this is recognition, and this is precisely the obstacle and hindrance to our understanding of Lord Jesus. If our thinking does not renew, we will use many years of theological knowledge to think about Jesus. God is always moving forward with the times and is always at the forefront of the times.
The Bible records: “But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
This was written in the third millennium BC; could people at that time understand what this meant? What does it mean? It refers to the transmission of information. I used to think it was airplanes; perhaps when airplanes were invented, people understood what this verse meant. People travel quickly; at that time, airplanes were the fastest. When people are on airplanes, you say your thing, and I say mine; isn’t knowledge increasing?
Today, the fastest speed is the transmission of information over the internet. I sit at home, and he is in America; I send a message, and he receives it immediately. We start communicating. So people run to and fro; today, the internet has replaced the speed of airplanes. This is what we say, God has updated our concepts; if you still use past methods to explain this verse, it is inappropriate. Therefore, our understanding of God must be continually updated; our God will never be outdated. If we always recognize people based on appearances, there will definitely be problems.
2 Corinthians 5:16-17 says,
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
The meaning of this passage is that we should not view people or ourselves through past ways of thinking. Even if you have read the Bible or heard this sermon before, the time is different. When you listen again, God will give you new insights. From now on, we regard no one according to the flesh, meaning we no longer recognize Jesus through the flesh.
In the past, Paul recognized Jesus this way; he thought Jesus was a rebel and wanted to arrest Christians and throw them into prison. He thought, “What is Jesus? He does not have as much knowledge of the law as I do. When your disciples died, they could not resist; you seem to be a weak and powerless group.” But precisely this kind of life changed Paul’s life. He said, “I used to regard Jesus Christ according to my flesh; now I do not regard anyone according to appearances.”
Although he once regarded Christ according to the flesh, he no longer does so. This means that now he has discovered the correct understanding of Jesus. Therefore, our minds must be continually renewed. The following says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” We must look at brothers and sisters with a new perspective; this week’s them is different from next week’s them. Every day, we are being renewed by God’s words. This is the first reason the Pharisees could not accept Jesus: they thought He was the son of a carpenter.
Second: They had no teachable heart.
John 6:45 says, “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.”
What is teaching? It means instruction, guidance, learning… Those who are willing to listen can receive His supply at the feet of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Jesus has a personality; if you are unwilling, He will never force His blessings upon you unless you are willing.
Mark 4:11-12 says,
11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.”
Does our Lord show favoritism and only treat the disciples well? The secret of the kingdom of God is only given to you; did Jesus deliberately set aside those Jews during His three and a half years of ministry, not allowing them to hear? The reason is that they did not have a receptive heart. How can we see this? Think about it; what kind of Lord were they expecting? A king like Moses, David, or Solomon. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, they expected, “He has finally come; let us welcome Him.” People shouted, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” But did they truly believe in their hearts? No, they were still watching from behind, wondering if Jesus could overthrow the Romans, so that we would not be slaves anymore but become masters.
Later, they discovered that Jesus also had to listen to Caesar. Once, someone asked Jesus, “Should we pay taxes to Caesar?” Jesus replied, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Jesus never revealed any intention to argue with them or to overthrow the Roman government. The purpose of believing in Jesus is to live in harmony, so that we can be at peace with both people and God. A true believer in Jesus will not create disputes or violence; instead, they are peaceful because Jesus is the Prince of Peace. However, the Lord they were expecting was not like this. Several times, when they saw Jesus perform miracles, they wanted to force Him to be king. This shows that they did not truly believe; they were merely using Jesus.
Many people have the life of Jesus within them, but they do not see results in their lives, indicating that in most cases, they are using Jesus. Looking at this passage, “They see but do not perceive;”
It is not that God is afraid they will see; it is that they are unwilling to see the truth. Jesus is now revealing the truth to them. After performing the miracle of the five loaves and two fish, they were overjoyed. Now He gives them something real: “I am the bread of life you need, far superior to the five loaves and two fish.” They do not want this; they see but do not perceive; they see what Jesus has done, but they do not understand at all because their hearts are not open. It says here, “Lest they should turn and be forgiven.” As long as their hearts are opened and they turn back, they will be forgiven; they do not have a teachable heart.
Third: Why did they not accept Jesus? They were self-righteous and argued among themselves.
John 6:41-43 says,
41 The Jews grumbled about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. … 52 So the Jews disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
After Jesus said this, they immediately reacted with two different results. Jesus hoped that after they heard this, they would believe and receive. The purpose of God giving you the Bible is to make you believe and receive; then everything will change for you. But people think they are clever.
Look at verse 41; they grumbled about Jesus saying, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,” and they began to argue about why He said He was the bread of life. Just like many people say, “Why does the Bible say He is the only true God?” They start to argue, debate, and discuss. Do you know that this is meaningless? It is like when we are very hungry, almost to the point of death, and someone gives you a bun and says, “Don’t eat yet; let’s discuss what ingredients are in this bun. If the ingredients meet our rationality, then we will eat it.” Don’t you think that is foolish?
Does God need us to debate and analyze Him? You cannot analyze Him. Now that technology is advanced, we can analyze the ingredients in a bun, but how did people analyze it in the past? When you are hungry, just eat; why do you think you can eat this? God created it for us to eat. You understand that what God created is for us to eat; as for what ingredients are inside, once you eat it, it will naturally break down. That is not something we should worry about.
Many people always think: “I will analyze God and understand Him before I believe.” You will never understand through analysis, and you will not be able to believe. Instead, it should be the other way around: when you believe, you will understand. Perhaps you do not know how many beneficial ingredients are in the bun, but if you keep eating, you will become robust and radiant; the results you need will come out. The words of Jesus are the same; believe, and everything will change for you. When you believe, your spirit is already saved.
However, the Pharisees, being self-righteous, argued and complained; the original text means to grumble, and the meaning of arguing is to quarrel and fight. This proves that they were not unified in their opinions. God’s words are not meant for us to argue and quarrel over; they are meant for you to believe. Just as food is not for us to argue and analyze, it is for us to eat. Eating brings benefits; if you keep discussing without eating, what is the point? You are so hungry, and someone gives you a bun, yet you still pretend to discuss it; this is utterly meaningless. Today, can we be practical in believing in Jesus? There are many words of God you cannot understand; can you believe first? Believe first, and you will be able to understand.
The flesh of the Son of Man refers to the body of Lord Jesus given for us. The blood of the Son of Man refers to the precious blood Jesus shed for us on the cross. Eating the flesh of the Son of Man and drinking His blood represents accepting all that Lord Jesus accomplished for us on the cross by faith. Drinking the blood of the Son of Man signifies accepting by faith the results brought by the blood of Lord Jesus.
Let me ask you a question: What results does Jesus’s body being given for us bring? By His stripes, we are healed, which brings physical healing; His precious blood shed brings forgiveness for all our sins. You may not understand the ingredients, but you must know the results. You may not understand the components of food, but after eating, it benefits your body and gives you more strength; that is enough.
Do not overlook what Jesus did for you on the cross; you must know this result, and both aspects need to be received by faith because Jesus has already accomplished this, just as the bun is already made; you only need to eat. Verses 51 and 53 both use the term “eat,” which in the original text refers to a one-time completion. Therefore, the eating here refers to believing in Jesus, and you will have eternal life. Eating and drinking both refer to believing and accepting Jesus. So when you believe in Jesus, His life enters you, and your spirit has already changed.
Now, what is lacking is the physical part. Some people do not understand; do we need to attend a spiritual training session for our spirits? Does the spirit inside you need training to grow? The spirit within you is the Holy Spirit; He is the spirit of Jesus, the spirit of God, and all power dwells within you. Therefore, when you do things with the power of the Holy Spirit, why is there such great power? That is not your power; it is God’s power. The Holy Spirit, who created the heavens and the earth, is already dwelling within you. So do not try to elevate your spirit; what you need to elevate is your thinking; renewal is sufficient. When we eat and drink Jesus, that is, the moment we believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit has already come in. You may say, “I do not feel it.” This is not based on feelings; feelings belong to the soul and the physical part. The spirit is not based on feelings; it is accepted by faith.
Sharing the second part: Those who eat have strength
54 Whoever feeds on 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 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
The Jews understood this; this time, He really meant for them to eat. They could not understand the previous part, but this was even more incomprehensible. So when we read this passage, it seems like there is nothing special, but for the Jews, it was very complex. The previous part was about believing in Jesus, which they could not accept: “You are the son of a carpenter; what can we believe about you?” Then Jesus said, “You must eat my flesh,” which truly meant for them to eat, because the word used here for eating refers to chewing carefully, making a sound while eating, taking small bites.
Brothers and sisters, who can understand this? The Jews said, “How can this man give us his body to eat?” What did Jesus mean here? “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” What is eternal life? Earlier, it was said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.” Here it says, “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” Please remember: when you possess the life of Jesus, the next step is the part of digestion. It is easy to eat a piece of meat; just as it is easy to believe in Jesus, you say, “Lord Jesus, I am willing to accept you as the Savior of my life.” This is completed in one go.
How many times do you need to eat in a day? If you eat today, do you need to eat tomorrow? You need to eat continuously, and the purpose is to digest. We have the life of Jesus Christ; the next step is crucial and relates to our bodies. Have you been saved? You were saved when you believed in Jesus. The part of life must change, relying on chewing carefully, meditating on His words, letting those words become yours, turning into part of your body, and your life will change.
Therefore, when Jesus says, “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life,” it refers to working together with Jesus and living out His words. Chewing carefully, taking small bites, is the term used here, and it means to eat often. Having received life, we must rely on Jesus, letting His nutrition become our nutrition, which is receiving the Holy Communion. At the last moment, Jesus revealed this mystery to us.
Let us read together 1 Corinthians 11:28-29,
28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
How to examine? When you take this bread, you must see that it is no longer ordinary bread; it is the body of Jesus Christ that has been broken for me. This is how to examine. If you have examined it this way, then this bread will achieve its effect. After examining, when you eat this bread, it is completely the same as what we read today about eating the flesh of the Son of Man. When you partake of the Holy Communion, do you hear a sound? Does it crunch? That is right; this is what Jesus initially said to that group of people in the wilderness: “You must eat my flesh in this way, making a sound.”
At the time of Holy Communion, this is realized. When you eat this way, the life of Jesus will digest within you, equating to the power of Jesus becoming part of you. When you meditate this way, diseases will disappear, and your body will change, just as your body changes when you eat. Today, you are not eating earthly food but heavenly food; this is how to receive the Holy Communion, making a crunching sound.
For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. If he does not discern, he will condemn himself. This is the meaning of this passage. Self-condemnation means taking a piece of bread, looking left and right, and thinking, “This little piece of bread is not enough to fill my gaps; can it really heal my diseases?” If you do not know that this is the body of Lord Jesus, it will have no effect; it will be of no use. Therefore, brothers and sisters, when you receive the Holy Communion, you are commemorating Jesus. Isn’t this what Jesus said to you at that time? Now you are holding Him in your hands.
1 Corinthians 11:24-25 says,
24 And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
How did Jesus say this when He instituted the Holy Communion? Did Jesus give His body to the disciples to eat? Yes, at the Last Supper, He did. He did not literally break Himself into pieces for them to eat. Did Jesus say, “This is like my body; you can regard it as my body?” No, this bread is . When you partake of the Holy Communion, you will say, “This bread is the body of Lord Jesus.” When we set it apart in the name of Lord Jesus, it becomes so. It is not like, or possibly, but it certainly is. This is my body, broken for you; the original meaning of “broken” is to be torn apart. Why was Jesus’s body broken for us? Because by His stripes, we are healed. Therefore, ultimately, partaking of the Holy Communion is to bring healing to your body.
The purpose of commemorating Jesus is to let your body be healed. The words Jesus spoke at that time are profound. After supper, He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.” So when you receive the cup, you should think that you are a covenant person with God. Because of this blood, God no longer remembers your sins; because of this blood, you are no longer condemned. You should know through the blood of Jesus that you are a person under the new covenant. People under the new covenant can inherit the promise; the new covenant is an everlasting covenant that does not change. These are things we need to meditate on.
As often as you drink it, do this in remembrance of me. What should we remember about Jesus? What did He bring you on the cross? What did Jesus’s precious blood bring you? He shed His precious blood to reconcile you completely with God; there is no longer any barrier between you and God. At the same time, it also lets you know: all your prayers will be heard by God. When you doubt whether God hears your prayers, when you take the cup, you should see the new covenant established by Jesus’s blood. This covenant should remind you that you are a person in relationship with God; He is your Father, and He will hear your prayers. All issues of sin have been resolved. You may not see it now; the time has not yet come. God will give you the best blessing at the best time. Amen!
Psalm 105:37 says, “He brought out his people with silver and gold, and there was none among his tribes who stumbled.”
You can meditate on this passage and know why. What exactly happened? The blood of the lamb was on their doorposts and lintels, and inside the house was the flesh of the lamb. They were not told to discuss the lamb’s flesh; the Bible clearly says to take the staff in hand and eat quickly. After eating, they had a long journey ahead. When they finished eating, they were healed.
Do not forget that they were slaves in the past; slaves cannot have the highest treatment. With over two million people, it is impossible for there to be no sick ones. Yet the Bible says that not one was weak; everyone regained strength, and this was because they ate the flesh of the lamb in the house. Today, this applies to our lives as the Holy Communion. Meditate on this passage: that many Jews that night ate the flesh of the lamb, and their bodies changed because they digested it. Therefore, not one was weak. When you digest the Holy Communion, believe that your diseases have left you. When you see the cup, you must believe that God has completely accepted you, and your life will no longer be the same.
Now, everyone, begin to meditate on this passage before God: In the name of Lord Jesus, I set this bread apart; from this moment on, it is no longer ordinary bread but the body of our Lord Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father! When I partake of the Holy Communion, I remember that Jesus in the wilderness directly told the disciples, “I am the bread of life.” I also believe that Jesus is the bread of life; Your body was broken for me. When I receive Your body, I believe that Your body becomes mine, and there will be changes within my body. Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me like this! Now everyone begins to meditate on the words received today and pray aloud.