Opening sentence. Jesus said: ‘My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.’ John 6:55-56
Collect. Almighty and ever-living God, you have given great and precious promises to those who believe. Grant us the perfect faith which overcomes all doubt; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reading. Ephesians 5:15-20. In this letter Paul continually emphasises the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. He begins by reminding his readers of the new life that they have in Jesus Christ. To do this he draws on some of the great theological reminders. e;g, “for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God”. (Eph 2:8). He then urges them to maintain a unity in their lives together. “making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph 4:3)
In today’s section of the letter Paul is urging believers to live a life that is honouring to Jesus who is Lord. Previously he has used the metaphor of “light” as against “darkness” now he draws the comparison between wisdom and foolishness. Being careful means not only paying attention to our actions and decisions it also means continually remembering who we are because of what Jesus Christ has done. He reminds the believers that the days are evil. This is not simply because bad things can and do happen. Paul’s mind is remembering that Jesus himself reminded his followers that he came to judge the ruler of this world who is Satan, and depose him. (John 12:31.) The days are still evil for the final overthrowing of Satan has yet to take place. Thus believers who are under the lordship of Jesus should not follow the ways of the world which is still governed by forces set against the rule of God. Thus Paul is not simply asking believers to act in a moral way but to stand with God against the ways and powers of evil. To do this needs a clear head and so it follows that drunkenness is to be avoided. In Paul’s day the Gentile world was known for its consumption of alcohol. Life was harsh for many people and alcohol provided some respite. The Holy Spirit on the other hand can bring a sense of joy and peace, along with an enduring hope into the future. The filling of the Spirit brings believers to a point of worship and adoration of God. It also brings together people of like mind which helps to reinforce the wisdom of God’s way to life a life filled with prayer and praise. This way of life is not only a life of action but reflects the inner life of the believer, a heart fully committed to loving the Lord Jesus. Believers give thanks to God wholeheartedly because of what He has done through Jesus Christ.
Prayer. Lord our God, all truth is from you, and you alone bring oneness of heart. Give to your people the joy of hearing your word amid the din of human noise, and of longing for your presence more than for life itself. Despite the attractions of this changing world may your word of grace point us to the peace of your kingdom, a peace which the world does not give. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. (From Uniting in Worship)
Lord may the truth of your word guide our hearts and minds as we live out our lives. Grant us your wisdom in all the choices we make. May our minds be fixed on you, always remembering that you are always present to us in all we do. This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Reading. John 6:51-58. This section of John’s gospel begins with the feeding of the five thousand, after which the crowd wanted to make Jesus king. Jesus slips away from them for this time is not right. He reminds them that he is the true bread that not only sustains them in earthly life but will sustain them into the future. He links this true bread by explaining that he has come down from heaven to bring this true bread to them.
As we read today’s section of John’s gospel we need to keep in mind that “the Jews” who are arguing against Jesus are not the crowd who followed him looking for bread but are the intellectual theologians. They have their own opinions about how to approach God and relate to God, so they are opposed to the message that Jesus is proposing. In particular they oppose the idea that Jesus has come down from God’s presence to offer them the true bread of life.
We read this passage with the hindsight of two thousand years and understand that Jesus is referring to his death on the cross. The bread that Jesus gives has a future tense as our text says, “that I will give” which indicates a future action. The Jews did not understand this even though the sacrificial law presented in Leviticus showed that when forgiveness was required then a sacrifice which included the shedding of blood was demanded. In contrast the Jews choose not to understand by accusing him of some kind of cannibalism. They would have understood that Jesus was using the word bread in a metaphoric sense. The Manna was bread that only sustained earthly life for those who were sustained by it had long since died. The bread that Jesus gives takes the “eater” on into eternal life. The eating of blood was expressly forbidden in the law and so once again they would have understood that Jesus was speaking metaphorically. Biblically the blood represented the life force and so what Jesus is demanding is that eternal life comes through sharing life with him. The Jews continued to dispute with Jesus and it was their constant opposition that in the end guided him to his death.
We have noted before that John wrote his gospel to encourage believers. John makes clear from the very beginning of his record that Jesus is from God and is God. In the first sentence of his written work he makes that very plain. As we read today we to need to remember that what Jesus said to the Jews in our passage he also says to us. The living bread has to be the food that sustains us. We also must live our lives constantly mingled with his life. This means more than partaking in the elements of communion; it is a daily way of living out our lives as Christ himself would demand.
Prayer. Lord you have given so many precious promises to your people and you are always faithful in fulfilling your promises. Grant to us the wisdom and courage to trust in you alone as we live our lives. May we be fully reliant on you for all our needs. Give us the wisdom and insights to see where you want us to go. May we be as faithful to you as you have been to us. May there be a generous touch of your loving kindness over each of us as we relate to one another. Grant us all your peace and through your blessing may we witness to your holiness and love. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Collect. Jesus, Word made flesh, we thank you for the holy meal in which you give yourself to us; help us so to receive your body and blood, that we grow in grace and strength, and live daily in praise and thanksgiving, now and for ever. Amen.
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