Feeds on me

Today’s Encouragement is John 6:56-57 NLT Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. [57] I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me.

Feeds on me –

Jesus’ words, “eats my flesh and drinks my blood,” “feeds on me,” are still as shocking to us today as 2000 years ago.  These words drove people away from Him, rather than drawing them to Him.  It is offensive to all of us to think of this act! 

Now we know today, as perhaps a few did when hearing this for the first time, that Jesus spoke metaphorically, for when He broke bread and served wine at His last supper He proclaimed, “This is my body and my blood”.  Yet at the time when He spoke these words… only these words, this extremely hard to accept truth, was confusing and offensive!

Why Lord? Why drive people away? Why use such an extreme symbol to teach us?  Why was this necessary?

Is it possible my friends that Jesus knew who would be able to accept this truth and who would not?  Is it possible that He had a purpose and plan as He spoke?  Is it possible that He knew exactly. What. He. Was. Doing. At. All. Times?  Of course, He did!  

Then what possible reason for such an offensive truth?  The Passover Lamb from Exodus was sacrificed and eaten and its blood placed on the doorposts… in order to save the people of God.

And in the same way, Jesus, the Lamb of God, was killed, sacrificed, and crucified on Passover. He had just served His disciples the bread and wine of His body at this Last Supper, the Passover meal, the very night He was arrested. They fed on Him. This was the fulfillment of the symbolism of the Exodus Passover, centuries before, now realized and eternal!

Jesus didn’t mind that some would be offended at His message, He brought the Truth, spoke the Truth, without regard to the sensitivities of mankind.

Father we thank You for the pure Truth, without the taint of our human sensitivity, without “political correctness,“  though it may be difficult to accept at times Lord, we choose, by faith, to follow You, to believe You always!

I am the Bread of Life

John Michael Talbot