earths oven; but when he rose from that baking tomb he released the very fragrance of God, the finest of bread, the fragrance of life everlasting.

 

Thank God he didn’t sent us a book of theology to learn about eternity – The angel came to Mary and announced that she was the chosen one to bear the word of God and to bring him to the world.  Mary carried Jesus in the womb to Bethlehem, which means the ‘House of Bread’ and delivered him to humankind.   The word became flesh and lived among us.

God sent a man, his Son, the living word, who simply says, to us all -  ‘I am the bread of life’  - theology in 6 words.

 

Jesus the bread of life – Jesus, God's provision for us says unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you are not really living at all.

 

‘Really living’ this sounds so good it must be organic!

or on special offer!

Well, here is the offer to end all offers.

In spite of the devastating production cost to himself,

God’s seed, Jesus, grain, flour and living bread is free.

Not buy one and get one free.

Just free.

Free to all who have nothing but their hunger.

We may not know what natural hunger is this morning;

But we should know what it is to hunger for the words of God.

To hunger to be filled with all the fullness of Christ. Jesus said ‘Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, or live in me and I in them.

These words seem incredible, what did Jesus mean?

 

If we are to let Jesus live in us it means that we have to clean up the house – we need to give him space which means we are no longer filled up with ourselves, our needs, and our opinions.  We will have to give him time, listen and learn of him.

And what did he mean by saying we must drink his blood?  In Jewish thought the blood stands for the life.  If blood flows out of us so our life will ebb away, to the Jew the blood belonged to God, that is why a practising Jew will never eat meat which is not been completely drained of blood-Halal

 

Now it is clear what Jesus was saying.  You must drink my blood; means you must take my life into your life.

Jesus is opening the door to the mystery of communion with him.

At the Eucharist, we come to the table to give ourselves afresh, to receive the symbol of his love and by faith feed afresh from the living bread and drink his life.  But not just once a week, or when we feel like it.  John has no account of the Last Supper, instead he talks about a picnic on a hillside, and eating by the sea of Galilee.

It is not that be is ignoring the Eucharist but he is expanding it, so that we find Jesus at his table in the church, and then go out and find him in our world.

Ask a hungry man about bread and he will say yes please.

 

Jesus said I am the living bread – feed on me and live forever.