Read John 6:35-40,51-54
"I am the bread of life."
Jesus declares he is the bread of life: he that comes to him shall not hunger,
and he that believes on him shall never thirst.
He continued, " the bread I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world."
The religious leaders were puzzled by these words, then Jesus made his words
even more difficult to accept:
"Except you eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood,
you have not life in yourselves."
Week by week we gather to eat the bread that represents his flesh,
the body in which he lived -out the Father's will.
This is the only life-giving bread there is.
If we come feeling full of our own goodness, we will never taste his.
Only his life was well-pleasing to the Father. We do not have life in ourselves.
It is only by seeing our need, that we are able to taste the Life that fills it.
First we are humbled to feel our own emptiness,
then we rejoice to savor his life, he was well-pleasing to God, in our place.
The paradox is intended and inescapable:
It is only in seeing our sin, that we taste our Savior.
" If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
We can be changed, when we see our need.
Father,
lead each of us now to see our sin.
Create in us the desire for its removal
by the power of Jesus crucified and Risen.
We surrender our will again to You.
Cause us to see that Jesus has fulfilled Your will in our place.
To drink blood, even the blood of an animal, was prohibited by the Law.
On this day, Jesus declared that except men drink his blood,
we have no life in ourselves.
This was a daring declaration that focused all hope of Life, upon him Alone.
read Isaiah 53:4-5
Because he poured out his soul unto death, the Father saw the travail, and was satisfied.
Week by week we come to the table,
like children who have gotten dirty and hungry again.
Jesus ever lives to wash us, cover us, fill us with Himself, and send us back out
with the joy of being always loved.
Father,
open each of our hearts now, to more completely believe Your love for us,
displayed in the days of his flesh, and the day of his death.
Cover us with him again.
We confess that all of our future rests upon You,
who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.