John 6:52-58

Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.

Bible Reading

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in Me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread that came down out of heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.”

– John 6:52-58

Devotion

The Jews were particularly troubled by Jesus saying that He would give the world “His flesh” to eat. Once again, they are taking Jesus’ words literally here. Jesus is trying to convey a deeper truth that seems to allude them. Even some of His disciples would stop following Him after these comments (Read verses 60-66).

The Big Question

What was Jesus really saying? How can we partake in the sacrificial death (Christ’s broken body and shed blood) of Christ? When we partake in communion, we are symbolically recognizing the broken body and shed blood of Christ for our salvation. We commemorate his sacrifice (death) when we celebrate communion. We don’t need to re-sacrifice Jesus for our sins every time we celebrate communion. According to Hebrews 10:10, 12, “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins…”

Conclude your time in prayer and silence, reflecting on what God revealed to you today.