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Posted At: 1:39am by Brent Kuhlman
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Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost Trinity Lutheran Church
3 September 2006 Murdock, NE
Adult Confirmation of Ann Matthews & Jennifer Jordan
+ Jesu Juva +
John 6:51-58
What kind of bread? White? Panera’s honey whole wheat? Russian rye? Marble? Pumpernickel? Sourdough? Ciabatta? French Baguette? Sun Dried Tomato? How about bran muffins? You might live longer. “Might.” Yeah, you just “might.” But not forever.
Well then, let’s try some of that Old Testament stuff. What Moses gave to the Israelites. What was it called? Yeah, that’s right: manna. Bread from heaven – wasn’t it? Who has the recipe? Anyone?
Or what about the five barley loaves that Jesus used to feed the five thousand? There were twelve baskets full of leftovers. What happened to them? Pull those scraps out of the freezer! Surely that bread . . . !
Or maybe there’s a different bread. Jesus said something about bread, right? Ann and Jennifer, do you remember? Yes, that’s right. He speaks of bread. Bread come down from heaven. Eat it eat and live forever. That’s right. You heard it correctly. Eat this bread and you will live forevermore. Including a resurrection on the last day.
What’s the bread? Are you ready for the answer? Let me give you fair warning. You may be shocked. Offended. Repulsed by what He says. Many in His day were. Or you may receive immense comfort. Great joy. I hope you do Ann and Jennifer. For Jesus has the words of eternal life.
So here goes. Jesus says: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven.” He’s the bread! Bread Jesus!
His flesh, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and stapled to the Tree of the Cross is the bread. The body of Jesus is the living bread that’s come from heaven. “This bread is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world.”
Beaten, bloody, broken, hanging, dead on cross, Jesus! The bread -- His Body. Baked in the oven of God’s wrath against your sin. Sacrificed. His Blood shed. For you.
That’s quite scandalous isn’t it? Blows the mind. “Reverend, you mean Bread Jesus forgives?” Yes! “All sins?” Yes! “Even divorce?” Yes. “He forgives all sinners? Even Ann and Jennifer?” Yes. “Even you and me?” Completely.
He’s quite a Savior! Gift for you. Given for you to believe in with all your heart. And then there’s more. Jesus moves us into what He puts into our mouths. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Behold the medicine of immortality! The antidote against all sin and death! Jesus! His flesh and blood given into death for you. Now His flesh and blood given into your mouths with the food of bread and wine. This food unleashes all the energy of Jesus’ death and resurrection against all your sin and against your impending graveyard death.
Ann and Jennifer, today -- into your mouths – into your bodies – Jesus puts His sin forgiving and death destroying
flesh and blood. To you who are bothered by sin -- to you for whom death approaches -- listen again: “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.”
Had enough? Not Jesus. We’d have been happy with a loaf of Panera, a piece of leftovers from the feeding of the five thousand, or the recipe for a batch of manna. But with Jesus there’s more. He gives us His Body in the bread of the host. His Blood in the chalice of wine.
And Jesus isn’t done extolling His gift. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.” Did you get a load of that? What a promise! Won’t abandon you in the grave. Won’t leave you behind on the last day. Jesus will stick with you. Now and forever!
What a Savior!
Ann, Jennifer, and Trinity congregation, where do you go to be with such a Savior? Take a space shuttle to outer space? Go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem? No. You go to where He’s promised to be FOR YOU. You go to the Lord’s Supper. He’s given His body and blood on the Cross in to death for your life. Now He bodies and bloodies your mouths – your hearts -- your bodies in the Sacrament. There you live together with Jesus. There He lives with you. Dare I say it? He moves in with you. In your mouths, hearts, minds, and bodies.
“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.”
Happy Confirmation Day Ann and Jennifer.
Let us pray: Merciful Father, since you have given your only Son as the sacrifice for our sin, also give us grace to receive with thanksgiving the fruits of his redeeming work and daily follow in his way; through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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