Title: True Food and Drink
Contents
Bible/John 6:53-58 Sermon/True Food and True Drink
Today is Sacrament Sunday, the celebration of Baptism and Holy Communion.
1. Food and Drink of Death
In the old days, there was nothing to eat and drink, so what to eat what to drink I was worried, but now I have so much to eat and drink, what should I eat? what to drink I worry. Today's message is about five diseases. After performing miracles, Jesus, who fled to the mountain alone to avoid the crowds who wanted to be appointed as king, got into the boat of the disciples who met a storm at night and went to the other side of Capernaum. When the crowds came to Jesus again by boat or on foot, they said, ‘You are looking for me, not because you saw a sign, but because you ate the bread and was satisfied. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life. This food will be given to you by the Son of Man, whom God the Father has sealed’ (John 6:25-27). People in the world have plenty to eat, but Christians should eat simple. John the Baptist lived on locusts and locusts in the wilderness. What God gave to Adam is the fruit of the tree of life. The fruit of the tree of the forbidden knowledge of good and evil is the food of death.
The children of Israel in Egypt ate lamb meat and unleavened bread when they left Egypt. The people of the wilderness are the waters of the rock of Manna. God hasn't changed the menu in 40 years. The people, fed up with the old menu, complained that they could not eat Egyptian meat, watermelon, and leek, and then they died in the wilderness. The food that Jesus fed the crowds in the wilderness was barley loaves and fish. He had the disciples eat the bread of life and the wine of life, which symbolize the flesh and blood of the Lord. In Revelation 22:1-2, there are only two things: the fruit of the tree of life and the water of life as clear as crystal.
2. Food and drink of life
The flesh of the Son of Man is food sealed by the Father. The food of the world is like the bread of mercy given to death row inmates to prolong their lives until the date of execution. Jesus said that he is the true food and the true drink, and unless you eat and drink his flesh and blood, you have no life in you. When we eat and drink the bread and the cup with faith, the Holy Spirit gives us life abundantly in our hearts with the visible words, so that we may be united with God the Father and receive the blessing of eating together at the Father's table every day.
3. You will live because of me
The way we sustain life is water, air and food. If you don't supply these three, you're the same creature as an animal or plant that dies. Considering the limits of life, life is a futile existence. “For my Father’s will is that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40). The Lord’s words to eat the true food means that you must believe in the Lord to have eternal life. It is saying that only if we believe in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and solve the wrath of God, we will not die and live forever.
4. Do you know God's table?
We eat at the table every day. But there is an invisible table, the table of God. This is the table where God's children have eaten and obtained eternal life for thousands of years. We can work vigorously only when we eat the food and drink of the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. May you receive and enjoy abundant life at the table of the Lord who is present with the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: May you live forever, eating and drinking true food and drink. Amen.