For today's sermon, please open your Bibles to the sixth chapter of the fourth gospel, traditionally attributed to John. We will quickly pass over the first twenty-five verses, which recount the familiar miracle story of the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus' retreat from the public, and his pursuit by the disciples.

Turn to verse twenty-seven: Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for THAT MEAT WHICH ENDURETH unto everlasting life, WHICH THE SON OF MAN SHALL GIVE unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Already the current of Jesus' instruction becomes clear to the educated reader, although the disciples respond with bewilderment. They ask Jesus for the nature of the divine work. Jesus explains that they should "believe on him," (v.29), not in blind faith, but according to a sign, which is the "true bread from heaven." (vv.30-32)

Proceeding to the thirty-third verse: For the bread of God is he which COMETH DOWN from heaven, and GIVETH LIFE unto the world.

Then Jesus proceeds to discuss the issue of election, particularly in verses thirty-seven, thirty-nine, and forty-four, in which salvation is assigned to those who "come unto" Jesus, and those limited to those "drawn" to him by the Father. Finally, in verse fifty-one, Jesus sums up his personal identification with the mysterious bread: I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Verse fifty-two: The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? How can he, without wounding himself, give to all who will consume it his physical life and substance? There is an unavoidable answer from which Jesus admits no retreat: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye EAT THE FLESH of the Son of man, and DRINK HIS BLOOD, ye have no LIFE IN YOU. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For MY FLESH IS MEAT indeed, and MY BLOOD IS DRINK indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the LIVING FATHER hath sent me, and I LIVE by the Father: so HE THAT EATETH ME, even HE SHALL LIVE by me.

The white manna is mentioned in verses 49 and 58, to draw attention to the "bread which cometh down from heaven," which is also white when consumed.

The import of these words was not lost on the disciples, and in verse sixty they respond: This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

Jesus is naturally unsurprised at their trepidation, and anticipates that some will even be revulsed: When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

Finally, Jesus explains that this feat of consuming the BREAD OF HEAVEN, the spunk that contains the flesh and blood of the Son of man, this act quickens the spirit, and this act is the means given of the LIVING FATHER, whereby one might come unto Jesus: It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are LIFE. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

And indeed, many of the disciples could not accept the offer of LIFE that Jesus made, and they "walked no more with him."

Members of the Elect, you know who you are, may the blessings of the LIVING FATHER rest upon you.

Amen.

Rev. Don Thomas

Offerimus tibi donum corpus dei.

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