All

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 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 from heaven. John 6:53-58

It is now coming to a time when we are entering the Easter period. In some parts of the world people re-enact the crucifixion seeking eternal life. To many the scenes are gross.

The picture Jesus presents above, to the undiscerning eye, is likewise gross and appears to be a scene from a satanic movie.

What is He really saying? Does He want us to again and again crucify him or ourselves? Does He want His hearers to cut him up and literally eat him and drink His blood?

The Jews were forbidden from drinking blood so why would Christ speak this way to them?

If the character of God is never changing, always consistent, always the same what does this mean?

Was Jesus indeed God or a deluded maniac?

In verse 60 we see that many said, "this is a hard teaching. Who can accept it? Jesus replied, "Does this offend you?" What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit, and they are life."61-6

Jesus was shocking the disciples and in the process sifting them to those who believed in Him.

He was taking them deeper to the core or Christianity. What was He saying?

His last comment gives a clue. The real issue here is life in the spirit. Jesus uses a natural example of eating and drinking to show just as what we eat and drink become a part of us, all of it, then as we take Him into our lives, totally, we live eternally.

In verse 61 Jesus seems to change tack. "What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?" He is saying 'I am God, it is all about my way of doing and being.'

Jesus was challenging the disciples to really believe not just hang around because of the sights and miracles.

Yesterday I spoke to a man who I had shared Christ with a few years ago. At my encouragement he went to see the movie, 'Amazing Grace' and loved it, yet did not embrace the deeper truth. I still experience the love of God for this man but he must reach out himself, I cannot do it. This makes me sad. He is still lost.

Jesus had people like that with Him, they liked the idea but did not want the truth, the whole truth.

Today, while it is still today, we must choose; life or death and our decision will last forever and ever and ever and ever to infinity.