This morning, Stephen spoke about Communion, reminding us that when we take the bread and wine during a Holy Communion service, this is not simply a task or ritual we participate in, but a way of remembering Jesus and taking part in the life He provides. Jn 6 describes for us the feeding of the five thousand and how Jesus walked on water, but we see that many people were really only interested in Jesus because He had fed them! – ‘you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.‘ (Jn 6:26) Eating is an essential part of life, and many of us spend a lot of time shopping, preparing food, eating it and clearing up after meals, but the food we buy may not last very long and we have to be aware of ‘use by’ dates and ‘best before’ dates. Like Willy Wonka’s ‘everlasting gobstopper’, however, Jesus offers us food that will last – everlasting bread. (Jn 6:27)
Jesus made it clear that He does not just give bread to feed us; He is the bread of life: ‘I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’ (Jn 6:51) The work God asks of us is to believe the One He has sent. At times, this may seem easy to do, but we need to be aware that believing in Jesus is not just a one-off event; it is a daily process through the ups and downs of life and we need faith to grow and not subside. Jesus satisfies us eternally and is able to grant us eternal life.