Ridin’ High to the Sky

Tuesday 8-4-15 (Clermont, Florida)

Scripture reading:  2 Kings 22     2 Chron 34     John 6

S=Scripture O=Observation A=Application P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S.  John 6:35  Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. NIV

Vs 51-53  Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they asked.  So Jesus said again, "I assure you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.  NLT

O.  In John Chapter 1 Jesus is presented as the Living Word of God.  In chapter 4 He is the Living Water.  In chapter 6 He is the Bread of Life.  In chapter 9 He is the Light of the World.  In chapter 11 He is the Resurrection and the Life.  In chapter 14 He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Every metaphor speaks of the eternal life that He freely gives and sustains.  But when He graphically spoke of eating His flesh and drinking His blood many of His followers checked out.  That was just too much. 

A.  Was Jesus referring to the sacrament of Holy Communion?  Without doubt He was thinking of the cross that was just days away.  If I cannot devour the concept of His willing sacrifice of His flesh and blood spilled out at Calvary in my place, I cannot have eternal life.  Every time I take the Holy Communion I am confessing again my personal trust in His sacrifice, His death in my place.

P.  Dear Lord Jesus, please look down from heaven and help me understand.  Help me to take in, to receive in my inmost being the reality of what You did for me and what You are still doing for me.  John the Baptist boldly preached: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."  (John 3:36)  That says to me that although I haven’t died yet, I already have eternal life.  It is not a contest to see if I can be good enough to merit eternal life.  You already gave me this gift the day I placed my trust in You!  So now I am ridin’ high to the sky!   And I praise You for the eternal life that I am already enjoying on my way.  Amen.

Ralph