MY FLESH IS MEAT INDEED

"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." (John 6:51).

 

We Christians talk much about the precious blood of Jesus and its efficacy in cleansing our sins, and washing our souls white as snow.  There is no other agent in the universe that can atone for, and blot out, the sin of mankind.  What we do not talk as much about, however, is the body of Jesus Christ - that is to say, His flesh. 

 

Jesus said, "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." (John 6:53-56).  Here Jesus makes it very clear that both His blood and His flesh are necessary for eternal life.  His blood addresses our sin, but His flesh addresses the practical issues of surviving in this world and living a godly life. 

 

One thing that set Jesus apart from every other man is that He was tempted in every way that we are, and yet He never sinned.  “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15).  The very Word of God, Who was in the beginning with God and was God was born of a virgin and became flesh and blood.  By the power of a sinless life, He set the example of holiness and true righteousness for all of mankind.  But He did so much more than just set an example – He has become the source of all spiritual life for us!  “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:3, 4).  When Jesus spilled His blood on the cross it was clearly to atone for our sins and not because of any fault that was in Him.  He wasn’t setting an example in the sense that we are now expected to shed our blood to atone for our own sins.  He did that.  It was final, and it was forever.  All we need to do is believe in the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood and that He spilled it for our sake and for our sin.  Jesus’ flesh is just as necessary.  While His blood deals with our sin, His flesh deals with our righteousness.  It’s one thing to receive the Lord as our Savior and accept the atonement that is in His blood.  It’s another thing, however, to learn to walk in His grace and the power of His Spirit, resisting sin and overcoming our flesh.  “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.” (Colossians 2:6).  Many Christians live in a commit sin/seek forgiveness cycle and never learn to walk in Christ and overcome sin.  Jesus’ sacrifice provided the whole package for us.  Redemption, justification, and sanctification are all included in His gift of grace and mercy!  As Paul tells us, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).  At the throne of grace we find mercy and the forgiveness of sins when we have failed God, but we also find grace to help us when we are tempted or in any need so that we can overcome sin and rise above the difficulties in our life.

 

Jesus' body was broken for us, and He died in our place, taking the judgment that should have been ours upon Himself.  Because He died, we now can live.  Through water baptism, we enter into His death so that we may know new life.  Unless we associate ourselves with His death, reckoning ourselves to be dead indeed to sin, we cannot receive the resurrection life that is in Christ.

 

While still in Egypt, the Israelites in Moses' day were redeemed by the blood of the lamb that they sacrificed the night of the first Passover.  They spread the blood upon the lintel and doorposts of their homes, and thus escaped the judgment of the death angel when he passed through the land.  We forget, though, that God commanded each family that spilled the blood of those lambs to roast the flesh of the beasts and eat it that night with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.  It was not just the blood that God considered important.  It was the flesh also. 

 

By faith we receive the gift of redemption through Jesus' blood.  He is the Lamb of God Whose blood atones for our sins, and protects us from judgment.  "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."  "And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 1:7b; 2:2).  We also must learn to partake of Jesus' flesh, however, or we will lack any real spiritual life.  Just like natural food nourishes, strengthens, and gives us life, we receive spiritual life from Jesus as we learn to live and walk in the Spirit.  

 

The priests in the Old Testament who offered the sacrificial animals on the altars of the tabernacle offered the blood up to God and burnt the flesh.  God permitted them to eat a portion of those sacrifices, though.  This was part of their inheritance from God.  Unlike the other tribes of Israel, the priests were given no land holdings in the Promised Land.  God told them that He was their inheritance, and He was their portion.  So, they literally lived by the flesh of the sacrifices.  This is the picture that we must have of Christ.  While all the other tribes are busy tending and caring for their earthly possessions, the priests of God are solely occupied with caring for the things of the Lord.  Because of this, God allows them to eat of the very offerings that they bring to Him.  This is not a concept that God reserves for just pastors, preachers, and church leaders; this is how God wishes all of His children to live.  "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (1 Peter 2:9).  We, too, must consider the Lord Himself as our portion in this life.  If He is our everything, then He will sustain us.  His blood will cleanse our sin, but His flesh will nourish our soul, and empower our life.   

 

Jesus likens Himself to the manna, the bread from heaven, which God sent to sustain the Israelites when they were wandering through the wilderness of Sinai.  They had to survive the wilderness journey before they could see the Promised Land.  God, therefore, sent manna every morning to provide them with food to eat.  They could only gather enough for one day, otherwise, it would rot.  On Friday, however, they could gather enough for that day and the Sabbath day, and it would not rot.  The people still had to go out and gather the manna - that was their choice - but God was faithful to provide it.  Likewise, God has provided us with His Word which nourishes us spiritually every day, and strengthens us so that we can sustain the temptations and hardships that we face on our journey to the "Promised Land."  This wilderness that we’re in can be a brutal place.  God, however, has provided us with everything that we need in Christ, the Living Word.  We must be willing to gather it, though.  It is essential, too, that we gather it every day.  What blessed us, and got us through our trials today, is not going to help us tomorrow.  We need a fresh word from God daily.  If we do not gather, we do not eat; and we grow spiritually weaker every day that we neglect to partake of Christ the Word of God, and our Bread from Heaven.

 

Just like the priests of old, we must make Jesus our portion in this life.  Everything else in this world is shallow indeed, and exacts a price on those who pursue those things.  They ultimately leave a bitter taste in the mouth, and do not satisfy the hunger of the soul.  Jesus satisfies our every inner longing, though.  He is the Manna from heaven, the Lamb without spot or blemish, the Word ofGod made flesh, and our lot and portion forever.

 

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me." (Revelations 3:20).

 

“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24).