I Am the Bread of Life

Driving home: He who is continually feeding upon my flesh, and again a present tense, He who is continually drinking my blood, and now he says two things of such, has eternal life.

Martin explains the Greek word 'trogo' (used for eating Jesus' flesh) by comparing it to ravenous animals continually tearing and consuming the flesh of their prey, illustrating the continuous, intense nature of feeding on Christ by faith.

Matthew 24. And again in John 13. And it's a word that means literally to munch. It means to nibble.

10:16 - 10:28 Read in full sermon

Driving home: He who is continually feeding upon my flesh, and again a present tense, He who is continually drinking my blood, and now he says two things of such, has eternal life.

Martin contrasts physical food, manna, and the miraculous loaves and fishes with Jesus' flesh and blood, arguing that all other food is 'non-substantial' in terms of eternal issues, only meeting immediate needs and pointing to greater fulfillment.

He is saying, Whatever you may have known of any kind of food that has satisfied your physical hunger, whatever your fathers may have known of that supernatural food sent down from heaven in the wilderness called manna, whatever you may have experienced of the food that came from my hands yesterday, the multiplying of the loaves and fishes, all of that, all of that food in terms of the issues that really count is non-substantial. At best, it meets an immediate need and points to greater needs and to greater fulfillment of need. But all that I've said to you, Jesus said,

12:20 - 13:01 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Using the analogy of the Israelites gathering manna, Martin explains that 'eating' and 'drinking' Christ means simply receiving Him as God's gift to destitute humanity, just as…

Martin uses the story of the Israelites gathering manna in the wilderness to illustrate how one 'eats' and 'drinks' Christ. Just as they simply gathered and consumed the manna God provided, so believers are to receive Christ as God's gift to destitute humanity by faith.

It is to do what the ancient Israelites did with the manna. There they were, in their destitute state, with no means of setting up an agricultural economy as wanderers in the wilderness. And in their unbelief, they want to go back to Egypt, kill Moses and change the thing. But God mercifully, He provides manna.

19:25 - 19:48 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not go on trying to find life in the 'junk food of this world' or the 'lust of the flesh' that dishonors God.

Martin contrasts the life offered by Christ with the 'junk food of this world' and the 'sand and marbles and gravel of the lust of the flesh,' urging listeners not to seek life in things that dishonor God.

Except you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you have no life. Will you go on trying to find life on the junk food of this world? Will you go on trying to find life in the sand and marbles and gravel of the lust of the flesh? In the pursuits of that which dishonors God?

24:12 - 24:35 Read in full sermon