Today’s gospel has several messages, and it can be interpreted in several different ways, and all of them are correct.

For example, in John’s gospel, there is no explicit institution of the Lord’s Supper, no precedent for our Holy Communion, whereas in the other three gospels, Jesus invokes a eucharist practice. In John, there are five chapters (13-17) of Jesus teaching the disciples over their supper before Good Friday, but no mention of the supper itself, let alone a commemoration of it.

Instead, what we have in John is today’s text. “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

This saying is Jesus’ invitation in John. Later, we have Matthew’s (26:26) telling: “While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.” For John as much as for Matthew, Jesus instructs us to join with Him in the Eucharist and “be partakers of his most blessed Body”.

A second message is the explicit promise of life after death for those who believe. This teaching runs all through John’s gospel. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

In John 5:24, Jesus says, “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.” In John 6:40, Jesus tells the crowd, “This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life.”

In today’s gospel, Jesus follows up with, “Whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.”

Five chapters later (11:25,26), Jesus tells Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

Finally, there is another message that is less explicit, but equally clear.  When Jesus says He is the bread of life, which he repeats three times this morning, he means he nourishes us in the life that we are living now. He gives our lives a special dimension and character and quality and beauty and meaning and purpose which we would otherwise be missing.

Jesus wants us to eat that bread that comes down from heaven, and He is that bread. So how do we do that? One way is in the Eucharist. Another way is by finding Jesus and meeting him in the gospels. Reading his words and absorbing them and savoring them is a way to partake of Jesus and let the truth of his life among us and ministry and death feed us.

I will mention, without comment or interpretation, those words I have found most nourishing and most speak to me as Jesus the bread of life.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matt 5:3,5)

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.(Matt 6:10)

There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons. (Luke 15:7)

Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor? (Luke 10:36)

Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. (Luke 10:41,42)

So the last will be first, and the first will be last. (Matt 20:16)

For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. (Mark 8:35)

Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. (Matt 25:40)

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. (Matt 13:34)

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34)

Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matt 11:28)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34)

Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. (Luke 23:46)

God be praised. Love your neighbor. Amen.