‘I am the living bread that came down from heaven.’ (John 6:51)

Food is important. We wouldn’t last long without it, so it’s right that we give thanks for it, and it’s hardly surprising that Jesus spends so much time eating. Meals are important occasions. We use them for social interaction: to create family time, to meet with friends; to impress some-one; to do business; to find time to talk. Meals provide occasions for being together, creating a dynamic between those who share in them.

There are no fewer than ten accounts of Jesus sitting down to a meal in Luke's gospel alone. Quite apart from the Last Supper, he used meals as occasions to talk and share, as well as using the imagery of a meal to provide a picture of the kingdom of heaven. So it is that John 6 is all about a meal par excellence - the feeding of the 5000, which leads Jesus to make his famous statement, ‘I am the bread of life, whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me.’ Through this meal, he brings insight into the heart of our faith.

So when we come to the meal that we call the Eucharist, the president says, ‘Draw near with faith, receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for you, and his blood which was shed for you. Eat and drink in remembrance that he died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.’ You can see echoes of this in Jesus’ statements in John 6.

When we share in this great meal, what is it that we experience? The word Eucharist – a Greek word – literally means Thanksgiving.

We come together with God, literally, we commune with Him, as we thank Him for the gift of salvation. It’s an occasion when we make time for God and deepen our awareness of him. We need this time with God. 1500 years ago, St. Augustine wrote, ‘We were made by God and for God, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in God.’ That’s why we aspire to daily prayer - bringing God into our lives on a regular basis. And in the act of Communion, we have the simplest, yet most profound opportunity to meet with God, and receive spiritual sustenance.

As we share in communion, we recall our salvation. It brings us to a deeper understanding of who Jesus Christ is: God’s Son, who died on the cross for us so that we may know the full reality of life, and be at one with God. We are reminded of God’s love for us, and the costs involved in granting us salvation. We cannot count the cost of that salvation too often. It reminds us of the reality of our faith, and then challenges us to respond, in love and service. We come face to face with our Lord. It is at this moment, more than any other, that we are open to hear His word. Let's come forward to Jesus Christ, the bread of life, with expectant hearts, ready to meet with God, receive from him and be empowered to go out in His name.

Through the Eucharist, we increase our awareness of God. We bring with us everything that we are: our thoughts, concerns, doubts, joys, and as we meet with God, we find:

·            forgiveness, through the sacrifice that Christ has made.

·            healing (shalom, peace, well-being, wholeness)

·            spiritual strength - strength for ourselves

-       strength to look outwards in mission and service.

But the Eucharist is more than just a personal experience. We share in 'round table' fellowship. So the Eucharist is a source of unity. We share together as members of the Body of Christ. Jesus, the bread of life, is available to all who will respond to him, and welcome him. By sharing in the Eucharist, we are building up our fellowship with other believers, as well as reminding ourselves that we are a part of the world-wide communion of God’s people.

So as we meet with Christ, the Eucharist becomes:

·      A time for thanksgiving. We remember what Christ has done for us. We thank God for the gift of eternal life, which is ours through faith in Christ. We remind ourselves that the events of Christ's passion and death really did happen. ‘We believe it was for us he hung and suffered there.’

·      A time for confession. The Eucharist makes us aware of our personal need for God's forgiveness, so it must bring us to our knees in confession for our sins and shortcomings.

·      A time to ask for God's help. Jesus said: “Come unto me all who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

·      A time for recommitment and renewal. As we receive the bread and wine, we are given the opportunity to recommit ourselves to live as Christ's disciples, and to serve him in the world. So we pray that we may be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit.

·      A time to bring the needs of the world to God, recognizing that Christ died for all people.

·      A time to reflect upon the future. We are commanded to do this ‘until he comes again’. In the Eucharist, we have a tiny foretaste of that which is to come: our future with Christ. It’s no coincidence the Bible uses the metaphor of a wedding banquet to describe the day when Christ will return and meet with His people. “Behold, I am make everything new,” says the Spirit of God in Revelation.

For good reason, the Eucharist is described as a Holy Mystery. We have touched upon some of its significance, but there is so much more that could be said. This great Eucharist: Thanksgiving, brings us to the heart of our faith.

Let us pray

Jesus, the bread of life, be real to me today. Help me to feed upon you – upon the truth of your love, the reality of life which you offer. I offer myself to you today, ask that you will bring me to God, and may I receive the fullness of life which you have to offer. Amen.