John 6:53-55

DISCOURSE: 1641
THE IMPORTANCE OF LIVING BY FAITH ON CHRIST

John 6:53. Verily, verily, I say unto you, 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.

THE natural man neither does nor can understand spiritual truths [Note: 1 Corinthians 2:14.]. This inspired declaration has been verified in all ages. The Samaritan woman shewed how unapt we are to receive spiritual instruction [Note: John 4:14.]. Even Nicodemus formed the most absurd conceptions of our Lord’s meaning [Note: John 3:3.]: such also was the blindness of the Jews to whom our Lord addressed this discourse [Note: ver. 41, 52.]. He, however, in compassion to them, proceeded to confirm his gracious declarations. May we experience the illuminating and constraining influences of divine grace [Note: ver. 44, 45.], while we consider,

I. What is meant by eating the flesh of Christ, and drinking his blood—

Great caution is necessary in explaining the figurative expressions of Scripture. We shall endeavour to exhibit the full scope of the metaphor, without pressing it too far. It is sufficiently obvious that the text is not to be understood in a literal sense; nor does it relate to the sacrament, that being not yet instituted; nor does it signify the giving a mere assent to our Lord’s doctrines.

[The doctrines of the Gospel are sometimes represented as bread and wine; and our Lord may be considered as speaking of his doctrines when he speaks of himself as the bread of life. But he could not intend a mere assent to those doctrines by the metaphor of eating. If this were all that he meant, Judas and Simon Magus were truly possessed of eternal life [Note: Acts 8:23.Mark 14:21.]

Our Lord explains the eating of him as synonymous with believing on him [Note: ver. 35.]: but to speak more particularly, the metaphor of eating the flesh of Christ, &c. implies,

1. An union with his person—

[The doctrine of our union with Christ is set forth by a great variety of images in Scripture. It naturally arises from the metaphor in the text [Note: Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 1:27.]. It is particularly mentioned by our Lord in the two verses following [Note: From hence it appears, that as our bodily life is upheld by the invisible operation of our food within us, and as the spiritual life of Jesus was maintained by the indwelling of the Deity within him; so the eating of him is, in fact, an union with him, and shall ever be accompanied by the invisible supports of his Spirit and grace.]

2. A trust in his sacrifice—

[Our Lord speaks of his flesh expressly in reference to his sacrifice [Note: ver. 51.]. The words which he used at the institution of his Last Supper confirm this idea. The eating of his flesh therefore can mean no less than a trust in that sacrifice.]

3. A dependence on his grace—

[What animal food is to the body, that the grace of Christ is to the soul. Unless we have recourse to Christ continually, we must fall and perish [Note: John 15:5.]

According to this view of the metaphor, it is worthy of the deepest attention.

II.

The importance of the doctrine—

This is abundantly manifest, from the words before us. There is nothing so important as a life of faith on Christ: nothing,

1. So necessary—

[The greatest of all concerns is the salvation of the soul: but that cannot he effected by any other means. The person who does not live on Christ, has no spiritual life: he may have wealth, and honour, learning, and even morality (in some sense), but he has no life [Note: 1 John 5:11.]: he may even “have a name to live, but he is really dead [Note: Revelation 3:1.];” and his spiritual death will issue in death eternal [Note: Revelation 21:8.]. What then can be so necessary as to believe in Christ?]

2. So beneficial—

[The possession of the whole world is not to be compared with eternal life: yet life eternal is secured by eating the flesh of Christ. As for past sins, they shall be no bar to our obtaining of this blessing [Note: Hebrews 8:12.]. Indeed, “the believer has already eternal life” in his soul. He has a title to it, confirmed by the promise and oath of Jehovah [Note: Hebrews 6:17.]. He has also the earnest of it since this communion with Christ is heaven begun on earth [Note: Ephesians 1:14.]: and the Saviour in whom he trusts, will raise him up at the last day” to the complete and everlasting enjoyment of it.]

3. So excellent—

[They may be said to “feed on ashes,” who have no higher gratifications than those which are derived from carnal indulgences: but “the body and blood of Christ are meat indeed, and drink indeed.” Nothing affords such unspeakable delight as the exercise of faith on Christ [Note: 1 Peter 1:8.]: nor has any thing such a transforming efficacy on the soul [Note: 2 Corinthians 3:18.]. Surely, if the manna was “angels’ food [Note: Psalms 78:25.],” much more is the body and blood of Christ.]

Address—
1.

Those who are disregarding this heavenly banquet—

[Would to God that you would consider Who it is that utters the declarations in the text! and that you would mark the energetic manner in which he utters them! Think you that his words are false, or that they shall ever be reversed? Ah! cast away the husks on which you are feeding; and live, as the Apostle did, by faith on the Son of God [Note: Galatians 2:20.]

2. Those who doubt whether they may partake of it—

[The whole of our Lord’s discourse to the Jews shews that all were, not only at liberty, but bound, to feed on him; and we are commanded to invite, yea, to compel, you to come to this glorious feast [Note: Isaiah 25:6. with Luke 14:23.]. Indeed, to whom else will ye go? and on what else will ye feed? Come then, and “eat and drink abundantly, O beloved [Note: Song of Solomon 5:1.];” and rest assured, that they who come hungry, shall never be sent empty away.]