Sermon Sampler - Flesh Eating Zombies!? (5/6/12)

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:54

Is Jesus seriously talking about flesh eating zombies here?  If you’ve been watching too many late night horror movies, this might be what you think, but I’m voting “no”.  In reality Jesus is using a story familiar to his audience (manna in the wilderness - Exodus 16) and reinterpreting it for a contemporary teaching opportunity.  

The text for this week (John 6:25-60) picks up after Jesus has fed the 5,000 and walked on the water to reach his disciples on the other side of lake. The crowds have caught up with him and begun questioning him.  They ask Jesus what they must do to do what God requires, to which Jesus replies they must simply believe in him (Jesus).  It is at this point that the people ask what sign Jesus will give them to prove he's trustworthy.  They reference Moses, the children of Israel in the wilderness and the gift of the manna (bread from heaven).  Taking the example they use, Jesus proclaims himself to be the true bread from heaven!  Jesus further clarifies that in order to receive eternal life, the people must eat his flesh and drink his blood.  Needless to say this doesn't sit well with many of his listeners (and even some of his followers John 6:66).

Upon closer examination, it's clear that Jesus is not speaking literally, but rather is playing upon the common metaphorical meanings attributed to "flesh" (nature, habits, actions) and "blood" (source of life).  With this understanding, Jesus is encouraging his listeners to become more like him, by taking his nature/habits/actions and life into their being.  It's like the old saying "you are what you eat", if you eat junk you'll become junk, but if you eat good things, then you'll become better yourself.

The author of John's gospel does one more thing with this story, namely teach about the Eucharist (also known as communion).  The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) include what's known as the Eucharistic Institution within their re-telling of the Last Supper (basically Jesus' thoughts and teaching on communion).  John's gospel has no such teaching in the Last Supper scene but rather focuses on foot washing.  This is at least in part because the author places Jesus' teaching and institution of communion earlier in Jesus ministry here in John 6:25-60.  What John's gospel allows modern Christians to do is re-imagine and re-interpret the sacrament of Holy Communion as not simply something reminding us of sin and death, but also a call to discipleship and life in Christ!

So the next time you stumble across a particularly difficult saying of Jesus, that at face value seems to be a "hard teaching", rest assured that God made flesh, the incarnate Son of God likely had more in mind than the simple face value of his words.  Furthermore the next time you break the bread and share in the cup, remind yourself that this symbolic meal is also a call to deeper relationship and life with a living and risen savior!