Losing Our Communion.
The sermon emphasizes the importance of communion with Christ and with one another, as expressed in the Lord's Supper, and the requirements of the covenant to serve, love, and obey.
Gareth Evans preaches on the challenging teachings of Jesus, particularly the call to communion through eating His flesh and drinking His blood, symbolizing identification with one another in the Body of Christ. Jesus emphasized the importance of serving one another, loving one another, and obeying His word, culminating in the institution of the Lord's Supper as a covenant meal. Despite the offense some may feel in following these commands, true communion with Christ is found in wholeheartedly embracing these principles.
Text
This is a very long chapter with teaching quite difficult to understand. The disciples said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" Jesus is telling his followers that they must "eat His flesh and drink His blood" if they would be His people.
In retrospect we can understand this as a call to communion - identification with one another in the Body of Christ.
In the upper room, the night before He died, Jesus had made many wonderful promises to the disciples - and hence to us - peace the world could not give, a joy that would be "full", the Holy Spirit to dwell within, a home in Heaven.
He also asked of them three things: that they serve one another as He demonstrated by washing their feet; that they love one another as He commanded; that they obey His word.
He then instituted the "Lord's Supper" - a covenant meal. A covenant is an agreement between two parties - the terms of which are the promises and requirements expressed above.
Every time we take the bread in 'communion' we are declaring ourselves members of His body, His 'flesh'; every time we take the cup we are declaring our agreement to the covenant - to serve one another, love one another and to obey His word. This is what He was asking of His followers in John 6 - a call to communion.
Do you get offended when told that the King commands you to love the brethren, including those whose doctrine and styles of worship are so different to yours?
Those listening to Jesus found this difficult to accept. They were offended by Him (v.61) with the result that many of His disciples followed Him no more. They lost their communion with Him.
Sermon Outline
- The Difficulty of Jesus' Teaching
- The Disciples' Reaction
- The Call to Communion
Key Quotes
“He then instituted the 'Lord's Supper' - a covenant meal.” — Gareth Evans
“Every time we take the bread in 'communion' we are declaring ourselves members of His body, His 'flesh'; every time we take the cup we are declaring our agreement to the covenant - to serve one another, love one another and to obey His word.” — Gareth Evans
Application Points
- We must be willing to love and serve one another, even when we disagree, in order to maintain communion with Christ.
- Taking communion is a declaration of our membership in Christ's body and our agreement to the covenant to serve, love, and obey.
- Losing communion with Christ can result in a loss of connection with Him and may even lead to leaving His discipleship.