October 4, 2022 – Is Jesus’ Bread Gluten Free?

“It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 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.” John 6:45-51

“When Jesus offers himself as the Bread of Life those who are listening find it difficult to eat. Over the next four chapters of John (6-10) the opposition to Jesus grows. The world is not ready to change its diet even if their diet only makes them sick. Jesus proclaims that he is Israel’s food and all of the needs and longings of God’s people can be found in him. “The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The problem is that “Jesus Bread” is difficult to eat. If Jesus is the bread of life, which provides for our ultimate human needs, then why does it leave us so hungry or why is it so difficult to take a bite?” “Is Jesus’ Bread Gluten Free?” August 5, 2012 (“The Hardest Question” website) by Roy M. Terry IV

Why is Jesus’ Bread so hard to eat? Of course, we must define “the bread” of Jesus. When Jesus says “I am the bread of life” — he is referring to himself — his teachings, his ways, his love, his mercy, his grace. It is so hard to eat because it seems so simple and so radically different at the same time. It is so radically different because it redefines how G-d wants people to treat one another, to love one another, to serve one another, to accept one another, and to love and serve G-d. No longer are we supposed to put people outside of community if they are different from us — we are to love them. No longer are we to judge others unless we welcome the same judgment with which we judge others. And we are to love all people — all people — not just the ones we find easy to love.

The teaching of Jesus is also simple because it comes down to two words — love and serve. Love and serve others — love and serve G-d. Simple, right? Love and serve G-d and love and serve our neighbors — putting G-d and everyone else in front of our own needs. Not so simple when we look to live into this reality — when we look to eat the bread of Jesus and then show others that this truly matters in our lives. This is why Jesus’ bread could be so hard to eat — because once we do we should live as if it really matters to us. And if it really matters, then let’s show it.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, I need your bread every day – the word that fills me and gives me life. Amen.

Pastor Dave