Sermon

September 3, 2006
Pentecost 13b
John 6:51-58
Pastor Ben Berger

Where's the Beef?

I wonder if anyone remembers this old Wendy's hamburger commercial. Three older ladies walk up to this hamburger with a huge bun. One old lady takes off the top of the bun to find an itty, bitty burger. Another old lady starts asking, "Where's the beef? Where's the beef?" Anyone remember that? They had another version where the one old lady drove around town to all the other fast-food restaurants asking, "Where's the beef? Where's the beef?" The last two weeks we've heard about the bread. Two weeks ago we learned about the manna God provided the Israelites in the wilderness. Last week we learned that Jesus is the Bread of Life. Today we hear more of Jesus' sermon about the Bread of Life. But, today Jesus' adds the beef. As we ask, "Where's the beef?" we'll see that many people 1) have a beef with Jesus and that 2) everyone can receive beef from Jesus.

The day after Jesus fed 5000 men with two loaves of bread, they all came looking to him for more. Instead of bread for physical life, Jesus pointed to himself as the bread that gives eternal life. And then Jesus fills that bread with beef, his own flesh. Look at verse 51, I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh. Jesus told the Jews that if they wanted eternal life, they would have to eat his flesh.

The Jews had a beef with eating Jesus' flesh. Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" (52). The Jews probably knew that Jesus wasn't asking them to physically eat his flesh. It was more along the lines of when we make a smart comment and tell someone to "eat that." Jesus was asking the Jews to believe that he was sent by God from heaven to bring eternal life to sinners on earth.

The Jews had a beef with Jesus because they would not believe he was God. Some were asking, "How can THIS MAN give us eternal life?" Many saw Jesus as only a man. They knew his parents, brothers and sisters. They watched him grow up. In spite of the miracles they refused to believe that this man was also true God. The Jews knew that only God has the power to grant eternal life. Because they didn't believe in Jesus as true God, they had a beef when he claimed the authority to give them eternal life.

Other Jews had a beef with Jesus because they didn't want the life he offered. Many of the Jews had followed Jesus to the other side of the lake because they thought they finally found the Messiah they wanted. They wanted a Messiah that would keep their bellies full. They thought they had found the beef! Then Jesus started talking about giving his flesh for the life of the world. Jesus was pointing ahead to the bloody sacrifice he would make. Jesus did not come to create a glorious life on earth. He came to die. The Jews didn't want spiritual life. They wanted a glorious life on earth. Because Jesus didn't offer the life they wanted, they had a beef with him.

Many of us have a beef with Jesus too. Many among us still doubt whether Jesus can truly give us life. Just the other day a teenage girl that I've never met (she's not from the area but happened to come to the Empty Dugout teen softball tourney this past summer) asked me how to be sure the Bible is all true. She's Christian and has known the Bible all her life. Yet she isn't sure it's all true. This girl lost her mom to cancer two years ago. She doesn't think her step mom likes her. She even said that her prayers backfired. The devil has used the circumstances of her life to create doubt, a beef with Jesus. Has the devil ever created such doubt in your mind? Have you ever wondered if Jesus was really God? Or if the Bible is really true? Or if Jesus will really take you to heaven? Then you have a beef with Jesus.

Others among us have a beef with Jesus because we don't want the life he offers. Jesus hasn't promised to make our lives on earth glorious. He's promised us the glory of heaven. Many of us would rather have our bellies filled. And we show it by our priorities. We spend so much more time thinking about work or money or boys or sports. We show that those things are more important than the life Jesus offers. We want to go to heaven, but not until we have experienced everything on earth. That's a beef with Jesus.

It's time to get rid of that beef with Jesus. Jesus makes some pretty hard statements that hit home. He said, I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you (53). Here's your beef: you don't have the power to give yourself life. It doesn't matter how hard you try or how deep you dig, you will never find life in yourself. You won't find life anywhere else either. Not in work or money or the opposite sex or sports or any other activity on earth. That kind of life always ends…in death. You will only find life in Jesus. So, get rid of your beef WITH Jesus. Instead, receive beef from Jesus.

The great thing about Jesus is that he keeps offering life. We sin and sin and sin. We doubt and we misplace our priorities and he just keeps offering life. It doesn't even matter who you are - the nicest guy in the world or the worst criminal ever. Jesus offers life to anyone. Look back at verse 51. Jesus said, IF ANYONE eats of this bread, he will live forever. And again in verse 54, WHOEVER eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. No qualifications. No limits. Anyone who believes in Jesus as the true God who gives eternal life has it. And it's not just anyone, it's everyone. Back to verse 51 again, Jesus said, This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of THE WORLD. Jesus did not come to give life to just one or two people or a small group of people. He wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. You are part of the world. Therefore, Jesus came to give life to you.

Where's the beef? Jesus is the beef. Jesus is the bread that gives life and he is also the beef that gives life. Jesus received life from his Father in heaven. God the Father is life itself; he is the source of all life. The Father gave life to his Son as true God and then also as true Man. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Jesus was born of the virgin Mary as true Man, with flesh and blood. As true God and true Man Jesus is the only one who has the authority to give us life.

Jesus sacrificed the life he received from his Father. That's what he meant when he said he would give his flesh for the life of the world. Because every man (I mean every human) has sinned, we all deserve death. We owe God the sacrifice of our flesh and blood in hell. Instead, Jesus took on flesh and blood and sacrificed his life in our place. Only the flesh and blood of God could pay the price for the sin of every man, of the world. So Jesus sacrificed his flesh and blood, the flesh and blood of God and Man, for us. But the Father gave Jesus his life back. He raised Jesus from the dead.

Now Jesus offers that same life to all those who eat his flesh and drink his blood. Jesus says this so many times in John Six. We already read it a number of times in verse 51. Read again verse 54, Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. And again in verse 56, 57 and 58. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me…he who feeds on this bread will live forever. How many times does Jesus have to say it before we'll believe it? He has life from the Father. He sacrificed that life to pay for our sins. The Father gave it back to him. Now he promises life to us. Whoever believes already has possession of eternal life right now. And Jesus promises to raise us up on the last day too. Then we'll have not just spiritual life, but also life in our own flesh and blood.

So, will you eat Jesus' flesh and drink his blood? What does that mean? To eat Jesus' flesh and drink Jesus' blood means nothing other than to believe in him. You're probably thinking about Communion. Not yet. Jesus isn't talking about Communion here because he hasn't even instituted it yet. And, he never says that everyone who comes to Communion will receive life. It is possible to receive Communion improperly. No, when Jesus asks us to eat his flesh and drink his blood, he only wants us to believe. He wants us to believe that he is the Savior sent by God to bring eternal life to sinners on earth. He sacrificed his flesh and blood for our sins and rose from the dead to give us life. He offers this life to anyone and everyone, including you.

Believe, then. Jesus says that his flesh and blood are real food and real drink. Don't go looking for life in yourself. Don't go looking for life in work or money, other people or other things. Look to Jesus. Where's the beef? Jesus is the bread that gives life and the beef that gives life. Amen.

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