Devotion - Wednesday, February 5

Of all the gospels, John is the most "theological."  John's approach is less attentive to the information and to the details; he spends more of his time telling us what things mean.

For that reason, John has been preferred by many.  I remember hearing that Martin Luther preferred John's Gospel.

I am reading from the 6th chapter of John.  In these verses Jesus sets forth what we come to speak of as sacramental theology.  He has previously made reference to "eat my flesh."  In 52-59 he says quite clearly "he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life."

I remember being confused about this when I was in college.  I made a really bad reference to the texture of a particular communion loaf as have come from one of the more calloused parts of Jesus' body.  My campus pastor was patient and graceful but clear that this is a theological statement.

Jesus invites us to find the source of our nourishment in him.  Jesus uses an image which confirms for us that we do become what we take into ourselves.

Ours is a sacramental ministry.  We believe and teach that God comes to us in the broken bread, the poured wine, and the waters of baptism.  This assurance also instructs us to consider the things which we put into ourselves.  What do we eat?  What do we listen to?  What do we watch?  What goes in matters.