The Other Half of Communion

The Mystery of His Broken Body

Much is said about the atoning blood of Jesus, but little is said about His body, broken for us. Jesus explained this to the crowds, but they scattered in what seemed to them a bizarre sermon about drinking His blood and eating His flesh:

"Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me." - John 6:53-57

We can’t rush past this passage—it’s wrapped in caution tape, demanding our attention. Without partaking of His flesh and His blood, we risk becoming like the walking dead—moving but spiritually dead.

On the other hand, if we partake of Jesus, we have eternal life inside of us, and He will raise us up when He returns.

Obviously, Jesus was not referring to literally eating His physical body—something impossible after His ascension.

He clarifies this in John 6:61-62, explaining that those thinking in natural terms would be confused by His ascension, since they could not consume His physical flesh.

It has always been about the Holy Spirit whom the Father would send. That is why Jesus endured the cross.

The Spirit Gives Life

In verse 63, He explains what it means to “eat His flesh.”

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life."

Jesus is the Word of God. The "Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

He is the One of whom Isaiah prophesied:

"Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance." (Isaiah 55:2).

Those who come to Jesus and listen to Him receive the Spirit and life. His words are pruning, washing, cleansing, purifying, sanctifying, and producing life in those who believe.

He is the only one who can satisfy the hearts of men. We are eternal beings, and the only thing that truly satisfies us is eternity itself (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

This isn’t just “reading the Bible.” It is knowing the Holy Spirit as He teaches you concerning all things. He will speak to you through the Bible. He will explain things to you. He will show you things to come.

People asked Jesus many questions, and often it seemed as if He didn’t respond to their question. This is because He knew what the real question was, and He knew exactly what they needed.

This is how the Holy Spirit teaches us. We can grab anything out of the Word. It’s all good. But the Holy Spirit knows exactly what we need, and He will reveal the secrets and mysteries of the kingdom to us.

This is the abundant life that Jesus talked about in John 10:10.

This is the abiding that Jesus talked about in John 15:7.

This is the process of sanctification that Jesus talked about in John 17:17.

This is the foundation of true worship (John 4:23).

He died to bring us living water, fresh manna from Heaven (Ephesians 5:25).

"On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:37-38).

This isn’t just a little bit of manna or a little bit of living water. This eternal life flows like rivers out of our heart, and it’s contagious. It brings life to those around us.

It Didn’t End at the Cross, It Began at the Cross

Jesus ascended into Heaven on the clouds and to fulfill what He had said about being able to eat His flesh and drink His blood, He tells them to “wait for the Promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4).

The atonement for our sin through His blood was accomplished, but now the other half was about to come to pass.

This promise was hidden for ages and generations until the dispensation of the fullness of time in which we live.

A new generation of sons and daughters would emerge, the likes which had never been seen before. Even the least of them would be able to hear His voice and they would all be greater than any prophet who had ever lived in the Old Testament, including Daniel, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Moses (Matthew 11:11).

None of them had the Spirit of the Living God dwelling within them so that they themselves became the tabernacle of the Most High.

The disciples didn’t stop seeing Jesus. The world stopped seeing Jesus. The disciples saw Him and they knew Him because His Spirit was living inside of them.

“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you” John 14:19-20.

The same is true for us today. We see Jesus, not the physical body or visions of His physical body, although He could manifest in that way, but His Spirit and His Word living in us.

The Kingdom of God did not stop at the cross; it began at the cross, at His glorification, and at Pentecost. That is when the church was born, when those who believe would begin to walk as He walked.

It is through His life in us that we become one with Him and do the things He did in the earth (John 17:18).

Derailed by Food

This sermon in John 6 came shortly after Jesus fed the five thousand. The crowds had to find boats and row to the other side of the lake looking for more food—“bread from Heaven.”

They put in all this effort to satisfy their bellies, not knowing that the one who had the true manna from Heaven was right there with them.

Even today, Christians who have been born again continue to row for miles in pursuit of money, success, or comfort, everything else that does not satisfy (Isaiah 55:1-3).

In response to the crowds that followed Him across Lake Galilee, He says,

"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him" (John 6:27).

We need to make a choice. Are we going to pursue the things of this world, or the things of God? That is not to say that God wants Christians in poverty, but what we seek is what matters (Matthew 6:33).

On paper, the crowds that followed Jesus looked pretty good. They looked for Him and pursued Him, but not really. They were seeking the physical food that He could provide, not eternal life.

His Spirit lives in us, but will we seek Him to receive life?

Everything He speaks is not just for the present—it is also for eternity. It is through hearing Him that we encode our eternal DNA—our forever identity is shaped by the spiritual truths we absorb here on earth.

We can either seek after physical things like Esau who sold his birthright for a fleeting and temporary satisfaction. Or we can be like Jacob who wrestled with God to receive a spiritual blessing.

Too many in the church react to the things of the Spirit like those crowds did when they heard Jesus’ sermon. It's as if He was teaching something grotesque—like some kind of vampiric ritual.

We’ve settled for table scraps when He wants to pour so much eternal life in us that we long for our eternal body because our natural bodies can no longer endure the glory of it.

The Bride is Being Made Ready

At the end of this age there will be a wedding feast like no other. The bride, the church, will be glorious, reflecting that of her husband, beyond anything anyone has seen in heaven or on earth aside from the Trinity.

She lacks no good thing. She is perfect in every way. No fault or flaw can be found in her. Her radiance is glowing. She comes before Him in confidence, boldness, and humility reflecting the very virtues of the King, her husband.

Those who aligned with His mission are working with the Holy Spirit to make the bride holy, blameless and without blemish.

The living water that flows out of our heart is the same Word that sanctifies and prepares the bride. The wise and faithful stewards are those who bring the proper food at the proper time (Luke 12:42).

The greatest love we can have is to give our life for the church, to bring her living water as Jesus also has done for us (John 15:13).

Communion

"For I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you." - Luke 22:16-20

The Greek word that Paul used for communion was koinonia, which means fellowship.

Communion is fellowship with the Lord, and fellowship with each other.

We remember what the Lord did for us. His blood that was shed for the forgiveness of sins. It is His sacrifice that caused the death to pass over us.

It is His blood that grants us access to the Holiest place where we receive the true manna from Heaven.

His body was broken for us that we can have His Spirit in us bringing forth living water. Our souls are satisfied by eternity, and we share it with His bride—those who are, and those who are yet to come.

We remember that we will be with Him at the Great Supper of the Lamb.

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever" (1 Chronicles 16:34).