He Said What? Eat My Flesh
Eating Jesus' flesh and drinking his blood represents a profound spiritual act that encompasses spiritual nourishment, intimate community, and embracing his sacrifice for salvation. This symbolic act signifies that Jesus is the "bread of life" and "living bread" who satisfies humanity's deepest spiritual needs, providing eternal life and addressing yearnings for love, purpose, and freedom from sin and death that worldly things cannot fulfill. It also symbolizes entering into a deep and relational experience with God, much like sharing a meal brings friends and family together; by "consuming" Jesus' words and spending time in prayer, individuals are intimately known by God and indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, it connects directly to Jesus' sacrifice as the "Lamb of God," echoing the Passover lamb whose blood saved the Israelites, indicating that by partaking, believers embrace Jesus' ultimate sacrifice on the cross which takes away the sins of the world and grants eternal life and resurrection. Ultimately, it signifies a daily choice to follow Jesus, trust his teachings, and prioritize him above all else, trusting that he is sufficient for all needs.
Deep Dive Podcast
Controversial Teachings from Jesus : Eat My FLesh
A Study Guide
I. Summary of Key Themes and Arguments
Mike Nagel's sermon at Mercy Church focuses on controversial teachings of Jesus, specifically the passage in John Chapter 6 where Jesus states, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you." Nagel breaks down this challenging teaching into three main points:
The Connection of Physical and Spiritual Needs: Nagel argues that our physical hunger and thirst reflect a deeper spiritual need that only Jesus can fulfill. He highlights that while God can satisfy physical needs (like feeding the 5000), Jesus offers himself as the solution to our "deepest needs," including knowing God, receiving forgiveness for sins, and overcoming death. He draws a parallel between physical malnourishment and spiritual malnourishment, asserting that a lack of spiritual nourishment leads to negative traits (anger, jealousy, etc.), while being fed by Jesus results in the "fruits of the Spirit" (love, joy, peace).
Food as Community: Nagel emphasizes the relational and communal significance of food, both in ancient times and today. He notes Jesus's frequent participation in meals throughout the Gospels, illustrating how eating together symbolizes friendship and family. He connects this to Jesus's invitation in Revelation 3:20 to "share a meal together as friends," suggesting that consuming Jesus's words and spending time in prayer builds this intimate community with God.
Sin Requires Sacrifice: This point ties directly into the "eating flesh and drinking blood" passage. Nagel explains the context of the Passover meal, where the blood of a lamb saved the Israelites from death. He then reveals Jesus as the "Lamb of God," whose sacrifice on the cross provides salvation and eternal life. The act of "eating his flesh and drinking his blood" is interpreted as embracing Jesus's sacrifice and remaining in him. Nagel concludes by acknowledging that this teaching is challenging, leading some to walk away, but it presents a choice to either follow and trust Jesus or reject him. He stresses the daily choice to "consume his teaching" and trust in his sufficiency.
II. Quiz Questions
According to Mike Nagel, what is the "best thing" he has ever done in his life, and what is the "second best thing"?
Nagel introduces the sermon by mentioning two previous "controversial teachings from Jesus." What were these two topics?
How does Mike Nagel describe the Gospel of John in comparison to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke)? What is John's primary aim?
What is Jesus's first miracle mentioned in the Gospel of John, and how does it relate to the theme of food or drink?
Explain the significance of Jesus's encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well as described by Nagel. What key theme does it introduce?
Why did the crowd follow Jesus to the mountainside in John Chapter 6, and what miracle did Jesus perform there?
After feeding the 5000, why did Jesus "push back" on the crowd's desire for more food? What message was he trying to convey?
How does Nagel draw a parallel between physical malnourishment and spiritual malnourishment? Provide a few examples of what spiritual malnourishment might "look like."
According to Nagel, what three deep human hungers or cravings can only be satisfied by Jesus?
What historical and symbolic event does Nagel use to explain the meaning of Jesus as the "Lamb of God" and the significance of His "flesh and blood"?
III. Quiz Answer Key
According to Mike Nagel, the "best thing" he has ever done is to be adopted by Jesus and to be a child of God. The "second best thing" he has ever done is to marry Sonja.
The two previous controversial teachings mentioned were Jesus talking about loving your enemies (the opposite of normal human feeling and action) and hating sin so much that one would be willing to cut off an arm or gouge out an eye to flee it.
Nagel describes John as "completely different" from the Synoptic Gospels, which contain many of the same stories. John's primary aim is to declare that Jesus is God (deity) from the very beginning, making the case for His divine nature.
Jesus's first miracle mentioned in the Gospel of John is turning water into wine at a wedding in Chapter 2, which relates to the theme of drink and celebration.
The encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well introduces the key theme that Jesus is the answer to our deepest needs. Jesus tells her that anyone who drinks the water He gives will never be thirsty again, becoming a "fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life."
The crowd followed Jesus to the mountainside because he had just publicly healed someone, and they were captured by his miracles and teaching. Jesus then fed 5,000 men (potentially 20-25,000 people) with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish, with baskets of food left over.
Jesus pushed back because the people were concerned about "perishable things like food" rather than understanding the miraculous signs. He wanted them to seek eternal life instead of temporary physical satisfaction, stating that it's about the eternal, not just temporary things.
Nagel parallels physical malnourishment (weight loss, fatigue, cognitive impairment) with spiritual malnourishment. Spiritual malnourishment "looks like" anger, jealousy, impatience, unkindness, and lack of self-control, which he collectively refers to as sin.
The three deep human hungers or cravings Nagel states can only be satisfied by Jesus are: to be fully known and loved, to have purpose, and to be free from sin and death.
Nagel uses the Passover meal to explain the meaning of Jesus as the "Lamb of God." During Passover, the blood of a lamb saved the Israelites from the angel of death in Egypt, symbolizing how Jesus's sacrifice (his flesh and blood) saves people from sin and offers eternal life.
IV. Essay Format Questions
Analyze Mike Nagel's use of the concept of "hunger" throughout his sermon. How does he transition from discussing physical hunger and food to spiritual hunger, and what connections does he draw between the two?
Discuss the significance of community and relationships as presented by Mike Nagel in relation to Jesus's teachings on "eating his flesh and drinking his blood." How do meals serve as a metaphor for intimate connection with God?
Examine the context that Mike Nagel provides for the controversial teaching in John Chapter 6. How do the preceding events, such as the feeding of the 5000 and the conversation with the Samaritan woman, prepare the audience for Jesus's shocking statement?
Mike Nagel presents two possible responses to Jesus's challenging teachings: following/trusting or rejecting. Discuss the implications of each response as described in the sermon, focusing on what it means to "consume his teaching" daily.
Compare and contrast Mike Nagel's interpretation of "eating Jesus's flesh and drinking his blood" with potential literal interpretations that one might initially consider. How does he use biblical and theological concepts (e.g., Passover Lamb, spiritual nourishment) to clarify the meaning?
V. Glossary of Key Terms
Controversial Teachings: Lessons or statements from Jesus that are difficult to understand, challenging to accept, or provoke strong reactions. In this sermon, it specifically refers to Jesus's statement about eating his flesh and drinking his blood.
Mercy Church: The church where Mike Nagel is a guest speaker.
God-breathed: A term used to describe all passages in Scripture, implying they are divinely inspired and worthy of study and application.
Synoptic Gospels: The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, which share many of the same stories and often refer to each other.
Gospel of John: One of the four Gospels, written by John. Nagel describes it as "completely different" from the Synoptic Gospels, primarily making the case for Jesus's deity.
Deity: The state or quality of being a god; divine nature. John's Gospel emphasizes Jesus's deity.
True Light (Jesus): A concept introduced in John Chapter 1, referring to Jesus as the light who gives light to everyone and transforms the lives of those who believe in him.
Water into Wine: Jesus's first miracle in the Gospel of John (Chapter 2), where he transforms water into wine, illustrating his divine power and setting a precedent for his connection to sustenance.
Samaritan Woman at the Well: An encounter in John Chapter 4 where Jesus reveals himself as the Savior and offers "living water" that provides eternal life, a metaphor for fulfilling deepest spiritual needs.
Feeding of the 5000: A famous miracle in John Chapter 6 where Jesus miraculously multiplies a small amount of food to feed a massive crowd, demonstrating his ability to meet physical needs but also pointing to a deeper spiritual hunger.
Perishable Things: Temporary, earthly concerns like physical food, which Jesus contrasts with the eternal life he offers.
Bread of Life (Jesus): A title Jesus gives himself in John Chapter 6, signifying that he is the spiritual nourishment necessary for eternal life, superior to physical manna.
Manna: The miraculous food provided by God to the Israelites daily during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, mentioned by the crowd in comparison to Jesus's bread.
Eternal Life: The spiritual life with God that Jesus offers, which is not limited by physical death.
Spiritually Malnourished: A state of spiritual deprivation or emptiness, characterized by negative traits like anger, jealousy, and a lack of self-control.
Fruits of the Spirit: Positive character traits (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) that result from being spiritually fed by Jesus.
Passover Meal: An ancient Jewish celebratory meal recalling the final night in Egypt when the angel of death "passed over" the homes marked with the blood of a lamb, symbolizing salvation.
Lamb of God (Jesus): A title given to Jesus by John the Baptist, connecting him to the sacrificial lamb of the Passover, whose death takes away the sins of the world.
Communion: A Christian sacrament or ordinance, often involving the sharing of bread and wine (or juice), commemorating Jesus's Last Supper and his sacrifice, symbolizing the "eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood."
Sacrifice: The act of offering something valuable for a greater purpose. In the sermon, it refers to Jesus's death on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
