Is our faith a set of ideas about Jesus? Or is faith a personal connection with Jesus? That it can be the latter is suggested by Jesus when he says that he is the “bread of life” (John 6:35) and urges us to “eat his body and drink his blood.” (John 6:54-56) With this dramatic imagery, Jesus is saying that we can personally receive him in such a way that he dwells within us, giving us spiritual nourishment, strength, and life.

The salvation of Jesus is more than an idea! Click To Tweet

The salvation of Jesus is more than an idea! It is the real presence and working of Jesus within us today. Just as bread, once eaten, becomes a part of our body, so Christ can become a part of us. May we open our hearts to Christ, so that, as he says, he may “abide in us, and us in him.” (John 6:56)

Sunday’s Scripture Readings:
John 6:35
John 6:47–63

About the Author

Dr. David A. Palmer has been the senior pastor at the United Methodist Church of Kent since 1995. He has a B.A. from Wittenberg University, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. A native of Wooster, Ohio, he has served three other churches in east Ohio before coming to Kent. He and his wife, Mavis, have three children.