Food for the Journey

Runners in order to help them make it through their long distance run will sometimes use a product called Gu.

It provides the electrolytes and enough nutrition to get them through many miles on the road. It is not meant to be something that fills their stomachs. It is meant to provide the energy that they need to make it through their run.

Back when I used to exercise, I saw people taking this substance out of their pocket and I thought: “How strange!”

But then when I read more about it, I knew why they did this.

The Lord's Supper is not meant to fill our stomachs, but to provide in a spiritual and symbolic way what we need and in order to go through life's journey.

We are called to represent Christ in this world. And we cannot do that without His grace, and full dependent upon him for sustenance and encouragement.

Today's message is about the relationship between spiritual food and spiritual work. As we continue our study of spiritual gifts, it is important to see how all of these things fit together in a practical way.

I like Roger Wambold’s definition of spiritual gift:

“A spiritual gift is a designation by the Holy Spirit- at the time of salvation- of the believer’s inherent and specific attributes to be faithfully used in the edification and blessing of other Christians individual and the Body of Christ (the Church) as a whole.” (Rev. Roger Wambold, “Congratulations! You are Gifted!” Sunday School Lesson for 21 September 2025)

And so, what can we make of the relationship between spiritual gifts and the Lord’s Supper? First of all...

There is a rhythm to the relationship between work and rest; service and sanctuary.

Think of it this way: Spiritual gifts are what enables every Christian to minister to others. God has called each of us to serve among the body of Christ.

The Lord’s Supper is a special time of worship and reflection. It is an occasion to repent and rededicate ourselves to God.

In years past, the Schwenkfelders used to hold prayer services in preparation for observing the Lord’s Supper.

If spiritual gifts are our roles for employment in the body of Christ, communion is our rest/food for the journey. One is service; the other is sacrifice. With one, we serve and represent Jesus. With the other, we are brought near to Him for fuel and refreshment. Each have their importance. Ephesians 2:13

Ephesians 2:13 ESV

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

I’m reminded of many times in the gospels that Jesus told the disciples to come away and pray. Or to eat. Or to rest. Mark 6:31

Mark 6:31 ESV

31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

Then, there were times that they assisted him in the many miracles that he did.

Think about it- we eat and drink and rest from our work. But then we rise and roll up our sleeves to do what is needed. There is a rhythm to our daily lives and there’s a rhythm to our spiritual lives.

Jesus is both the One who calls us into service, and the sustainer of that service.

Jesus is the bread of life. It is Him and His grace, that fuels the church ministry.

Our Scripture is found in John 6. Jesus has just fed the 5,000, which after you count women and children, is more like 10,000. He then steals away to pray. And his disciples eventually leave the area in a boat, on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus comes to them in the middle of the night, walking on water.

The next day, the crowd followed to Capernaum. Jesus criticizes the crowd for their centering on the bread they ate, rather than believing on God. He states in John 6:29

John 6:29 ESV

29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

The conversation turns to signs and the request for Jesus to perform a sign that they might believe in Him. This is ironic because they just witnessed him miraculously feeding 10,000 with just a few loaves and fish.

Jesus says in John 6:35-36

John 6:35–36 ESV

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

What ensues is a monologue on who it is that belongs to Him, indicating belief. He qualifies this by saying in John 6:37

John 6:37 ESV

37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

He identifies this group again in John 6:39

John 6:39 ESV

39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.

In both of these cases, those who believe, are given to the Son, from the Father. This group is clarified again in John 6:40

John 6:40 ESV

40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

So from these verses, we can identify that the one who believes, is the one who has been given to the Son. This is how election and faith are connected.

Someone described it like this. Salvation is walking through one door that says: “Whosoever will, may come.”

But as he walks through that door to the other side, he discovers that the door says: “Chosen, before the foundation of the world.”

Three indicators that you are chosen for salvation are the following:

Trusting in Jesus; John 6:37 “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

Conviction of sin; Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

Hunger for God’s word. Psalm 119:25 “My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!”

Author Tony Reinke said:

“Each morning as you first open your Bible, pray: ‘Lord, satisfy me this morning that I might live today in Your joy.’”

Those who grumble against, disbelieve God, are far from Him. The Jews grumbled about him, not believing. And so, Jesus adds in John 6:43-45

John 6:43–45 ESV

43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—

Here, Jesus makes reference to the new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34. There, the Holy Spirit is the one who teaches every believer what it means to know the Lord and serve Him.

In addition with identifying Himself as the bread of life in 6:27, 33, 35, 48, 50, 51. Jesus is food for your soul. John 6:51 is a definitive statement.

John 6:51 ESV

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Jesus is your soul’s refreshment if you have been chosen by the Father for faith in Christ.

Election is a doctrine that repels many. But to those who understand and embrace it, it is a great comfort, for we know that our coming to Christ is a result of God’s work through our wills, not over and against them. As one commentator states:

“Like every truth about God, the doctrine of election involves mystery, and it sometimes stirs controversy. But in Scripture it is a pastoral doctrine, helping Christians to see how great is the grace that saves them, and moving them to respond with humility, confidence, and praise.” (The New Geneva Study Bible, 1784)

The late Voddie Baucham said:

“I am not a Christian because I was raised to be one. Nor am I a Christian because I was smart enough to figure it out, good enough to find my way, or lucky enough to meet the right people.

I’m a Christian because the grace of God found me when I wasn’t even looking. I am a Christian because God’s miraculous intervention in my life.”

Those who have been chosen, have believed. And those who have believed, spiritually feed on the person and work of Christ. Thus, Jesus’ words in John 6:52-59

John 6:52–59 ESV

52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

In just a moment, you will eat and remember all that He has done for you; all that He is doing through you, and all that He will do for you.

Caspar Schwenckfeld taught an interesting interpretation of the Lord’s Supper in understanding Jesus’ words: “Take and eat; this is my body.” He taught that we should understand Christ saying: “Take and eat; my body is this (bread).

The Heidelberg Catechism asks in Question number 75: “How are you reminded and assured in the holy Supper that you participate in the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross and in all his benefits?”

“In this way: Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat of this broken bread, and to drink of this cup in remembrance of him. He has thereby promised that his body was offered ...and his blood was shed for me, as surely as I see with my eyes that the bread of the Lord is broken for me, and that the cup is shared with me.

Also, he has promised that he Himself as certainly feeds and nourishes my soul to everlasting life with his crucified body and shed blood as I receive from the hand of the minister and actually taste the bread and the cup of the Lord which are given to me as sure signs of the body and blood of Christ.” (The Heidelberg Catechism, 73-74)

And so the Lord’s Supper is a sign of ongoing communion with Christ whereas we remember His death, declare His resurrection and look for His second coming.

If you have placed your trust in Christ and turned from your sin, you are invited to partake. “Church, what do you believe?”