Please read the note from Pastor Woodhouse regarding his sermon below:

For the third consecutive Sunday, our Gospel reading is taken from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John. It is remarkable that each Sunday, however, we find Jesus intensifying the message He is preaching to His disciples and the crowd gathered to witness Him. At first, Jesus told the crowds that He was sent from heaven, and they asked Him for a sign like the manna during the Exodus. Then, Jesus proclaimed that He is the Bread of Life… greater than the manna, because whoever eats the Bread of Life will never hunger again. This week, Jesus concludes by identifying the Bread of Life sent from heaven with His own flesh. To be raised up on the last day, one will have to consume Jesus Himself.

This is hard for the people to hear and understand. Jesus is no longer just the worker of miracles, and not just another good teacher of the Law… He is now teaching that He is the Holy One sent from God, and the one way to be assured of everlasting life in the new creation. To truly follow Jesus, one will have to turn away from all of the false gods he has trusted in and cling to the One True God-in-human-flesh. This is a hard thing to do. In fact, it is impossible without the help of the Holy Spirit. But this faith remains our sure comfort and guarantee of salvation from our sins.