2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Our journey through the citations on the subject of bread have finally taken us to the NT. The Lord wanted me to revisit the lessons in the OT in preparation for their consummation to come. While Christ’s name wasn’t mentioned, by now you have seen that He is very much a part of the OT. This makes true the assertions of the apostle John that under God’s direction, Christ Himself participated in the Creation. It would be illogical to think that He did this and then disappeared off the scene never to be heard of again until the NT times. How very much I wish my traditional Jewish family and friends knew this!
MT 6: 11, “Give us this day our daily Bread,” is a familiar part of the Lord’s Prayer. It’s no accident that I took the liberty to capitalize “Bread.” After reading the messages in this series, I think you will see why I did that. Of course, we pray for God to grant us physical bread, because without food we can’t live. We have also been told that without spiritual Bread, faith in Jesus Christ, the “Bread of Life,” we can’t live. Remember JN 14: 6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except by Me.” I hope you will take the time to memorize that if you haven’t. That’s how important it is. It is my belief that all those ceremonies involving bread instituted in OT times were a foreshadowing of the coming of Yeshua Ha-Mashia Adonai, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Messiah. If only the traditional Jews knew that! If my lack of patience in waiting for God’s timing to “lift the veil” before their eyes is showing, then I beg God’s forgiveness. [see RO 11: 25].
Do you remember all the OT citations mentioned in the last few days in which the Lord reminded his people that what He provides is sufficient? Sadly, that lesson hadn’t been learned even by Christ’s disciples much less the people living in the time of His public ministry. That is why in MT 14: 18-21, the story of Christ feeding the 5000 on 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, and MT 15: 34-37, the story of Christ feeding the 4000 on 7 loaves of bread and few small fish needed to be told. These two miracles should have been enough to convert everyone who reads them as well as all the people actually involved to faith. Yet, even today, people like me struggle with the concept that what God provides is enough and that we must have strong enough faith to trust in Him without reservation. Ask yourself each day, as I do, “Do I trust God completely? How obedient to Him am I?”
Read MT16: 5-12, the story of Christ’s warning to His disciples about the “yeast” of the Pharisees and the Saduccees. As this story, which I hope you will read, unfolds, the disciples begin thinking Jesus is speaking of physical bread. That is why they respond in (7), “He says this, because we did not bring any bread,” in a discussion amongst themselves. Our Lord recognizes their imperfect faith here and says, “What little faith you have!” with some degree of frustration. He then goes on to remind them of the miracles of feeding the 4000 and the 5000. Then He goes on to explain that He was not talking to them about physical bread, but about the “yeast” (sins) of the two traditional Jewish sects. We know that this is an ongoing source of frustration for Christ throughout His incarnate existence, because in the last week of His life on earth, He is found in the temple having a heated discussion with the Jewish leaders about their propensity for getting hung up on form and ritual to the detriment of understanding God’s teachings. In His eyes their problem was putting form over content.
I doubt any practicing and faithful Christian will argue that when we come to MT 26; 26-28 as well as MK 14:22-26, LK 22: 14-20, and 1 COR 11: 23-25, we are looking at some of the most meaningful Scriptures in God’s Word. These are the passages that shed light for us (and for Christ’s disciples) on the taking of the sacraments. They are so important that you hear them said by pastors every time there is a Communion service. MT 26: 26, “While they were eating [the Last Supper], Christ took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to His disciples. He said, ‘Take and eat it. This is My body.’ ” He went on to do the same thing with the wine, telling them it was His blood shed for them. This bread “seals the covenant, My blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Let me quote 1 COR 11: 23-25 here, because of the light it sheds on this most intimate communication that takes place between the believer and the Lord Who loves him. “For I [Paul] received from the Lord the teaching that I passed on to you; that the Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took a piece of bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, and said, ‘This is My body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after the supper He took the cup and said, ‘This cup is God’s new covenant, sealed with My blood. Whenever you drink it, do so in remembrance of Me.” We are right to ask children to take instruction before they come to the Communion table, so that they will understand the importance of the commitment they are making and its significance to their spiritual life.
PRAYER: O Lord, we stand in awe of Your consistent love for us and presence in our lives. The sacrifice of Your Son, whose blood shed for us has made a sufficient sin offering, was an act which shows You deserve our adoration, praise, worship, and thanks. Even before Christ’s Atonement, You were there trying to bring mankind the opportunity for eternal life. Help us to make obedience to and trust of You a priority in our lives, so we can one day enjoy uninterrupted joy and fellowship with You. In Christ’s name, amen.
Tomorrow, I will take you on the next step of this God-filled journey in looking at Christ as the “Bread of Life.” His presence in our lives has been and continues to be real and personal. I can’t imagine my life without Him. Can you? Be encouraged in your faith that He is there for you and that He loves you more than you can imagine. Peter and I send you our love.
In Awe of Him,
Lynn