3 Minute Read
Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Matthew 26:26 (CSB): “As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take and eat it; this is my body.’”
Reflecting on God’s Word
Jesus observed the annual Passover meal with His disciples on the night He was betrayed. It’s easy to see why God chose this Jewish holiday when His Son would hang on the cross. This holiday pointed back to the Egyptian captivity, the ten plagues culminating in the death of the firstborns, and the salvation of the Jewish firstborns who killed a lamb and painted its blood on their doorposts. The picture was that the death of an innocent lamb would cause God’s judgment to “pass over” all in that house.
Jesus was the Lamb of God that the Passover ultimately pointed to. He was the one who would die and shed His blood, and all who trust in Him for protection from God’s wrath would receive it.
So, as Jesus observed the Passover meal on the night He was betrayed, He took two of the Passover elements (the unleavened bread and wine) and started a new celebration. We call it the Lord’s Supper (or Communion).
But Jesus said something about that bread and wine that many have misunderstood.
Matthew 26:26 (CSB): “As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take and eat it; this is my body.’”
Our Catholic friends believe that when Jesus said that, He meant that the bread would literally become His flesh that we are to eat. The wine would literally become His blood that we are to drink.
But that’s not at all what Jesus was saying.
When Jesus said, “Take and eat it; this is my body,” He was creating a powerful word picture.
Imagine that we were sitting across a table, talking to each other. You ask if I’m married, and I pull out my phone and show you a picture of my wife. As I show you the picture, I would say, “This is my wife.”
Now, in some ways, my statement would be true. It’s a picture of my wife.
But when I say, “This is my wife,” it’s not literally her. It’s a bunch of colorful pixels that provide a striking resemblance to my wife. It’s merely a picture.
That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “This is my body” and “This is my blood.” Those two elements are not literally His flesh and blood. Instead, they are powerful pictures that are to remind us each time we observe the Lord’s Supper of what He has done for us.
The bread reminds us that Jesus, while maintaining His full deity, also became fully human so that He could live among us, die a physical death, and then physically rise on the third day. The wine (or grape juice) reminds us of the blood He shed so that we can be forgiven and protected from God’s wrath and judgment.
So, the next time you observe the Lord’s Supper, don’t mindlessly eat the bread and drink the juice. Instead, allow them to be pictures of Jesus’ body and blood. Reflect on what Jesus did for You so that You might be forgiven and protected from judgment. Let your observance of the Lord’s Supper be filled with happiness and thanksgiving for what He did for you.
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for leaving Your throne in Heaven to come to earth, live a perfect life, die on a cross, and rise from the dead to purchase my pardon. Thank You, also, for giving me the faith to trust in You in order to claim that pardon. And thank You for instituting the Lord’s Supper so that I can have a regular, tangible reminder of what You have done for me. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.
Going Deeper
If you want to go deeper, check out this article by Got Questions: “What is the importance of the Lord’s supper / Christian Communion?”
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Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com).
Matt’s Musings 