The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24).
Remember who He is.
Remember what He has done.
Remember the gift He has given you.
Remember who you were,
and
Realize who you are now
Because of him.
Happy Friday, Beloved.
The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you. (1 Corinthians 11:24).
For you
Kind of hard to get past that.
All that was about to happen–and he knew what was about to happen–was for you. All that the Lord of Everything would suffer, and endure, and complete–
it was for you. The thorns, the lash, the cross, the spear–
For you.
Never, for all the rest of your forever, no matter what comes, never for one moment think that you are not loved.
Happy Thursday, Beloved
The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body…(1 Corinthians 11:24).
He created the very atoms of the universe,
then took a handful of them
and fashioned a body for himself.
He wore it for a time,
lived in it,
became one with it,
knew hunger and thirst and heat and cold and pain–
Oh yes, He knew pain, don’t think for a moment that He didn’t.
He knew the warmth of the sun on His face and the tickle of rain down the back of His collar.
He knew the taste of cold water, and the smell of fresh baked bread.
He knew what it was to hold a baby, and to embrace a friend.
Look, Beloved, I’m sure that what Jesus experiences at the Father’s right hand totally dwarfs the sensations of our limited physical bodies. Still, I wonder if, as he held the bread and considered what was coming…
Did he think he might miss this?
Just wondering
Happy Wednesday, Beloved
The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it… (1 Corinthians 11:24).
No one else broke it.
No one else could.
Remember, Jesus used the bread to symbolize himself; breaking the bread makes it clear that he knew what was coming, and that he was in control.
Sure the Romans were the ones who beat him and whipped him and put him on the cross,
but he went of his own free will, by his own Father’s plan.
For you
For me
Praise God for the Bread of Life.
Eat and be filled.
Happy Tuesday, Beloved
The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks… (1 Corinthians 11:24).
One of the toughest things to do is have an attitude of thankfulness when you’re having a really tough day.
I think we can all agree that Jesus was embarking upon perhaps the worst day…ever.
And he gave thanks.
Yes, I know that giving thanks was part of the meal–I get that.
But there was more to it than that.
I think Jesus was giving thanks that he was fulfilling his destiny, that at long last he would complete the task for which he had come into the world.
It would be finished.
I also think that Jesus, looking around the room, saw his disciples not just as they were, but as they would be. He saw them going forth in faith and changing the world and glorifying him in their lives and, eventually, with their deaths.
I think he saw the multitudes who would be redeemed in the years to come by what he was about to do.
I think he saw you.
I think he saw me.
I think Jesus was looking into eternity as he held that bread.
And he gave thanks.
Happy Monday, Beloved
The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread… (1 Corinthians 11:23).
Bread is one of our simplest and most basic foods.
It’s been a staple for thousands of years.
The very smell of baking bread conjures feelings of warmth and contentment and security and home.
Jesus compared himself to bread.
And not just in this passage. In John 6, Jesus declares himself the Bread of Life, that we may take and never hunger again.
I am continually astounded at the humility Jesus demonstrated. He declares himself the answer to our deepest need, yet does it by attaching himself to a simple, humble food.
He didn’t call himself the Caviar of Life, nor the Filet Mignon of Life.
Just bread
Probably not even leavened
In the light of such humility, how shall we live our day, Beloved?
Happy Friday.
The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed…(1 Corinthians 11:23).
So here’s the thing:
He was betrayed.
Betrayed
And he knew it was coming.
And he let it happen anyway.
Because that was the plan.
Have you ever been betrayed, Beloved? Do you remember what that felt like?
Did it make you want to spend the rest of the evening serving food and washing feet?
Fortunately, you are not Jesus.
No offense, but really.
Sold out, stabbed in the back, thrown under the bus–call it what you will, he took it and moved forward with the plan.
The Lord of Everything counted the cost of saving you, and it was beyond imagining.
And you were worth it.
Happy Thursday, Beloved
For I received from the Lord what I passed on to you… (1 Corinthians 11:23).
He received,
and he gave.
How are you doing with that?
OK, so you’re not an apostle, but you have received from the Lord, ya?
Truth
Mercy
Grace
All these you have received.
Do you pass them on?
If so, well, good on you. Keep it up.
If not…
Today seems like a great day to start.
Happy Wednesday, Beloved
When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anyone else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for that? Certainly not! (1 Corinthians 11:20-22).
Again, they miss the point.
The early church celebrated Communion to honor the Lord. This was in the context of a love feast–essentially a church potluck. Everybody brought food, everybody shared, people enjoyed close fellowship. God was honored and his people were blessed.
Except sin and pride and gluttony and cliquiosity got in the way.
People got in their little groups, and the cool kids ignored the dweebs. The richies brought all kinds of wonderful food–and ate it themselves. The poor kids ate PBJs, or went hungry.
It was middle-school lunchtime at its worst.
Beloved, before we trash the Corinthians for their amazing lack of spirituality, let’s look in the mirror. What is church like for you? Is it a love feast, where all are welcome and boundaries are erased and all are equal and everyone ministers to everyone?
Or is it a middle school cafeteria?
Maybe it’s time to switch tables, Beloved.
Happy Tuesday
In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt you have to have differences among you to show which of you has God’s approval (1 Corinthians 11:18-19).
In case you missed it, Paul is not big on division in the Church.
He’s kinda mentioned that before.
Way back in Chapter 1, he chewed on the Corinthians for breaking into factions.
Remember, “I follow Paul…I follow Apollos…I follow Cephas”?
Apparently that was only one of the things they divided over.
But what about this second part, the “No doubt you have to have differences among you,” line? When I first read that, it sounded like Paul was approving of these divisions. But notice, Paul says that divisions were bound to happen, not that they were a good thing. The Corinthians keep missing the point of the Church, as we will see in the next passage. They are so far off the mark in so many areas that it’s a given that they would fracture, some groups closer to the truth, and some farther away.
Beloved, what causes division in your church? In your friendships or your family, for that matter? May I suggest that, more often than not, it comes down to pride?
Pride tells us that we are always correct, even when we’re not.
Pride tells us that there can be no compromise, because those who do not agree with us are wrong, and that’s that.
Except that is rarely ever that.
Pride makes mountains out of molehills, and builds strongholds on the flimsiest of foundations.
Pride is not of God.
“Blessed are those who quibble over minute points of doctrine they don’t even understand” is not in Scripture, but
“Blessed are the Peacemakers” is.
Happy Monday, Beloved