"The Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks, He break it, and said, ’Take eat; this is My body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me’" (I Cor. 11:23).
A. WHY BREAD IS A SYMBOL OF HIS DEATH
1. Death. "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (John 12:24).
2. Beat to separate the kernel from the husk chaff). "Chaff which the wind driveth away" (Psalms 1:4). "Took Jesus and scourged him" (John 19:1).
3. Sift. "Sift as wheat" (Luke 22:31). "They all (apostles) forsook Him and fled" (Mark 14:50).
4. Grind. "Take the millstones and grind meal" (Isa. 47:2). "They smote Him on the head with a rod and did spit upon Him" (Mark 15:19). "For the suffering of death . . . tastes for every man" (Heb. 2:9).
5. Heat. "When you bring a grain offering of firstfruits to the Lord . . . roasted in the fire" (Lev. 2:14 NIV). "And when they had crucified Him" (Mark 15:24).
B. WHAT SHOULD WE REMEMBER FROM BREAD
"And He took bread, gave thanks and break it, and gave it to them saying, ’This is My body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of Me’" (Luke 22:19).
1. Remember by picture. "He took bread."
2. Remember His purpose. "Gave thanks," also "It pleased the Father to bruise Him" (Isa. 53:10).
3. Remember His suffering. "Broke it."
4. Remember the recipients. "Gave it to them."
5. Remember the substitution. "This is My body." Also, "I am crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20).
6. Remember by obedience. "Do this."
7. Focus on memorial. "In remembrance of Me."
a. Not transubstantiation, the Roman Catholics believe the bread becomes the body of Christ.
b. Not consubstantiation, the Lutherans believe that the presence of Christ is in the bread, as the presence of fire is in the iron when heated over coals.
c. We teach the bread is a picture/symbol of the death of Christ. We eat in remembrance of His body which was broken for us.
C. WHAT NATURAL MEANING CAN WE GET FROM BREAD?
1. Life. Bread is called the "staff of life" i.e., the source of living. "In the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread" (Gen. 3:19). "Give us this day our daily bread" (Matt. 6:11).
2. Satisfaction. "Satisfied them with bread" (Psa. 105:40).
3. Strength. "Set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength" (I Sam. 28:22).
4. Enjoy. "To eat, and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor" (Ecc. 5:18).
D. WHAT SPIRITUAL MEANING CAN WE GET FROM BREAD?
"And Jesus said unto them, ’I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst" (John 6:35).
1. Bread of eternal life. Jesus had fed 5000 with physical bread and they would hunger again. But Jesus offers bread and those who eat "shall never hunger" and, "everyone . . . that believeth on Him may have everlasting life" (John 6:40). "He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life, I am that bread of life" (John 6:47-48).
2. Bread of resurrection life. "Everyone that . . . believeth on the Son may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40).
3. Bread of indwelling life. "Verily, verily, I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you . . . he that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me and I in him." (John 6:53, 56).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Please contact me at eltowns@liberty.edu and tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
