November 30th: I Am The Bread of Life

Manna From Heaven

by Jeff Joens

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’” Matthew 26:26

Something special happens when you share an experience with others. Walls are let down, relationships are formed/strengthened, and you get an opportunity to make a memory and leave an impact on someone’s life. One of the most common experiences we share with people is a meal. I really enjoy food, especially when there’s a lot of it, and it’s with loved ones (Christmas!). I have the blessing of satisfying my hunger with friends and family.

Jesus often broke bread and shared a meal with people before He taught. He would eat with tax collectors, prostitutes, Pharisees (though He would rebuke them), His disciples, and the crowd. The food would bring people together and provide a natural path for Him to do ministry.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:16, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” In the verse from Matthew, Jesus was instituting the Lord’s Supper, the communion of the body of Christ. When we as followers of Jesus break bread together, we all participate in Christ’s body which was broken for us. We do this symbolically because we have fellowship with Him. One reason we do this every Sunday at Grace is because we are one, unified by our common salvation.

As you gather this Christmas to share a wonderful meal with family and friends who may not know Jesus yet, may you seize the opportunity to talk about what is most important. And may the Holy Spirit do His work to change that person’s eternal trajectory.

Please take time to reflect on these questions:

• Under what circumstances did you come to know Jesus?

• Who at your Christmas gathering needs to be awakened to the truth as you were?

• Could you do for them what someone did for you?