JESUS’ BODY AND BLOOD
(A study of Jesus Part 2 if 4)
Revelation 5:6-10 V.9: “And they [the 24 elders] sang a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.’”
Maundy Thursday, or the Thursday before Easter, celebrates “The Last Supper” before Christ died. This Passover meal (Matthew 26:17) also included Holy Communion, is also called the Eucharist, or The Meal. Holy Communion is a sacrament (SAK-ra-ment means holy atonement) that shocked Jesus’ disciples. Listen to Jesus’ words from Matthew 26:26-27: “He took bread, gave thanks and broke it,…saying, ‘Take and eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”
These words are found in Mark 14:22-23, Luke 22:17-20, and John gives Jesus’ explanation in chapter 6:53-56. There’s total agreement among the apostles what Jesus said about the bread and the wine being His body and blood. Many people argued sharply about this possibility in John 6:60-69. These folks left Jesus then—simply walked away shaking their heads—because the words sounded like nonsense. They didn’t get it.
What part of Jesus saying, “I am the bread of life” is hard to understand? (Matthew 6:35,48, 51).
Being confident in our beliefs is vital. Recent devotions (Sanctification, Remodeling Keith, and Commitment to Convictions), were preparation for you to embrace this one. Where rubber-meets-the-road is when Jesus faced His own horrible death. This is also where our own faith grasps the seemingly impossible, or dreadful. Jesus gave Himself up to die on the cross for our salvation. His body and blood are the very heart of the matter.
Is this something you can believe?
Jesus’ shed blood redeems (1Peter 1:18-19). This means we’re purchased for eternal life--bought from slavery to sin. Our forgiveness of every wrong—past, present, and future—are totally washed away (Ephesians 1:7-8). Everyone who trusts in Jesus is declared innocent, or justified in the Father’s eyes (Romans 5:8-9). This allows us to be reconciled into a relationship with the Father (Colossians 1:19-22).
These gifts are permanent—and immediate—from the moment a person trusts in Jesus as Savior. The life-long process of sanctification (sank-tif-i-KA-shon) transforms the believer into Christ-likeness, setting him or her apart from everybody else (Hebrews 13:12).
Take Home Nugget
These five words tell the story of our faith. Every believer should understand what they mean so they can explain and share them with others.
I love to tell the story Of Jesus and His glory. For some have never heard The news from God’s holy Word.
J.D. Griffith
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