"Then Jesus said unto them, 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. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever" (John 6:53-58).
Today's Morsel: Here in America, there are a lot of political debates. Most folks vote based on what they think they hear the candidates are saying, and then after they are elected, and do something totally different then what the folks thought they said, the people are soon mad. Don't listen to the words they are saying, but listen for the intent and content of the message. When Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again, Nicodemus was hearing that he must reenter his mother's womb and go through the nine month process again. But Jesus was talking about baptism and being filled with the Holy Ghost under the New Testament plan for salvation. When Jesus told the religious folks,"Except you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life in you," they was hearing cannibalism. But Jesus was speaking of becoming obedient to His Word and establishing a relationship with Him through communion. John wrote, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-2; 14). There is no eternal life without Jesus, and none of us can have spiritual life without Him. Paul said, "This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission"(Hebrews 9:20-22). The blood is for the removal of sins. Matthew states, "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:26-28). Paul said, "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me" (1 Corinthians 11:23-25). Therefore, being a member of New Testament church requires one to keep a strong relationship with Jesus. And as often as we take communion, we are doing it in remembrance of Him and to keep us focused on what He did for us. How's your understanding?
Sing: Lord I lift my spirit, to your Spirit, in holy sweet, communion; I sense your holy presence, as I draw nearer, Lord I lift, my spirit to You!
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