DECEMBER 7 : EAT THIS BREAD

[cimi]

December 7
Sunday


EAT THIS BREAD

READ:
Matthew 26:20-30
________________________________________

Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are little
among the thousands
of Judah, yet out of you
shall come forth to Me
the One to be Ruler in
Israel. __Micah 5:2
_________________________________________

Christmas isn't the time of year when our thoughts naturally tun to the Last Supper--or what the Jews called Passover. But that particular Passover is critical to Christmas. After breaking bread and giving it to His disciples, Jesus said, "Take, eat; this is My body" (Matt. 26:26). Breaking bread was a traditional part of Passover, but adding "this is my body" was a striking departure from the familiar liturgy. The disciples must have been bewildered.

Later the meaning became clear. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which means "house of Bread." He was laid in a manager--a feeding trough. He once said, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh" (John 6:51).

The prophet Micah indicated that One born in Bethlehem would rule over Israel (5:2). But not until Jesus came did anyone realize the uniqueness of this Kingdom. Christ's rule would not be imposed upon anyone; it would be imparted to those who accepted this new citizenship.

As we sing of Bethlehem's manger, let's remember that the heaven-sent infant King came so that we might "eat this bread" and partake of His divine nature. __Julie Ackerman Link
_____________________________________________________________

````````````Thou are the bread of life, O Lord, to me,```````````````
````````````Thy holy Word the truth that saveth me;````````````````
````````````Give me to eat and live with Thee above,```````````````
```````Teach me to love Thy truth, for Thou art love. __Lathbury``````
_____________________________________________________________

Only Christ the Living Bread
can satisfy our spiritual hunger.

****************Today's Bible Reading __ Matthew 26:20-30********

20 When evenig had
come, He sat down with the
twelve. 21 Now as they were
eating, He said, "Assuredly,
I say to you, one of you
will betray Me."

22 And they were
exceedingly sorrowful, and
each of them began to say
to Him, "Lord, is it I?"

23 He answered and said,
"He who dipped his hand
with Me in the dish will
betray Me. 24 The Son of
Man indeed goes just as it
is written of Him, but woe
to that man by whom the
Son of Man is betrayed! It
would have been good for
that man if he had not been
born."

25 Then Judas, who was
betraying Him, answered
and said, "Rabbi, is it I?"

He said to him, "You have
said it."

26 And as they were eating,
Jesus took bread, blessed
and broke it, and gave it to
the disciples and said,
"Take, eat; this is My
body."

27 Then He took the cup,
and gave thanks, and gave it
to them, saying, "Drink
from it, all of you, 28 For
this is My blood of the new
covenant, which is shed for
many for the remission of
sins. 29 But I say to you, I
will not drink of this fruit
of the vine from now on
until that day when I drink
it new with you in My
Father's kingdom."

30 And when they had sung
a hymn, they went out to
the Mount of Olives.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

In Matthew 26, at Passover, Jesus took a portion of the bread
and gave this feast new significance. Originally it celebrated the
deliverance of the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt, but here
Jesus used it to predict and describe His rescue of lost sinners by
becoming "our Passover" (1 cor. 5:7). __Bill Crowder