Breaking Bread: No Leaven in this Recipe

As you come to this table today, you will feed on Christ in a real tangible Paschal meal. As you come you may notice that the bread we will consume is not the bread you typically eat at your dinner table. It is without leaven. In the ancient middle east, leaven was a powerful symbol. In some cases Jesus used it to describe the Kingdom of Heaven coming about but it also symbolized sin. Paul reminds us of this when he says: “Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of…

May 16, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

Breaking Bread: Bakeryville

Jesus came into the world amidst much discord. The land God had promised the Israelites was occupied by foreigners, the Israelites were divided within the land into various sects, the family life of Jesus was fractured by an apparently scandalous conception and soon to be birth. Yet in the midst of this discord, God sends Jesus into the world to as he sent manna from Heaven to be provision for the Israelites in the desert. You see, the Bread of Life was sent into Bakeryville to be born. That is the meaning of the name of the town, you know…

May 09, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

Breaking Bread: Bread Come Down from Heaven

Jesus in his allusion to the Manna that God sent down from heaven proclaimed, “I am the bread of life… I have come down from heaven.” What a beautiful picture! Bread from Heaven. The Fathers provision for us. But, this is not provision without a cost. This is the costliest bread that has ever been given as a gift. The Father gave his only Son that we might have life. As we partake of this gift once again, Bread from Heaven, let us reflect on the cost of this meal. The blood shed for our redemption and the flesh that…

May 02, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

Breaking Bread: Living as the New Humanity

As the New Humanity, Jesus calls us to a table not just of remembrance but also of real provision. His call sounds like this, “This is my body which is for you.” Now that sure is a strange call to partake in eating a loaf of bread but this is Jesus and He is not exactly known for doing things conventionally. We can be sure that when the King of Kings calls us to Supper we better come and as the New Humanity we come on his terms. Not merely remembering the Supper he celebrated with His disciples on the…

April 25, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

Breaking Bread: The Exodus, New and Old

This Supper is a time of remembrance. We come together to remember the New Exodus. And, of course, we keep in mind the Old Exodus. That archetype of the Exodus we find ourselves in today. We eat the meal of the Paschal Lamb remembering the covenant promises of our God to take His people into a new land. This is not a land of weeping but a land of rejoicing. The table is not a table of weeping. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come. Rejoice! Take heart, fellow sojourner; we are on our way to the…

April 18, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

Breaking Bread: Not My Own

As you come to this table today, you don't bring your own bread. This is not a potluck. The bread you eat is provided for you. Your cooking skills don't amount to much when compared with God's provision. This bread and wine is God's provision. Trust in it. We would not presume to eat of our own bread when His bread is delivered to us. Neither would we rob others of the opportunity to share in fellowship with us by bringing our own provision. No, we must partake of the community bread and cup. It is in this practice of…

February 28, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (1)   |  TrackBack (0)

Breaking Bread: The Exodus, New and Old

This Supper is a time of remembrance. We come together to remember the New Exodus. And, of course, we keep in mind the Old Exodus. That archetype of the Exodus we find ourselves in today. We eat the meal of the Paschal Lamb remembering the covenant promises of our God to take His people into a new land. This is not a land of weeping but a land of rejoicing. The table is not a table of weeping. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come. Rejoice! Take heart, fellow sojourner; we are on our way to the…

February 09, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (1)   |  TrackBack (0)

Breaking Bread: The Hardship

On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread and when he had given thanks, he broke it. And he said, "Take, eat, this my body, which is given for you." After the eating of the bread and drinking of the cup in solemn communion with the lamb the disciples sang a hymn. Then they left for the Mount of Olives. This was the trial and hardship that came after the sweet communion. They were still with Jesus. Only a stone's throw away was the Lamb of God. He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation…

January 26, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)