Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:00 — 32.1MB)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | TuneIn | RSS
Bread in the Old Testament – People have eaten bread for years. Bread is mentioned many times in the OT. Bread was the number one food eaten in the OT. Where there was famine, bread is what was usually mentioned. The Israelites cried to Pharaoh in the land of Egypt for bread. Elijah went to the widow and asked for bread. The Passover feast used unleavened bread. Bread is the symbol of God’s care for his people.
Many OT stories revolve around grain. Manna – the bread of heaven – was sent to the children of Israel. It was not bread but they could grind it and make bread. Manna was a symbol of God’s miraculous care and faithfulness during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
Bread was sometimes used when making a vow. Hannah brought bread when she brought Samuel to the temple. It was a free-will offering demonstrating that they were giving away some of God’s provision for them.
Bread in the New Testament – Jesus is the Bread of Life. He fed the 5000 men, women, and children with 5 loaves and 2 fish. The people followed him. Jesus said they wanted free food, but their focus was wrong. Their focus should have been on the Son of Man who is our heavenly bread. Maybe we haven’t supped on the real living bread.
Jesus was willing to be broken so we can be made whole. In our communion service, we look back 2000 years and see the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Our hearts need to be ready for this. We realize we are not taking communion to get a heart change but God can change our hearts.
We usually throw broken things away. In the Garden of Eden there were broken relationships but God didn’t get rid of them. He sent Jesus. The only way to heal us is to allow Jesus to be broken for us. Jesus uses broken things to further his purposes.