23/09/11

Which Jesus do we receive?

Luke 24:29-31
29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

It is said all that is yellow and shines is not gold, so also every person with the name Jesus is not Lord Jesus Christ. Like the eyes of the people in today's message open when Jesus broke bread so also sometime back my eyes too opened when I went to receive bread (Body of Christ) at a service. I hope today's message opens people's eyes like mine did to the deceit we are in.

To know Jesus more than a man as to who He is we learn more from the Old Testament and less from the New Testament. So also when we take bread which represents Christ, to learn more on bread too we need to go to the Old Testament.

One day I was discussing this matter with a representative of a Church and it was very difficult for me to explain him this without hurting his sentiments. So I told him, if I took a plum cake and said this is the Body of Christ what will your reaction be? Surely he got offended at it. I told him, even though cake is made of flour like bread is but because he could see the colour difference and distinguish the taste he got offended.

When I went to a service I to receive Bread I saw they were using a bun (sweet bread) with tutti-frutti in them and I was spiritually shaken. I asked the Lord what was this I was receiving and then He opened my mind to this deceit.

In the Old Testament even though it is written that Jesus took bread we come to know what bread He took only by learning about the traditions followed by the Jews according to the book of Moses. In the book of Moses, God went to great lengths to explain bread and to distinguish the different kinds of bread and we smart alecs try to correct God about what bread is.

If we read the following scriptures

Exodus 29:23 - And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD:

Leviticus 8:26 - And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and upon the right shoulder:

Numbers 6:19 - And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven:

We all know how the Lord was very specific about yeast not being a part of the Passover which in reality was a shadow of the Sacrificial Lamb - Lord Jesus Christ, like all the other festivals celebrated were also shadows of what Christ did and will do.

When it came to normal bread, unleavened bread, cake and wafer the Bible differentiates each from the other very clearly. Yet we being smarter than God correct Him by telling Him there is no difference between them.

Some may argue it is only symbolic and what they mean is what matters.

I like to tell them, why not they start using plum cake tomorrow or even cream cake. What is the harm? Something extra should not matter; bread is there in them too. Who decides how much compromise is okay?

Was God foolish to proclaim a punishment given for murder and rape, for a small thing like keeping yeast during the Passover?

Out of convenience some to increase shelf life we use wafer instead of unleavened bread. Seem God did not realize the inconvenience we would have following His instructions.

Every tradition in the Bible had reason and purpose to get the message to those who do not know. When we are changing the basics then surely the message would also change and we would be preaching another Gospel another Jesus.

I like to ask everyone, next time you go to church or service ask yourself what Jesus you are receiving.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, your people are deceived since ages from receiving the Daily Sacrifice. Open their eyes and let them know the Truth. Let them experience the power of Breaking of Bread and how lives change when they do with understanding. We praying they receive forgiveness this Daily Sacrifice offers...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Luke 22:19 - And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Exodus 12:7-8,15
7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

Leviticus 24:5-8
5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.
6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD.
7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.

Daniel 8:9-12
9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

Daniel 12:8-11
8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

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