“The True Bread From Heaven!”

“The True Bread From Heaven!”
“I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life…I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world”(Jn.6:47-51).
When Philip asked the Ethiopian eunuch, “Do you understand what you are reading?”, the eunuch replied with a question, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?”(Acts 8:31-32). The question of the eunuch is fundamental to every believer. It is an important question!
The teaching ministry cannot be undersetimated. Preaching without teaching breeds and multiplies ignorance and confusion among listeners.
The people cannot call on Christ if they have not believed in him. They cannot believe in one whom they have not heard of, and they cannot hear without someone preaching to them. The preachers cannot preach unless they are sent (Rom.10:14-15).
To this effect, Jesus in his earthly ministry “went throughout Galilee teaching in their synagogues, preaching the goodnews of the kingdom and healing every disease…”(Mt.4:23).
These ministries are handed down over the generstions through apostolic succession so as to stop false teachers who do not teach “sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel…”(I Tim.1:3-11).
Imagine the reaction of cannibals who hear without explanation the words of Jesus, “if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh…” The cannibals would be happy and think that they are doing the right thing by eating other humanbeings. In a sense we of this generation are worst than cannibals; carnivorously devouring others without compunction!
Indeed there was a time when Christians were acused of practicing cannibalism, because they shared Holy Communion behind closed doors.
Even before then there had been reflective questions that led to the doctrines of “transubstantiation” and “consubstantiation.” Transubstantiation is belief that at Holy Communion the bread and wine actually becomes the real body and blood of Christ. Meanwhile consubstantiation holds that during Holy Communion the body and blood of Christ are present, but the elements of bread and wine remain the same.
We must understand that the celebration of Holy Communion is a symbolism for Christ’s sacrificial death and not that the bread abd wine is transformed into human flesh and blood.
To eat the body of Christ and drink his blood means to believe that he died to carry away the sins of humanity. And that believing this is to obey him and live the life he expects of us.
Weekend prayer: Lord Jesus Christ I believe that you are the bread of life. Let me eat and live forever. Amen.
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!