Have you ever taken a close look at the Matzah bread that
the Jews eat during their Passover meal? The bread, which is unleavened, is
pierced with rows of little holes forming stripes. It is also slightly burnt.
Many churches today use this bread for the Holy Communion.
Do you know why the bread is pierced, striped
and burnt?
My friend, the bread that you hold in your hands
when you partake of the Lord’s Supper speaks of the body of our Lord Jesus
Christ when He bore our sins and sicknesses on the cross.
Like the bread, He was pierced in His brow by
the crown of thorns as well as in His hands and feet by the nails. He was also
pierced in His side by a soldier’s spear. The prophet Isaiah says, “He was
pierced for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5, NIV).
Like the bread, He was scourged on His back
until His flesh was all torn and bloody, and His bones were exposed, so that
today, you can say, “By His stripes, I am healed” (see Isaiah 53:5)!
What about the burnt marks on the bread? The
full fire of God’s wrath fell on Jesus, burning up our sins into ashes, and at
the same time, bringing out the fragrance of the offering of Jesus. Today, your
sins and lawless deeds are but ashes, and your Father in heaven remembers them
no more (see Hebrews 8:12)!
So the next time you partake of the bread during
the Holy Communion, know that Jesus was pierced for your sins and scourged for
your healing. He bore God’s fiery judgment so that you will never be judged for
your sins! He also bore your diseases and carried your pains so that you can
walk in divine health!
When you discern these precious truths about our
Lord’s body, you are partaking of the Holy Communion in a worthy manner. And
you will not be weak and sickly, nor die before your time (see 1 Corinthians
11:27–30). No, you will be strong and healthy, and you will live long! (Article
& Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission)
No comments:
Post a Comment