Take; eat; this is my body!

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” (Matthew 26:26)

There was a man in England, by the name of John Wesley; he was rescued from a house fire; and subsequently recognised that he had been saved–and so described himself in biblical terms as:
“…a brand plucked from the fire?” (Zechariah 3:2).

It was said of John Wesley that everywhere he went there was either a riot, or a revival. People either came gladly to Christ, or reacted strongly to his message and got quite angry.

He knew that the message he spoke was important to every person, for: “the power of the Cross reaches into every nook and cranny of history and of creational living” (Geoff Bingham).

What was it that happened in the cross of Christ?
What was it that God did there that changed all things?
Christ Jesus bore our sins in his own body on the cross.
The godly man, died for - the ungodly – us!
While we were still his enemies, Christ died for us.
O what love, that he should become sin for us!
O what love that he should release us from the grip of guilt!
O what love that he should defeat Satan and all evil powers!
O what love that he shoud reconcile us to God and each other!
O what love to suffer such extreme horror, to win forgiveness!
He suffered, not for his own sins, but poured out blood for mine.
For you and for me, he cried out: “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”
He was utterly forsaken – that we might be saved, fully included.
Bread broken, and wine poured out, tells of his life’s work for all.

O Jesus, come, by your Holy Spirit, into my life, so that I may know the Father’s love as you do, and live in true freedom. Amen.