Saturday after 3rd Last - A Devotion

Devotion for Saturday after 3rd Last 

Jeremiah 29:1-19       Matthew 26:20-35

First, let me apologize. Somehow (my own sinfulness, manifested in making an error) I selected the New Testament lesson for today (11/14) and put that up yesterday. I grievously compounded the error by writing the devotion on that text.

So, today I am using yesterday's (11/13) New Testament lesson, and making that today's devotional text.

Forgive me!

I want to take a few passages from this text. Remember, Jesus is with His disciples in the upper room, He is celebrating the Passsover with them, He will be going to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, they will arrest Him there, and then He will travel to the cross and grave.

But in the midst of it all He institutes the Eucharist/Lord's Supper/Holy Communion/Table of the Lord/Sacrament of the Altar.

Now while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Father’s kingdom.”

I only want to ask a couple questions for today's devotion.

1) What is the bread that He gives the disciples to eat? 

2) What is the in the cup He gives the disciples to drink?

3) Why did He give them this meal?

All three of these questions are answered in the lesson.

I am going to highlight the answers in the text below.

Now while they were eating, Jesus took some (1) bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this (1) is My body.” And when He had taken (2) a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this (2) is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many (3) for forgiveness of sins.

For some reason, people misunderstand the clear simple words of this text. The bread IS Christ's body, the cup IS Christ's blood, and we are to eat and drink this meal for the forgiveness of sins.

Not quite sure why this is a problem for some, but it is.

I do not quite understand how Jesus is able to accomplish this, but He who created all that exists by speaking, who calmed the storm, who fed the thousand with a few loaves and fishes, who...(I think you get the idea). If He can do all that, then He can definitely give us His Body and Blood to eat and drink, sacramentally united to the bread and wine.

So, when you come to the Lord's Supper, know that an incredible miracle is taking places. You are eating the very body pierced for you and you drink the very blood shed to purchase your forgiveness. That forgiveness is delivered in this holy meal, securing your salvation and eternal life.

Don't overthink it! Gratefully receive it saying, "Amen!" (That is, let it be so!)

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