Wednesday, March 28, 2012

A Picture of Sacrifice

Scripture: Matthew 26:26-29
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is My body.”  Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you.  For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.  But I tell you, from this moment I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new way in My Father’s kingdom with you.”

Insights:  Everything Jesus touches is changed.  He makes the blind see, the sick well, the dead are given back life, and the Passover becomes known as the Lord’s Supper.  The Passover was the meal eaten the night the death angel came into Egypt and took the life of the firstborn.  The Israelites marked their doorpost with blood and when the angel saw the blood, he passed over that house.  It is from this passing over of the house that the term Passover Meal originated.  The blood for the door post was collected from a sacrificed animal.  Hebrews 9:22 reads, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”  Jesus then takes the meal and transforms it into the prophetic picture of what He is about to do in just a few hours.  He personally will become the sacrifice for the forgiveness of all sins.  He is going to become the Passover Lamb that saves humanity from their sin.  The perfection of God’s mercy is He allows humanity the choice to receive or reject this grace gift.  Just as the Egyptians did not put blood over their doorposts and the death angel took their first born; so today, people hear the message of hope and choose not to receive the covering and face eternal damnation in hell.  1 John 1:7 states, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”  What a picture of sacrifice Jesus portrays in the verses we read today.  May we be gripped by this grace and may our lives truly be transformed by the work of Jesus.  May our lives bring Him praise and glory!

Questions:
  1. Have you received the free gift of eternal life?
  2. What is holding you back from entering into a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Your supreme sacrifice.  Thank You for giving to me salvation and allowing me to enter into a love relationship with You.  Thank You for the joy with which You have filled me.  Thank You for the peace I now know.  Amen.  

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