# 383 This IS

The Book of Genesis

Day 383

Ge 41: 32 "And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

We  are taking a little break from the study in Genesis to pursue the importance of repetition in the Scriptures. In particular we are looking at the “verily, verilies” found in the Gospel of John. When God repeats things, He is merely underlining or highlighting them for us. He gives them an extra sense of urgency.

Today we will look at Joh 6:52-69, “The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. 60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

 A lot going on here, but nothing that the simple faith of a child can’t handle. Jesus said on the night in which He was betrayed, “This IS My Body, this IS My blood,” and here He says, “Truthfully, truthfully, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.” Same deal. And so Christians everywhere observe the Lord’s Supper.

Some struggle though with the idea that the bread and wine can actually be the Body and Blood of Jesus and camp on the idea that it “represents” His Body and Blood. I get it!  The struggle is nothing new, in fact we read that “many of his disciples said, “this is a hard saying, who can hear it?”

Jesus replied to them by saying, “you think this is hard to believe? What about My upcoming resurrection and ascension?” Doesn’t it seem strange that we can believe in His resurrection, but struggle to believe that the bread and wine we partake of in the Lord’s Supper is indeed His Body and Blood?

Let me briefly share something that has really helped me in this area. Remember when Jesus fed the 5000 with just five loaves and two fishes? He took the loaves and fishes in his hands “and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.” (It seems every time we read about Jesus doing that before a meal, something miraculous happens!. The Last Supper and the road to Emmaus come to mind)

Anyway, let me ask you this concerning the loaves and fishes: “How many people do you think Jesus COULD’VE fed that day?” The answer of course is as many as kept coming.

Here’s another question: “Was that real food the people ate or did Jesus concoct up something artificial?” The answer of course is it was real food.

Here’s another question: “Who distributed the food?” The answer is, His church, the twelve.

Now fast forward to the upper room on the night in which He was betrayed. Paul tells us about it in 1Co 11:23-29, “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;  24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."  25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."  26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.  27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.”

In the account of the last Supper in Matthew and Mark, we are told that Jesus took the bread, gave thanks and BLESSED it! Same thing He did when He fed the 5000, and the same thing He did before He broke bread with the disciples who were on their way to Emmaus! Oh! Oh! Miracle on the way!

He gave the blessed bread and wine, which now became His Body and Blood to His disciples (the church) that night and commanded them to do the same often in remembrance of Him! And did they stop at 5000 or do you think His church keeps giving it to as many as would come? To this day the church blesses the elements in like manner and the heavenly feast is on! The miracle continues! Souls are strengthened with the Body of Christ) and sins are remitted by the blood of Jesus!

Finally, note what it says in 1 Cor 11:27, it says those who partake of the bread and wine in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Whoa! We better find out what that means or we are guilty of the wine and bread of Jesus!  Oh wait, that’s not what it says. It says we are guilty of the body and blood of Jesus! Seems to me that a big difference.