Better than Hot Yeast Rolls

Better than Hot Yeast Rolls
Words of Faith 10-24-16
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2016
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
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John 6
[51] I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
[52] Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
[53] Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. [54] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. [55] For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. [56] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. [57] Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. [58] This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." [59] He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Do you remember the bread rolls that they used to make in the school cafeteria? Maybe it was just the schools I attended but they had the most wonderful hot yeast rolls, painted with butter all over the top. I remember that even if I skipped lunch to save my lunch money, one or two of those yeast rolls for a nickel each would fill me up and give me the very best feeling inside, especially on a cold day!
That is the image I have when Jesus talks about Himself as the Living Bread that came down from heaven; Wonderful and filling but better even than hot buttered yeast rolls!
So what does it really mean to abide in a life-giving relationship with Jesus? A genuine relationship with God starts with the person of Jesus, nowhere else. He is the Living Bread that has come down from heaven. He fills us up! To eat of this bread is to appropriate Christ’s life as our own. We start by trusting that this life is good. Better even than a hot yeast roll. As we eat we discover that the Life of Jesus is nourishing, wholesome and vital.
Jesus wanted to be clear that this is a very real thing. “This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Some of those listening began to argue when they heard this. They were unable to see with spiritual eyes beyond just the physical realm.
Of course to literally eat flesh and drink blood was abhorrent to Jewish people. The Law of Moses expressly forbade any drinking of blood on penalty of being cut off from the people (Lev. 17:10-14). Yet three times Jesus referred to the importance of eating his flesh and drinking his blood. There could be no mistaking what he said. But what did He mean?
Jesus explained what he meant by his flesh and blood. What he was talking about is as real as physical flesh and blood. This is real food and a real drink that produces real life but it is a spiritual food. To partake of Christ is not to eat flesh but to come into an abiding and nourishing relationship with him. What could be more real?
Are you dining on the Bread of Heaven? Are you appropriating the very Life of Christ as you consume Him by faith? Does He abide in you more and more each day? Do you abide in Him more and more each day?

Lord, I want to discover this mystery of Bread and Life. I want to appropriate the very Life of Christ. I want the warm spiritual fulfillment that is better even than hot yeast rolls on a cold day. Fill me, O Lord. In Jesus’ Name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2002, 2016
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.