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Godly Wisdom

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Godly wisdom

1 Kings 10: 1- 13. Acts 13: 1 – 13. John 6: 24 – 35.  RSV Bible

Have you had one of those conversations where you hear about a place where there is a movement of the Holy Spirit going on? The last one that I heard of was at ‘The Victory’ Church in Newport, Wales. Godly wisdom always checks out the information. I went on line to investigate. A number of people had been healed and hundreds of people were going to substantiate what they had heard.

The Queen of Sheba had heard of the Godly wisdom of Solomon she travelled from East Yemen to Jerusalem to find out first hand if the reports were true.

The Queen sought some answers to hard questions, the Jewish Midrash, suggests that these questions were riddles, but maybe they were the problems she faced, the things that would impact her rule over her kingdom.

We read that Queen Sheba noted Solomon’s wise administration of his kingdom, the way he structured his governing body of officials, their seating and dress code. The people were happy in their day jobs; she discerned they respected his leadership. She was pleased with the outcome of her visit; they exchanged gifts from their abundance of wealth: gold, precious jewels, and goods.

Our nation needs Godly wisdom at this present time. The outcome of the complexities of the ‘Brexit’ negotiations will I pray be fair and just.

Jesus remarked on the Queen of Sheba’s visit, she travelled far in order to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Significantly he said, ‘Someone greater than Solomon was here.’ Luke 11: 31

People in Jesus’ day flocked to hear his words and to see the miracles and healing.

In John’s gospel we read that Jesus questioned the spiritual integrity of the people as they were seeking signs from him.

The late Derek Prince said about Jesus, “In the Old Testament you will find prophets who healed and raised the dead, but Jesus was different he cast out demons, he did what no one else had previously done and so many wanted to see this new sensational ministry. He had a great following” YouTube Derek Prince “Spiritual Warfare’

Word of wisdom

“When you get tangled up in our own problems, be still, God wants us to be still, so He can untangle the knot.” Author unknown.

In Acts 13 Paul and Barnabas have been sent out to visit the synagogues with the good news proclaiming the resurrection and that Jesus was the Christ. On the island of Cyprus Paul and Barnabas were asked by the proconsul Serguis Paulus to visit him and share with him their message. At the meeting another man was present Jewish magician Bar Jesus and Paul discerned that he opposed their message, and tried to stop the proconsul from turning to faith. Paul responded and directed his words to disarm the spirit of the man. He found himself unable to see for a period of time. The proconsul when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

Jesus’ word of wisdom

Jesus’ wisdom being greater than Solomon’s, for example: Jesus in conversation in the synagogue at Capernaum said, “Do not labour for food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life which the Son of man will give you; for on him has God set his seal.”

What kind of food perishes: the words coming from religions that promise eternal life through the sayings and teaching coming from idol worship, atheists are people who deny the existence of God and humanists who have their own ideals of a pinnacle of self -expression, a self- actualised state, they can fix everything themselves.

The food that lasts for eternity

“The food that endures to eternal life which the Son of man will give you”.

This ‘Food’ he refers to as the bread coming from God and not from Moses.

When Jesus said that he was the bread coming from heaven, the people listening took his words literally, when he said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.” John 6: 51 He continued saying that they should eat his flesh and drink his blood was against all of the laws relating to food, ‘as food was spiritually part of them,’ as a result: some were appalled as they kept Kosher laws especially not eating the blood. So even some of Jesus’ followers couldn’t accept these words and didn’t follow him anymore. John 6: 52, 66

‘Spiritually part of them’  Paul wrote in his letter to the Roman church said that the law was holy and spiritual and we can understand this when Jesus fulfilled the law in himself. As a result where the law couldn’t change our nature, but through faith and grace his death and resurrection,  his indwelling spirit is in every Christian, the spirit of the law is written in the heart. Romans 2 29. 7: 12, 14. 8:10, 11. Hebrews 8: 10-12.

Jesus fulfilled the law: the bread of ‘Presence’ the Shrewbread that was baked for the priests to eat in the temple. Leviticus 24: 5-9.

Mark recorded hearing Jesus say that wasn’t what they ate that made them unclean in God’s eyes, it was what came from the heart, “What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. These are what defile a person. Thus he declared all food clean.’” Mark 7: 14-23.

God’s wisdom to Peter in the vision in Acts 10  

“And there came a voice to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”     
Soon after Pentecost the apostle Peter was staying at Simon the tanner’s house at Joppa. While Simon and Peter were preparing the evening meal, Peter had a vision, he saw the heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

We read that Peter was perplexed as to what the vision might mean, while he was pondering the vision, three men called at the house asking for Peter. The Holy Spirit had spoken to Peter (in his inner ear), to go with these men. They told Peter that Cornelius a Centurion had seen a vision of an angel who directed him to send for Peter. Peter went with the three men to the home of Cornelius. On their arrival he remembered the words in the vision, “God has shown me not to call any man common or unclean,” he told all who had gathered there about Jesus, as he was telling them the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. Peter’s companions were amazed that Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit.

Following on we read, “Peter went up to Jerusalem and the circumcision party criticised him, saying, “Why did you go to the uncircumcised men and eat with them?” Peter began and explained to them in order.” When they heard this they were silenced, and they glorified God . . . “ Acts 11: 2, 3, 18.

Peter had discerned that the Gentiles he met had fulfilled the vision. Also we discern that Peter had been given the keys of the kingdom; here he used the second key to open the door of the kingdom to the Gentile, the other nation. At Pentecost with the first key he opened the kingdom to the Jewish nation.

Paul wrote about the law being written in the hearts of Gentiles, “When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law unto themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience bears witness on their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them”. Romans 14, 15.

God’s wisdom is hard to understand.

From my own experience when God gave me a word to start a pottery business for the church, my immediate reaction, ‘the church doesn’t have businesses.’ I asked two ladies to pray with me from my church and soon afterwards I found myself going to evening class on pottery at the local college. The end result was that I bought ready glazed china mugs and decorated them with floral transfers and Bible verses. I stepped out in faith and over ten years ‘The Decade of Evangelism,’ I worked voluntary full time any profits went to my church and local charities. The pottery was a success with 400 going into Londonderry Northern Ireland during 1994 when the peace process was going on.

God has set his seal of approval on his plan of salvation through His Son Jesus 

Jesus saying “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and me in him,” he was referring to the partaking of his sacrifice becoming one with him laying down his life for sin and the food laws.

Having been sealed with his atoning sacrifice by Jesus the bread that came from heaven sustains human life, through his death and resurrection.

Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians;

22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1: 22-24

At the Holy Communion the bread and the wine are symbols of Jesus’ sacrifice of his body and blood; it’s in the wisdom of God that we are reminded of God’s saving grace in the communion. 

Jesus pointed to his words as being living bread.
Jesus went on to say, “It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh is no avail; (profits nothing) the words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.” John 6: 63.

The joy of giving and receiving the word of God spoken in love acted on by the Holy Spirit is the best thing ever, to see a person’s whole life change, their demeanour change, their manner, attitude and appearance, and conversation; it’s like a flower opening and their fragrance filling the air.

bread of life, butterfly, communion, division of families through a son or daughter or mother or father becoming a Christian., Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Omniscient, repentance and forgiveness

The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus the Bread of Forgiveness

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The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus the Bread of Forgiveness.
Repentance and forgiveness for every day injuries is something we give and receive all the time.
I tread on your toe and you forgive me.
Someone makes you late – Never mind that’s okay.
Our possessions get damaged – It’s hard but we can forgive.
Sketch.
Through repentance and forgiveness Jesus is still healing the scars of 2 World Wars
We can bury every hatchet, forgive, forget and start again, but for all people at some point in our life we will need to get right with God.”All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3: 23.
True repentance isn’t turning over a new leaf making a fresh start out of fear of punishment or saying the words of repentance out of self pity, without really meaning it. We can be comfortable with our sin, and ignore the call to repent of it.
The cross is where we recognise that we need to say sorry to God, for the things that we have done wrong.
God will meet us at the cross at the first sign of repentance and act on Jesus taking our place, bearing the cost in dying for our sin on the cross.
God forgives us for everything, when we turn completely to him making a full turn, not half hearted, but saying that we are sorry with all of our heart, mind and will. We receive forgiveness through our faith in what Jesus has done for us on the cross.                                                                                                                        
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
ABSOLUTION
We celebrate at Communion what Jesus has done for us in reconciling us with God our Father.
The song writer Graham  Kendrick wrote ‘In the bread there is healing and in the cup there is life for ever,’ in the cup, the wine representing the blood of Christ.
The greatest healing was when Jesus came from heaven to earth in the flesh, to heal our broken relationship with God so that we will walk in newness of life with God. Romans 6: 4
In our reading Jesus was discussing in the synagogue at Capernaum with the Jewish people the significance of his claim being the bread of life. He said, “Unless you eat of this bread and drink his blood you shall not have life within you,”
Some of his own followers were appalled
The majority of people gathered in the synagogue, when they heard him say this were affronted. To understand why, under kosher laws, the Jews were not allowed to eat blood, as life is in the blood and also certain creatures were deemed unclean: shell fish, the pig, and some cloven footed animals etc.
For those Jews at Capernaum, for them to participate in eating and drinking Jesus’ body and blood would mean accepting, acknowledging that his life laid down was the end of Kosher law.
His followers on another occasion had heard Jesus say that all foods were clean, he stated that it’s not what you ate that defiled a person, it was what comes from the heart: deceit, hatred, revenge, coveting and pride etc.
So what Jesus referring to had yet to happen, his body and his blood would be the final atoning sacrifice for the sins of the flesh, coming from the heart, not from what they ate.
Rev John Hadley in his book ‘Bread of the World’ supported by the Bishop Trevor Huddleston he writes:
“Jesus gave himself up, in his life and on the cross, finally and totally and irreversibly; he suffered death and was buried; but God vindicated him by raising him up from the dead, and it is his risen body which we celebrate and receive in the Holy Communion.”
The bread and the wine are tokens of repentance and forgiveness and as we are raised up to walk in newness of life.

Visual Aid. Scarce Copper butterfly

We have an example in nature: from the egg the caterpillar emerges and lives for a short time.

It then it attaches itself to a branch and makes a pupa or chrysalis where it goes through a transformation and the butterfly emerges from it. Below Scarce Copper butterfly (my attempt to replicate the butterfly)


So all people are sinners in God’s eyes until we come to the cross and repent  and we are transformed by the Holy Spirit acting upon our faith in Jesus’ body and blood atoning for us, redeeming us and as a result we are raised up with Jesus in his resurrection.
Paul in his letter to the church at Rome 6: 5 “If we are united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” Jesus in conversation with Martha said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

The bread and the wine also symbolising Christians sharing Christ’s brokenness and healing in forgiving one another from the heart. 
The picture to the right was as a result of me arguing with church members about whether the church should close or not. I did not want it to close. After the Lord gave me this picture I repented from my heart, by arguing I was knocking nails into Jesus’ hands upon the cross. I drew the picture and wrote these words, “Tuesday 3rd May the picture came to me while I was sat at prayer in St John’s Stonefold. The compassion of Jesus as the fightings and arguments in the world nail him to the cross, over and over again. The importance of Communion.” The year would be 1993.

On the cross Jesus was heard to say, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” he not only forgave all who come to him in faith, he asked his Father to forgive as well.
Our own unforgiving spirit has been nailed to the cross, and were we find it hard to forgive sometimes, because of being hurt, injured. The sharing of the bread symbolises were Jesus asked his Father to forgive also, so we ought to forgive each other.” .
Christians across the globe sharing the bread and the wine tokens of repentance and forgiveness and newness of life walking in the Spirit. 

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. 
Paul wrote encouraging them to be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love as Christ loved us. To imitate Jesus and seek the will of the Lord is for us rejoicing together. “Speaking to one another with Psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” So we remember, “The joy of the Lord is our strength,” because we are forgiven. Ephesians 5: 19, 29. Nehemiah 8: 10.


Evening Lectionary; Exodus 2: 23, 3: 10.  Luke 12: 49 – 58.

God in his Omnipresence–through his presence everywhere, he heard  the cries of the Hebrew people and being Omniscient – knowledge of all things, he knew they were suffering at the hands of the Egyptians. Also God in his Omnipotence – all powerful was about to relieve their suffering through Moses leading them as a nation towards the Promised Land.

Moses was curious when he saw that the bush was burning but it was not burnt up. God spoke to him from out of the bush.
                        
In our New Testament readingJesus spoke of casting a fire upon the earth, the fire of judgement. A fire not yet kindled until after Pentecost, a fire not seen in the flesh, but would be felt by the presence of the Spirit of God working in people’s lives across the world
The Holy Spirit’s ministry convicting people of the sin of unbelief of rejection of Jesus being the Messiah, of righteousness and of judgement.

Jesus knew that the Gospel message“God so loved the world, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” 
This claim would divide families in their religious beliefs, even husbands and wives would disagree in what they believed. I am sure we can recall people who we know are in this situation.                 
In Moses situation, he probably was not sure what his beliefs were before he met God at the burning bush. He knew he was a Hebrew, his father Amram and his mother Jochebed who were Levites descendants of Jacob. However, he had been rejected by the Hebrew man who saw him kill the Egyptian when he was defending a fellow Israelite.
Moses also had been brought up as an Egyptian in Pharaoh’s household, he must have been familiar with the gods of Egypt and His father-in-law Jethro was a priest of the Midianites, Zipporah one of seven daughters of Jethro became Moses’ wife. Exodus 15: 20.
When God spoke to him he identified himself as the God of his father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob how that must have impacted Moses’ beliefs.

The importance of having a real contact with the God who you believe in is amazing.
Simon Altaf brought that home to me on his CD. He sought for 10 years for Allah to speak to him as he prayed faithfully asking him to make himself known to him and it never happened. He came in contact with a fundamentalist Muslim who had become a Christian and he learnt from him what Christianity is about having a personal relationship with Jesus.
Simon asked Jesus to make himself known to him and Jesus did, he spoke to him while Simon was at work “Follow me” those were the words he heard Jesus say to him in his inner ear and so he continues to follow Jesus today.
Moses is described as being full of meekness.
Moses was not pushy type of person, he was probably quite dignified, and he had made a stand against injustice, both defending the Hebrew and stepping in to stop the shepherds pushing in to water their sheep before Jethro’s daughters at the well.               
But he had run away from Pharaoh after killing the Egyptian and when God asked him to go to Pharaoh it was not surprising that he was not too happy. The task that God had given him to do was to request that Pharaoh let the children of Israel go to a land flowing
with milk and honey, the land of Canaan
The Lord brings us face to face with our failings, wrongdoings and then undertakes bringing healing through a trial. a furnace of fire. Every Pharaoh claimed to be an incarnation of the sun god Amenra and was known as the son of the sun. 

God showed Himself supreme above every false god and also supreme above the being who inspired and directed the evil spirits behind these pagan deities.


Jesus during his ministry showed his Godly authority over the God of this world, but the leaders of the nation could not discern the signs he gave them. 
Jesus was not carrying a rod, he was God himself casting out evil spirits and I have found out through studying he was aware of people’s fear of spirits.                                                                                                                       
Jesus deliberately went into the desert where it was believed evil spirits lived. Another reason he did not wash his hands because of the Jewish belief that evil spirits resided on unclean hands. Receiving water from the woman of Samaria, he had no fear of drinking borrowed water and no fear of spirits behind their idols.

For us who follow Jesus, he’s the fire that burns within us, that does not consume us. Instead he lights up the way for us to fulfil God’s will.
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The Messiah’s Secret – Law and Grace

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A Christian is not under law, but is under grace. Romans 6: 14
   
Jewish people today keep the laws of Moses and a lot of effort goes into keeping the laws relating to food.

A term we use in connection with something being correct: ‘it’s Kosher.’
Kosher – Hebrew – Yashar meaning to be right, pure, and clean according to Jewish ordinances.

On a table I placed a number of vegetables and fruit.
Fruit and Vegetables are Kosher
Any vegetables:  cauliflower, onion, peppers, carrot and potato.
Lettuce and water cress. Leafy vegetables must be cleaned carefully inspecting the leaves where insects may hide.
Any vegetables found having worms, grub or insects in them are not kosher

Fruit   Apples, pear, plums, raspberries and grapes.
All fruits are Kosher foods, however, if they are not cleaned thoroughly removing any insects or worms they are not Kosher.                                                                                           

Grape products are kosher as long as they have been prepared by a Jewish person.  However, whole grapes are kosher.                                                                                                                                           Fish The Jewish person can eat sea food as long as it has scales and fins.
Clams, oysters, crabs, shrimp, prawns and lobster are not kosher.                                                                                             
Poultry
All poultry are kosher.
Meat
Meat is considered kosher as long as it from an animal that chews its cud and the hooves are cloven. Pig and hare or rabbit are not kosher.  The blood of any creature must not be eaten.
For the Jewish person all meat to be eaten must have its blood drained from it, because life is in the blood. The blood removed from the meat makes the food spiritually sinless and clean. Leviticus 17: 10-16 


                                                          
The problems Jewish people encounter arise when they dine at a restaurant or in the home of someone who does not share their beliefs.

Bowl and several packets of crisps.  Opening each packet of crisps and identifying those that are kosher and those that are not kosher like: smoky bacon flavour, flame grilled steak, prawn cocktail and those that are kosher; potato, cheese and onion, salt and vinegar.
By mixing the crisps all together we cannot easily identify the kosher from the non kosher which would be a problem for a Jewish person keeping kosher law.

Under law if a Jewish person eats by accident any of the non kosher foods they must cleanse themselves (purification ritual) by washing with water. In the evening they are pronounced clean. Leviticus 11. & 17: 15, 16
The Day of Atonement, a sacrifice for the people of Israel covering all sins. Leviticus 16: 15,16

Finishing statement. Jesus ended the kosher food laws when he died on the cross. 
                                                         
A White Cloth is placed over the table to signify that the food laws came to an end.

Following the Lectionary – John 6: 51-58   Ephesians 5: 15-20.

Jesus said, “I AM the Bread of Life.”
Prince Charles has a number of titles: His Royal Highness, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothsey, Knight of the Thistle, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and about six more titles that belong to him. 

‘I AM’ is one of the titles belonging to God which God revealed to Moses “Say I AM has sent you.” Exodus 3:14.

“I AM” one of Jesus’ titles.  Jesus gave his name as ‘I AM’ whilst in conversation with the Jews. “The Jews challenged Jesus by saying are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? “Jesus in his reply said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad. The Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8: 56, 57.
Apostle John records were Jesus in his prayer tells us that he was with his Father in heaven before he came to the earth.   “And now, Father, glorify thou me in thy own presence with the glory which I had with thee before the world was made.” John 17: 5.                                                                                                        
Jesus has always had a continuous life.
God intervened in human affairs when Jesus was born of a woman and became one of us. At the age of thirty three he died on a cross. Death was unable to hold him;  God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. Scripture tells that his body did not decay and become dust, fulfilling the King David’s prophecy. Psalm 16: 8-11   Acts 2: 27.
Forty days after his resurrection Jesus ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God. He has an indestructible eternal life, after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 7: 3, 15-17.                                                                                                            
At Capernaum in the synagogue Jesus discussed with the Jews this question concerning his claim to be the bread from heaven.
The Jews took Jesus’ words literally and were appalled.
“The Jews disputed among themselves saying “How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood you shall not have life within you. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” John 6: 52 – 58

Some of Jesus’ own followers were appalled
“Many of Jesus’ disciples, when they heard it, said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” John 6: 60
Even some of Jesus’ followers couldn’t accept these words and didn’t follow him anymore. John 6: 60, 66
For Jesus to suggest that they should eat his flesh and drink his blood were against all of the laws relating to food as food was spiritually part of them. Defiled by foods that were unclean under (kosher) law .
Especially they were defiled, made unclean by eating blood as life was in the blood and without the shedding of blood there was no forgiveness for sin. Leviticus 17:11. Hebrews 9: 22.
The penalty for sin was made through an offering being purchased at the temple, a pigeon, a lamb, a goat, etc The person brought their sacrifice before the priest, the person placed their hand upon the head of the sacrifice saying a prayer that transferred their sin to the sacrifice becoming one with the sacrifice, it paid the price by laying down its’ life for their sin against God. 
Jesus saying “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him,” he was referring to the partaking of his sacrifice becoming one with him laying down his life for sin relating to the food laws and all laws and sin against God. No longer has food any spirituality. Jesus declared that all foods were clean. Mark in his gospel recorded Jesus saying; “Do you not see that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and passes on. (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And Jesus said, ”What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. These are what defile a person.’” Mark 7: 14-23.
Mark realised when he wrote in brackets, (‘Thus, he declared all foods clean.’) Jesus was saying that food was clean. 
Jesus bore these sins of the flesh that defile a person’s heart for us on the cross: evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. These are what defile a person not what we eat.

Signifying a change from being under law to grace.
Today, when we turn to Jesus in repentance saying sorry to him for our sins against God we are forgiven. Jesus becomes our substitute taking our sins of the flesh upon him on the cross, so releasing us into the freedom of God’s forgiveness through his resurrection.

At Holy Communion the bread and the wine are symbols of Jesus’ sacrifice of his body and blood. They do not become the actual flesh of Jesus his body or blood. 

The Communion reminds us of Jesus sacrifice and also that we receive the benefits of it under grace.
Salvation – Saved from the results of sin which is eternal death, separation from God.
Healing –   Reconciliation with our Father God leading to restoration of our relationship with God.
–       that takes place in our body, soul and spirit
–       from our sicknesses and disease.
Eternal Life – we receive a continuous life in fellowship with God.                                                                                                                          
It was several years after Pentecost when Peter had a vision were the Lord confirmed that the laws relating to food were ended. How hard it is for a Jewish person to come to terms with the fact that kosher food laws are no longer required.

“After Pentecost the apostle Peter was staying at Simon the tanner’s house at Joppa. Whilst Simon and Peter were preparing the evening meal, Peter had a vision, he saw the heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.”Acts 10: 9 – 16.

Here the Lord our God was doing two things.
Through this vision not only have the food laws come to an end but the Gentiles have been brought into the New Covenant.
“While Peter was still pondering the vision, three men arrived at the house and asked for Peter. They informed him that the centurion Cornelius had been visited by an angel. The angel directed Cornelius to send for Peter who was lodging at Simon the tanner’s house at Joppa.                                                       
Peter quickly realised the meaning of the vision; it was God’s intention for him to go and associate with these people who were not Jews. This would also include eating food from their table. Peter accompanied the men to the home of Cornelius at Caesarea. Peter related to them all about Jesus, “God had anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest . . . To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” While Peter was saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. Peter and his companions were amazed; God had shown no partiality between Jew and Gentile.” Acts 10: 38 – 45.  

Two other scriptures confirm that all foods are clean.
“The heart is strengthened by grace, not by foods which have not benefited the adherents.”Hebrews 13: 9.
“Therefore let no one pass judgement on you in questions of food and drink.” Colossians 2: 16.              
Jesus the Bread of Life
Jesus went on to say, “It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh is no avail; (profits nothing) the words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.” John 6: 63.
Jesus pointed to his words as being living bread.
Scripture verses that confirm this view Jesus being the word of God clothed in the flesh. 1 John 1: 1. 
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and was God.” John 1:1.                                           
On the evening of the Day of Jesus’ resurrection Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit onto his disciples. Afterwards Jesus opened their minds to understand prophesies in the Hebrew Scriptures concerning his suffering and death, and his resurrection. Luke 24: 45, 46.
  
Purification by the water of the Word.
Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the Word I have spoken to you.” John 15: 3 Every word that Jesus received from his Father he gave to his disciples, the truth cleansing them and setting them and us free.  
We are all taught by God through the abiding presence of Jesus in our mind and hearts.Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he wrote that we are cleansed by the water of the word. Ephesians 5:26, 27. It is about ‘truth’ entering into the truth of God’s Word. 
The Blood  The continual flow of Christ’s blood from the throne of grace. For Paul through the visions that he had received his beliefs had been turned upside down.                                                                              The Messiah’s Secret page 126. Paul a Pharisee “Paul, a Pharisee, strictly adhered to the law. God had shown him that circumcision and the rituals and sacrifices of laws of Moses had come to an end, and the Holy Spirit would now write God’s laws into the heart of a person through faith in Jesus, the New Covenant.”                                                                                             
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace he has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end.” Ephesians 2: 13 -16
Through Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension the ceremonial law and the law of commandments contained in ordinances (regulations) are ended. 
We are not under law, but under grace.
Under grace the law is fulfilled in love and written in the heart. John 15: 10.Romans 13: 10. Jeremiah 31: 33.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he reminds them to discern what the will of the Lord is;
He suggests that everything should be done in moderation; he did not say it was wrong to have a glass of wine, but he wrote it was not good to get drunk. On another occasion he wrote in his letter to the church at Rome saying that because they were not under law, they could NOT do whatever they liked so that grace may abound. Romans 6: 1, 2, 11, 15.

The modern term – Antimonaism – Sin no longer a force to be reckoned with so you can do whatever you like.

Peter confirms that the rules of Jewish law are no longer in force, he reminds the Christians of his day and us today in his second letter: to add to faith virtue, add to virtue knowledge, add to knowledge self-control, add to self-control steadfastness, add to steadfastness Godliness, add to Godliness brotherly and sisterly affection, add to brotherly and sisterly affection the love of God. 2 Peter 1: 3-8. 

Grace  Blessed are you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You made the world in your love. You redeemed the world by your love,
You sustain the world with your love. May we ever abide in your love,

And give ourselves to you in love. Amen