Why was Jesus' body so important that we should
remember it in the Lord's Supper?Why was Jesus' body so important that we should
remember it in the Lord's Supper?In the Lord's Supper we remember Jesus’ body and blood (1 Corinthians 11:23-25). We often speak about the importance of Jesus’ blood which was shed for us. But what was so important about Jesus’ body that we should remember it each week?
John 1:1-3,14 – Jesus was God in the beginning and through Him all things were made. But He became flesh and dwelt among us. So He was God in the flesh.
Philippians 2:6,7 – Though Jesus existed in the form of God, He came in the likeness of men.
Hebrews 2:14 – Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same…
Hebrews 10:5 – When He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me.”
The fact that Jesus came to earth in a human body was no accident. God prepared a body for Jesus according to His plan.
(1 John 4:2,3; 1 Timothy 3:16)
* He came so He could teach His disciples and introduce His new covenant, the gospel.
* He came so he could live an example to show us how to live.
* He came so that He could become the King of His spiritual kingdom, the Head of His church.
* He came so He could demonstrate that He understands our problems and can sympathize with us as our High Priest because He has experienced living as a man.
Philippians 2:7,8 – He made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Hebrews 2:14,15 – Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Jesus existed from eternity as God. But as God, He could not die. So Jesus came in the flesh so that, as a man, He could die for our sins. The body of Jesus is so important because without that body Jesus could never have died for our sins.
Hebrews 10:10 – We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 11:24 – Jesus said this is His body which is broken for us.
So the Father gave a body to Jesus so Jesus could give the body as a sacrifice for us! He received the body so He could give it for others.
What should we learn about God’s purpose for our bodies?
Romans 12:1 – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Just as God gave Jesus a body so He could give it as sacrifice for our sins, God has also given you and me each a body to give as a sacrifice in His service. As we remember the body of Jesus in this Lord’s Supper, let us also remember that we must give our bodies in service to the One who gave His body for us.
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2018; gospelway.com
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Scripture quotations are generally from the New King James Version (NKJV), copyright 1982, 1988 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. used by permission. All rights reserved.