Question – Jesus, 13

~  Regarding Bread ~

Introduction  ~  This series is about questions involving Jesus.  Some were asked by individuals involved with Jesus Christ while He walked on earth.  Others are questions that Jesus Christ asked others.  We will look at questions on about 130 topics (some may split into two or more posts).  Even so, it is far from an exhaustive list. 

Scripture  ~  “But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities.  They arrived before them and came together to Him. And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.  So He began to teach them many things.  When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.  Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.’  

But He answered and said to them, ‘You give them something to eat.’

And they said to Him, ‘Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?’  

But He said to them, ‘How many loaves do you have?  Go and see.’

And when they found out they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’

Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.  So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.  And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.  So they all ate and were filled.  And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.  Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men” (Mark 6:33-44).

“In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, ‘I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.  And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.’  

Then His disciples answered Him, ‘How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?’

He asked them, ‘How many loaves do you have?’

And they said, ‘Seven.’  

So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.  And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.  They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them.  So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments.  Now those who had eaten were about four thousand.  And He sent them away, immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha” (Mark 8:1-10).

Comment  ~  Jesus Christ is the “bread of life.”  “And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life.  He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst’” (John 6:35). 

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.  I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.  This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.  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 is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world’” (John 6:47-51).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Jesus Came To…, 17

~ Jesus Christ Came To Proclaim Freedom For Believers ~

Passage  ~  “So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up.  And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.  And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah.  And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:  ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’ 

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.  And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’  So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.  And they said, ‘Is this not Joseph's son?’” (Luke 4:16-22).

Significance  ~  Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden mankind has been enslaved to sin—controlled by sin as master.  Christ’s death on the Cross of Calvary paid the penalty of sin.  Those who are willing to believe and accept that truth are set free from the penalty of sin, are able to exercise power over sin (through the Spirit of God’s help), and in a future time will be free from the presence of sin. 

Comment  ~  Do you understand this?  Have you been set free from sin?  If not, what is holding you back?

the key question:  “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15).  This is the most important question you will ever answer.  If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Myth, 18

~ Christianity Is Masculine ~

Myth  ~  While Christianity is for men this statement implies it is not for women—that is what makes it a myth.  Christ is the center of Christianity.  God is a Triune God and all three members of the Trinity have all the God nature, all the God characteristics, but each has their own personality.

Feminine Characteristics of God  ~  Most people are familiar with the Father image of God.  But throughout Scripture we also find the Mother image of God—God exercising what societies typically consider feminine characteristics.  A few examples: 

old testament:

“As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings, so the Lord alone led him, and there was no foreign god with him” (Deuteronomy 32:11-12).

“But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.  I was cast upon You from birth.  From My mother’s womb You have been My God” (Psalm 22:9-10).

“By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.  My praise shall be continually of You” (Psalm 71:6). 

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb?  Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).

“‘Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?’ says the Lord.  ‘Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?’ says your God” (Isaiah 66:9).

“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 66:13). 

“I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will tear open their rib cage, and there I will devour them like a lion.  The wild beast shall tear them” (Hosea 13:8).

new testament:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34).

 ‘Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?  And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’  Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:8-10).

Masculine Characteristics of God  ~  Throughout Scripture we find God exercising what society consider masculine characteristics (at least at the time of writing).  Here are a few of many examples.  Throughout both Testaments we find God referred to as Father.  He is also described as a Warrior, the Lord of Armies, King of Glory, and Lord of Hosts (Psalm 24:8).  God is also described as actively teaching the skills of war (Psalm 144:1).  God is Judge—an enforcer of righteousness and a punisher of the wicked in society. 

jesus christ:  Physician Luke records how the angel Gabriel prophesied to Mary that would conceive a Son (Luke 1:31), then Luke confirms the event happened (Luke 2:7), and still later records Christ’s circumcision (Luke 2:21).

While on earth, in human form, Jesus Christ was often slandered, blasphemed, and mistreated as a masculine human (Matthew 11:19; Mark 7:2; Luke 6:2; John 8:48, 52).

Christ is not only described as a King but also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16).  Christ is our Priest, Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14), and our Bridegroom (John 3:29).  Of note is the fact that nowhere in Scripture do read any account of His enemies hinting at or accusing Him of being effeminate. 

Creation  ~  During creation we find that God created both male and female.  “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).  “He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created” (Genesis 5:2).

Comment  ~  Male and female are equal but unique in their God-created natures.  The two genders complement each other and are equal in value.  God is the Creator of both male and female and Christianity is a faith-based relationship with the Creator open to relationship with all of humankind.  We all, male and female, are created in the image of God.

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26-29).  God is a God for all people! 

Conclusion  ~  God is not male or female, but God.  What we tend to think of as feminine or masculine traits are actually all Godly traits!  “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .