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The Continuous Eating and Drinking of Jesus Christ

What exactly does it mean to eat and drink of Jesus Christ?

When Jesus said you must eat my flesh and drink my blood he lost many of his disciples, they misunderstood him. Some no doubt took him literally, perhaps thinking he may be asking them to be cannibals. But he was not speaking physical eating and drinking he was speaking of spiritual eating and drinking, the real eating and drinking of real food and real drink..

So what exactly does it mean to eat and drink of Jesus Christ?

I’ve experienced in the past 2-3 years that eating and drinking Christ in an internal/ spiritual way is deeply satisfying, it brings tremendous peace that I cannot do without. It has nothing to do with fulfilling some religious ritual or expectations from other people, there is death in that.

Jesus said at the table “As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup do this in remembrance of me.” What we call communion today represents this eating and drinking of his flesh and blood that Jesus was referring to.

The manna that sustained the Israelites in the wilderness represented this eating of spiritual bread.

Jesus once said that he “had food that the disciples knew nothing about” referring to his internal focus and response to his heavenly father.

Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no part in me. – Jesus Christ

To eat and drink of Jesus Christ is simply to continuously listen and respond to him, to keep all focus and intent on knowing him, its a constant seeking him first a constant increase in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, by finding and looking for him in all things.

It includes bible study but its not only bible study, it includes sharing him but its not only sharing him, it includes fellowshipping around him with others but not only fellowship, it includes finding him in every aspect of life, it includes prayer but its not only prayer, it includes obedience and being quick to respond to him.

To eat of Jesus Christ is to abide in Jesus Christ, it is to be led of the Spirit of God. Physical food and drink that we consume daily actually are just representations of the real food that will sustain us for eternity, we will be eating from the tree of life and finding our life from him, that is Jesus Christ.

Eating and drinking of Christ is exceedingly simple if you are able to look to him and focus on him and not become distracted by other things (be they good things or evil).

For further teaching and examples on this topic check out this ebook by my friend Bridget Babione entitled The Bread and Wine, 20 Recipes for Eating and Drinking Christ, it is well worth the $2.49 !

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An Effective Strategy Against Jesus Christ – Hierarchies

Many Christians from the early church were brutalized, persecuted and murdered, Jesus and his followers had brutal enemies. Despite this the body of Christ grew quickly, in fact growth still typically happens where Christians are persecuted. It did not take long however for the enemy of Jesus to find a more effective strategy against him – position within powerful and wealthy hierarchies.

hi·er·ar·chy

ˈhī(ə)ˌrärkē/

noun: hierarchy; plural noun: hierarchies

  1. a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority.

Rather than attacking and killing Christians, a better strategy against Jesus’ influence and expansion was to put the church on top of or given a place at the table of a highly influential hierarchy in exchange for surrender and cooperation. But that cooperation would directly challenge the Lordship of Jesus Christ among his people.

This strategy seems to have repeated itself even up to today. How many modern young Christians who feel called to ministry strive to create and climb to the top of powerful hierarchical organizations? Most. Whether we try to control massive governments or climb through the ranks of wealthy denominations or build massive individual “mega-churches“. We love hierarchies and when we reach out ambitious goals we say “look at the growth, God must be blessing us, God is doing it.”

But we cannot look at numbers and popularity and assume success in God’s eyes or his blessing or his approval.

Jesus was offered great power and wealth and a great place of headship over kingdoms of this world, but he quickly and sternly turned it all down. I am not sure there is another person on the planet that would have easily turned down that offer from the devil.

“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if you fall down and worship Me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan…” – Matthew 4:9-10

Later when his disciples began to plan their own hierarchy of greatness (“who will be greatest” read Matt 20), He quickly told his disciples “it is not this way among you.”

“But Jesus called them to himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you…” – Matthew 20:25-26

Regarding hierarchies among Christians, are we saying in response to Jesus “yes it is this way among us, its always been this way, this is our church, and I have (or so and so has) been put as its head, I (he) deserve it, I (he) was chosen.”? Are we not then intentionally refusing Jesus’ direction.

A group of Christians only becomes church in its relation to its surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Lets all together abandon hierarchy and lording it over one another, as Christians we are all directly connected to Jesus through the Spirit. He is able to lead us all directly and together as a cohesive family.

Hierarchies are ineffective and archaic and will eventually be obsoleted, firstly and especially within the church. Allow the Lord to begin to transition you away from worldly forms of organizing and gathering based on hierarchy, there is a much better way.

More to come, please reach out to me with questions or comments.

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What is the Glory of God?

‘Kabod’ and ‘Doxa’, both for Jesus Christ!

What is the glory of Jesus Christ? The word ‘glory’ has been confusing to me. There are at least two words translated glory related to Jesus Christ in scripture, that we should strive to understand. I think the English word ‘glory’ is over used in the Bible and by some Christians. This word is used interchangeably for at least three different concepts referring to Jesus Christ. Perhaps we need more words.

We can give glory to God.

Joshua 7:19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I implore you, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give praise to him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.”

And we can see the glory of God.

Exodus 33:22 and it will come about, while my glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

The term ‘giving glory to God’ uses the Hebrew word ‘kabod‘ essentially meaning ‘to honor’.

However “seeing the glory of God” as Moses did on mount Sinai and as Peter and John saw in the transfiguration of Jesus Christ is the Hebrew word ‘doxa‘. This word essentially mean heaviness, or weightiness, or the brightness of his presence.

But both words are used in reference to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ gathers up these two words (as he does with all things) and summarizes them together into one.

The Glory of Jesus Christ will Increase Forever

“Give honor ‘kabod’ to Jesus Christ who is himself the bright radiance of Gods brightness and weightiness ‘doxa.'”

The Glory of Jesus Christ

Update: there is yet another type of God’s glory described and seen in Jesus Christ, read article here.

But giving kabod to Jesus Christ who is the doxa of God is not the whole story of this word glory. There is more…much more!!

We can see more about the glory of God in the story of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ found in Mark 9. When Jesus was transfigured the doxa of God shined upon him and a few things happened.

  1. His face and garments shown white and bright as depicted in the image above.
  2. A glorious presence and voice from the father affirmed Jesus Christ verbally “this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, listen to him.” These wrods were spoken to Peter James and John by the heavenly father. There is a verbal prause and affimation and exaltation of Jesus Christ where there is the glory of God.
  3. God was well-pleased in this sitation, God’s satisfaction is synonmyous with glory. God’s contentment is found where his glory dwells. Like when at the end of each of the days of creation, and it was evening and morning the six days and he saw that it was good. When God is pleased and contented and say’s a thing is good, that is glory. When the Lord is pleased with our service we often sense that pleasure within and know that he sees it as good.

There is glory where the father is pleased and well contented. Remember Jesus taught us to pray “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Herein He was teaching us to increase the glory of God all over the earth. Where there is affimation and praise for Jesus Christ (kabod) and where Jesus Christ is on display as great, magnificent and the brightness of his greatness (doxa) is on display for all.

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