This Weekend in Worship
The Christ: True Vine : The Bread of Life
Jesus is the source of all life. When we, as branches, are connected well to the vine, we bear fruit. When we become disconnected, we whither and die. This is one of my favorite images because it is a clear image of how Jesus is the giver of life. When we are connected, we flourish. When we become disconnected — by disease, by outside forces that harm us, etc. — we whither. Another great aspect of this image is that we can be grafted onto the vine, so even if we were connected to the wrong vine, when we become attached to the true vine, we flourish.
When Jesus said he is the bread of life, he answered the question raised in the prayer he offered to the disciples in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is the source of sustenance (Matt 6:11). But bread is more than just physiological; it is also a primary sign of fellowship and hospitality, which are core convictions to God’s people. Abraham used bread for hospitality when he shared bread with his three visitors (Gen 18). David used it as a symbol to invite Mephibosheth to his table (1 Sam 9:7). Jewish custom breaks bread at the beginning of every meal. Third, bread is a symbol of our covenant with God. It is manna (Ex 16), an image of God’s faithfulness, which Jesus carries forward in the New Covenant he makes in the Upper Room (Matt 26:26).
2/4/2023 | 5:30 PM | Rev. Arthur Jones | Traditional
2/5/2023 | 9:30 AM | Rev. Arthur Jones | Traditional
2/5/2023 | 9:30 AM | Rev. Arthur Jones | Contemporary
2/5/2023 | 11:00 AM | Rev. Arthur Jones | Contemporary