Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for August 16

ONE BREAD, ONE BODY

From: August 16, 2023

“When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body.” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17 NLT).

The apostle Paul instructed the Corinthians concerning the significance of sharing the Lord’s Supper together. He told them that those who remember the sacrifice of Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper are also giving recognition to their oneness as members of Christ’s body. Just as we eat from one loaf and drink from one cup, so we are one body, which is the body of Christ and He is the Head.

One of the four devotions of the early church was “the breaking of bread” (Acts 2:42). This was just as spiritually essential as the other three devotions of the apostle’s teaching, the fellowship and prayer. For in eating the Lord’s Supper together we not only remember and proclaim Christ’s sacrifice, we also deepen our awareness of our unity in Christ’s body and our membership in God’s family.

PRAYER: Dear Father, You have made us for fellowship with You and with one another. Thank You for the giving of Your Son, who made this fellowship possible. Forgive us when we take this for granted. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to live fully for You today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“And the people commended everyone who volunteered to resettle in Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 11:2 NLT).

From: August 16, 2022

WHEN OTHERS RAN OUT THEY RAN IN

After the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, people were needed to repopulate the city, which had been destroyed some 70+ years earlier. It was a run-down and dangerous place where few wanted to live. So when certain men willingly volunteered to live in the city, the people blessed them for their self-sacrifice and courage. Little by little, the city grew prosperous and safe again.

After the incident in New York City on September 11, 2001, it was reported that someone had written this saying in the dusty window of a building near the twin towers: “When others ran out, we ran in.” This described the heroic efforts of New York’s first-responders who ran in to rescue people, while others ran away.

It is tempting to turn a blind eye to the trouble of our cities and nation. To just let people perish without hope because it means getting out of our comfort zone and risking ourselves to help them. Yet, the Lord still calls believers who will “willingly offer themselves” to dwell in such places and reach out to the people living there. He still blesses those who will be a blessing to others in the city.

As the prophet Jeremiah told the Jewish exiles in Babylon, “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jer. 29:7).

PRAYER: Dear Father, help us to be a blessing to the city to which You have called us. We pray for our city and its leaders, its pastors, its first responders, and all its inhabitants. Bring the peace of the gospel to our city and nation, we pray. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for all of us share that one bread.” (1 Corinthians 10:17 NLT).

From: August 16, 2021

ONE BREAD, ONE BODY

The apostle Paul instructed the Corinthians concerning the significance of sharing the Lord’s Supper together. He told them that those who remember the sacrifice of Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper are also giving recognition to their oneness as members of Christ’s body. Just as we eat from one loaf and drink from one cup, so we are one body, which is the body of Christ and He is the Head.

One of the four devotions of the early church was “the breaking of bread” (Acts 2:42). This was just as spiritually essential as the other three devotions of the apostle’s teaching, the fellowship and prayer. For in eating the Lord’s Supper together we not only remember and proclaim Christ’s sacrifice, we also deepen our awareness of our unity in Christ’s body and our membership in God’s family.

PRAYER: Dear Father, You have made us for fellowship with You and with one another. Thank You for the giving of Your Son, who made this fellowship possible. Forgive us when we take this for granted. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to live fully for You today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 11:2 NKJV).

From: August 16, 2020

WHEN OTHERS RAN OUT THEY RAN IN

After the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, people were needed to repopulate the city, which had been destroyed some 70+ years earlier. It was a run-down and dangerous place where few wanted to live. So when certain men willingly volunteered to live in the city, the people blessed them for their self-sacrifice and courage.

After the incident in New York City on September 11, 2001, it was reported that someone had written this saying in the dusty window of a building near the twin towers: “When others ran out, we ran in.” This described the heroic efforts of the FDNY members who ran in to rescue people, while others ran away.

It is tempting to turn a blind eye to the trouble of our cities and nation. To just let the lost perish without hope because they are so risky and frustrating to help. Yet, the Lord still calls believers who will “willingly offer themselves” to dwell in such places and reach out to such people. He still blesses those who will be a blessing to others in the city.

As the prophet Jeremiah told the Jewish exiles in Babylon, “Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace” (Jer. 29:7).

PRAYER: Dear Father, help us to be a blessing to the city to which You have called us. We pray for our city and its leaders, its pastors, its first responders, its medical workers, and its inhabitants. Bring the peace of the gospel to our city and nation, we pray. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!” (Psalms 34:20 NLT).

From: August 16, 2019

THE SIGN OF UNBROKEN BONES

David wrote this psalm during a low period in his life. While hiding from King Saul who sought to kill him, he stooped to playing the madman to escape the Philistine king, Abimelech. Yet, in spite of all of his afflictions, no bones were broken. Clearly, David must have borrowed this turn of phrase from the instructions given in the law concerning the Passover lamb, which was to be sacrificed without breaking any bones.

Both the Passover lamb and David are Christological types, preparing us for the Righteous One, who was sacrificed for our sins, yet not one of His bones was broken. The Romans broke the legs of the thieves hanging on the crosses on either side of Jesus, but not one of His bones were broken. This was one of many signs given to confirm that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah, the Lamb of God.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for the Lamb of God that was slain for our sins, yet not one bone was broken in fulfillment of Your Word. We cannot comprehend such amazing love. Empower us this day with the resurrection life of Jesus abiding in us by the Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body” (1 Corinthians 10:17 NLT).

From: August 16, 2018

ONE LOAF, ONE BODY, ONE FAMILY

The apostle Paul instructed the Corinthians concerning the significance of sharing the Lord’s Supper together. Those who remember the sacrifice of Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper are also giving recognition to their oneness in Christ’s family. Just as we eat from one loaf and drink from one cup, so we are one body, which is the body of Christ and He is the Head. The devotion of the early church to “the breaking of bread” (Acts 2:42) is just as spiritually significant as the other three devotions. For in eating the Lord’s Supper together we not only remember and proclaim Christ’s sacrifice, we also deepen our awareness of our unity in Christ’s body and our membership in God’s family.

“And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 11:2 NKJV).

From: August 16, 2017

Those who willingly volunteered to live in Jerusalem were praised by the Jewish people who had returned from exile to rebuild the city. Rebuilding the wall and the temple in Jerusalem had made the city a focus of controversy among the surrounding peoples who lived there. So, anyone who chose to live in Jerusalem was taking a risk and making a personal sacrifice in order to reestablish the city’s existence. It would have been much easier and more profitable to live in the surrounding country where there was more land to cultivate and less possibility of violence. Yet, these faithful few “willingly offered themselves” to live in the inner city of Jerusalem in order to rebuild and secure it.

Today, there are believers who “willingly” move to inner cities with the express purpose of living out the gospel and establishing a gospel presence there. They move their families to places around the world, “willingly offering themselves” to dwell wherever the Great Commission carries them. Such are to be blessed by the Lord and the people of God.

“The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.” (Psalm 34:22 ESV)

From: August 16, 2016

The Holy Spirit inspired David to write before the cross what He inspired Paul to write after it– namely, that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom.8:1). Christ is our refuge.

“He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken” (Psalm 34:20 NKJV)

From: August 16, 2015

David wrote this psalm during a low period in his life. While hiding from King Saul who sought to kill him, he stooped to playing the madman to escape the Philistine king, Abimelech. Yet, in spite of all of his afflictions, no bones were broken. Clearly, David must have borrowed this turn of phrase from the instructions given in the law concerning the Passover lamb, which was to be sacrificed without breaking any bones. Both the Passover lamb and David are Christological types, preparing us for the Righteous One, who was sacrificed for our sins, yet not one of His bones was broken.

“You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is beneficial” (1 Corinthians 10:23 NLT)

From: August 16, 2014

Paul addressed the tension between the believer’s freedom and the believer’s responsibility in this passage to the Corinthians. The church at Corinth had become almost antinomian in its celebration of freedom. They wanted no limitation on their behavior. Paul reminded them that their freedom in Christ was limited by its impact on others and on the glory of God. You may be allowed to do anything, but… 1) Is it good for you? 2) Is it beneficial or edifying to yourself and others? 3) Will it bring glory to God? or can you do it to the glory of God? 4) Will it help or hinder the gospel? It is true that we are no longer under law, but under grace. Yet this liberty is not the freedom to sin, but to live righteously for Christ. It is the freedom to live in love.. loving God and loving others as your self.