Saltines

Romans 12:1
"1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship."

In the Old Testament there are hundreds of rules for how an offering can be brought to the altar; for what kind of offering can be brought to the altar. If it's a peace offering do this...if it's a sin offering do that...if it's a grain offering do another thing. Why did God put so many stipulations on how, when, where, and why we could offer things to Him? Because in each one of those long lists of rules and procedures He was painting a picture of who He was to become in Jesus Christ. Just look at the grain offering, God is emphatic that absolutely no yeast (leaven) be placed in a grain offering. Why no yeast? When bread is baked with active yeast it rises up. It becomes delicious, airy, and light. It increases in size and looks impressive! Yeast puffs up! I think it could be a symbol of our pride. Our pride puffs us up. It allows us to be caught up in what we have become, whether it's wealthy, wordy, quick witted, or famous. Our pride becomes us.

On the other hand, bread baked without yeast is flat, typically boring (like a Saltine), not impressive at all. It requires that something be added to it before it's true value is revealed. Sometimes peanut butter and jelly, maybe some cheese or deli meat. However you look at a saltine, it's square, flat, and waiting! A Saltine is a great snack waiting to be made! I think this is also like us. We are the salt(ine) of the earth. We are God's crackers waiting for Him to add to us what will make us exceptional. Whether it's the fruits of the Spirit or Lamb of God, we need something added to us to discover our true value and potential. That something is Jesus!

Jesus tells us that He is the Bread of Life. (John 6:51) It's what He did before revealing this to us that's of utmost importance. Prior to the Last Supper, Jesus HUMBLED Himself before His disciples and washed their feet. He showed them how to be a servant King. Before breaking the passover bread and using it as a metaphor for His own body, He first demonstrated that He was unleavened! He set aside the fact that He created the very Earth on which they were walking, knelt down, and took their nasty feet in His perfect hands and PERSONALLY washed away the dirt that they had been carrying around! (That's another lesson) Jesus became our perfect Grain offering. You see, Jesus isn't just the sacrificial Lamb---He's all of the sacrifices. He fulfills all of the law both physically and metaphorically!

Lets not be Sourdough or even Sweet bread....lets be Saltines for Jesus.