Doughy Reflections

Last night, as I was preparing for the Bible teaching part of an all-age outreach service our church does once a month I decided to make some Matzah (traditional Jewish unlevened bread used to celebrate the Passover). The service is called Messy Church and a Bible theme is explored through art and craft, and sometimes sport. I aim to make the teaching time as interactive as possible and visual aids are always a good idea!

This month we are learning about Communion / The Last Supper and that it began when Jesus and his disciples were celebrating Passover together just before Jesus died.

I am going to explain the significance and symbolism of the bread and wine, being a sign or a symbol of Jesus' body and his blood that he gave for us. He died so that we can know God; so that we can be saved! Yes, it is going to be an evangelistic teaching about Communion.

So last night, as I searched the internet together a recipe to make this exotic, special bread I was surprised to discover that it is extremely simple to make! All you need is flour and water. That's it. In a ratio of 2 parts flour to 1 part water. Knead, roll and bake.

As I was mixing the dough of this extremely simple recipe The Holy Spirit dropped this in my spirit:

The bread is simple, so is salvation. Many have heard about it as this amazing special thing, they begin to think it is very complicated and could never apply to them. The flour comes from grains of wheat, the seeds of faith that you plant in others through your outreach. But it is still dry and untransformed. What is needed is for the water of the word to mix with it, then for the heat of the Holy Spirit to bake it. Then the bread is ready; that life is transformed. It takes dedication; time; patience but most importantly it is not you who does the changing, it is God at work within and alongside those he brings to you.

I love it when Jesus uses simple everyday things to talk to me and teach me. Who would have thought some flour and some water could teach me so much!