THE LORD’S SUPPER/HOLY COMMUNION
THE
SACRED ACTIVITIES OF JESUS’ DISCIPLES
INEDX:
-WHAT IS THE LORD'S SUPPER
- THE PASSOVER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
- THE LORD'S SUPPER
- WHY THE WARNINGS?
- THE VARYING TRADITIONS
- CONCLUSION
INEDX:
-WHAT IS THE LORD'S SUPPER
- THE PASSOVER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
- THE LORD'S SUPPER
- WHY THE WARNINGS?
- THE VARYING TRADITIONS
- CONCLUSION
THE LORD’S SUPPER/HOLY COMMUNION
“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that
the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread, and when He
had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat, this is My body, which is
broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.' After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, 'this cup is the New Testament in My blood; this do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'
For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till He come. Therefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (died). For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
Again, when we are considering The Lord's Supper, we are not speaking of a mere religious tradition, but in fact a sacred and most serious activity of Jesus' disciples. True, due to the continual and repetitive exercise of anything, the over familiarity and routine of it can wear down its value and significance in our eyes and understanding. Please note the possible consequences of treating the Lord's Supper with contempt as stated in the above verses. The Lord takes it very seriously.
WHAT IS THE LORD'S SUPPER? - It is whenever Christians/Jesus's disciples gather together to break bread and drink the fruit of the vine in remembrance of Him. It is not only in remembrance and honor of Him, but a symbolic partaking of Him as the Sacrifice for our sins. Who He is and His atoning sacrifice are the very core of our faith.
"Behold the Lamb of God Which takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29
The PASSOVER in the Old Testament
Just prior to the Exodus of His people out of Egypt following the ten plagues of judgment upon the Egyptians, the last being the death of all the first born of Egypt, the Lord instituted the Passover. The Passover was a most solemn occasion on the eve of their departure where a male lamb a year old and without blemish was to be sacrificed for each household, The blood of the lamb was to be put on the two doorposts and the lintel of each house within which all the members of the household were to eat it. The Lord would pass over the house, and when He sees the blood on the door posts and lintel He would pass over it and not allow the destroyer to enter the house - hence the PASSOVER. Meanwhile the people in the house were to eat the whole lamb with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. This tradition of celebrating the Passover for Israel was to continue throughout their generations in remembrance of when the Lord brought them forth out of Egypt and delivered them from bondage. Exodus 12. The lambs were slain for their salvation and deliverance.
In the same manner, and which is the actual fulfillment of the true Passover for mankind, we celebrate the Lord's Supper in Christ Jesus Who was our Passover Lamb. Each time we partake, we are remembering and celebrating our deliverance from the captivity of sin by His sacrificial death. By the way, His offering and sacrifice was so perfect that He put an end for the need of all the Levitical sacrifices, which were only temporal, symbolic, incidental, and unable to actually perfect us or bring us to God (Hebrews 10:1-4) HE FUFILLED THEM ALL!!!
With regards to the Lord's Supper of the New Testament, by our drinking of the Fruit of the vine as a symbol of His blood, this was a most radical addition. In the Old Testament, drinking the blood of anything was an abomination to God because "the life of the flesh is in the blood thereof." By us symbolically drinking His Blood states that we have been permitted before God to partake of the Life of His Son, the only Life that we are allowed to partake of, which is His Holy Spirit. "For it is the life of all flesh, the blood of it is for the life thereof; therefore I said unto the children of Israel, 'You shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh; for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eats it shall be cut off." Leviticus 17:14
Why we say symbolically, Jesus explained it this way and said, "It is the Spirit that quickens/makes alive; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63, 35, 54. In a sense, our confession and life of faith, consecration to Him, and walking in the Spirit, is how we truly partake of Him.
THE LORD'S SUPPER -
When we His people gather together in His name around the Lord's table (so to speak) and in His presence, we set aside all our life's affairs, business, concerns, and meet where earth and heaven come together in a solemn moment:
- Here we symbolically partake of His body and blood which He gave and shed for us to ransom us back to God our Heavenly Father. This we do in earnest remembrance of what He had done for us. Not only is it a declaration of Who He is, but also who we are, His ransomed people.
- Here, we as God's people will do so as often as we do it until He returns to receive us to Himself to be united with Him for all eternity.
- Here we also declare the life we have left behind to embrace His life which He has imparted to us.
- Here we acknowledge that we are not only partakers as individuals, but also as a family and our acceptance of one another.
- Here we declare our commitment to the cross of Calvary and the blood He shed for us, and not to our own righteousness and good works.
- Here we declare ourselves to have forsaken the world and are citizens of Heaven.
- Here we declare we are His and He is ours, our Savior and Lord.
WHY THE WARNING?
Before discussing again the judgments of God, I must reemphasize the understanding, grace, and love of God. First of all, He is not out to 'GET' us, He is out to keep us (from destruction) "But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." He knows our frame and remembers that we are but dust. He understands perfectly our weaknesses, so His grace is sufficient for us when we fall short. He has made for us all the provisions to not only cleanse us and to keep us, but that also means to compensate for our human weaknesses.
What we need to be concerned about is if we are walking in deliberate presumption, stubbornness, or rebellion, where we are ignoring the admonitions of the Word of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. In plain terms, if we are defiantly living in sin, un- forgiveness, rebellion and then presumptuously partake of the communion we are actually guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. This is no light matter. O Lord, help us live ever so carefully before you as we conduct our lives as people of your Presence.
THE VARYING TRADITIONS -
As with every other church tradition or practice, they can be as various as the many different groups. Jesus left us the example to do so, but left it up to us to us carry it our when and the particulars of how, but only in the fear or reverence of the Lord, remembering what and Who we are celebrating.
CONCLUSION - The Lord 's Supper or Holy Communion, is another wonderful treasure He left behind for us to follow, and as often as we do, let us do so with all and hearts in thankfulness and holy reverence.
For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till He come. Therefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (died). For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
Again, when we are considering The Lord's Supper, we are not speaking of a mere religious tradition, but in fact a sacred and most serious activity of Jesus' disciples. True, due to the continual and repetitive exercise of anything, the over familiarity and routine of it can wear down its value and significance in our eyes and understanding. Please note the possible consequences of treating the Lord's Supper with contempt as stated in the above verses. The Lord takes it very seriously.
WHAT IS THE LORD'S SUPPER? - It is whenever Christians/Jesus's disciples gather together to break bread and drink the fruit of the vine in remembrance of Him. It is not only in remembrance and honor of Him, but a symbolic partaking of Him as the Sacrifice for our sins. Who He is and His atoning sacrifice are the very core of our faith.
"Behold the Lamb of God Which takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29
The PASSOVER in the Old Testament
Just prior to the Exodus of His people out of Egypt following the ten plagues of judgment upon the Egyptians, the last being the death of all the first born of Egypt, the Lord instituted the Passover. The Passover was a most solemn occasion on the eve of their departure where a male lamb a year old and without blemish was to be sacrificed for each household, The blood of the lamb was to be put on the two doorposts and the lintel of each house within which all the members of the household were to eat it. The Lord would pass over the house, and when He sees the blood on the door posts and lintel He would pass over it and not allow the destroyer to enter the house - hence the PASSOVER. Meanwhile the people in the house were to eat the whole lamb with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. This tradition of celebrating the Passover for Israel was to continue throughout their generations in remembrance of when the Lord brought them forth out of Egypt and delivered them from bondage. Exodus 12. The lambs were slain for their salvation and deliverance.
In the same manner, and which is the actual fulfillment of the true Passover for mankind, we celebrate the Lord's Supper in Christ Jesus Who was our Passover Lamb. Each time we partake, we are remembering and celebrating our deliverance from the captivity of sin by His sacrificial death. By the way, His offering and sacrifice was so perfect that He put an end for the need of all the Levitical sacrifices, which were only temporal, symbolic, incidental, and unable to actually perfect us or bring us to God (Hebrews 10:1-4) HE FUFILLED THEM ALL!!!
With regards to the Lord's Supper of the New Testament, by our drinking of the Fruit of the vine as a symbol of His blood, this was a most radical addition. In the Old Testament, drinking the blood of anything was an abomination to God because "the life of the flesh is in the blood thereof." By us symbolically drinking His Blood states that we have been permitted before God to partake of the Life of His Son, the only Life that we are allowed to partake of, which is His Holy Spirit. "For it is the life of all flesh, the blood of it is for the life thereof; therefore I said unto the children of Israel, 'You shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh; for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eats it shall be cut off." Leviticus 17:14
Why we say symbolically, Jesus explained it this way and said, "It is the Spirit that quickens/makes alive; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63, 35, 54. In a sense, our confession and life of faith, consecration to Him, and walking in the Spirit, is how we truly partake of Him.
THE LORD'S SUPPER -
When we His people gather together in His name around the Lord's table (so to speak) and in His presence, we set aside all our life's affairs, business, concerns, and meet where earth and heaven come together in a solemn moment:
- Here we symbolically partake of His body and blood which He gave and shed for us to ransom us back to God our Heavenly Father. This we do in earnest remembrance of what He had done for us. Not only is it a declaration of Who He is, but also who we are, His ransomed people.
- Here, we as God's people will do so as often as we do it until He returns to receive us to Himself to be united with Him for all eternity.
- Here we also declare the life we have left behind to embrace His life which He has imparted to us.
- Here we acknowledge that we are not only partakers as individuals, but also as a family and our acceptance of one another.
- Here we declare our commitment to the cross of Calvary and the blood He shed for us, and not to our own righteousness and good works.
- Here we declare ourselves to have forsaken the world and are citizens of Heaven.
- Here we declare we are His and He is ours, our Savior and Lord.
WHY THE WARNING?
Before discussing again the judgments of God, I must reemphasize the understanding, grace, and love of God. First of all, He is not out to 'GET' us, He is out to keep us (from destruction) "But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." He knows our frame and remembers that we are but dust. He understands perfectly our weaknesses, so His grace is sufficient for us when we fall short. He has made for us all the provisions to not only cleanse us and to keep us, but that also means to compensate for our human weaknesses.
What we need to be concerned about is if we are walking in deliberate presumption, stubbornness, or rebellion, where we are ignoring the admonitions of the Word of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. In plain terms, if we are defiantly living in sin, un- forgiveness, rebellion and then presumptuously partake of the communion we are actually guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. This is no light matter. O Lord, help us live ever so carefully before you as we conduct our lives as people of your Presence.
THE VARYING TRADITIONS -
As with every other church tradition or practice, they can be as various as the many different groups. Jesus left us the example to do so, but left it up to us to us carry it our when and the particulars of how, but only in the fear or reverence of the Lord, remembering what and Who we are celebrating.
CONCLUSION - The Lord 's Supper or Holy Communion, is another wonderful treasure He left behind for us to follow, and as often as we do, let us do so with all and hearts in thankfulness and holy reverence.
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