Warnings Of Life And Death
Now, the reason I say cruel is that the warnings Paul gives to eating the Lords Supper unworthily are ultimately warnings of life and death. Heres what he says in 1 Corinthians 11:2728:
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
The warnings Paul gives to eating the Lords Supper unworthily are ultimately warnings of life and death.
What will an unbeliever find if he examines himself? He will find unbelief. And thats precisely what Paul intends for us to find. Has the disobedience of unbelief got the upper hand in our lives? If so, get that fixed and dont eat this supper, assuming that it doesnt matter. Thats the whole point of self-examination. So, why would you invite unbelievers into that deadly situation?
Continue reading in verse 29: For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. Discerning the body means grasping the utter uniqueness and glory of Jesuss physical body as an infinitely valuable sacrifice for sins which unbelievers do not do.
In other words, true believers who need to be disciplined because of the way theyre eating the Lords Supper can be saved, even if they die through a discipline for taking the Lords Supper. But what would become of an unbeliever? They are not going to be saved.
When Should We Take Communion
Jesus commands the we partake in communion, but he doesnt specify how often. This is in keeping with the New Covenant when we have faith in Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will prompt us and teach us.
No need to wait for a special holiday, you may choose to do this special observance as often as you choose!
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lords death until he comes .
Scriptures Associated With Communion:
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:26-28
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” Mark 14:22-24
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” Luke 22:19-20
Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:53-54
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There Is Healing In The Power Of Holy Communion
Holy Communion, also known as the Lords Supper, is taken in remembrance of what our Savior our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross. The bread represents Jesus body that was scourged and broken before and during His crucifixion, and the cup represents His shed blood.
Jesus implemented Holy Communion through the last supper He shared with His disciples. He took bread and, when He had broken it, said, This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way, He also took the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lords death until He comes.
At the cross, God took all of our sicknesses and diseases and put them on Jesus originally perfect and healthy body, so that we can walk in divine health. The Bible says by His stripes, we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5, But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be made whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
1 Peter 2:24, He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live what is right. By His wounds, you are healed.
Colossians 1:14, Who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
What Passages In The Bible Are Linked To Baptism
Acts 2:38 says, Peter replied, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This scripture encourages us that when we are baptized, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit and he becomes part of us.
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Bible Verses About Communion: Scriptures On The Lords Supper
The Bible has only 2 ordinances . They are baptism and communion. There are different names for Communion depending on your religious affiliation. Some of these are the Eucharist, Lords Supper, Lords Table, or sometimes the Last Supper. For this article, I will refer to this as communion.
Jesus gave his followers instructions that they should take or practice communion. This is a practice still followed by most evangelical churches today. Earlier I mentioned that it is prescribed as an ordinance. One thing that Jesus did not prescribe is how often to partake communion. Some churches do communion every week and others do it anywhere from monthly to quarterly to yearly to just special events. This is debated and discussed as church leaders seek to have the ordinance of communion regularly but not to have it so often that it looses the special place that it often has during a service. Listed below are the passages on communion including the Apostle Pauls dialogue about communion and the strong warning he gives for misuse. Finally, I listed some Old Testament passages that, although they werent specifically celebrating communion, clearly the people of God were accustomed to celebrating a meal together in the presence of God.
Book 80 ‘amazing Grace’ By C Paul Di Tullio Chapter 4
Pauld2leo.wordpress.com Book 80 ‘Amazing Grace’ by C Paul Di Tullio Chapter 4 – ‘Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas’ ‘Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.’ John 4:14 Granada Times Paul Di Tullio – Editor 82nd Edition December 2009 ‘Merry Christmas’ ‘When they saw the star,
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What Is The Purpose Of Holy Communion
There are several reasons for the purpose of Holy communion. It was a time where one could reflect on the death of Jesus. It was also a signal to others that a person who broke bread was a disciple. It was a time of fellowship amongst Believers and it was also the signification of the New Covenant.
There are 2 elements used to represent Jesus’ body and blood – bread and juice .
The primary passage of scripture used to explain Communion / The Lord’s Supper is found in 1 Corinthians 11:23-34.
Here are some 7 key points to consider when partaking in the breaking of bread:
1) Examination
Giving of thanks is a time for personal examination. We are to look at our heart and our attitude. It’s important to come before the Lord with the right motive.
2) Remembrance
We are called to remember what Jesus did for us. It is a moment of pausing and focusing on His sacrifice.
3) Take Action
Holy Communion is also a time to take action. There is a literal breaking of bread and drinking. Taking action stimulates our hearts.
4) Confession
Participating in the cup of blessing is a time to consciously confess before the Lord anything we feel needs to be said before Him. His love, forgiveness and mercy will be bestowed upon us.
5) Proclamation
The breaking of bread is a time where we proclaim Jesus’ death until He comes again. In doing so, we stir up our expectation for a blessed future in Christ.
6) Commandment
7) Value It
Why Do We Take Communion
Why do we drink wine and eat bread in remembrance of Christ? Who should do it and how often? What happened at the Last Supper? Lets see what the Bible says. The meaning and symbolism go DEEP and this will change the way you take the Lords Supper!
Communion or the Lords Supper is the breaking and eating of bread to symbolize Christs body broken for us and drinking wine to remember the blood he shed for our sins.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and eat this is my body. Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. .
We are practicing ancient traditions of entering a covenant when we observe the Lords Supper! We are symbolically intermingling Christs blood with our own, sharing a meal together as friends, making him a part of us and us a part of him.
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What Is The Bible Verse For Communion
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
Taking Communion In An Unworthy Manner
Paul is speaking in general terms. Note the word whosoever as in Whosoever shall eat this bread Paul is not saying you guys are drinking unworthily and you guys are guilty. He is saying whosoever drinks unworthily will be guilty. He is making a general claim of the kind
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.
The proper question to ask is, who is Paul referring to? Who are the whosoever?
You might think its anyone and everyone but if that were so Paul would be wrong when he says there is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus .
Paul is not referring to anyone and everyone in general but anyone and everyone outside the kingdom. He is referring to those who dont value the cross, namely, unbelievers who take communion without recognizing that Christ died for them. Its not that they are unworthy none of us is good enough but that they are eating and drinking unworthily. They are not valuing what Christ has done for them.
But what does Paul mean when he says that such a person is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord?
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Origin And History Of Communion
Communion was instated by Jesus Himself. The story is recounted in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Take a look at the following passage:
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and eat this is my body.
Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins .
Jesus uttered these words at the last meal He shared with His disciples before His death. It was the Passover, a time during which the Jews commemorated their escape from slavery in Egypt, and it was an important meal.
The twelve disciples were gathered with Jesus, and it was a somber time, though the disciples didnt quite understand why. He foretold His death, and His betrayal by Judas. However, He had also foretold that His death would be a ransom for many . In this ritual of breaking the bread and taking the cup, Jesus was reminding His disciples of what He was about to do.
As early as Acts 2, early Christians are recorded breaking bread with one another. In 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, Paul gives specific directives for celebrating what he calls The Lords Supper.
Main Christian Views Of Communion
- The bread and the wine become the actual body and blood of Christ. The Catholic term for this is Transubstantiation.
- The bread and the wine are unchanged elements, but Christ’s presence is made spiritually real in and through them.
- The bread and the wine are unchanged elements, used as symbols, representing Christ’s body and blood, in remembrance of his enduring sacrifice.
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What Is The Problem
Why was the Corinthians conduct so offensive to God that He disciplined these saints so severely? The answer lies in the meaning of the Lords Supper, a meaning which many of the Corinthians seem to have forsaken or forgotten, a meaning not grasped by many Christians today. Let us now think Pauls thoughts after him to understand the seriousness of this sin of failing to wait for supper, the Lords Supper.
The Lords Supper was a supper. Frequently, we speak of the Lords Supper as the Lords Table, although this expression occurs only once, in 1 Corinthians 10:21.159 Communion is another term frequently employed by Christians for the Lords Supper, and it conveys something significant about this meal. Nevertheless, it is only found once in 1 Corinthians 10:16 in the KJV and NKJV. The Lords Supper was a supper. When our Lord broke the bread and gave the wine to His disciples just before His death, He did so in the course of the meal . The celebration of the Lords Supper by the early church in Acts and at Corinth was also observed as a part of a meal . The Lords Supper seems to have been referred to as the breaking of bread .
The Lords Supper was a meal that was celebrated by the entire church, when they gathered weekly as a congregation. The Lords Supper was a part of the meeting of the church. The whole church gathered together, a fact that Paul emphasizes five times in verses 17-34:
What Does The Bible Say About Communion
For some churches, communion is an occasional part of the church service meant to simply help those who partake remember what Christ did through His death on the cross. For others, it is a deeply meaningful aspect of every worship service, which allows the communion of those who partake with Christ and the saints in remembering His death and resurrection.
No matter what the specific practice of your church in regards to communion, it can be easy to lose the Biblical significance of this act if it simply becomes a routine.
Communion should not be simply a routine or ritual, but instead a celebration of a person: Jesus our Savior!
Lets look at three helpful, biblical guidelines for understanding communion that can help you understand and also teach your children about the practice of communion in your own church, resulting in a deeper appreciation and more worshipful experience the next time you take the body and blood of Christ in communion.
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How Do Different Christians Interpret The Eucharist
Although all denominations recognise the importance of the Eucharist, they differ about its meaning. Roman Catholics believe that the bread and wine that is offered is the actual body and blood of Christ and another form of sacrifice. For Roman Catholics, the Eucharist is the most important act of worship.
Who Should Take Holy Communion
Communion with God through Jesus Christ should only be observed by believers. If you are not in a covenant with Jesus, do not sin and go through the actions falsely. Instead, decide to put your faith in Jesus! He longs for you to come to him! See what covenants are in this post!
We are all sinners and none of us merit a place at the table, but thanks to Jesus we are forgiven when we confess to God. Hallelujah! Thats why we should approach the elements after self examination, repentance and gratitude.
We should NOT partake if we are :
- divisive
- unrepentant
- partaking from hunger
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup .
And finally, its a blessing to partake in the Lords Supper TOGETHER as a church body! We are communing with God and we are communing with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul says, Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread .
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