Communion………

“The cup of blessing [of wine at the Lord's Supper] upon which we ask [God's] blessing, does it not mean [that in drinking it] we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the blood of Christ (the Messiah)?   The bread which we break, does it not mean [that in eating it] we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the body of Christ?”   I Cor. 10:16 AMP

Sadly some people mock God at the Communion table.

What do people profess when they come to the Communion table?

Do they not profess to believe in our Lord Jesus?

Do they not profess by this act to consecrate themselves afresh to Him?

Is this always the disposition of the heart and mind in which they come to the Communion table?

Is it not true, that many come to the table of the Lord as a mere form of godliness, because they want others to see they are “righteous” and thus become mockers of God?

Suppose they come with enmity and unforgiveness in their hearts towards others, or with a consciousness of having hurt or oppressed someone without having corrected the situation, do they not mock God and grieve the Holy Spirit?

Of course they do!   Although this is one of the most exalted means of grace, yet how often it is abused by people coming to the Communion table with an improper state of mind and heart!

I Corinthians 11:23 says: “I have given you the teaching I received from the Lord. The night Jesus was handed over to the soldiers, He took bread.  When He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take this bread and eat it.  This is My body which is broken for you. Do this to remember Me.”

“In the same way after supper, He took the cup.   He said, “This cup is the New Way of Worship made between God and you by My blood.  Whenever you drink it, do it to remember Me.”

“Every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup you are telling of the Lord’s death until He comes again.   Anyone who eats the bread or drinks from the cup, if his spirit is not right with the Lord, will be guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord.  This is why a man should look into his own heart and life before eating the bread and drinking from the cup.   Anyone who eats the bread and drinks from the cup, if his spirit is not right with the Lord, will be guilty as he eats and drinks.  He does not understand the meaning of the Lord’s body.  This is why some of you are sick and weak, and some have died”  (NLV).

The thing to remember in the partaking of Communion is that when you do so you are taking Christ as your Lord and Life, yielding yourself to Him.  You should come unto Him with a humble heart and a mind set on nothing other than Him.

 The Lord's Supper is to be done in remembrance of Christ, keeping fresh in our minds His dying to give us life.  Christ came so that we could have everlasting life.

John 3:14-17 states; “As Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.  Then whoever puts his trust in Him will have life that lasts forever.   For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.  Whoever puts his trust in God’s Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever.  For God did not send His Son into the world to say it is guilty.   He sent His Son so the world might be saved from the punishment of sin by Him” (NLV).

God sent Jesus so that we could have eternal salvation and Christ hung upon the cross, was buried in the tomb and rose to be seated at the right hand of the Father. And when we partake of Communion we are partaking of HIS life and it should be with a remembrance of HIS death, burial and resurrection.

"….. if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way.  Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world”.  I Cor. 11:21-32 NLT

May all of us look to the Lord's Supper in a manner of worship coming before the Lord in praise with a heart full of forgiveness and love desiring to know Him in His fullness not provoking Him, the Lord of Lords to bring down upon us His vengeance or wrath.

The Word of God simply says to receive the body and the blood in a thoughtful and worthy manner.  This means that before we partake we should examine ourselves before God. Then we simply need to ask God to forgive us our sins and any trespass or grievance that we have against any person.  Also, while we are participating in the taking of the sacraments our mind is to be only on God.

The taking of communion is for anyone that so desires to commune with the Lord in a deeper manner.

“Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift at the altar and go.  First make things right with your brother or sister and then come back and offer your gift”.   Matt. 5:23-24 CEB