CHAPTER THREE
THE COMMUNION
1st Corinthians 11:24. The taking of communion is to remind us of what Jesus accomplished through suffering and dying for us.
Jesus took the bread and broke it, saying "This is my body (or this symbolizes my body.) which is broken for you." In Luke 22:19 He had said, "Which is given for you." By this He was referring to what Isaiah said in Isaiah 53:5,6. He was wounded, bruised, and beaten for us. He took the punishment for our sins, our peace, and our healing.
1st Corinthians 11:25. He took the drink and blessed it, and said, "This is my blood, which is the blood of the New Testament." In Mark 14:24 He had said, "This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many." Luke 22:20, said the New Testament in my blood. And in Matthew 26:28 He said, "My blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for remission of sins."
In the Old Testament or Old Covenant, people offered the blood of animals for sin. Hebrews 9:7. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people. Then in Hebrews 10:4, it said the blood of animals could not take away sin, or forgive it, but the blood of Jesus could. Hebrews 9:20-28. 20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 Almost all things are by the law purged with the blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. In Hebrews 9:20 it talks about the "Old Covenant" with the animal blood, saying, this is the blood of the testament with God. Because without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. Heb. 9:22. But animal blood could not forgive; it only delayed the judgement due those sins until the following year. Hebrews 10:3. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. And so God said, "I'll make a new covenant with them." Hebrews 8:8. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
And Jesus is the mediator of that new covenant. Hebrews 8:6. But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator, of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. Hebrews 12:24. And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Animal blood only sanctified the flesh. Hebrews 9:13 But Jesus' blood sanctifies and cleanses the conscience or mind. Hebrews 9:9,14. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
"DO NOT" take communion just so you can say you have, or, because everyone else is doing it; because if you take Holy Communion without being in the spirit of it you will bring damnation upon yourself. 1st Cor 11:29. For He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
"DO IT" to remind yourself of what can be yours through what He suffered. Forgiveness, Peace, Healing, Reconciliation to GOD, your needs met. Do it often to build yourself up in faith. 1st Cor 11:26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. To remember that Jesus loved us enough to suffer so we could have life and have it more abundantly. John 10:10. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
He was not beaten and crucified just because the Jewish leaders didn't like him; He suffered for a purpose. Isaiah 53:5,6. But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Communion is also taken for a purpose; to understand or discern what all he accomplished and bought for us. 1st Cor 11:29,30.
It is to help us resist things of and from the devil such as sickness and disease, worry and fear. 1st Cor 11:26 and James 4:7,8.
The Lord God established this New Covenant soon after the fall of Adam and Eve and the flood of Noah. Abraham may have been the first man that God had told about this new covenant on the day that God had chosen to test Abraham's faith and seed, telling him to sacrifice his Only Begotten Son upon the mountain. And ages later the covenant comes into full effect with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
Everything Jesus did was to try and teach us about the New Covenant God was making between Himself and Man - Kind.
1. A new offering - John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
2. A new way into his presence - Matthew 27:51. And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And Hebrews 9:7. But into the second went the High Priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
3. A new lifestyle - Matthew 5:21 & 7:24 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill be in danger of the judgement: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgement: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
(7:24) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. 4.A better way of life - 1st Peter 1:16. Because it is written, be ye holy: for I am holy. And Hebrews 8:10. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
5. By Faith, not works - Hebrews 11:13,39,40. 11:13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 39,40. And these all having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Like the Holy Spirit bears fruit within us, the New Covenant bears fruit as well. 1. Forgiveness for Sins. 2. Peace of Mind. 3. Healing. 4. An inner will to serve and be obedient to God. 5. Love. 6. A will to serve others through love and charity. 7. Sanctification, 1st Cor 11:31,32. 8. Jesus becomes a necessity for life both physical and eternal. Bread of Life John 6:32-35, 41,48,50,51,53-58. And He is the water of life. And the word made flesh. John 1:1,14 & 3:16 9. Endurance.
Jesus' body was the new sacrifice for the NEW COVENANT. He was the sacrificial lamb for the Passover. St. John 1:29 Also found in 1st Cor. 5:7.
Through His body, He also gave us access to some things:
1.Reconciliation -- Col. 1:21,22
2.Sanctification -- Heb. 10:10
3.Redemption from the curse -- Gal. 3:13
He, (JESUS), broke the bread to symbolize how his body would be broken; and He wants us to understand not only how but also why. I believe His sufferings both physically and mentally were for our HEALINGS both physically and mentally.
In John 10:10, it said He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Once we understand what all He accomplished through his sufferings, we will be able to walk receiving and partaking in that life more abundantly here on earth.
ISAIAH 53:4,5,7
He was wounded, bruised, and oppressed for us. He took the chastisement for our peace, he bore our grief, and sorrows, and by his stripes we are healed.
Wounded - for our sins Is.53:5, Rom. 4:25 Bruised - for our iniquity Is.53:5
Chastisement of peace - For our peace of minds Heb. 12:3, Prov. 17:22 John 14:1,27
Oppressed - This was also for our peace -He crucified the conscience Rom. 8:6,7. Heb 2:18 Heb 10:2 Heb 12:3
Stripes - For our healing, Is. 53:5, 1st peter 2:24, Prov. 20:30, Matt. 8:17.
He suffered not only for our healing, peace and forgiveness, but, also to teach us about, Obedience Is. 53:10, Heb. 5:8, Luke 22:42,43,49, Heb. 12:10 Heb. 2:18
And to teach us about, Endurance - Is. 53:7 Matt 26:53,54,57 & 63. Matt 27:14 Mark 14:61 & 15:3,4,5. John 16:11 & 19:9. Luke 23:8 and Heb 12:1-11.
Jesus' blood was precious, because, it was the blood of the " New Covenant " or new agreement between GOD and man. And because of it we have access to a lot of great things:
1.Forgiveness --- Colossians 1:14, Hebrews 9:22, Ephesians 1:7
2.Redemption --- 1 Peter 1:18,19, Col. 1:14, Eph. 1:7, Heb. 9:12
3.Peace-- Col. 1:20, Eph. 2:14
4.Made close to GOD -- Eph. 2:13
5.Access into GOD's presence -- Heb. 9:12, Heb. 10:19
6.Purging of conscience -- Heb. 9:9~ Heb. 10:1 - 4
7.Justification -- Rom. 5:9
8.Cleansing of sin -- 1 John 1:7, Rev. 1:5
9.Purchased by His blood -- Acts 20:28
10.Sanctified -- Heb. 10:29, Heb. 13:12
11.Atonement -- Lev. 17:11, Lev. 16:27
12.Life -- St. John 6:53,54, Lev. 17:11,14, Deut. 12:23
This blood purified and dedicated the New Testament Heb.9: 18,19 Heb. 9:23
Jesus was brought back to life through the blood Heb. 13:20
As the body cannot live without blood because the blood carries the oxygen and nourishment to each cell. We, as the body of Christ, cannot live without His blood. St John 6:53
Proverbs 3:11,12 Despise not the chastening of the Lord; for whom the Lord loveth, He correcteth; even as a father the son.
Prov. 19:18,29. Chasten thy son while there is still hope; stripes are for backs of fools.
Prov. 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go
Prov. 22:15. Foolish is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Prov. 23:13,14. Withhold not correction from the child: for if you use the rod he will not die. You shall deliver his soul from hell.
Prov. 29:15. The rod and reproof give wisdom; but a child left to himself brings his mother to shame.
Prov. 29:17. Correct thy son and he shall give thee rest, delight to soul.
" LOVE "
Another thing Jesus did for us was, he showed us a whole new meaning to our concept of love. In John 15:13 He said, greater love hath no man than he lay down his life for his friends. " To the extent of love that I have for you, have you to that extent for each other. John 15:12, Jn. 13:34, Lev. 19:18
In Matt. 5:44 He said to love your enemies. Also in Luke 6:31-35.
In John 14:31 He said, by what he does everyone will know that he loves GOD; so also shall everyone know that we love him and are his disciples by our love we show.
John 13:35
Jesus was willing to give up everything for us; He wants us to be willing to do that much for him.
Written by Dale Roberts
2000