Priceless Truths on the Communion 4

In this post we're continuing what we started some days ago. In the last post we saw some truths out of 1 Corinthians 11.

We're still in 1 Corinthians 11 today but we'll be sharing a different set of truths.

1 Corinthians 11
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

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Here are a few take home lessons:

"as often as you drink it"

Taking the communion often is not a sign of misuse. Jesus left the frequency to your discretion.

The believer should partake of the communion as often as he/she needs to. Take it as often as you deem it fit

How often do you need to take the communion? How often do you need to remember what the communion teaches us?

Some of these questions can only be answered by you.

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I'm a Distributor

Notice that the bread and wine went round to everyone sitting at the table that day. This really ministers to me.

The communion reminds me that whatever God gives to me is meant to be shared; it's meant to be passed on.

Whatever God gives to me should not be finished by me. I must not let it stop where I am. Instead I should take out of it and pass it on.

I'm a channel and a dispenser.

One of the errors of the church in Corinth was that they didn't bother much about sharing with one another when they feasted together and broke bread.

Paul rebuked them for this wrong practice.

As believers, we've been called to share all that we have with others. The communion reminds me that I'm a distributor!

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Now take a close look at the following verses

1 Corinthians 11:29-30 (GNB)
28 So then, you should all examine yourselves first, and then eat the bread and drink from the cup.
29 For if people do not recognize the meaning of the Lord's body when they eat the bread and drink from the cup, they bring judgement on themselves as they eat and drink.
30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and several have died.

This passage of scripture is such a blessing. I want to point out something that I'd misunderstood by many.

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"examine yourselves first"

For many years we were taught to remember ourselves at The Lords Table. We were taught that we were to examine ourselves for the presence of an unconfessed sin.

Oh, how I thank God that He delivered us from error, gave us light and taught us right.

Of course, it's good to have an intention to live holy but it's wrong to take the focus off of Jesus and place it on ourselves.

It's wrong to interpret scriptures in the light of sin.

I encourage you to go over this passage again slowly. You'd observe that the key to understanding what Paul means by examine yourselves is seen in the 29th verse.

For if people do not recognize the meaning of the Lord's body when they eat the bread and drink from the cup, they bring judgement on themselves as they eat and drink.

You're not being asked to examine yourself to see if you've been good enough or not. This statement has nothing to do with checking yourself to see how perfect you've been.

Rather you're being asked to check yourself to be sure you understand what the communion is about - that it's about Jesus' sacrifice for you.

Paul is asking you to ensure you recognize the meaning of the communion.

The communion is not a meal for the hungry. Don't just sit and eat "someone's body" and drink their blood as if it's every other meal.

Who does that? Have you seen a person who just drinks blood casually and for no reason?

Even people from the occult who do such things with the devil know why they're doing it.

So, the apostle is asking you not to eat the body of Jesus and drink His blood casually without a revelation of what this whole thing means.

He's asking you to ensure you have an understanding of what the communion represents

He's not asking you to check yourself to see whether you've been good enough.

We don't take the communion because we're flawless, we take it because we trust in the sacrifice of the One who alone is flawless.