Chuckle: Gallagher opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read
in the obituary column that he had died. He quickly phoned his best friend. "Did
you see the paper?" he asked. "They say I died!!" "Yes, I saw it!" his friend
replied. "Where are you calling from?"
Good Quote: "Faith is the daring of the soul to go
farther than it can see!" –Unknown source
EXAMINE YOURSELF
"So if anyone eats this
bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is guilty of
sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. That is why you should
examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup. For if you
eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you
are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself" (I Corinthians
11:27-29 NLT).
As we continue our lesson on
the Lord's Supper, our passage instructs us in the "how" we should observe this
ordinance -- in a manner worthy of the event we are commemorating. Paul gives
specific instructions on how we should conduct ourselves during the
observance.
1. As we saw in our last
lesson, we should partake in the bread and juice with an attitude of humility
and worship. The Lord’s Supper is a holy and sacred observance.
2. We should take the Lord's
Supper thoughtfully because we are proclaiming that Christ died for our sins.
3. We should take it
worthily, with due reverence and respect for our crucified and risen Lord.
4. We should examine
ourselves for any unconfessed sin or resentful attitude and be properly prepared
for the worship experience.
When Paul speaks of taking
the Lord's Supper worthily, he is cautioning the church members who participate
without thinking of its meaning. In reality, no one is worthy to take the Lord's
Supper. We are all sinners saved by grace. This is why we should prepare our
hearts and minds beforehand for communion with God through healthy
introspection, confession of sin, and resolution of differences with our fellow
Christians. Such actions will remove the barriers that affect our fellowship
with Christ and with other believers.
We examine ours physical
appearance in a mirror before going out, and we should examine our spiritual
condition in the mirror of God's Word before partaking of the Lord's Supper. We
should examine our relationship with our Lord, our motives for worship, and our
relationships with others. Prior to taking the elements, we should use I John
1:9 as our guide, confessing our sins, asking for forgiveness, and allow God to
cleanse our lives of all characteristics which are contrary to His will for us.
Then, and only then, are we adequately prepared to observe the Lord's Supper --
in a worthy manner with a profound attitude of worship and
thanksgiving.
Love, Jerry &
Dotse
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