Holy Brethren,
The longer I endeavor to seek the LORD and learn from Him, the more evident it is to me that everything I am has its foundation in my heart, which is the newly created spirit man, born from above, the temple of His Holy Spirit.
Jesus put it this way, “out of his heart will flow rivers of living water, but this He spoke concerning the Holy Spirit.” Our glorious Helper and Teacher is the One who anoints us to do far more than we can on our own. In fact, we can do nothing of value without Him.
With that in mind, let’s do a brief study on taking Communion.
Communion is not a monthly ritual with little meaning, but rather vitally important to the life of a Believer. It is a matter of the heart. And when celebrated with other Believers, it is a community experience that unites God with His children in a special way, releasing all His benefits.
It should not be entered into with trivial regard. If taking Communion has little meaning to you, you are beginning to slip away from your first love. (Revelation 2:4)
The Heart of a Betrayer
“One of you will betray Me.” (John 13:10-11)
Jesus washed the feet of His betrayer. Later, during the Passover Meal, Jesus shared a piece of bread with Judas. Then satan entered into His disciple. “What you do, do it quickly.”
Judas loved money.
His heart was empty of the love for God and for others. Judas heard the Words of the Kingdom as he lived with Jesus for three years, yet The Word did not prosper him, not being mixed with faith. (Hebrews 4:2)
What you seek after, or what is number one in your life, reveals what is hidden in your heart.
The Heart of a Believer
A thankful heart of love, and surrender to the One who took your place of punishment, must be the focus of the Believer’s attention while taking Communion.
The true reason for Communion:
Jesus Christ so loved you that He gave His life for you.
Nothing can even come close to this kind of love. Nothing!
Jesus is what our hearts embrace during Holy Communion.
The Book of 1 Corinthians is an amazing letter that is full of revelation knowledge. Along with that, however, correction was needed because of Believers who hadn't grown up and were still acting like babies. “For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:3)
These same actions carried over into how they were taking Communion. Behaviors such as pushing ahead of each other to eat, getting drunk, division and factions are all conduct that begins within an immature self-centered heart.
“For anyone who eats and drinks without discriminating and recognizing with due appreciation that [it is Christ’s] body, eats and drinks a sentence (a verdict of judgment) upon himself. That [careless and unworthy participation] is the reason many of you are weak and sickly, and quite enough of you have fallen into the sleep of death.
“For if we searchingly examined ourselves [detecting our shortcomings and recognizing our own condition], we should not be judged and penalty decreed [by the divine judgment]. (1 Corinthians 11:29-31 AMP)
Discerning the Brethren— Discerning the Lord’s Body
The Glorious Church!
“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”
(1 Corinthians 12:27)
“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all …” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
“… there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.” (1 Corinthians 12:25)
Forgiving others quickly is a requirement for members of Christ’s body. It’s not a choice.
“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)
This is that...
"For in fact the body is not one member but many.”
(1 Corinthians 11:25)
The longer I endeavor to seek the LORD and learn from Him, the more evident it is to me that everything I am has its foundation in my heart, which is the newly created spirit man, born from above, the temple of His Holy Spirit.
Jesus put it this way, “out of his heart will flow rivers of living water, but this He spoke concerning the Holy Spirit.” Our glorious Helper and Teacher is the One who anoints us to do far more than we can on our own. In fact, we can do nothing of value without Him.
With that in mind, let’s do a brief study on taking Communion.
Communion is not a monthly ritual with little meaning, but rather vitally important to the life of a Believer. It is a matter of the heart. And when celebrated with other Believers, it is a community experience that unites God with His children in a special way, releasing all His benefits.
It should not be entered into with trivial regard. If taking Communion has little meaning to you, you are beginning to slip away from your first love. (Revelation 2:4)
The Heart of a Betrayer
“One of you will betray Me.” (John 13:10-11)
Jesus washed the feet of His betrayer. Later, during the Passover Meal, Jesus shared a piece of bread with Judas. Then satan entered into His disciple. “What you do, do it quickly.”
- The Passover Meal was a worthless gathering to Judas.
- During the meal, his thoughts were focused on something else, how to sneak out of the upper room.
- He had an appointment to keep.
Judas loved money.
His heart was empty of the love for God and for others. Judas heard the Words of the Kingdom as he lived with Jesus for three years, yet The Word did not prosper him, not being mixed with faith. (Hebrews 4:2)
What you seek after, or what is number one in your life, reveals what is hidden in your heart.
The Heart of a Believer
A thankful heart of love, and surrender to the One who took your place of punishment, must be the focus of the Believer’s attention while taking Communion.
The true reason for Communion:
Jesus Christ so loved you that He gave His life for you.
Nothing can even come close to this kind of love. Nothing!
Jesus is what our hearts embrace during Holy Communion.
The Book of 1 Corinthians is an amazing letter that is full of revelation knowledge. Along with that, however, correction was needed because of Believers who hadn't grown up and were still acting like babies. “For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:3)
These same actions carried over into how they were taking Communion. Behaviors such as pushing ahead of each other to eat, getting drunk, division and factions are all conduct that begins within an immature self-centered heart.
“For anyone who eats and drinks without discriminating and recognizing with due appreciation that [it is Christ’s] body, eats and drinks a sentence (a verdict of judgment) upon himself. That [careless and unworthy participation] is the reason many of you are weak and sickly, and quite enough of you have fallen into the sleep of death.
“For if we searchingly examined ourselves [detecting our shortcomings and recognizing our own condition], we should not be judged and penalty decreed [by the divine judgment]. (1 Corinthians 11:29-31 AMP)
Discerning the Brethren— Discerning the Lord’s Body
The Glorious Church!
“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”
(1 Corinthians 12:27)
“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all …” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
“… there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.” (1 Corinthians 12:25)
Forgiving others quickly is a requirement for members of Christ’s body. It’s not a choice.
“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)
This is that...
"For in fact the body is not one member but many.”
(1 Corinthians 11:25)