"... This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me" (1 Cor. 11:25, NKJV).
God is a God of order and design, not the author of confusion and chaos ("Let everything be done decently and in order," 1 Cor. 14:40), and everything He plans comes to pass, and everything that comes to pass, does so of necessity, according to John Wycliffe's tenet--God wastes no time and resources and leaves no margin of error; He doesn't play dice with the universe. God's Plan will be accomplished according to the good pleasure of His will and glory; with or without our cooperation. God has no Plan B or no backup! He cannot fail, for He is sovereign as His prerogative is due to His omnipotence and omniscience, even knowing the future. We have the privilege and honor to share in His glory and work, which we do as vessels of honor doing His will.
God is not arbitrary, capricious, nor whimsical, but methodical and orderly in all He accomplishes and desires. His election of us was not random as if we got lucky! It was according to His purpose, good pleasure, foreknowledge, and will. God is sovereign because He has all power over His creation, and our freedom doesn't limit His sovereignty, and His sovereignty is not limited by our freedom!
Communion is the opportunity to represent our union and solidarity with the body of Christ and to share in His presence as a fellowship, restoring fellowship and keeping us focused on His death on our behalf till He comes for us in glory. We must share in Christ to be one with Him and to have communion with Him. Everything, including the Lord's Supper, is to be done properly, in order, and decently as if there were a protocol of good manners in His presence. Communion requires faith and faith is what pleases God, not our feelings, which can vary like a weather vane in a whirlwind. It doesn't really matter what dogma you hold concerning the Lord's Supper, because it merely is a symbol of the New Covenant Christ made by shedding His blood, and the body that was bruised and striped on our behalf and given for us!
Christ gave His ALL, and He demands that we take up our crosses, which pale in comparison, and follow Him in obedience. He doesn't expect of us anything He didn't do Himself! Christ certainly doesn't expect our pity and isn't looking for sympathy for His passion, and He didn't exempt Himself from suffering either, though He didn't deserve any. It wasn't karma He was suffering, but unjust and cruel treatment He didn't deserve, but it wasn't the nails that kept Him on the cross; His love for us kept Him nailed and on the cross, though He could've saved Himself, we wouldn't be saved then.
In celebrating the Lord's Supper we reflect on the forgiveness and mercy of God in sending the Passover Lamb, Jesus, to make propitiation for our sins, we also realize His omnipresence that He is with us as His name implies (God is with us!). We get convicted by the Holy Spirit of our sins but realize that if we confess them He is ready to forgive and forget them. God's mercies never end! As we partake of the emblems we are admonished to examine ourselves and our walk with the Lord, and this is something we should learn to do on our own as we mature in the faith--to constantly practice the presence of God, not just in church or during the Lord's Supper. Confession should be a matter of keeping short accounts, not saving them up for communion! But we are to tarry for one another and be patient with the weaker brother or newborn believer, reflecting on God's patience and long-suffering for us!
Caveat: Just like it was a serious breach of holy protocol for the High Priest to enter the Holy of Holies with unconfessed or unrepentant sin under penalty of death; so God must bring judgment on any individual who doesn't regard or discern the body of Christ and partakes of the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner, showing no respect because God is holy and we are to treat Him with all regards to His presence with us in the person of Christ at communion to illustrate our direct access to His throne room. Soli Deo Gloria!
God is a God of order and design, not the author of confusion and chaos ("Let everything be done decently and in order," 1 Cor. 14:40), and everything He plans comes to pass, and everything that comes to pass, does so of necessity, according to John Wycliffe's tenet--God wastes no time and resources and leaves no margin of error; He doesn't play dice with the universe. God's Plan will be accomplished according to the good pleasure of His will and glory; with or without our cooperation. God has no Plan B or no backup! He cannot fail, for He is sovereign as His prerogative is due to His omnipotence and omniscience, even knowing the future. We have the privilege and honor to share in His glory and work, which we do as vessels of honor doing His will.
God is not arbitrary, capricious, nor whimsical, but methodical and orderly in all He accomplishes and desires. His election of us was not random as if we got lucky! It was according to His purpose, good pleasure, foreknowledge, and will. God is sovereign because He has all power over His creation, and our freedom doesn't limit His sovereignty, and His sovereignty is not limited by our freedom!
Communion is the opportunity to represent our union and solidarity with the body of Christ and to share in His presence as a fellowship, restoring fellowship and keeping us focused on His death on our behalf till He comes for us in glory. We must share in Christ to be one with Him and to have communion with Him. Everything, including the Lord's Supper, is to be done properly, in order, and decently as if there were a protocol of good manners in His presence. Communion requires faith and faith is what pleases God, not our feelings, which can vary like a weather vane in a whirlwind. It doesn't really matter what dogma you hold concerning the Lord's Supper, because it merely is a symbol of the New Covenant Christ made by shedding His blood, and the body that was bruised and striped on our behalf and given for us!
Christ gave His ALL, and He demands that we take up our crosses, which pale in comparison, and follow Him in obedience. He doesn't expect of us anything He didn't do Himself! Christ certainly doesn't expect our pity and isn't looking for sympathy for His passion, and He didn't exempt Himself from suffering either, though He didn't deserve any. It wasn't karma He was suffering, but unjust and cruel treatment He didn't deserve, but it wasn't the nails that kept Him on the cross; His love for us kept Him nailed and on the cross, though He could've saved Himself, we wouldn't be saved then.
In celebrating the Lord's Supper we reflect on the forgiveness and mercy of God in sending the Passover Lamb, Jesus, to make propitiation for our sins, we also realize His omnipresence that He is with us as His name implies (God is with us!). We get convicted by the Holy Spirit of our sins but realize that if we confess them He is ready to forgive and forget them. God's mercies never end! As we partake of the emblems we are admonished to examine ourselves and our walk with the Lord, and this is something we should learn to do on our own as we mature in the faith--to constantly practice the presence of God, not just in church or during the Lord's Supper. Confession should be a matter of keeping short accounts, not saving them up for communion! But we are to tarry for one another and be patient with the weaker brother or newborn believer, reflecting on God's patience and long-suffering for us!
Caveat: Just like it was a serious breach of holy protocol for the High Priest to enter the Holy of Holies with unconfessed or unrepentant sin under penalty of death; so God must bring judgment on any individual who doesn't regard or discern the body of Christ and partakes of the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner, showing no respect because God is holy and we are to treat Him with all regards to His presence with us in the person of Christ at communion to illustrate our direct access to His throne room. Soli Deo Gloria!