
- Mat 26:26 to 28,
(Mark 14:22 - 25; Luke 22:19 & 20) While they were eating, Jesus took bread,
gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this
is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying,
"Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out
for many for the forgiveness of sins.
- John 6:53 to 58,
"Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the
Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. (1.), Whoever eats my
flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and (2.), I will raise
him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
(3.), Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just
as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so (4.), the one who
feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from
heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, (5.), but he who feeds on this bread
will live forever."
- 1 Cor. 11:23 to
31, For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on
the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said,
"This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new
covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For
whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until
he comes. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in
an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks
judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of
you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under
judgment.
Meaning:
"The Celebration of the Lords Supper is an ordinance of the Church, instituted
by the Lord Jesus Christ, for every true believer of the body of Christ may regularly take
part in it, to remember His great sacrifice on the cross."
The
Protestant Tradition: "This do in remembrance of Me" In both I
Cor.11:24 & 25. (The presence of Jesus Christ is Spiritual. It is a symbolic act.)
The
Purpose of the Holy Communion is to:
- Make us remember that
Jesus Christ died for us. I Cor.11:24.
- Make us conscious
without Christ help we cannot live for Him. Col.1:27.
- Make us to remember our
own sinfulness. I Cor.11:28.
- The healing wounds of
Christ. I Cor.11:30.
The
Seriousness of the Holy Communion:
- It must not be received
unworthily. I Cor. 11:27.
- One must examine
himself before partaking in it. I Cor. 11:28.
- The failure to self
examine brings sickness and death. I Cor. 11:29 & 30.
- It can not be taken as
food. I Cor. 11:34
When we
can take part in it?
When ever we
need it. or once in a month as a Church after self examination I Cor.11:31.
The
Benefits of taking Holy Communion.
- We are doing this to obey
Jesus Christ our Lord and to remember Him. (I Cor.11:24 & 25).
- We get a chance of self
examining ourselves that help us to come closer to God. (I Cor.11:31).
- Whoever eats my
flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. (John 6:54)
- Jesus will raise
him up at the last day. (John 6:54)
- Whoever eats my flesh
and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. (John 6:56)
- the one who feeds on
me will live because of me. (John 6:57)
- he who feeds on
this bread will live forever. (John 6:58)
Apostle
Paul says "you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes " (I Cor.11:26)
Who
may partake in this Holy Communion?
All the
disciples of Jesus Christ who has truly repented for their sinful life and taken Water
Baptism (who got their Salvation as in Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized
will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. to wear Christ as in Gal
3:27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.)
Because we can not take part in it unworthily as in 1 Cor 11:27 Therefore, whoever eats
the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning
against the body and blood of the Lord. Otherwise it may result in 1 Cor 11:28 to 30, A
man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone
who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on
himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen
asleep.
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