Written on August 2nd, 2005 - 5:18PM Last Updated: February 6th, 2007 - 3:34PM
Paul ends his revelation to the Corinthians about the Lord's Supper by saying:
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:26)
As we participate in this Supper, the Lord’s death is proclaimed. It is a testimony to all creation: the unsaved, the unlearned in the Assembly, and the heavenly realms, both evil and good.
Revelation tells us that the overcomers did so through the word of their testimony and the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11).
That word in Greek, λογον ("word"), has a deeper meaning of a matter or thought behind a spoken word. It can include actions, thoughts or the very substance of something; just as Jesus is the Word of Yahweh, or His express image and exact likeness (Hebrews 1:1-3).
John saw the Lord standing as a Lamb that had been slain (Revelation 5:6), though He yet lives. This Supper proclaims or testifies of the Lord’s death, and this Supper holds the blood of the Lamb in the cup.
Through our participation in the Lord’s Supper, we overcome the forces of darkness. Through the Supper, we testify to the world that the Lord Jesus died, but also rose again and intercedes for us in heaven. His sacrifice upon the Cross has bridged the gap between heaven and humanity.
This Memorial is the Word of our Testimony, that Christ has died, rose again and sits at the right hand of Majesty on high! And this Memorial brings the presence of that precious Blood that accomplished the undoing of Satan's works (1 John 3:8), and washes us white as snow (Revelation 1:5)(Revelation 7:14).
Because he also tells us that this Supper is a proclaiming of the Lord's death, so we can see that to participate in the Supper is to proclaim, publish or preach His crucifixion. In one other letter, Paul appeals to the fact that Christ had been graphically presented as crucified before his hearers' eyes.
Foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you not to obey the truth, before whose eyes JesusChrist was openly set forth among you as crucified? (Galatians 3:1)
This is strong language, a graphic presentation toward those watching, of Christ crucified. Paul could easily refer to the Lord's Supper here, as we have seen it is the proclamation of the Lord's death (which was by crucifixion). The apostle places a heavy emphasis on this fact that the Galatians saw this to chastise them for their easy return to their old life.
The life of works in the flesh is one that leads to death. A life lived by the Law of Moses could never give them the true Life that was in Christ Himself. The New Covenant was a testimony that God's Son had been made flesh, and was killed, that He might raise again in newness of life. Our entering into that covenant was an identification with Him that brought us to death and then spiritual life through a resurrection by the Spirit. The Galatians were trying to go back to their old ways, to which they had already died with ChristJesus.
Paul reminds them by appealing to the fact that Christ was graphically portrayed as crucified before their eyes. Did they not remember what He did for them? Did they not recall that they were part of that death? Did they not realize that His death—and theirs with Him—was the separation of themselves from Moses' Law? They had viewed this representation of Christ's crucifixion before their very eyes, and were to awaken out of their fleshly stupor, waking back up to the spiritual truth that was before and in them.
In this Supper, this proclamation of the Lord's death rings loud and clear! He has been crucified, bearing our sin and weakness; and as we identify with Him, both spiritually and physically in His Supper, we too shall be dead to our old life, ready to be raised again by His Spirit!
As you read this site, you will hopefully come to know Yahweh more fully.
But all of this continuing knowledge is useless unless and until you come into union with Him. I use the word union because it is truly a marriage. It is that deep connection we all seek, for which we most often look in other people. However, the truth is that our hearts will only be fulfilled when we enter that union in fullness with the One Who made us.
This is the grace of God, that He has not stayed distant for us only to worship as Creator. But He has come unto us, even become one of us—in His Son, ChristJesus—in order to share an intimate union with us. He desires such closeness that it truly will envelope our entire life, transforming us into something new and wonderful.
You may have already entered this union with Him and only seek to know Him better through reading here. But if you have not, as you do read, let this Gospel sink into your heart as you read it now.
God loves you, and has cast your sins into the sea. He has sent His only Son as the Savior of the world—that includes you.
That Son, JesusChrist, was born as a man through a virgin who had given her life to Yahweh; He lived without sin, reflected the glory of His Father, God, in all His words and deeds, and was persecuted even unto death because of it.
His death upon a cross was the powerful explosion that separated you from your life of death. It remains for you, now, to enter into that death with Him. As you die to the one you are now, a person separated from God from your many sins, you will be born anew, with a nature predisposed to live rightly. This gift is free to you, with nothing you can do to earn it. It is the mercy of God to offer it to you, as He loves you so much! All you must do is receive it by trusting Him to have delivered you. Simply place your life in His hands and embrace the freedom that came through that death on the cross.
The Gospel is that Jesus did not remain dead, but rose again on the third day after His crucifixion! Death could not hold Him, as He was without sin. And so death will not be able to hold you, as you identify with Him fully through your trust in Him. Let go of yourself and confess Him as Lord of your life. The power of His death and resurrection will work in you all that your Creator has destined for you. You will truly enter a new life and experience that intimate union you have been seeking all of your life.
So ponder these words as you read here of this great God—Yahweh—and all that He has revealed to His creation. Let His Spirit testify to your heart that these words are true, that God is Love, and that He sent His Son so that you might receive the life that is unbound by time and space. As you feel that witness in your heart, simply believe and receive what He is offering to you, even now, and begin your new life as a child of God.
Please write to me and let me know when you take this step, as I will be your brother in Christ—we will be one in Him!
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28But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," don't eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For "the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness." 29Conscience, I say, not your own, but the other's conscience. For why is my liberty judged by another conscience? 30If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced for that for which I give thanks? (1 Corinthians 10:28-30)
Scripture Quotes: World English Bible Translation.
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