Let us go back to that night, so long ago, when Christ Jesus gathered with His disciples to celebrate the Passover one last time. This would have normally been a joyous occasion, sharing the Passover meal with friends to commemorate their forefathers release from bondage in Egypt.
But this night, all that would change for the Lord Jesus was going to institute something new, a new covenant, and commemoration of man’s release from the bondage of sin.
The Master’s heart was moved with compassion for each of His disciples. They knew things had changed, but they didn’t really grasp the magnitude of the coming events.
He took the cup and held it up for Father to bless it, and in doing so, He held Himself up. Raising His eyes heavenward, He said to Father, “This is my body,” then He looked at them and said, “which is broken for you.” Then He passed out the bread to one at a time saying, “Take it, eat it, and do this in remembrance of me as often as you come together.” In the future when they did this, He was in their midst, as He is in ours.
Next in the Passover celebration, He was to hold up the cup to Jehovah to bless it. His mind must have gone back to the spotless lamb that was slain for the sins of another, and how that blood was sprinkled to make holy what was not holy. On this night He did something so shocking, so radical, that His disciples must have been stunned.
Let us go back to that night, so long ago, when Christ Jesus gathered with His disciples to celebrate the Passover one last time. This would have normally been a joyous occasion, sharing the Passover meal with friends to commemorate their forefathers release from bondage in Egypt.
But this night, all that would change for the Lord Jesus was going to institute something new, a new covenant, and commemoration of man’s release from the bondage of sin.
The Master’s heart was moved with compassion for each of His disciples. They knew things had changed, but they didn’t really grasp the magnitude of the coming events.
He took the cup and held it up for Father to bless it, and in doing so, He held Himself up. Raising His eyes heavenward, He said to Father, “This is my body,” then He looked at them and said, “which is broken for you.” Then He passed out the bread to one at a time saying, “Take it, eat it, and do this in remembrance of me as often as you come together.” In the future when they did this, He was in their midst, as He is in ours.
Next in the Passover celebration, He was to hold up the cup to Jehovah to bless it. His mind must have gone back to the spotless lamb that was slain for the sins of another, and how that blood was sprinkled to make holy what was not holy. On this night He did something so shocking, so radical, that His disciples must have been stunned.
I can see Him now, as He held up the cup with His eyes raised heavenward and said to Father; “This is my blood. This is my blood!” Then He looked at His disciples and said, “Which is shed for you!” With that, He passed the cup around and they all drank.
We must grasp the revelation that we are in communion with Him in the Spirit. Everything that is His became ours; His righteousness, peace, love, His grace, patience, longsuffering, wisdom, His relationship with Father and His complete inheritance.
He doesn’t have to come all the way from heaven to hear us or heal us. He is here! He is within all of us to touch us, and each other. Receive all you need from Jesus, and give to each other all the Jesus you need.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Communion Part 1
Matthew 14:22-25, Luke 22:17-19, I Corinthians 11: 24-25
The act of communion is ingenious because it illustrates what happens to us in the Spirit when we are born again. It demonstrates our position in Christ and clearly shows the benefit of being born again. He is the only way. No one comes to the Father except through Him.
Down through time, even in the most primitive civilizations, men could understand the concept of communion. They believed that when one ate the body and drank the blood of another, usually a vanquished enemy, the strength and life of that person became theirs. As the victor digested the vanquished into the body, they became one.
So, as we take communion, and the bread and wine is digested into our body, it becomes one with us, mingled into our body and bloodstream. We can’t determine where it begins and we end, and vice versa. This demonstrates what happens to us when we receive Christ.
Father puts us in Christ and our spirits are mingled. You can’t tell where we end and Christ begins etc. Everything of His becomes ours as we become one with Him. We are in Him and He is in Father. Father is in Christ so through Christ, Father is in us. This is why no man comes to the Father except through Christ. He is not guarding the gate. He is the Gate!
So, we do this in remembrance of Him. Not just for what He did for us on Calvary, but in remembrance that as born again Christians, He is in us and we are in Him…Them!
The act of communion is ingenious because it illustrates what happens to us in the Spirit when we are born again. It demonstrates our position in Christ and clearly shows the benefit of being born again. He is the only way. No one comes to the Father except through Him.
Down through time, even in the most primitive civilizations, men could understand the concept of communion. They believed that when one ate the body and drank the blood of another, usually a vanquished enemy, the strength and life of that person became theirs. As the victor digested the vanquished into the body, they became one.
So, as we take communion, and the bread and wine is digested into our body, it becomes one with us, mingled into our body and bloodstream. We can’t determine where it begins and we end, and vice versa. This demonstrates what happens to us when we receive Christ.
Father puts us in Christ and our spirits are mingled. You can’t tell where we end and Christ begins etc. Everything of His becomes ours as we become one with Him. We are in Him and He is in Father. Father is in Christ so through Christ, Father is in us. This is why no man comes to the Father except through Christ. He is not guarding the gate. He is the Gate!
So, we do this in remembrance of Him. Not just for what He did for us on Calvary, but in remembrance that as born again Christians, He is in us and we are in Him…Them!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Walking With God
Introduction, by the Holy Spirit
“I was there when you were conceived. I formed you. I customized you. Every cell, every vessel, I placed carefully within and without you. At the moment of your creation I placed within you, all the skills and abilities that you would need and could possibly ever use in this life. When I breathed your spirit into you at the moment of your creation, I placed within you everything you could possibly use in the life to come, that is, eternity.
I draw a gift out in seed form to let you know that it’s there, then bury it to let it grow. Sometimes it will grow, blossom, and produce in this life, sometimes in the next. But you have within you already, magnificent riches and gifts. Allow my Son Jesus, who joined us to your spirit when you were born again, to bring these gifts out. Not the least of which is the right and ability to walk with me, with us, the three.
How close do you want to be? How much of yourself will you deny to gain me? “Be careful the company you keep” is not just a wise saying, it is a dangerous truth. For you tend to become like the company you keep. So, if you walk with me, with us, and keep our company, it is possible that you may become somewhat as we are. That’s not really a bad thing, is it? Ha! The choice is yours. You are welcome. Come. Let us walk together.”
Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, come. And let him that heareth say, come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.
“I was there when you were conceived. I formed you. I customized you. Every cell, every vessel, I placed carefully within and without you. At the moment of your creation I placed within you, all the skills and abilities that you would need and could possibly ever use in this life. When I breathed your spirit into you at the moment of your creation, I placed within you everything you could possibly use in the life to come, that is, eternity.
I draw a gift out in seed form to let you know that it’s there, then bury it to let it grow. Sometimes it will grow, blossom, and produce in this life, sometimes in the next. But you have within you already, magnificent riches and gifts. Allow my Son Jesus, who joined us to your spirit when you were born again, to bring these gifts out. Not the least of which is the right and ability to walk with me, with us, the three.
How close do you want to be? How much of yourself will you deny to gain me? “Be careful the company you keep” is not just a wise saying, it is a dangerous truth. For you tend to become like the company you keep. So, if you walk with me, with us, and keep our company, it is possible that you may become somewhat as we are. That’s not really a bad thing, is it? Ha! The choice is yours. You are welcome. Come. Let us walk together.”
Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, come. And let him that heareth say, come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.
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