- 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 Lord’s 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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