communion

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His Own

He did not tell them anything without a parable; but privately to His disciples (those who were peculiarly His own) He explained everything [fully]. (Mark 4:34, Amplified)

The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning. (Psalm 25:14, Amp)

…His confidential communion and secret counsel are with the [uncompromisingly] righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with Him). (Proverbs 3:32, Amplified)

The Bible tells us in Psalm 103 that God made his acts know to the children of Israel, but to Moses He made known His ways.

The Israelites saw the things that God did. They knew His power. They knew Him by His works. But Moses knew God. He didn’t just see the works, God talked to Him about them even before He did it.

In Genesis 18:17 (Amplified) God said, “Shall I hide from Abraham [My friend and servant] what I am going to do?” He didn’t. He went on to tell Abraham of His plans. Imagine that, the King of the Universe shared His plans with a man and called him friend.

It is said of Noah that he “walked with God”. I like how it says it in the Amplified version. It says that Noah, “walked in habitual fellowship with God”.

No one had ever heard of rain. No one had ever heard of a flood. No one had ever heard of an ark. But Noah as he walked with God not only knew what was coming in the future, but he also knew what to do about it to save himself and his family.

He didn’t keep it to himself either. He preached it every day as he built that ark, but those who didn’t know God didn’t see what was coming and didn’t know to believe Noah, so they perished.

There are those that are His own. Those who revere and worship Him. Those who are and know they are in right standing with Him. And to those He reveals the deep and inner meaning of His covenant. With those He has confidential communion and secret counsel.

Noah was in on the secret and it saved him. God wishes all men to be saved, but will they make the choice and take the time to be His own?

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His Blood Flowed

But one of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. (John 19:34, NLT)

And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many… (Mark 14:24, KJV)

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you. (Luke 22:20, KJV)

As I sit this morning and look upon the elements of communion I feel a sense of love, of worth, of belonging. This cup, symbolizing His blood shed for me speaks of His love for me. This cup tells me that to God, I was worth the life of His only begotten Son. This cup, this shed blood, tells me that I am His.

…You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price… (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NLT)

I am loved. God established my worth. I belong to Him.

If you need a reminder of any of these things today. Take out the communion elements. With a simple cracker and a glass of grape juice, God can speak volumes into your life today. Take the time. Listen and hear. He will speak of His love for you.

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He Did It For Me

As I sat this morning with the elements of communion one phrase kept coming to my heart, “You did it for me.” As I handled the bread, the symbol of His body, I thought about the stripes, the wounds on His back. His body was broken so my body could be whole. He did it for me.

As I looked into the cup that represents His shed blood, I thought about the  blood running from the wounds on His head from the crown of thorns. I thought about the blood pouring from the wounds on His back. I thought of the blood running from the wounds in His hands and His feet where He was pierced by the nails that held Him to the cross in my place. He did it for me.

He was made sick that I might be healed. He was made poor so that I might be rich. He was made sin that I might be made the righteousness of God in Christ. He died so that I might live. He was broken so that I might be made whole. The chastisement of my peace was upon Him so that I could have nothing missing and nothing broken in my life. He was separated from God and went to hell, so that I could be reconciled to God and go to heaven. He did it for me.

And He did it for you.

…the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as oft as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26, KJV)

For God so loved me, that He gave His only begotten Son… He did it for me. And He did it for you. Selah, take the time today to think about that.

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A Love Story to Be Remembered

Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. (1 Corinthians 11:24, KJV)

…when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. (Matthew 27:26, KJV)

Scourged as described in the Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words:

The “scourge” was made of leather thongs, weighted with sharp pieces of bone or lead, which tore the flesh of both the back and the breast.

…with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5, KJV)

By His wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24, Amplified)

…this is my body, which is broken for you… (1 Corinthians 11:24, KJV)

Selah.

This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. (1 Corinthians 11:25, KJV)

…one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. (John 19:34, KJV)

…it is  not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. (Hebrews 10:4, KJV)

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12, KJV)

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. (Ephesians 1:7, KJV)

His blood that was shed for you.

So many things to think about today – meetings, lunch plans, paying bills, carpools, but our Savior made a request that we remember one thing, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

With all the things we have to think about, one thing that we cannot allow to be pushed to the back of our minds, only to be remembered once a week, once a month or even less, is the fact that He died for us. And in His death and resurrection He bore “the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for” us (Isaiah 53:5, Amplified).

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases… (Psalm 103:2-3, KJV)

…God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us. (Romans 5:8, KJV)

His death and resurrection is a love story to be remembered.

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Remember Me Affectionately

“Contemplate the love of Christ, and you will love.” ~ Henry Drummond, The Greatest Thing in the World

As I sit here this morning I am doing just that. I am contemplating the love of Christ in one of my favorite ways. I am sitting with the bread and the cup of the communion meal. The bread which is His Body broken for me. The cup which is His Blood shed for me that continually cleanses me of all unrighteousness. I’m contemplating the love of Christ and falling more in love with Him.

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies… (Psalm 103:1-4, KJV)

Who forgiveth all my inquities. You died and shed your blood so that I could live and have eternal life. It’s because of this precious blood that I am now in rightstanding with God. When I take this cup I receive cleansing of all unrighteousness. Because of this Blood I can and will love. 

Who healeth all my diseases. “By His wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24, Amplified). Jesus, You yielded Yourself to the Roman soldiers’ whips embedded with metal and glass and allowed Your flesh, Your body, to be broken so that mine would be healed. Just as Your blood was not shed in vain, Your body was not broken in vain. When I take this bread I receive healing of all my diseases.

Who redeemed my life from destruction. “You have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back” (Isaiah 38:17, Amplified). Because You hung on that tree I am redeemed from the curse of the law and am now blessed! (Galatians 3:13-14).

Who crowns me with loving-kindness and tender mercies. It’s because of Your mercies (hesed) that I am not consumed. They are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). You crown me with your unfailing love (hesed) and compassion! Surely, only goodness and mercy, and unfailing love, Your hesed, will follow me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6). 

No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends. (John 15:13, Amplified).

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her… (Ephesians 5:25, Amplified)

You need do nothing more to prove Your love to me. (But He proves it to me daily). This Body and this Blood says it all. Thank You for loving me with all Your heart, all Your mind, all Your soul and all Your strength.

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:26, KJV).

Do this in remembrance of Me. “Do this to call Me [affectionately] to remembrance” (1 Corinthians 11:24, Amplified).