Examine

Once a month the members of my church participate in the Lord's Supper. I can remember way back in my non-born-again Christian years. I used to view partaking in the Lord's Supper a different way.  It definitely was not how I view it now. Perhaps you and I share in my past view of partaking in the Lord's Supper. It was more like a task if you know what I mean.

At the time, I was going to church where I had to take the Lord's Supper every week. It was minus the wine, though. You know, I just thought of something right now. And that is this. I was being taught how to participate in the Lord's Supper. That sounds so wrong already.  Last time I checked, deciding to follow Jesus Christ and following his commands was the ultimate choice of that person. Therefore, no one can make them believe or participate.  That's all I will say about that.

So, what exactly does the Lord say in his word about how we should partake in the Lord's Supper? Let me share some of my deep thoughts. Now, once a month or so sometimes in the morning after the pastor's message, he introduces the partaking of the Lord's Supper.

The elders would distribute the crackers and the grape juice, AKA the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Once the congregation received those, our pastor would pray and give thanks for Jesus Christ dying for us. He reminds us to think about our unconfessed sin. We really need to examine ourselves and see if there are any negative baggage before we partake in the Lord's Supper.

Folks, please don't take this like a joke or not being serious in the whole ceremony of communion. And, definitely, do not take communion like a chore. To be honest, before I would overly mystify the contents for what it truly was.

Friends, it's not a magic potion. Don't think of it like, "Oh if I take communion this week it's going to wipe away my sins." Nope, the only thing that will work for sin is Jesus. Not some cracker or bread that is a reminder of what Jesus did for us.   And, that's it. That is what it should be. A reminder of what Jesus did for us!

I do want to give a shout out to Lee.  I hope that you would be encouraged by my writings!

1 Corinthians 11:26 ESV

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

1 Corinthians 11:28 ESV

Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

1 Corinthians 10:16 ESV

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?