Foofee's Nana

How do confession and repentance fit with self-examination? What is the result of self-examination without confession and repentance? How do confession and repentance serve to bring spiritual health and character change? Confession and repentance walk hand in hand with self-examination in that we must be truthful with ourselves and confess the sin to God...but we also need to ask ourself if we can turn away from that sin and do it no more. In this way we deal with our innner man. If we look at ourself and choose not to confess or repent we cut ourself off from the full benefits of being a child of the King....He still loves us but we need to get ourself right. To confess and repent gives us the open access to our the Father and we need to humble ourself before Him. He paid such a price.....and to let our pride stand in the way of confession and repentance is wrong.

(1 Corinthians 11:28, 31) Introspection by a neurotic person can foster guilt and self-loathing. Where is the balance? How can we conduct self-examination and self-judgment so that it has a healthy rather than an unhealthy result in us? We do not need to be neurotic when examining ourselves or our heart...we are not in a race with someone else. This is a measure for us to look more closely at our actions, to really examine our heart, our motives. Are we living a life pure and devoted to the Lord Jesus....are we trying to come in a closer walk with Him by changing our ways?? God gives us these things as a way to look inward and be careful. Taking of the Lord's Supper is a Holy time and we need to remember why we are doing this...in remebrance.

(1 Corinthians 11:29-32) Why has God brought judgment to the offending parties at Corinth? Isn't sickness and death rather harsh? How does God's discipline actually work for our good in the light of Hebrews 12:5-7? God disciplines those that He loves, just like any parent would. The punishment is meant as a learning tool, to show us that sin is wrong and God desires that we listen to Him and draw closer. We know that as children we had to be led the right way, we had to be taught the difference between right and wrong. This did not mean that our parents did not love us...but rather that they did. God desires for us to be well and prosper, and to follow closely to Him. One day we will all taste of death unless He comes first.....to be with Him is gain...to stand with Him in glory.

Why does "not discerning the body" at the Lord's Supper constitute such a grave sin? Aren't there worse things a church could have done? To not discern the body and to make others in the Body of Christ feel bad is to dishonor Christ Jesus....He is the Body....eitther as the church....or the sacrifice. If we do not show loving kindness to other brothers and sisters in Christ we do not show love to Him either. Our body is in the fellowship of other believers....this is sin....but sin is sin....we should nto want to wound the body....or make someone perhaps weaker feel sorrow for their position. If we wound the body...we woulnd our Savior.

(Revelation 22:4) When you meditate on "seeing his face," what thoughts come to mind? Why should the Lord's Supper stimulate these thoughts every time we partake of it? To see His face....what glory that will be.....to be in the presence of my savior.....to see the love shining in His eyes for me....to hear Him whisper my name as His beloved. I think we should honor and have the thoughts of love and devotion to Him.....our Christ Jesus. To spend eternity with Him because of what He gave up for me.....to share at the same banquet table.....AWESOME!!!!!

In what sense is the Lord's Supper point to the past? How does it point to the present? How does it point to the future? The Lord's Supper points to the past to show what Christ sacrificed for us....we are to remember. It points to the present as a form of our remembering with other believers. It points to the future with the promise of blessed eternity in heaven.

(Luke 22:16) In what sense does the Lord's Supper find its "fulfillment" in the Great Banquet at the end of the age? What should this do to our thoughts at the Lord's Table? The Lord's Supper finds its fulfillement when we as believers all sit together at the Great Banquet to share in the promises of Christ Jesus. This brings to fruition all that He willingly gave for us as we sit and share the body and the blood with a risen Savior. This should make us have a reverance and awe at the sacrifice that Christ Jesus made for us. It isn't just a duty.....but a joy.

Why are so many of Jesus' teachings oriented toward the future? What kinds of associations come to mind as you think of the Great Banquet? Jesus teachings were toward the future so that we would know that our aim is heaven, to be with Him through eternity. I think our minds are so small that He always had to tell us stories to help us understand His love and mercy for us. When I think of the great banquet I think of being in the presence of my Savior at long last....to see His face and adore Him.....to know that I am loved and the beloved of God. It is hard to realize these things and know that one day I will be face to face with my Lord.

How does "eating the Bread of Life" (to use Jesus' metaphor in John 6) nourish our faith? How does partaking of the Lord's Supper build and nourish our faith? What does the main point of the Bread of Life discourse (John 6:25-69) have in common with "Do this in remembrance of me," in Jesus' Words of Institution (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)? Eating of the "bread of Life" is something we do to remember....to keep what Jesus do alive for us. With this act of remembering we know what our heart attitude must be....we need to be forgiving of others. We are nourished in our faith by the calming of our spirit....the ritual in itself is for us....for no other. When we partake of the Lord's Supper....our Bread of Life.....we eat body and drink the blood of Christ to set us free. He gave so much so when we are in this position of worship we really need to be in the mind set that this is His body broken for us....His blood shed for the forgiveness of sin. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS.....HE LIVES....HE AROSE.

If to eat Jesus' flesh and drink his blood is a strong expression for "to believe," why does Jesus emphasize this so strongly? He really wants us to know what we must do, so He must say it so we know the importance. What was the difference between the Twelve and the crowd of "disciples" that turned away from Jesus? Belief....trust....faith.....maybe they still had their doubts but they knew Jesus was the Master and even if they did not understand completely, they would follow Him. What is the mark of true disciples according to John 8:31-32? True disciples will hold to His Word and teachings and this will set them free in Christ Jesus.

What is Jesus referring to when he says, "This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world"? What similarities do you see with Jesus' teaching at the Last Supper in Luke 22:19b? At the Last Supper He said that He gave thanks, for His body given for me.....for me..... In John He compared bread to His flesh....given for the life of the world. We are a people who understand by stories....by the telling and the understanding of what Christ Jesus did for us. What a joy to know how deeply we are loved, to this day, I am His beloved.

What does the metaphor of "eating the Bread of Life" mean in practical terms? To extend the same metaphor, what do you think might be the difference between nibbling and actually making a meal of it? To "eat of the Bread of Life" means to believe on Jesus as our Savior.....I think that we can't nibble....in other words we can't be a part-time believer, or a part-time Christian. If we do this we nullify what He did for us......we need to eat & drink of His sacrifice, knowing that one day we stand with Him in glory.

How does Paul's teaching on the One Loaf affect our relationships and love for those of other Christian denominations and traditions? How does blanket judgmentalism towards the faith of other Christian groups sometimes seem to excuse us from Jesus' command to love one another? Sometimes we get caught up in doctrine....the I am right and you are wrong theories. It really is shameful that we let our feelings of self worth get in the way....of our true worship and remembering what Jesus did for us. Maybe another group does things different....but are we to judge and cause a breach??? I think we are here on this earth to let others know about the Jesus we love....we want to share with all mankind....and not get so stuck on what we think is right or wrong that we forget the reason....Jesus...HE LIVES....

In what ways do the divisions in Corinth sound familiar in our own congregations? Don't pick on another congregation; how about your own? How serious was the need for unity? Can bickering congregations partake of the Lord's Supper without sin? The difficulty may be more far reaching than the local church we attend, it is in the body of believers. The need for unity is great because without it we falter, we forget who we serve and the why's of loving Christ Jesus. We need to settle these differences when we are aware of them so that we do not sin by taking the Lord's Supper with a grudge on our heart. I think that each of us, if we are honest with ourself, has had these thoughts or feelings....we just feel wronged and do not want to let go of the anger, hurt, or the shun of another brother or sister in Christ. But if we do not do this....how can we expect Christ to forgive us ???

How do these relate to Paul's teaching on the One Loaf (1 Corinthians 10:17)? What must we personally do to achieve unity to prepare ourselves to partake of the Lord's Supper righteously? Mark 11:25 Jesus asked that we make sure that we have a clean heart when we come before Him. Prayer is not all about asking, but also about forgiving. Matthew 5:23-24 if we come to worship and give our offering and remember we holld a grudge, we need to go make it right with that person before we honor and worship God. We are held accountable for our actions. To achieve unity before partaking of the Lord's Supper we really need to dosome soul searching and make sure that we are right with God....and have done what He has asked of us. This is not an acto to be taken lightly....we honor Him for the shedding of His body and blood.

What does the "cup of blessing" teach us about our focus at the Lord's Supper? Who is to be blessed when the "cup of blessing" is lifted heavenward? We need to be focused on what Christ Jesus did for us, we need to be reverantly seeking Him and when we partake of the cup we need to be mindful not only of ourself but the great price that he paid for us. When we take of the cup of blessing we are remembering Him and His great love for us.

Why is the Lord's Table such a time of intimate fellowship with Jesus? In your experience with having meals with friends, what makes the difference between a casual, forgettable meal, and one which is rich with memories? How can this insight make your experience of the Lord's Table more meaningful? Jesus invited His closest, His nearest and dearest to share the meal....a symbolism of what was to come and it was such a close gesture. To eat with friends and really talk, to share ones heart, ones's thoughts, beliefs and to feel warm and accepted makes all of the differnce when sharing a meal. It is not just the food....it is the closeness, the fellowship. I think we need to mark our heart open to the Holy will of God....to draw near to Him with love, joy and to remember what He gave for us.

What is the significance of the 12 Apostles drinking the Cup of the Covenant? As they shared this meal with Jesus it was for the New Covenant that Christ was establishing with His followers and beleivers....for all time. As they ate with Him they were the first of many to come....even me. To whom would they correspond under the ratification of the Old Covenant? (Hint: Exodus 24:11.) In the Old testament 70 of the elders went up the mountain and communed with God...they shared a meal and thus the Old Covenant was made. It was a promise, a sign of faith to both parties. What is the significance of us drinking the Cup of the Covenant? When we drink the cip of the New Covenant we are to always remember and think if Christ Jesus and what He did for us....shed His blood for the covering of our sin....a sacrifice of the Lamb of God.

How does the promised New Covenant differ from the Old Covenant? The Old Covenant was not for all but for a chosen few, and depended on the actions of the people, the special sacrifices, the exact following of the law. It was more the following of external laws, whereas the New Covenant is that we are covered for all time by one final blood sacrifice with the crucifixtion of Jesus...He covered for all time the regimins and acts that were a must to be carried out by religious Jews. The New Covenant brought this love of God to the Gentiles also. What are the promises God makes in the New Covenant? He will forgive our sin if we repent We will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit We will no longer be controlled by a sin nature but by the Holy Spirit What are our responsibilities under the New Covenant? Under the new covenant we need to confess our sin, believe in Christ for our salvation so that we may fellowship with others. We need to walk in the light as He did...I think we are to try through Christ Jesus to draw closer to Him, to become more like Him.

How was the covenant with Israel ratified? To ratify means to approve or give formal sanction to.....God laid out his obligations and in turn His expectations of the people of Israel. He would be with them, lead them, protect them, provide for them and bless them. Their part of the agreement or covenant was to have no other gods before Him, and to obey His commandments. What promise did the people make twice in this passage? "Every thing the Lord has said we will do." What was sacrificed? Young bulls What was sprinkled? Blood What was eaten? Meat from the sacrificed bull

What do the Words of Institution say to us about forgiveness? Jesus gave Himself as an atonement for our sins through the shedding of His blood. We have been justified through His blood....we no longer have to beat ourselves up dailt, all we need to do is believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior and our sins are forgiven and forgotten. He paid the price in full....forever for us. Why is it important for us to repent of known sin before taking the Lord's Supper? We need to be mindful that we are acting in accordance with what is right and just and true. We would not want to take of the Lord's Supper...the body and blood of Christ without really examining our heart. Praise God...I am covered by His blood.

Why did Jesus purposely point his disciples to the phrasing found in Isaiah 53? How does this chapter help explain the meaning of Jesus' death? The verses from Isaiah 53 were the very words that the disciples had grown up with, they studied these in the temple and Jesus used them to show them He was indeed the fulfillment of the Old Testament. In Isaish it was prophecied He would give His life for many....Jesus said it again...not for a few but for MANY....He was here to make that final atonement as the Lamb of God. He suffered in the flesh and the spirit... He came to justify many He bore our sins (iniquities) He poured out His life unto death He was crucified with sinners, even thought He was not He bore the sins for all mankind He made intercession with the Father for us

Why did Jesus refer to the violent nature of his death in the Words of Institution? What did this probably mean to the disciples at the time? What did it probably mean to them later? By using langauage familair to the people....shed blood....I think He was trying to get His point across. Not only was this accomplished by the pure act of violence of death on the cross, but Christ willingly did this for us. He made Himself the true Passover Lamb of God to cover us for all time by the sacrifice of Himself. To the disciples this must have been a heartbreaking time, they must have felt in awe of their Master, and confused and wondering....Is this really happening and then it is true. So to take and drink of the blood as a pouring out for all was very humbling.

How were Old Testament sacrifices a way of God showing grace and mercy to his people? The sacrifices of the Old Testament showed mercy and grace because He paved a way for our forgiveness. Rather than just get rid of us when we sinned,, He gave a way of forgiveness, by the offering of a blood scarifice to cover our sin. In the Old it was by a lamb or goat.....in the New we have the shed blood of Jesus as an atonement for all time.

How does Jesus voluntarily laying down his life for you encourage you? How does it speak to your value and worth as a person? What does it inspire you to do? To know that Christ Jesus gave His life of His own free will for me is mind boggling....He loved just me....me....enough to die and yet sometimes I feel so unworthy. How can that be that I would make His life not worthy when He loved me that much. It makes me take pause and try to remember how I treat others...to know , really know that Christ Jesus paid this price for all. This makes me want to serve Him in the best way I can....and to stay in prayer for His guidance.