Jezemeg

To me these verses in Mark and Matthew acknowledge that our 'humanness' makes it inevitable that at times there will be discord amongst us, but what is important is that we are to extend our forgiveness and do our part in reconciling our differences just as God extends His forgiveness to us. What right have we to harbour bad feelings, when God gives us His Grace so fully? Whilst we are all individuals and have a right to our own opinions etc., we can still function as a united body. To claim communion with others whilst harbouring feelings of bitterness etc towards a brother or sister is false, we can acknowledge different viewpoints without necessarily having to adopt them as ours.

When the 'Cup of Blessing' is lifted heavenward, the blessing to is sent upwards, it is our acknowledgement of God's sovereignty in our lives and our willingness to do what He requires of us.

I, too, am staggered that Jesus would invite me to share in the New Covenant. However, I accept His invitation eagerly. The question is asked how does this compare with a dinner with friends both a casual, forgettable mean and one that is rich in memories. Any dinner is an opportunity to learn of others, to share in parts of their lives, to celebrate achievements, to commisserate where there is apparent failure. At the end of the meal there is a difference, we each depart and usually continue with our lives, maybe recalling certain events at times, but it rarely has a life changing impact. When partaking in the Lord's Supper however, each is reminded of his/her place as a member of God's family, and of his/her part in the given commission, that of spreading the Gospel to all. Lives have been changed by partaking. God is so Awesome

When the 12 Apostles shared the cup and ate bread with Jesus they were the ones selected by Jesus and charged with spreading God's word to all, their position was the same as that of the 70 elders who feasted with Moses after the Old Covenant made during the Exodus. When we share in the Cup of the Covenant we are identifying with and taking our place amongst the 12, by our belief in Jesus as Our Lord and Saviour and Son of God. To partake of communion reinforces our membership in God's Holy Family and seals the commission we too, as believers, have been given through our belief, that of sharing the Gospel with all nations.

The Old Covenant was restricted to a few individuals, prophets, priests, kings etc, and not to the general populace. Man tried to achieve righteousness by obeying laws, laws that only served to highlight his sin and worked from the outside in, therefore to achieve righteousness was an impossibility. The New Covenant, delivered by Jesus Christ by His sacrifice on the Cross and His subsequent Resurrection, is one achieved by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all believers, and so the work is from the inside out and not dependant on man's own works at all. While 'good works' will inevitably spring from the desire of the believer to follow Jesus, they are not a means to personal salvation. It is necessary for each believer to maintain his/her faith in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. As Jesus' ultimate sacrifice has removed the need for the sacrifices decreed in OT times (during the Old Covenant) as a means of atoning for sin, there is no longer a need for the shedding of animals blood in an effort to cleanse oneself. God's infinite mercy is shown in that believer's are covered by His grace, yes we may still stray from His chosen path, but we are able to repent and receive forgiveness and move forward.

Yahweh made this covenant with Israel and Moses at the base of Mt Sinai, and it was ratified by the covenant being read out by Moses before the people and Israel as a nation affirming their willingness to carry it out. Moses then built an altar to the Lord, where the animals were slaughtered, blood drained and half sprinkled on the altar, the rest on the nation of Israel, and the carcasses burned. The eating of some of the sacrificed and cooked portion of the flesh of the animals had the same effect as a signature at the base of a contract, ie, that the nation as a whole understood the terms of the covenant and agreed to them. The people agreed twice to follow the ways of the Lord and the covenant, yet despite this proclamation, they quickly turned to their old ways and adopted the ways of the other nations that lived in the country promised to Israel by God. God truly showed His powers of forgiveness, because although this flagrant disobedience angered and disappointed Him, He showed Grace by not destroying the entire nation because of Mose's intercession on their behalf. God constantly forgave Israel's transgressions despite their continuing disobedience and turning away from their dependence on Him.

When one refuses to forgive, one is exercising his own will over that of God's, after all, if God the only one who truly knows us in all of our complexity can forgive us, then what right have we to withhold forgiveness from another? It is important to remember that we are to forgive, it matters not whether the person that receives our forgiveness acknowledges or even accepts it, much less that he has 'earned' it. If one partakes of communion without confessing any known sin, or while holding onto unforgiveness, then one is doing so while separated from God, and so the Body. How can one be united when one persists in clinging to that which separates us, ie by not forgiving we are sinning through disobedience to God.

I believe that Jesus used Isaiah 53 as a reference to His disciples to indicate that once again He was fulfilling Scripture, just as He did by His birth and throughout His ministry. He was in fact once more establishing His Divinity, although some of His disciples were unable to grasp that principle until after His resurrection This chapter helps explain the meaning of Jesus' death by it's reference that Jesus made this sacrifice of His own free will, and that it wasn't made so that only a few would benefit, but that it was to make atonement for the sins of all mankind, so that those who elected to believe in Him as their Lord and Saviour could approach God directly without the need for further ritual or sacrifices and without the need of intervention from another human, such as was the case with the Israelites, where only the priests could enter the Holy of Holies and then only after completing elaborate purification rites.

I believe that Jesus stressed the violent means of His Death to indicate to His disciples that His sacrifice was not to be taken lightly, that it was made as a result of great suffering on His part. His Divinity did not prevent His Humanity from suffering the pain inflicted so unrighteously. At the time, the disciples didn't fully understand what Jesus told them, mostly because their ears had not been able to hear His message. It was only by His resurrection and His appearance to His disciples that revelation of His message finally occurred. Thomas examined His wounds the biblical account is such that it intimates that Thomas was actually able to touch Jesus, so proving that His resurrection wasn't a mere spirtitual encounter, but that Jesus appeared in the flesh. The reference to Jesus' blood being poured out, means I believe, that there is ample supply to atone for the sins of all willing to confess them and turn to God. I believe this statement also is testament to the longevity of the sacrifice, that is a once and for all sacrifice, not the yearly atonement specified in the Old Testament, thus making the ritual sacrifices obsolete.

The religions practised by the pagan nations that occupied the same land as the nation of Israel in Old Testament times often required human sacrifices in order to compensate for any transgression against the gods, however, despite God proclaiming as a result of Adam's sin that the penalty of sin was death, God gave man the ability to surrender an animal without blemish as atonement. These animals were worth quite a bit to their owners so it wasn't a 'cheap' option, and personally I can't imagine what it must have been like to have to spill the blood and sacrifice a prized animal in order to atone for any wrongdoing before God. As ever, despite banishing Adam and Eve from His eternal presence, God was gracious enough to offer a way of redemption, the Laws handed down to Moses were meant to convey to humankind that it was impossible for them to save themselves by their own efforts, but instead of demanding their lives as a punishment for transgressing them, God offered them the use of animals. If one studies the Old Testament, there are countless numbers of times when mankind rebels against our Loving God, so breaking each covenant that was offered by God, but still God would by His Grace, offer them another chance when they repented and turned back to Him, only to have mankind repeatedly turn away from Him within a very short time. A less Gracious God, a God that did not love His creation would have lost patience, but instead as a final covenant, He gave us His only Son as the ultimate Sacrificial Lamb, His blood washing the sins of all believers away forever, and opening permanently the way to everlasting life in God's presence.

I am always astounded by the limitless love exhibited by God for allowing His Son to pay for my sins with His death, and even more, that Jesus would voluntarily lay down His life so that I may be redeemed. When I recall the depth of His suffering so that a way might be opened for me to join Him at God's right hand I am eternally grateful and know that there is no way that I can ever repay this sacrifice.

In the Old Testaments sacrifices were made as atonement for many differing sins, because God had decreed that the penalty for sin was death, therefore animals were sacrificed that were free of blemish. Jesus took the place of the sacrificial lamb by His death on the Cross, and so once and for all paid the price of the first Adam's sin, and consequently our sins. Jesus literally gave His body to make everlasting atonement for humankind's sin, so that we could approach God freely, through our faith in Him.

The Christian faith stresses physical birth, suffering and resurrection, because of the belief among some (eg the Docetists) that the body (flesh) is inheritantly evil whereas only the spirtit can be good. The Christian faith however recognises that sin is a choice, that just as one can choose to do the right thing, so can one choose to do wrong. We are physically reborn when we choose Jesus to be Our Lord and Saviour, we are still in this world, but we now have available to us the wisdom and understanding we need to fully realise the consequences of our choices. When we make the wrong choice and choose the sinful route than it is both our body and spirit that suffers because we are aware of our transgression. Yet we can strive for holiness even while in our physical bodies, Jesus showed us that it is possible by His life in this world.

I believe that Peter emphasised Jesus' physical body in regards to bearing our sins for two reasons. As Jesus was both fully human and fully divine He was free of personal sin, unlike the first Adam, who was the one to cause sin to enter the world. Therefore it was His choice to take on all of our sins, so that by dying on the Cross He could make permanent atonement for our sins and so remove the 'veil' that had existed between God and His people. The other reason I believe that Peter emphasised Jesus' physical body was to stress that Jesus would have fully experienced all the pain He suffered as a consequence of His accepting our sins as His burden. His divinity did not shield Him from suffering the full pain and torment of the physical traumas that beset his body.

When I share in the Lord's Supper with fellow believer's, I am brought into closer companionship with each of them and with Jesus. I am reminded of the level of God's love for us, by Jesus totally unselfish act of sacrificing Himself as a permanent atonement for our sins, removing forever any barrier between us and God. Now we can approach God directly as a member of His family. Sharing in the Lord's Supper strengthens the intimacy between believer's. Jesus sacrificed His whole being for us, what right have we mere mortals to hold onto petty grievances between us that threaten our ability to complete the Great Commission that He gave to us? One should not allow hurt or anger against another participant to go unresolved if one is to receive the full benefit of sharing in communion. We are only responsible for our own actions and we must do our part to resolve differences etc, the other party/parties are each responsible for their own actions. It is not expected that believer's never have a difference of opinion, it is not expected that believer's will necessarily become firm friends with everyone. But it is necessary that we exhibit God's love to each other and to those who are yet to fully realise the depth of God's grace. We must stand in total agreement as to our part in fulfilling the Great Commission, and I believe this is what is the most important result when we share in the Lord's Supper.

In OT times, only those who'd been consecrated as priests were able to go beyond the veil and enter into God's presence, and then only after elaborate purification rites were performed. Their needing to eat part of the sacrifice completed the atonement, there were strict limitations as to who could partake of this meal, to contravene the laws regarding priestly duties meant death, as happened when Nadab and Abihu decided that they could perform rituals as they saw fit instead of as God ordered. When Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, as a permanent act of atonement, all believers were given direct access to God, without the need for the intervention of priests, and without the need for the elaborate rituals that were needed before hand. However, one requirement (for want of a better word) remains, that of our participation in the Lord's Supper. Participants in communion renew their recognition of the depth of Christ's sacrifice for us, and by doing so reinforce the intimacy shared by believers, strengthening the bonds that support and encourage them to continue in their Great Commission, that of sharing the Gospel.

Koinonia to me is sharing and participating fully, without reservation. In Biblical times, when someone was adopted into a family, that person had the same rights and privileges as any of those born naturally into the same family. So it is with those of us who have the privilege of being adopted into God's family, we are all bonded together in love. Just as in any families there are occasional disturbances, petty arguments, etc., that may bring some temporary separation, that's why, when planning to participate in the Lord's Supper, it is important to first do one's part in resolving these differences, before sharing in communion. After all, how can one be in communion with other members of God's family if one is nursing a grudge in one's heart?

Q1. Why was Paul exhorting the Corinthians about the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons? What was going on in the church? What was the danger to the believers? The city of Corinth was one of multiple gods and idols as well as the newly emerging Christians. Even the leaders of the Christian Church were in danger of trying to meld their past practices into this new faith, and by so doing, influencing less mature believers into thinking that this was in agreement with God. Paul was zealous in protecting the Christian faith from being corrupted by the worship of other gods. He exposed the sinful practices that some of the leaders of the Church in Corinth were still condoning if not actually practicing, including homosexuality, child sacrifice and the like. He exhorted the believers in Corinth to expel those in the Church who were sinning, telling them not to concern themselves with what was happening outside the Church, God would judge those, that it was important that the Church be cleansed of sinful leadership and believers, that to continue to tolerate their sin would contaminate the Christian faith. I believe it once again comes back to the fact that we are free to eat food sacrificed to idols, BUT if in our doing so we are weakening the faith of another believer, then we must do everything in our power to strengthen their faith. All believers, but particularly those new to the faith, must remain very clear that the cup of the Lord is not associated with any other ceremony they may have known in the past. Communion in fact strengthens believers, making them more aware that while they live in the world they are not of the world. We have been called into the heavenly realms with Jesus, but to remain there we must abstain from practices that are detestable to God, Our Father.

It is important that the Lord's Supper not be downgraded to the 'occasional' requirement, it makes the whole purpose of celebrating it a mockery. I have always been concerned at the number of believers who seem to think that participating in communion is an unnecessary burden and a time consuming ritual. Perhaps the leaders at these churches should examine carefully just what they are portraying as the reasons for the Lord's Supper. It should after all be something that binds the group of believers together, strengthening them and thus enabling them to go out and do what we have been commissioned to do, ie, spread the Gospel. Personally, I believe that Churches where the Lord's Supper is relegated to an occasional chore, that the true meaning behind it has been distorted and misunderstood by the leaders in those Churches. Obviously if it's a chore than they can't be remembering the awesome sacrifice Jesus made for us by dying on the Cross, paying forever the cost of our sins, and by His Resurrection bringing those of us who believe in Him into God's presence.

We are to participate in the Lord's Supper perpetually not only for the purpose of remembering Jesus' sacrifice of dying on the Cross in order that we could all be redeemed and enter eternal life when it is our time, but I believe that we are to also remember that He conquered death and consequently satan for us; believers have been freed from satan, we are lifted high above his realm as long as we remain in Christ. Of course to do this, we must not fall back into our old sinful habits, we must be ever alert about this, because it is such a simple thing to do, ie we take notice of that small voice that whispers to us when we know we've messed something up, the little voice that tells us we are useless, and we then retreat to lick our supposed wounds, instead of acknowledging our mistake and handing the matter over to God, and continuing doing what God has assigned to us. To me by perpetually celebrating the Lord's Supper, using whatever elements are available at the time, is one of the tools given to us to remind us of just exactly what Jesus did for us by dying on the Cross and rising again after defeating satan. It is a constant reassurance that as believers we are now seated with Jesus at the right hand of God. I never cease to marvel and praise God at this fact.

I understand that the Passover was supposed to be celebrated each year so that the Jewish people would remember the circumstances of their Exodus from Egypt and what God did for them, both in freeing them from Pharaoh and then His continued support and protection during their subsequent trek through the wilderness. In those days it was more common for actions to be repeated than for events to be recorded in writing, while of course records were made they were not widely available, unlike in modern times. In all likelihood, if the Jews stopped commemorating the Passover the Exodus and events surrounding it would become obscured and relegated to the realms of legend.

As others have already mentionned, anything that is repeated often has the danger of becoming a mere ritual, and in many believers this may in fact be the case. However, for those to whom it remains a special celebration with deep meaning, I believe that the repetition is vital for reinforcing one's faith especially during times when it is troubled by other circumstances. I find it invaluable when frustration threatens to engulf me, to remind me that I have a special place in God's heart, that nothing I attempt for God is a 'waste of effort', and that I am a valuable part of God's family. It is up to the individual's own attitude as to whether the Lord's Supper becomes mundane, or whether, as it is to me and to many of the street folk to whom I minister, each communion is a unique service.

For me, when I participate in the Lord's Supper, I remember the love that God has for all mankind, in that He gave His Only Son as an everlasting sacrifice to atone for all our sins. I personally find it impossible to partake if I am feeling any anger or hostility towards any other participant, instead I have to do my part in healing the rift before I feel able to participate to the fullest extent.

The other participants have covered all the verbs that pertain to the Lords Supper, personally for me, the most important is Jesus' instruction to His disciples to 'do this in remembrance of Me'

In my street ministry, we regularly hold the Lord's Supper, often I perform it nightly. Some regular Church goers have a lot of difficulty when I tell them that sometimes it is held using garlic bread and coffee as the elements. Let me assure all of you who are similarly doubtful, none of the regular participants treat this sacrament with flippancy, those newer to the faith have the purpose of this sacrament explained to them either by myself or one of the many street folk who have taken on leadership of the Bible studies. At times I do have the 'correct' bread and 'juice' (many participants including myself are ex-alcoholics, so wine is not an option). The thing is, when too much emphasis is placed on the elements and not enough understanding given to the origins and purpose of the Lord's Supper, more harm is done than if we were not to practice communion merely because we don't have the 'proper' requirements. Once at my Church an experiment was held where the bread was passed around small groups of people and each broke off a piece, followed by the 'wine' being distributed in much the same way, and many were horrified that the Lord's Supper wasn't done 'properly'. Even the position of the table that held the elements was criticised, apparently the correct place was to the left of the altar. I acknowledge that traditions are important to some, as are rituals, but more important is the reason that the Lord's Supper is celebrated, it need not detract or make the service 'flippant' because of the choice of elements that are available at the time. For those of us who participate in the Lord's Supper on the streets, it is a profound spiritual experience. God bless