olori
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Posts posted by olori
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Q3. (John 6:53-71) If to eat Jesus' flesh and drink his blood is a strong expression for "to believe," why does Jesus emphasize this so strongly? What was the difference between the Twelve and the crowd of "disciples" that turned away from Jesus? What is the mark of true disciples according to John 8:31-32?
Jesus was speaking in a parable, this was to separate the chaf from the wheat. The need to make the disciples remember, and teach this to others, the need to keep only the true believer, and this applies to us today. If you were not to understand this and tought of eating worldly flesh and blood, it would be repulsive to us. But to know and to believe in Jesus, what could be better? The 12 had the eyes to see and the ears to hear, they had true belief that Jesus was the Son of God. The crowd did not have eyes to see and ears to hear, they did not really believe Jesus was the Son of God.
They held to the Word of Jesus. They knew the truth and the truth set them free.
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Q2. (John 6:51b) 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?
His Flesh, is His life which is the ultimate sacrifice that had to be made to forgive our sins once for all. He makes the New Covenant with us using His flesh as the bread of life.
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Q1. (John 6:35-51) 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?
I believe this means that we are eating the spiritual bread of life. The Word of God is the everlasting bread. And when we eat the Communial Bread, which represents Jesus body in the flesh it is a renewing of the covenant He made with us. I believe nibbling is when we are not fully aware of the significance of this covenant, and making a meal is when we fully understand the covenant, stand on it, and it is truely a time of thanksgiving and worship to the King of Kings, and a renewal of the covenant.
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Q3. 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?
We as the divisions in Corinth are the same. It just has a different color to it. There is bickering, jealousy, back biting in our churches today. There is sexual immorality that is not usually addressed by the church. Though I have not seen it in the church I am now attending, I am sure there is some division as this is human nature. The church I am now attending does address the issue of sexual immorality. The need for unity is very serious. Jesus prayed for unity of ALL that heard and believed His message. That includes us today. I do believe bickering congregations that know they are bickering are sinning if they do not recondile before taking the LORD's Supper, are sinning. Though I must admit, I had never thought about it til now.
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Q2. Read Mark 11:25 and Matthew 5:23-24. 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?
We are to be one with the body of Jesus. We are to be recounciled to our brothers and sisters if we have a problem with them. We are to be one with the body of Jesus Christ. He is the Head and we are the body. We are to ask for forgiveness if we have offended anyone, and to forgive if we have been offended.
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Q1. (1 Corinthians 10:16). 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?
The "cup of blessing" is a blessing and thanksgiving to God. It is not about me, but about worshiping God.
When the "cup of blessing" is lifted heavenward it is God that is to be blessed.
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Q4. 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?
Only the 12 Apostles were at this meal with Jesus. They were the 12 closest to Him. It was the instituting of the New Covenant, just before He was taken to soon be sacrificed. An unforgettable meal with close friends, sharing and enjoying each others company in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. To remind me Jesus is my close friend. God wants to be our friend too.
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Q3. What is the significance of the 12 Apostles drinking the Cup of the Covenant? To whom would they correspond under the ratification of the Old Covenant? (Hint: Exodus 24:11.) What is the significance of us drinking the Cup of the Covenant?
The Apostles drinking the Cup of the Covenant were agreeing to the New Covenant. They drank this cup with Jesus, just as the 70 Elders ate the covenant meal with God. I believe we are reinacting the Covenant Meal with Jesus everytime we partake of the LORD's Supper. We are revalidating the promises made.
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Q2. (Jeremiah 31:31-34) How does the promised New Covenant differ from the Old Covenant? What are the promises God makes in the New Covenant? What are our responsibilities under the New Covenant?
Under the New Covenant we are cleansed of sin by the blood of Jesus Christ. Who died once for all. Eliminating the ritual sacrafices that were made in the Old Covenant, these had to be repeated over and over again. The Gift of the Holy Spirit in the New Covenent comes to live in each of us who chose Jesus as our personal Savior, accept that Jesus is God in the flesh, died for our sins, and rose on the 3rd day. He promises to write His Word in our hearts and in our minds. In the Old Covenant very few had the Holy Spirit, those that did were Kings or prophets, elders. God promises to wipe away our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus, and promised us a new helper, the Holy Spirit. To love and trust in God, believe in Jesus as God in the flesh, and obey.
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Q1. (Exodus 24:3-11) How was the covenant with Israel ratified? What promise did the people make twice in this passage? What was sacrificed? What was sprinkled? What was eaten?
It was ratified with signs, a meal, blood offering. They promised to love God only and to obey Him. Young bulls were offered as burnt offerings. The blood from the young bulls was sprinkled. The fellowship offering of the young bulls was eaten.
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Q3. 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?
Jesus was showing his disiples that that scripture was being fulfilled. He was referring to Isiah 53, showing the suffering sevent. Jesus was slaughtered like a lamb. He suffered physical and I am sure spiritual pain.
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Q2. 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?
Because His blood was poured out for many, and His death was the marker of the new covenant. It was prophesied that He would be tortured, have a violent death. This was necessary for the remission of our sins. God hates sin, and He had to turn His face from the Son.
I have tried to put myself in the diciples place to think what it would have meant to me. I think they probably did not have a full understanding of what was really going to happen, or why. When Jesus was taken He had to stop the diciples from trying to protect Him. They probably started getting an understanding of what was going on when Jesus arose from the dead and then ascended into heaven. I think the full understanding didn't come until the Holy Spirit fell upon them.
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Q1. How were Old Testament sacrifices a way of God showing grace and mercy to his people?
Man had become sinful when Adam fell, and condemed to die because of their sins. So God provided a way for man to be saved. The way was the sacrifice of an animal. The blood was life. Without blood there was no forgiveness of sin. So, by the sacrifice of an animal, using the blood to sprinkle on the altar, and pouring in front of the altar, sin was forgiven. But this had to be done over and over again to have sin forgiven. For the blood of an animal could not forgive sin once and be forever. It could not cover everyone. That is why all had to bring their own sacrifice to the priests.
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Q4. 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?
This shows the great love Jesus has for us. To be repelled by sin, yet He was made sin that we could live. What a great love He has for us. It makes me want to be in the center of His Perfect Will. Want to be more like He is. I do not think I could ever be worthy of such a sacrifice. I am grateful that I do not have to be worthy, that He loves me so much that He became sin to redeem me, to bring me into righteousness, I can never praise Him enough, I can never thank Him enough, I can never do enough to repay that kind of love.
It inspires me to want to walk in His will for the rest of my life. To do as He would have me to do. To share Him with the lost, to win souls for God. It is the least that I can do and it is what He wants us to do. To share the gospel.
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Q3. Look at the verses above which include both the word "give" and a preposition that means "in behalf of." According to these verses, what was the purpose of Jesus giving himself in sacrifice?
Jesus came to redeem us to God. He was the one sacrifice that forgave our sins once for all. I believe He also came to show (teach) us how to live. He came that we might be made righteous.
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Q2. (1 John 4:2-3) Why does Christianity insist on a physical birth, physical suffering, and a resurrection of the physical body? How would our faith be different if Christ hadn't fully entered the human condition?
Just as sin entered into the World by man, Adam, the first man, then Christ had to enter as a human and die in the body to take on the sins of the world. He became sin, and died on the cross for our redemption. It had to be a living blood sacrifice, animals could not do it, and a spirit does not have blood. Christ was tempted by every temptation that we are tempted by. Yet He is sin free. He know what we go through when we are tempted, which makes him the perfect High Preist.
I think, perhaps the gentile would not have been brought in as a child of God, and the religion would be much as it was in the Old Testiment. The Jewish people would still be making sacrifices. And we would still be waiting for the Mesiah to come. We would not have the hope, or the promises that God gave us. We would still be lost sinners. For the Bible tells us sin can only be forgiven with blood.
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Q1. (1 Peter 2:24) Why do you think the Apostle Peter emphasized Jesus' physical body, when he talks about sin-bearing?
I think it might have something to do with the continuous sacrifices made with animals in the old testiment. These sacrifices could not atone for our sins. If they could they would not have to be done over and over again. Jesus came to us in the flesh, as a mortal man. Because He was tested and remained sinless, He was then able to take our sins into Himself. This way he bore the punishment of God's wrath for us sinners, once for all. It had to be His Perfect, Sinless body to do this. It was the only perfect acceptable sacrifice for God to bring us back into his family.
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Q4. What are the implications for you personally, when you realize that in the Lord's Supper you are becoming a sharer in the sacrifice of the cross? How does that affect you? How does it change your understanding of the Lord's Supper?
This is quite humbling. I feel such a great priviledge to have been included as the priests, to partake in the sin offering. To be constently reminded of what Jesus did for me, for us sinners, is what communion is all about. To be able to come to the LORD's table and commune with him is awe inspiring, and causes Worship at a different level. WE MUST NEVER FORGET WHAT HE DID FOR US.
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Q3. In what way did the priests participate in the altar by eating of the Old Testament sacrifices? How does Paul connect this observation with our participation with Christ's sacrifice?
Just as the priests in the Old Testament partook of the sin offering for atonement, we now partake of the atonement of our sins that was the sacrifice that Jesus made on the Cross. This we do when we eat the bread and drink the wine/juice, just as the priests ate a portion of the sin sacrifice.
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Q4. Which part of the meaning of the Lord's Supper is most valuable for you at this point in your spiritual journey when you partake of and meditate on the Lord's Supper?
It is all important to me. It shows the greatest love of all time. A love that none of us in the flesh could even begin to imagine. The sacrifice that was so horrific, was done willingly and lovingly by Jesus. God's love for us is unconditional, knows no boundries. I believe this is one of the most, if not the most, important thing we as christians do. Christ died so that we could live. I do not think I could name one part of the meaning as more important than the other.
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Q3. Which action words used to describe the elements of the Lord's Supper, teach us that we are to be thinking of Jesus' sacrifice of atonement, when we partake of the Lord's Supper?
The words Given, Broken, Poured Out and Forgiven. They all refer to what Jesus did to bring us to righteousness on the cross.
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Q2. What does koinōnia mean? What does it mean to "participate" or "share" in the blood of Christ?
It is a sharing of, participation with others. It makes me a stakeholder in His sacrifice on the cross. It is an honor and priviledge to participate in the blood and the body
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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?
Because they were participating in eating the sacrifices of idols, and he was reminding them of what the cup of the LORD was to them. They were taking communion and eating the sacrifices made to idols. The idols were actually demons. They would arouse God's jealous and wrath. They would have been in danger from the demons.
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Q4. (1 Corinthians 11:26) In what way is the Lord's Supper a proclamation? To whom is the proclamation made? Why is this important? What happens to the church when its proclamation shifts to a different central theme?
It tells the believer and non-believer alike that Christ died on the Cross for the redemption of our sins. It is important because it keeps us in constant rememberance of what God, Jesus did for us. The love that is greater than any other love. I think when the church switches to a different central theme it is no longer Christ oriented. And other things become more important than the reason we are here, which is to be Christ like.
Q4. Discourse and the Words of Institution
in 8. Eating His Flesh, Drinking His Blood (John 6:53-57)
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Jesus is food nourishment to our spirit just as food is nourishment to our fleshly body. Without food out fleshly body will die. Without the spiritual food that Jesus offers us the spirit will die. We must always feed on the Word, and Jesus is the Word.