luray mcclung

Each celebration of the Lord's Supper anticipates a future Passover meal in that the dining with Jesus not only brings us into remembrance of Him but also gives us hope of that Great Banquet and the ultimate Passover in the Kingdom of God. lmc

Matt. 26:28 fills us with sorrow because we recognize the sinful state of humanity and what God had to do to restore mankind, cover his sin, and provide him with eternal life. He gave His only begotten Son. Likewise, the words should fill us with joy because God's covenant is TRUTH. By Christ's shed blood, we have forgiveness of sins. lmc

oops...I answered question 4 in the wrong place...sorry about that...lmc

It is so important to forgive those who have offended us before partaking of the Lord's Supper. Our hearts must be right with Him and our brothers and sisters in Christ before partaking of Holy Communion which must be entered into prayerfully and reverently and holy. The Lord's Supper and unforgiveness are definitely incompatiable as we are all reminded of Jesus' words from the cross, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." lmc

Our small country church outside Millsboro, DE, like most churches, has a table in front of the pulpit and the pasor's sacred desk. On the table is carved "Do this in remembrance of Me." We partake of Holy Communion as a remembrance of what our Lord did for us. This was a radical idea for Jesus' disciples during that last week because he was still with them. Also, the 12 had not yet come to full understanding of this "holy mystery." Later, Judas betrayed Jesus; Peter denied any association with Him; Thomas doubted Him. Yes, the act of partaking of Christ's body and blood was a radical idea for the disciples. Today, it truly is a radical idea for us in that no other faith has a risen savior who died on a cross and was resurrected from the grave. Just like the songwriter said, Come and dine, the master calleth, come and dine. We can feast at Jesus' table all the time. He has fed the multitude, turned the water into wine, come and dine the master calleth, come and dine. lmc

The annual Jewish Passover celebration meal in Jesus' Day included bitter herbs, unleavened bread, fruit puree, Paschal lamb and wine. Our celebration of the Lord's Supper today includes bread and grape juice for wine in Protestant churches. In comparison, the similarities are the bread and wine. The difference is the reason for celebration. The Passover meal was to celebrate the passing over of the death angel and sparing of the first born sons of Israel. Our partaking of the Lord's Supper is to come to His table, knowing that His body, symbolized by the bread, was broken for us and his blood, symbolized by the wine, was shed for us. Love and prayers, Luray

On the first Passover, the death of the unblemished male lambs and the application of their blood upon the door posts of the dwellings of the Hebrews literally gave life, protecting future generations, and denied demise as the Death Angel passed over. Secondly, the primary point of comparison between the first Passover lambs and what Christ did for us as our Passover lamb is both death and , from an old hymn, "there to the cross was the blood applied." lmc

We have been set free or released from the slavery to sin in that we have spiritual freedom, not bondage. When we sin, we seek forgiveness of our sins. Our Lord is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. In our daily walk, we need the indwelling Holy Spirit in our temples and the many gifts He brings for the journey. Love and prayers. lmc

According to the slave-ransom analogy, the church of God, the" people", are slaves, and the truth is that we are enslaved by sin. God offers the ransom. If the ransom had been paid to Satan, there would have been no Maundy Thursday, Good Friday or Easter Sunday and a celebration. The flowing blood of Jesus atones for our sins; death and the grave have no sting; His resusrrection gives us, the church of god, eternal life. lmc Thanks be to God for His gift of salvation and eternal life.

We disciples should apply the principles: "You are not your own; you were bought with a price," by our recognizing and our testifying that God owns us; He made us; He has a beautiful plan for us and has redeemed us from our "empty way of life." Our purchase ransom was the sacrifice of God's only Begotten Son on the cross of Calvary. Knowing and believing this two- part principle should effect everything we think, do, and speak and live our daily lives. lmc

Greetings to all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, In the New Testament world, both slaves and prisoners of war were freed by payment of a redemption price or a ransom. I think that Jesus, Peter, and Paul used this analogy because the people during that time could relate by experience and the world around them the idea of bondage and servitude. Today, in our Christian walk with Jesus, we are saved to beome servants of others. lmc

The single NT passage best summing up Isaiah 53 for me is the reiteration of the very text recorded in Acts 8: 32-33. Why? I can picture this happening as Phillip the Evangelist was led by the Holy Spirit to explain the passage to the treasurer of Ethiopia, the eunuch. Must have been a truly God-inspired explanation as the eunuch learned about Jesus. Look what happened to Phillip! lmc

My Lord personally bore my sins in His own being and physical body when he was crucified at Calvary. I am only a sinner saved by God's grace. lmc

I know in my mind and believe in my heart that the Christ, Our Lord and Savior, the God-man Servant of the NT, is the sacrificial Lamb of Isaiah 53. His substitutionary Atonement can be summed up in an old verse we used to sing: "He paid a debt He did not owe, we owed a debt we could not pay, He needed someone to wash our sins away,and now we sing a brand new song, Amazing Grace, Christ Jesus paid the debt that we could never pay." In what sense does the Servant act as a suubstitute to bear our sins? This is both personal ( He would have gone to the cross for you) and universal : He died for all. love and prayers, lmc

I thank the Lord for the many faithful Bible students in this study. Your answers have been an inspiration to me. Several of you, Helen, photobug, Nelda, Kriss Ann, David Maher, Leo and Linda have identified key scriptures to answer the question. I can't figure that there would be one verse only. Several passages may apply. This week I am drawn to John 10:14-18. Have a blessed weekend. Love and prayers, lmc

God removes sins from all. "He will sprinkle many nations." The universality is powerful in that the sacrificial Lamb of the OT , the Servant of the new, "takes away the sin of the world." Our charge to keep is to spread the good news of the gospel. Do you know my Jesus? If we do not, how are others going to know? Their not knowing of redemption, salvation and resurrection will waste our Lord's sacrifice. lmc

A price (an unblemished lamb, a sinner's prized animal) had to be paid for sin. (God required a specific sacrifice.) Also, the formality of the sacrifice with the sacredness depicts the very holiness of God; he expects our reverence, holiness and obedience. Additionally, the animal sacrifice directs our attention to the very nature of God, a forgiving, loving, caring God who calls His people to repent of our sins and to obey Him. Love and prayers, Luray

The basic elements required for the sacrifice of sin were confession, an unblemished female lamb, touching the animal's head, slaying the animal, the lamb's blood, and the removal of fat which was burned on the altar. Today we must confess our sins and repent. Our Lord and Savior has sacrificed himself as the Lamb of God that we might have forgiveness of our sins, and on the third day He resurrected from the grave that we may have eternal life. Have a blessed weekend. Love and prayers, Luray McClung

God was merciful in that he spared the sinner but through Levitican Law required the sinner's best animal sacrifice to atone for sin. The sacrifice of the female lamb sufficed for one man's sin; however, the sins of the whole world required the shed blood of God's only begotten son, Jesus Christ. The animal sacrifices actually were not adequate to atone for human sins. The Word was made flesh and dwealt among men. The God man was the Messiah. Love and prayers, lmc

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I have read all the posts about anger. Bob from Church of Christ ,CT already responded the way I would have answered although all of the responses are thought-provoking and seem God given or Holy Spirit directed. lmc

In response to question 1 of the first lesson, I believe John the Baptist's statement addressing Christ as The Lamb of God refers to sacrifice for several reasons. First, the Baptist's role as prophetic Elijah, his prior knowledge, his hereditary priesthood, and his wilderness experiences contributed to his address: "Behold, the Lamb of God..." Next, the relative clause which follows in the same verse, "who takes away the sins of the world", is quite paramount in that only the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, could cover all sin through His shed blood on the cross at Calvary. Animal sacrifices would not suffice for the sins of the world. The humanity of God was necessary. Meanwhile, I was also reminded of Peter's response to Christ's question: "Whom do men say that I am?" Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, Son of the Living God." The Father in heaven revealed the answer to Peter. Likewise, in John 1:33 the Baptist begins, "I would not have known Him, except the one who sent me to baptize with water told me...." I believe John knew in his heart that Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb of God. The second part of the question is tough for me. I feel it's like a microcosmic/macrocosmic stage...for Jews only, then for Gentiles and for all people. The comprehensiveness of "sins of the world" was indeed a radical concept, one human sacrifice for all humanity. (Isn't John 3:16 encouraging in these times?) Be blessed. Luray McClung

I, too, grew up on a farm in Sussex County, Delaware. On many occasions, I have observed the slaughter of hogs. "Hog Killing Day" was a big event to a farmer as the sacrifice of the animal became our sustenance. ( Homemade scrapple, sausage and pork chops and ham abounded.) This was a special day if you were a farmer. It seemed everyone had a job. We children kept wood on the fire around the pots. Today some with a totally different city experience would be appalled by such a practice. Additionally, I watched my grandmother on Saturday mornings hold the rooster's legs steadily as she placed his head on the maple stump. Down came the axe and off flew the rooster's head. Then the blood flowed. Having observed animal sacrifices, I can connect with Lev. 32-35. Although I had read this scripture, vs. 32 about touch has also taken on new meaning for me. Have a blessed week. lmc

Hello, my name is Luray MCClung from Millsboro, Delaware. I have never taken an on-line Bible Study and am truly looking forward to this one. I believe in my heart that taking "Behold, the Lamb of God will be a blessing to each of us.