"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT CHRIST AND HIS SECOND COMING"
1st Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
Some explanatory thoughts, application, questions, and a prayer:
Paul was not writing about the 2nd Coming of Christ, though he certainly mentions it.
He was actually writing about the ordinance of taking communion, or the Lord's supper.
There was a lot of disorder and lack of respectful worship taking place in the Corinthian Church, and even during the time of celebrating the Lord's supper there were some very ungodly things taking place. So, Paul was writing to bring correction to them about these problems.
But in doing so, he happens to mention in 11:26 this astounding and wonderful truth. Jesus is coming back once again to the earth.
And, we are to celebrate what He did for us on the cross by taking communion, and keep celebrating it, right up till the time of His 2nd Coming. So in that sense the Lord's supper is a good reminder, Jesus is coming again someday.
1. We can celebrate what Jesus did as often as we like to.
1st Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
There is no Biblical prescription for how often we are to celebrate the Lord's supper. It's really an individual matter for us personally, and also for the church leadership to determine as they feel led by the Holy Spirit.
Each time we do observe it though, we are looking back to the cross where Jesus died in our place, paying the full payment for our sins.
It's interesting that the Lord has given us this ordinance to celebrate, because it does help us remember what He did for us.
It actually focuses us very specifically on what He did for us.
He died in our place, He took our punishment when He deserved none.
2. We are celebrating the Lord's death on the cross for our sins when we take the Lord's supper.
1st Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
Imagine that God wants us to be mindful on a regular basis of what He has done for us.
He certainly knows that we can have our minds so crowded out with so many things, that we can in a sense forget what He did for us.
So, knowing our tendency to forget and become so filled with so many other thoughts, He helps us by having us pause to simply remember what He did for us.
He is reminding us of the greatest act ever accomplished for mankind.
Without Christ shedding His blood for us we would not have a way to get to heaven.
3. We look back to the cross, but in doing so, we are instructed to look forward to the 2nd Coming.
1st Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
The communion service is a double blessing as it were. We not only look back, but we look forward.
Each look is focused upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
We look back to the cross.
We look forward to the clouds parting and Jesus descending to the earth once again.
The cross and the clouds.
The next time we see a cloud, which of course we see every day, may God remind us that Jesus is going to one day descend right through the clouds and make His return to the earth.
Questions:
1. Isn't it a blessing that God wants us to remember these two most glorious truths?
2. Isn't it wonderful that God understands our human weakness and frailty to forget?
3. Isn't it a blessing that He has given us these practical means to remember His Son?
4. God says, look back, and look forward. Thank You Lord.
A prayer:
Father, thank You for sending Jesus. Holy Spirit we pray that You would teach us more about His wonderful name.
We also pray that our lives would be supremely focused upon Jesus. That may sound like a lot to ask, but not for You. You can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. May we be found day by day, "looking unto Jesus" In His name we pray, amen.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.
