Thursday, November 10, 2011

Communion- Life and Death and Life


What a privilege to come to this place each Lord’s Day. In the world, we have tribulation, but thanks be to God, that Jesus Christ has overcome the world. In this place is peace, hope, rest, strength, refuge, healing, forgiveness, promise, joy, goodness.  For the believer, this meal holds out all of the promises of God. And we have the added blessing to look around the room and see that our brothers and sisters in Christ have their hands out to also receive the promises of God. These promises are given by God and all we can do is to simply rejoice in His goodness to us, eat, drink and be filled with wonder at God’s goodness.
           
But the promise is not without suffering. Our Jesus suffered but He was able to look through the cross and see the glory of God’s fulfilled promises on the other side. We do not come to this table without suffering. In it, we do show the Lord’s death. We remember and reveal suffering and even death. This is one reason we should also remember all those faithful saints who have died and many who were martyred for their faith.
           
But Jesus also rose from the dead. And that is also the glory of this meal. It shows the death of Christ for sinners but also reveals the life that He has bestowed on His Church through His Spirit and the promise of Resurrection life and the ultimate death of death. 

So, let us eat and drink remembering these things and let us also receive God’s goodness and promises by faith as we do so.

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