Mr.B

How were Old Testament sacrifices a way of God showing grace and mercy to his people? The short answer is the wages of sin is death. A life for a life. The blood of bulls and goats were substitute and stay (postponing) that provided forgiveness and justification for the offenses. God is sovereign and Creator of everything seen and unseen and this is a part of His economy. He not only governs by the wisest of laws, but assigns a reason, in one place or other, for almost every precept. Beyond what has been mentioned, I do not pretend to understand anymore, but accept His ways. The law was a tutor teaching us what we did not understand and could not comprehend about holiness and sin. "It prepared those belonging to it for the future reception of Christian salvation (justification by faith) in such a manner that, by virtue of the principle of sin which it excited, it continually brought about and promoted transgressions (Galatians 3:19; Romans 7:5 ff.), thereby held the people in moral bondage (Galatians 3:23), and by producing at the same time the acknowledgment of sin (Romans 3:20) powerfully brought home to the heart (Romans 7:24) the sense of guilt and of the need of redemption from the divine wrath (Romans 4:15)."

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? Who am I in the eyes of God that He would die for me? There are several verses that come to mind as I try to grasp God's mind. "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known." I know there is nothing good in me except for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit." "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." This all is a bit much to take in. If I could truly digest and live in this (God's) reality of how He see me I'd sin less and love more completely those whom He loves.

(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? In a word, relationship and identity. Jesus proved Himself to be fully man and fully God having the power over sin and death. And, “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” What so called god has done that? The Lord your God is one. One of the greatest themes in the Bible is knowing who God is, who we are, and knowing if God cares. Without the physical I think god is subject to Greek mythology, at least, that's how Hollywood portrays it. For example, Zeus is a god who is out of touch with his subjects. Without the physical we would all be doubting Thomas' unless He appeared to us all. Also, John the Baptist in Jn 3:31 says, "He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. Jesus, in the same chapter says "I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" We're earth bound and cannot even see the Kingdom of God unless we're born again (Jn 3). The last thought is The Risen Christ, Our Hope. (1 Cor 15:12) Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

"He himself bore our sins in his body (sōma) on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24) Why do you think the Apostle Peter emphasized Jesus' physical body, when he talks about sin-bearing? 1. From the beginning God called for an acceptable sacrifice to make an atonement (Gen 4:3-4), which He would later furnish (Gen 22:8). Jesus was that perfect unblemished lamb given by the Father (Jn 1:29, 36; Jn 6:38). 2. There are so many Scriptural references for why the Word of God because flesh but, beside being God's plan, sinful man could not and did not fulfill any of those reasons, hence our need for a savior. Jesus fulfilled and satisfied the Father's justice.

"Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate (koinōnos) in the altar3?" (1 Corinthians 10:18) According to the principle given in Mat 23:20-21 "Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it" there is a communion (common-union) between He, to whom the offering is made, the alter, and things sacrificed on it. In what way did the priests participate in the altar by eating of the Old Testament sacrifices? Dr. Ralph writes: "In other words, not only the offering of the goat by fire, but also the eating of a portion by the priests, was part of the atonement process." Me: A portion of the sacrifices offered to God was eaten by the *offerer, and another portion by the priests. This was the priest main job, if you will allow. The flesh of the sin offering is given to be eaten by the priests that they may show the *offerer that God has graciously accepted the sacrifice, and thereby "take away the guilt of the community..." By doing so, they were worshipers of the same God. They are united in their worship. How does Paul connect this observation with our participation with Christ's sacrifice? "Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf" verse 17. We all who partake participate in worshiping the same God and are united in our worship. *Noun. 1. offerer - someone who presents something to another for acceptance or rejection. Thank you Lord.

I am completely blown away by koinōnia. It is what we do and who we are, our identity. What does koinōnia mean? What does it mean to "participate" or "share" in the blood of Christ? (2Co 8:23) "As for Titus, he is my partner (NASB) and fellow worker among you; as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ." (Mat 23:29-31) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, (30) and say, 'If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers (KJV) with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' (31) "So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets." To use a modern day metaphor, it means guilty by association, which Peter denied being "one of them" (Matt 26:73) that was with Jesus, because the implications could have been grave for him. (2Co 13:14) "The grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the presence and fellowship (the communion and sharing together, and participation) in the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen (so be it)." And so I ask, what is the work of the Holy Spirit who Jesus also calls the Helper, except to point all men to Christ Jesus our Lord and Savor (John 16:8-15).

I am completely blown away by koinōnia. It is what we do and who we are, our identity. What does koinōnia mean? What does it mean to "participate" or "share" in the blood of Christ? (2Co 8:23) "As for Titus, he is my partner (NASB) and fellow worker among you; as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ." (Mat 23:29-31) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, (30) and say, 'If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers (KJV) with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' (31) "So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets." To use a modern day metaphor, it means guilty by association, which Peter denied being "one of them" (Matt 26:73) that was with Jesus, because the implications could have been grave for him. (2Co 13:14) "The grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the presence and fellowship (the communion and sharing together, and participation) in the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen (so be it)." And so I ask, what is the work of the Holy Spirit who Jesus also calls the Helper, except to point all men to Christ Jesus our Lord and Savor (John 16:8-15).

Why was Paul exhorting the Corinthians about the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons? Because they (we) cannot serve two masters. Nor, are we to "be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2Co 6:14) What was going on in the church? They were toying with the temptation to mix idolatry with Christianity and ignoring God's provision to escape the temptation. (Col 3:5) What was the danger to the believers? Provoking God to jealousy as the children of Israel did in the wilderness.

(1 Corinthians 11:26) In what way is the Lord's Supper a proclamation? When I eat of the bread and drink the cup of the Lord. In this way it is a living proclamation. To whom is the proclamation made? It's a public declaration, so I would venture to say we proclaim it to all in attendance, including self. Why is this important? The verse reads "For as often..." We often hear preachers talk about those who only come to church on special occasions but we are told by the author of the Hebrew letter not to forsake our own assembly, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another. (Heb 10:25) That coupled with Acts 20:7 where the central reason for their coming together it's no stretch to foresee a need for a revival. What happens to the church when its proclamation shifts to a different central theme? What if believers everywhere were in one accord with observing the Lord's Supper on every first day of the week? If that were so, it would also stand to reason that the proclamation would also go out to our neighbors who see and know that we hold it in high regard. What a testimony that would be. But the sad condition of the church today has lost that silent powerful proclamation and call to the unsaved. Moreover, I ask where are the churches listed in Revelation?

Why is our remembrance of Christ's death so important? What happens to Christianity if we neglect remembering in this way? What happens to us personally when we forget Christ's death? The danger of course is that we become like the church at Ephesus (Rev. 2:4). As I sat listening in church just the other day a man began to pray from the pews. His payer wasn't intellectually mighty but it was powerful in another, perhaps more important, way. His words brought me in remembrance of woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears. Like her this man was unashamed. Everyone felt his thankfulness for Christ's atoning blood and forgiveness.

What was to be remembered? Yes deliverance but more specifically... "For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you.(Exo 12:23) What would have happened if the Jews had stopped remembering the Exodus? We need not speculate since we have such an example given to us in 2Ki 23:21-25. "Then the king commanded all the people saying, "Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God as it is written in this book of the covenant." Surely such a Passover had not been celebrated from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and of the kings of Judah. But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem. Moreover, Josiah removed the mediums and the spiritists and the teraphim and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him." (NASB)

When repeated often, doesn't the Lord's Supper run the risk of becoming mundane and lose its meaning? Why did Jesus command its repetition? I actually mentioned this in a previous post stating pleading believers to return, but sadly this is the reason most often given by those who observe the Lord's Supper less frequent than every "first day of the week." I agree with Vicki, when she says "Jesus commanded us to perpetually "do this" celebration because we forget." We're admonished often in Scripture to guard our hearts, to be vigilant, not allow our love to grow weak. To be sure, allowing a weekly observance to become mundane is heart issue and a work of faith.

A cursory glance over many denominational traditions shows believers have taken great liberty with Christ’s words, “as often as you do this...” For example, some churches observe the Lord’s Supper maybe once a year where as others partake of the elements every Sunday sighting Acts 20:7 as it being a major reason for their coming together. Did the early believers do it out of a sense of duty? Some say to observe it every Sunday would cause it to become common and loose its meaning. Are we worse off for partaking less frequent than the early believers in that verse? It’s easy to become legalistic or doing thing out of duty and drift from its significance in either case. It is clear, however, that the apostle Paul contended for a greater respect or reverence with the early believers. “Therefore, when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper,” (1 Cor 11:20). The main difference and challenge of observing more or less frequent is clearly a heart issue. Certainly, those who walked with Jesus weren’t as far removed from Christ’s life and death as believers today. But is that a valid excuse? Does the Spirit of Christ dwell within us? I believe the Lord’s Supper “is a sacred meal we eat before the Lord in obedience to his words”. Why don't we as the body of believers do it more often?

Thank you! I have enjoyed and agree with all the responses thus far. I was hard pressed to come up with anything different for I agree that all the words surrounding the observance of communion should provoke a profound remembrance and thanksgiving. Even still, the action verbs that struck me are "Take, eat" and "Drink" because it reminded me of those who were having trouble believing Jesus' as "the bread of life" in John 6.