As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
The Lord's Supper or Holy Communion is one of the most understood of observances a Christian engages in and a sinner can not comprehend, and yet the Old and New Testament, are both based upon what the Last Supper or Holy Communion is. That is what Testament means, Covenant, Marriage, a Contract in blood, and the Last Supper began in Abraham when God made the first Covenant with Abraham in the Promise of Christ, and what would become the first step years later at Mt. Sinai in the presenting of the Law or 10 Commandments to make sin known to the sinner without a doubt.
Did sin exist before? Of course it did, but in the naming of sin, it was now not just a matter of Faith that Christ would appear one day. From Adam to Abraham believing God is what brought righteousness to the person, but in that Faith, now there was overlaid a physical reality of creating a priestly nation in Israel into which Christ would be born as thee Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world in a New Covenant, beyond the blood of animals in which Abraham's Covenant was begun.
Genesis 15
9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
From the Covenant of Abraham, was founded in Egypt by the Israelites through Moses the separating out from the world this priestly nation of the 13 tribes of Israel. This Passover which is overlaid with Easter, is what Christ was partaking with His disciples in the Last Supper, but Christ was fulfilling the Law and bringing the Mercy of God by His Blood into this New Covenant.
Exodus 12
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
It is important on this foundation of the Last Supper that you the Christian understand the reality of the Covenant in it's being, as in the example recorded when David was made part of the royal household of Saul, when Jonathan, Saul's son made Covenant with David.
Jonathan Befriends David … 2 And from that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 And Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.…
Covenant's are unbreakable. I repeat that in a Covenant is unbreakable. Thee only way they end is death, because blood is shed in their creation. Break a Covenant and your life is forfeit as a matter of honor. A Covenant will last for generations from the original parties, as they are that long in human terms.
In making Covenant, Jonathan and David would have slain a bull and a lamb, and divided them laying one behind the other, so the blood would pool and run. They would then walk in a figure 8 between them, and pronounces oaths, including slicing their hands and joining them to mingle their blood. This is a bond like none other, and in the above you will notice that Jonathan and David exchanged clothes.
They were helpless in not being girded in their weapons were laid down. In that trust, they literally became the other person, as they redressed.
They would walk among the sacrifice again and in that completed, would then break bread, stating this was their body and they would feed the other their flesh so the other would not starve, and then take wine and state that this was their blood which would spill for the other, so the other would live. Covenant was all about dying for another as Christ stated, in John 15:13
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
After the Jonathan David Covenant, each bore a scar as symbol and if anyone touched Jonathan or David, it was as if they had harmed the King and the penalty was death.
That is why in the Last Supper that the disciples understood something more was taking place by Jesus. They knew the Covenant of Passover and the ritual, but Christ was taking the place of the lamb of the world. He was informing them He was the sacrifice in it was His Body and His Blood, which would be remembered from that time on, as He had paid the penalty for sin and ended the enmity with God begun in Adam and Eve.
What God instituted with Abraham, laid the foundation of the Law with Moses in the Passover, was completed in Christ at the Last Supper, before Christ laid down His Life and took it up again, Redeeming all.
When Christ's body was crucified, His Blood was upon the doorpost of the world as in Passover and His Body was broken as the bread. This is why Jesus is called the Bread of Life and the Lamb Who takes away the sin of the world.
Matthew 26
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My Body.
27 And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
At the moment of Jesus death Temple curtain which hid the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom as a reality that there was not any more division between God and His Spiritual offspring. We truly had been adopted into the family of God. We were One.
Matthew 27
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
This is what is remembered solemnly in Holy Communion. It is not Catholic where the priest is intermediary in only being holy enough to drink the Blood of Christ, but it is for all as Christ instituted. He is our High Priest and we have none other. All Christians are the Body of Christ and we remember that Contract, Covenant, Marriage, Testament in Faith that He will return for His Faithful.
No one else has this save the Protestants. The Jew still looks for a Messiah, but the Messiah came. The Muslim looks for doom and fire in hell. The Hindu seeks a failed perfection in themselves and the witch joins to the decaying dead world.
In Christ there is the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life.
I Corinthians 11
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
Much derision has been made of if this is the real Body and Blood of Christ, as some discount it, but the Bread and Wine is the same as your wedding ring. Is that ring your marriage? While it is not the family unit, the sexual union, the legal paper, it is the symbol and your putting that ring on means you remember what that ring represents, and it is your testimony to the world in whose you are. It is the manifestation of all that is the marriage, even while not being children or a sexual act. It is the marriage.
The Bread and Wine is in being Blessed the Body and Blood of Christ. It is not to be abused or misused no more than your wedding ring would be misused or abused.
As the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household
What is the Sacrament of the Altar?
It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the
bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat
and to drink.
Where is this written?
The holy Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and St. Paul write:Our Lord
Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when
He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said:
“Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in
remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had
given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; this
cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the
forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance
of Me.”
Communion is just that, communion or the joining of a group of Saints manifested that way in the Faith that Jesus is Lord and their Lord rose from the dead and will bring them alive again. This is the Body and Blood of Christ.
I Corinthians 10:16
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
Anyone who abuses this Covenant symbol is as guilty as denying Christ, and that condemns them. This is not something which can not be not taken seriously. St. Paul, one of the most accomplished Jews in the Law states this reality:
I Corinthians 11:27
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
Remember what was explained above in the Covenant of Jonathan and David. If anyone harmed them, it was as harming the king and the penalty was instant death. This is the Body and Blood of Christ and abusing that is to be guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ, exactly as if you had whipped him, broken his bones, driven in the nails and drove a sword into His side, but much more as the Sandhedrin Jews were trying to save themselves and the Romans were executing an innocent man, which they did not comprehend was the Son of God. You know this as the Fact now, in there is not any denial in any of this.
You are either God's or you are joined to the Judgment of demons in eternal hell fire. This is not something to not be taken seriously, as this is the symbol of the Covenant in the Body and Blood of Christ.
I Corinthians 10:21
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
Nuff Said
agtG
