Though we are separated physically as the body of Christ we are never separated in spirit being united in one faith and in one love for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
This season of change because of the covid virus we know it is our Father’s will for us and as followers of Christ we do not surrender to it in distress or hopelessness but have learned to persevere through it by our faith and hope we have in Jesus and his promise of eternal life. We know our perseverance pleases God because we do it out of love for him which make us known to him and draws us closer to him.
Our perseverance in Christ will also save us.
Hebrews 10: 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. 38 But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
We persevere through hard times because we believe Jesus died on the cross to save us which keeps us steadfast knowing we will never be defeated in hard times because we will live forever in Jesus. That is what Paul’s words teaches in:
2 Corinthians 4: 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.
So, to keep Jesus’ death in our body, Jesus provided a way to remind us of his sacrifice by eating his body and drinking his blood which we do when taking communion. Jesus instituted this in:
Matthew 26: 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." 27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the
forgiveness of sins. 29I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."
Jesus said eating the broken bread represented his broken body that he suffered on the cross for our sins and drinking of the wine represented his blood that covers our sins. In the OT the people were told to eat the sacrificed animal which represented their death penalty for their sins and the sprinkling of the animal blood over the altar represent their blood atonement to cover their sins.
But now Jesus is our one time forever sacrifice which we must eat his body and drink his blood so that we receive it as our body being broken and our blood being shed for the forgiveness of our sins.
That is what we must believe when taking communion. Jesus tells us what we are doing when we are taking communion.
John 6: 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
John 6:53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.”
To the unspiritual person hearing these words of Jesus made them think Jesus was talking about cannibalism. Jesus saw this unspiritual hearing in some of the disciples.
John 6: 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" 61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 What if you see the Son of Man
ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
Jesus said he spoke spiritual words which takes spiritual hearing and understanding and without spiritual hearing his word will be offensive because you are trying to understand it with human perspective and understanding.
Paul teaches how we should receive communion.
1 Corinthians 11: 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.27Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
So, when we take communion when we gather together again or when you spiritually take communion in spirit with Jesus remember what it means and examine how it has spiritually renewed your heart and mind to love God with all your heart.
Be safe in Jesus,
Ps. Glenn