Many churches have Communion just as a religious ritual taken once a month or when they feel led. But what is Communion really all about? Communion has been a part of the church for over 2,000 years. The majority if not all of you have been given the elements, and taken them, but do you truly know what it means? Is there a greater spiritual reality in partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ?
On the night Jesus was betrayed into the hands of the religious leaders, He shared one final Passover meal with His disciples. With that meal, He served them what we have come to know as Communion. In those sacred moments, Jesus and His disciples entering into covenant with each other. In the same way, when we partake of Communion today, we enter into covenant with Jesus Christ personally and reaffirm the eternal covenant God made with us through His Son Jesus Christ. Understanding what a covenant is and what it means is foundational to understanding and truly appreciating Communion.
The nine components of a covenant are: covenant promises, a blood sacrifice, a bloody path, blessings and curses, the mingling of blood, the exchange of names, and an exchange of gifts, a covenant meal, and a memorial event. We are going to focus on the covenant meal (Communion).
Along with the other eight components listed above, covenant partners typically shared a covenant meal. This consisted of bread and wine. The bread represented flesh. It was also symbolic of a person's wealth and all that he or she possessed. Covenant partners would take a loaf of bread and divide it in half, symbolizing the sharing of one another's resources. When people cut covenant and broke bread together, it was the equivalent of saying, "Everything I have is at your disposal."
Wine represented blood. Covenant partners could drink wine as a symbol of blood, giving their life to the other. Depending on the church, wine or juice is used in the taking of Communion. Both are produced by the crushing or squeezing of grapes, which depicts that life has been given; someone has sacrificed their life, shedding their blood to keep the covenant.
So bread was the promise of shared wealth and possessions, and wine symbolized the life's blood to empower the promise. The drinking of the cup was each participant's way of saying, "If I have to give my life to empower this covenant, I will give it. I will give everything I have to stand by the commitment I'm making to you this day." This covenant meal of bread and wine is powerful!
Each element declared, "My body is your body; my blood is your blood, and we have become one in every way." As believers, Communion is our covenant meal. Jesus literally made a covenant with His disciples through Communion; it was not a mere ritual. Every part of that evening was the making of a real, legitimate covenant, and the disciples clearly understood what was happening.
Now let’s look at a historical teaching from the early church. There is an ancient religious text called the “Didache (D-deh-kay)”, which is a work cited by the Christian writers Clement of Alexandria, Eusebius of Caesarea, and Athanasius. Though known through those authors, the Didache in manuscript form had been lost for over 1,400 years until it was rediscovered in 1873 by a Greek Orthodox Metropolitan, Philotheos Bryennios, in the Jerusalem Monastery of the Most Holy Sepulcher in Istanbul. Bryennios published the Didache in 1883. It was immediately recognized as one of the most important manuscripts of the early church because it was obviously written before church hierarchy was firmly in place and was very close to the Apostolic Age.
The Didache begins: “The teaching of the Lord through the twelve Apostles to the Gentiles (meaning ‘nations’).”
According to the Teaching, this is how Communion should be celebrated:
“And with respect to the thanksgiving meal, you shall give thanks as follows: First with respect to the cup: ‘We give you thanks, our Father, for the holy vine of David, your child, which you made known to us through Jesus your child. To you be the glory forever.’
And with respect to the fragment of bread: ‘We give you thanks, our Father, for the life and knowledge that you made known to us through Jesus your child. To you be the glory forever.
As this fragment of bread was scattered upon the mountains and was gathered to become one, so may your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom. For the glory and the power are yours through Jesus Christ forever.’
But let no one eat or drink from your thanksgiving meal unless they have been baptized in the name of the Lord. For also the Lord has said about this, ‘Do not give what is holy to the dogs.’
And when you have had enough to eat, you shall give thanks as follows: ‘We give you thanks, holy Father, for your holy name which you have made reside in our hearts, and for the knowledge, faith and immortality that you made known to us through Jesus your child. To you be the glory forever.
You, O Master Almighty, created all things for the sake of your name, and gave both food and drink to humans for their refreshment, that they might give you thanks. And you graciously provided us with spiritual food and drink and eternal life through your child.
Above all we thank you because you are powerful. To you be the glory forever. Remember your church, O Lord; save it from all evil, and perfect it in your love. And gather it from the four winds into your kingdom, which you prepared for it. For yours is the power and the glory forever.
May grace come and this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. If anyone is holy, let him come; if anyone is not, let him repent. Maranatha! Amen.
But permit the prophets to give thanks as often as they wish.” Didache 9.10
For the purposes of this teaching I want to dive into Paul’s teaching of the Lord’s Supper, aka Communion found in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. The New Kings James translation breaks this portion of scripture up in three parts.
Conduct at the Lord’s Supper
1 Corinthians 11:17-22
“Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.”
Institution the Lord’s Supper
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”
Examine Yourself
1 Corinthians 11:27-34
“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.”
Now let’s begin to dig in a little deeper and break down some of these verses and see what the scripture reveals to us.
1 Corinthians 11:17–22 is Paul's rebuke to the church in Corinth for their abuse of this sacred time. They had turned it into a gathering where the wealthy ate and drank in excess, leaving the poorer brothers and sisters hungry and humiliated. Paul warns that communion should be a time of self-examination about our personal sin and Christ's sacrifice for the remission of it, as well as a time to unite the body of Christ, the church, while partaking of the holy elements of the blood and body of Christ. Some in Corinth were sick and others had died as part of God's judgment for participating in communion in an unworthy manner.
1 Corinthians 11:23
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;”
What Paul is about to teach to the Corinthians is from direct revelation he received from the Lord Jesus. He is telling them the story of what happened on the night Jesus was betrayed by Judas. This was in an upper room for the Passover meal. He is not just teaching something he learned from man. In today’s time sadly communion has become a monthly religious routine in most churches. It’s been diluted over the centuries and passed down through man. If you do a study into the early church and you will see a vast difference in the reverence and understanding of this holy sacrament.
Most leaders stop with v.25 “do this in remembrance of me” and never fully lead the assembly to examine themselves nor what this means before partaking! Believers are neither self-examining, nor honoring the Body of Christ (meaning their fellow brother and sisters in Christ) v.29, they are gossiping, backbiting, self-serving, jealous, etc. towards one another. This must not be so!
1 Corinthians 11:24
“and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
We see the same in Mathew 26:26 which says, “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
The disciples were unaware at that moment that Jesus' body would be sacrificed for them, for their sin and ours on the cross! During communion, when bread is broken and distributed, we are meant to examine ourselves, confess any sin with genuine repentance and keep His sacrifice before us!
I have seen many people emotionally, mentally, and physically healed as they partake in the bread!
Isaiah 53:4-5
“Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”
We see Peter quote from this passage as well.
1 Peter 2:24
“who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”
God has always made promises to His people through covenants, and along with them given signs and meals to point to and confirm His blessings. Communion is the meal of the New Covenant. It is a holy time and not something to just be done flippantly. It is to be honored and followed with reverence of the Lord Jesus and His sacrifice for us!
1 Corinthians 11:25
“In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Next, Jesus distributes the wine. In Scripture, wine and blood are frequently connected metaphorically
Isaiah 63:3
“I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes.”
Revelation 19:13, 15-16
“He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Deuteronomy even refers to wine as "the blood of the grape" (Deuteronomy 32:14). After the supper ended, Jesus raised the cup and commanded the disciples to remember Him whenever they drank from it, as part of the Communion remembrance.
This must have confused the disciples, though they were used to hearing Jesus say hard to understand things through parables. Jesus would soon go to the cross, shed His innocent blood, the Righteous for the unrighteous, for the remission of sin for anyone who will put their faith (trust and commitment) in Christ. He would become the final sacrifice. Hebrews 9:22 says “…For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
Jesus calls this cup the “New Covenant." God had made the old covenant with His people Israel during the time of Moses. It was also sealed with blood, that of sacrificial animals (Exodus 24:1–8). The new covenant is between God and all those He calls to faith in Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 9:14-15
“how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”
1 Corinthians 11:26
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”
I encourage you to study the gospel accounts of the Lord’s Supper as well. You can find it in Matthew 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-26, Luke 22:15-20, and John 13. Jesus commanded the disciples to be intentional about remembering Him and His sacrifice when they come together to partake in Communion.
We eat and drink in remembrance of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for our sin. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus institutes the ordinance of Communion. Because Jesus is leaving, He takes the Passover elements of bread and wine and uses them to remind us of His death and resurrection. In place of the ordinance of Communion in John 13-17 Jesus teaches about the Holy Spirit. Jesus explains that although He will be absent, the Holy Spirit would be present with the disciples. So the bread and the wine are symbols of Jesus’ death and resurrection. They picture the Lord’s sacrifice as the Lamb of God for our sin. They are portrayals of His perfect love. They are reminders of His presence with us through the Holy Spirit. We embrace and encounter the Lord Jesus Christ as we eat and drink by faith and by the Spirit.
Now Paul reveals another purpose for observing the Lord’s Supper. It is a proclamation that Christ died for the sin of all who have faith (trust and commitment) in Him. Built into that proclamation is the promise that Jesus will one day return. In that way, the Lord's Supper involves a reflection back to the cross and looking forward to Jesus’ return to earth. This is the Marantha cry, He’s Coming, He Came, and He’s Coming Again! This creates a unique sense in which the gospel has meaning into every moment of history. The past (reflecting back to the Cross), the present (partaking in communion), and the future (Jesus’ second coming)!
1 Corinthians 11:27
“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.”
Scripture often warns us that God's commands are not to be taken lightly.
Deuteronomy 30:16-18
“For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy. “But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.”
Galatians 6:7
“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.”
Hebrews 2:1-3
“So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?”
Even when the consequences of disobedience aren't immediate, they can be devastating.
Romans 2:5
“But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”
Paul tells of the high stakes for those participating in the Lord's Supper in a "wrong spirit." Beloved, please understand that first and foremost this is speaking to those who are not born again, who have not surrendered their life to Jesus, the unbeliever. The American church, with its revolving door policy is full of unbelievers partaking in communion every month, or however often that church does this. Many have no idea who in their congregation is even born again. It has become a religious routine, and there is no reverence.
However there is another meaning for the believer and the Corinthians had been doing exactly that. They were using communion as a freewheeling party of sorts, with the wealthy believers treating the poorer believers badly, they were mistreating others within the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:17–22).
Paul writes that blatant ungodliness (habitual unrepented sin and disrespect to the Lord’s family) while eating the bread and drinking the cup of the Lord's Supper will cause them to be guilty of sinning against the blood and body of Christ.
Judas Iscariot gives us an example of what it means to be guilty of the body and blood of Jesus. There are serious negative repercussions that can result from taking Communion unworthily. To avoid these consequences, we must learn to carefully examine ourselves and know that we are truly living in covenant with God and His people.
The word "unworthily" in this verse is the Greek word “anaxios”, which means unworthily; unfit; not equal to the task. This word carries the idea of not matching the value of the act, honor, position, or task. The fact that the Holy Spirit moved on Paul to write this warning tells us that some people who come to the Lord's Table are unfit to take Communion, their character does not match the value or honor of receiving the elements representing the body and blood of Jesus. These are individuals who say the right thing with their lips, but the actions of their life speak differently (Isa. 29:13).
This describes Judas Iscariot on the night of the last supper. He sat at the table with the rest of the disciples and pretended to enter into covenant with Jesus, but he was already in covenant with Jesus' enemies. Satan had entered Judas' heart and sown seeds of betrayal, and in that poisoned state, he ate the bread and drank of the cup as if nothing was wrong. His actions were unworthy, and he became guilty of the body and blood of the Lord!
The word "guilty" in Greek is the word “enochos”, which describes someone liable; indicted; or charged. This is a person who is held responsible for a wrong action, behavior, or motive. Clearly, God looks at taking Communion very seriously, and so should we. It is not just the elements we need to understand; we need to understand the meaning of the holy covenant Communion represents. It is meant to commemorate the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. Those who treat such an event and take it in a careless way, are not entirely unlike those who stood by and laughed while Jesus died (Matthew 27:38–44). Or the indifferent soldiers who pursue pleasure as He bled to death (John 19:23–24).
Unlike those bystanders, born again children of God are supposed to know the meaning and importance of the crucifixion. To disrespect communion through selfishness, arrogance and disobedience is not a small charge. By receiving the bread and wine (or juice), we are saying we are in covenant with God and with one another. If you are not living as a covenant keeping believer, you should not partake of Communion.
1 Corinthians 11:28
“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”
Every person must examine themselves before eating the bread that represents Christ's body and drinking the cup that represents His blood.
The word "examine" in Greek is the word “dokimadzo”, and it means to test, examine, or inspect. It can also be translated to scrutinize or determine the quality or sincerity of a thing. Once the object (or person) being scrutinized has passed the test, it can now be viewed as genuine and sincere. This word dokimadzo was used to illustrate tests used to determine real and counterfeit coinage. It was also used to describe the process of testing an individual's character to see if they were deemed "fit" for public office.
In the context of this verse, the word dokimadzo means to examine yourself to see if you are in a state of genuine covenant, are you actually living up to the terms of the new covenant in Christ's blood and spiritually fit to partake of Communion. This is not about behaving perfectly. It is about being in good standing with God and others through repentance and faith in Christ. This means when the Holy Spirit convicts you of something that is out of line, you deal with it quickly; you don't sweep it under the rug.
Believers should humbly acknowledge the gift of grace given to them through Jesus' shed blood and broken body before observing the Lord's Supper. Those who know they are living in habitual sin of disobedience to God should not partake. We are each accountable to the Lord, do not let anyone pressure you into taking if your conscience is not clear to do so. Get before the Lord and deal with whatever is upon your heart first!
It also seems Paul had specific sins in mind based on how the Corinthians were acting towards one another. In this context, there was a lack of love and concern on the part of wealthy believers for the poorer Christians among them. This was in violation against a command of the Lord Jesus.
John 13:34-35
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart (Psalms 139:23-24), and repent of anything brought to your attention. Then, when confident that you are not doing so in a wrong spirit, you should eat and drink. But not before then!
1 Corinthians 11:29
“For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”
The word "judgment" in the NKJV is “damnation” in the KJV, it is the Greek word “krima”, which describes a decree; a judgment; or a verdict with an adverse consequence. Just as there are natural laws that cannot be broken, there are also spiritual laws to which we must adhere. If you break a spiritual law, which in this case is breaking covenant, there are certain consequences.
Hence, if you partake of the bread and the cup with an insincere heart that is not honoring the Lord and upholding His covenant, you bring a judgment upon yourself by "not discerning the Lord's body". What does this mean to not discern the Lord’s body?
My interpretation is that Paul is talking first individually, that by continuing in habitual sin we are not recognizing the sacrifice Jesus gave to truly free us from the power of sin. He did not suffer and die just to get us to heaven one day. He gave His life to free us from the power of sin here and now, to restore a right relationship back to the Father, and by His grace to empower us to walk as He walked, in full trust and obedience to Him.
Secondly Paul is talking about the parallel between Christ's body and the "Body of Christ," known as the church. In other words, we must see Jesus in our fellow Christians and treat them as we would treat Jesus when we come together. This seems to fit with what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10.
1 Corinthians 10:16–17
“When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body.”
The words "not discerning" in Greek depict one's inability to discern, to judge, to appreciate, or to be truthful. In this phrase, it describes one who lacks discernment; one who has no appreciation; one who does not rightly value Christ's sacrificial covenant.
Remember at the start I listed the components of a covenant, one of the components of a covenant is blessings and curses. A person who maintained their part of the covenant reaped blessings. However, if he or she broke their covenant commitment, they experienced adverse consequences. In the same way, people who receive the bread and the cup and pretend to be in covenant relationship with God and His people but are not living up to the covenant terms, they will reap negative repercussions!
If a person proclaims Jesus' death, but is living in disobedience, that person is essentially asking God to judge them.
Galatians 6:7-8
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”
Whether by ignorance, arrogance, or error, insulting the sacrifice of Christ (even symbolically) is something God takes seriously!
1 Corinthians 11:30
“For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.”
Paul writes that many among the Corinthians were weak, chronically ill, and some dying. Notice the word "many." It is the Greek word “polus”, which indicates great numbers. The Bible says that great numbers of people are "weak and sick" because they have taken Communion unworthily.
The word "weak" here is the Greek word “asthenes”, which describes a wide range of infirmities; it is an all-encompassing term that embraces all forms of sickness, disease, and weaknesses. It depicts a wide range of illnesses and can also denote being financially poor. This word is also used to convey the idea of something that is fragile and must be treated with supreme care.
This brings us to the word "sick," which is the Greek word “arroustos”, and it means to be in bad health; to possess a weak and broken condition. This depicts a person so weak and sick that he has become critically ill.
Not only are "many" weak and sick, but many also "sleep”, which is the Greek word “koimaomai”, and it describes sleep or a deep sleep. It is the word from which we get the word coma. This word can also refer to death.
We must understand, it is God who allowed the weakness, illness, and death to them as discipline for their failure to observe communion with proper respect for Jesus’ sacrifice and for their brothers and sisters in Christ.
Many people struggle with the idea that God would allow illness or death to a Christian for continuing to participate in sinful practices. It fits perfectly with Paul's earlier warning to the Corinthians about the Israelites who died in the wilderness after escaping from Egypt. Paul clearly implied that God would do similar things to them if they participated in idolatry and other sins (1 Corinthians 10:1–13).
Here are just a few other examples from scripture.
Exodus 32:35
“Then the LORD sent a great plague upon the people because they had worshiped the calf Aaron had made.”
Psalm 119:67
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.”
Beloved this is Jesus speaking to the church of Thyatira
Revelation 2:20-23
“Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.”
Keep in mind that this strong warning about receiving Communion was written by the apostle Paul to the Corinthian church. At that time they were embroiled in bitter fighting, jealously, and divisions. They were even taking one other to court and suing each other. And in that condition, they were partaking of Communion. They claimed to be in covenant with God and one another, but their behavior demonstrated just the opposite. They were not living up to the terms of the covenant, and therefore were taking Communion unworthily and reaping dreadful consequences.
We must understand God is just, the practice of sin is against His nature, and so He must judge those in disobedience to His commands and principles.
What about God's love and grace and forgiveness of sin? Let’s see what Paul closes with.
1 Corinthians 11:31-32
“For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”
The word "judge" here is the Greek word “diakrino”, which depicts one's ability to discern, judge, be truthful, or to come under scrutiny. If we will be truthful and take an honest look at our attitudes, our thoughts, and our actions, we will not be judged, meaning we will not be one who has been or is presently suffering consequences of a lack of truthfulness and correcting or valuing of something else.
This judgment from God does not include the loss of salvation. Suffering and even death in this life are not eternal judgments for the believer. Both may be the discipline of a loving Father for the good of the children. It is difficult for us to comprehend why God would work in this manner. But, believing in the sovereignty of God, there is no other option than suffering being something God allows and/or causes.
Please don’t hear something I’m not saying. Not all sickness or physical affliction is allowed by God. We have two other things we face, 1) our flesh that is weak and susceptible to sickness and injury, 2) the devil, who can attack us.
The key is how we handle these situations when they come. The first thing we must do is get on our face before the Lord and pray and see what He reveals to us. Sadly we are conditioned to run to the medicine cabinet, urgent care or the ER for a quick fix and we start rebuking the devil, calling everyone in the church to start a prayer chain, praying in tongues for hours, flinging oil all over, when it may in fact be the Lord discipling us to teach, mold and bring us closer to Him!
The Lord commands obedience, and for a believer to continue in habitual sin personally or against others in the Body of Christ all the while partaking in communion drinks God’s judgment upon themselves!
Beloved, receiving Communion is a very serious matter. It is about being in covenant with God and in covenant with His people, and we should never partake of it haphazardly. Before you take Communion, take time to soberly examine yourself to see if you are in or out of covenant with God and His Church. Repent of anything that is keeping you from being in sync and living in unity with others. And then you can partake of Communion with confidence that the Lord's life will fill and supernaturally empower you for His service!
