Sunday, December 8, 2013

Communion! “in an unworthy manner”? What?


                                              



Communion!in an unworthy manner”? What?





Isaiah 58 Ministries                                              December, 2013

Pastor: Leah Svensson

Scriptures: Romans 8:37, Luke 22:24-30,  Matthew 23:1, Luke 16:1-8, 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 


                                                                   Theme

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.
27 So then, 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 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.



                                                      Sermon

             Communion! “in an unworthy manner”? What?


As a follower and disciple of Jesus Christ we do not enslave people but set them free.   We are more than a conquer.  When “The Gospel” is preached people are delivered from oppression, healed, provided for by God! Not Christians. Jesus is our Savior from suffering!






To understand what it is to partake of the Lord Supper unworthily we need to learn something from the  worldly people around us.  (Luke 16:1-8)  People in the world “conquer” to provide for themselves.  




I use to wonder why my brother and sisters in the flesh would say things like “I work hard for what I have!”  I never saw them do any work. They wouldn't help their mother or father or anyone else for that matter, they wouldn't even clean their own rooms.  So how are they working hard for what they have?  


They disobey all Ten Commandments. They worked hard mentally, using all the sin they had in them! Always accusing people of some kind of terrible sin! Which the person was innocent of! This is hard work in the 50’s and 60’s because everyone else is trying to obey the Ten Commandments, not break them.  Most people were looking towards heaven not hell.  






But there were those breaking free from the principles of Christianity especially in the media, entertainment industry government, and business.  These people were violently, “conquering”, taking, (over throwing, insurrection,)   over the country.  




During this time, small groups of people and individuals were gaining power by falsely accusing innocent people; enticing the people to judge others without a trail; legalizing murder; abortion; dishonoring parents, hating God; lying constantly,  stealing, coveting, wanting what others have and cheating to take it from them, etc.  (Roe vs Wade, rebellious Rock and Roll are examples).








Now Jesus delivered us from these people when we remember Jesus and receive nourishment from him worthily.  Right now we have to learn from the oppressors. 
     
These people drain others of Life, Liberty and happiness. They suck the life out of people; they take from others to “nourish” themselves.  An example is when a bully puts down a good clean person to “make themselves feel” better, stronger, not the inadequate person they really are.  Sinners sin makes them very weak.  



A Christian who takes of the body and blood of Jesus takes God’s “strength inside themselves”.  A Christian, a saint is good because Jesus died on the cross and “willingly” gave and gives his life for us to gain strength from.

Every human being is born with a vessel “empty” needing someone else to fill it.  A Mother breast feeds her child, dresses them, cleans them.  We are all naked before God and need him to feed us, dress us, put a roof over our heads.  

The world meets their needs from taking “life” from their “victims”, innocent people.  The world conquers then: Matthew 23:4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.   The world: Luke 22:25 “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’

Jesus came to set us free from these cannibals.  A lot of people have cancers, diabetes, other sufferings because their life is constantly being drained from them by cannibals!  Your body and blood have nourishment in them.  Nourishment that comes from “someone else”, just like your mother's breast! The world knows it needs the life of others. A person one time yelled at me, “You need people!”  This person was a very manipulative, cunning, crafty, deceitful, spoiled child since birth always sucking the life out of everyone around her.  This is why lawyers are called “blood suckers”.  They really are!  You cannot blame a child for what they are unless you have another way to meet these needs.

The is a natural law.  Science
Jesus laid his life down for us freely.  We need him.  As much as the world needs people they can suck the life out of, we need Jesus' Life!  How?  The Gospel.  The Gospel!  The very words are the power of God to save, heal, deliver, set free.  We have to turn our back on everything that “sucks” the ‘life”, “strength”, out of us!  Turn to God, “the Gospel”, Keep Gospel! in your mind constantly, it will heal, mend, restore, release hope within your being. You will feel strong!  Hope that isn't from a sinful dying world, but a hope that comes from purity, holiness, clean honest thoughts that come from the written word in your being! 

The kingdom of God is within.  Where the Holy Spirit resides, deep within you.  God has written his word in you.  When you draw from it they you are able to take communion worthily.  You have ceased from drawing life, (sinning: breaking the Ten Commandments), from others

                                    Conclusion                          
  I have always wanted God to give me understanding about this. So he did. A pure heart, thoroughly examined by the person, sinless, only following the leading of the Holy Spirit, a person who is holy before God and man is worthy. You are right. Most people in America, even if they call themselves Christian, should probably not take communion. American Christians are not holy. I've seen some orthodox people in other countries close to being holy.
                                      References 

Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

The Parable of the Unjust Steward
Luke 16:1 He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’
3 “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’
5 “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 And he said, ‘A hundred measures  of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

 Luke 22:24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials.29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

A Warning Against Hypocrisy
Matthew 23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5  “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6  they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7  they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.
8  “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9  And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10  Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11  The greatest among you will be your servant. 12  For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees
13  “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.  14 
15  “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
16  “Woe to you, blind guides!





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