MINISTERS MATTER

PASSOVER & COMMUNION

I am continually amazed at how strange our doctrines have become around important truths like communion. There was a time when folks in our congregation talked about the Bread of His Presence and what they were really saying was "only the bread baked with specially anointed flour, will bring His Presence." That was wrong and doctrinally dumb.

Now I hear that if you take communion every day it will protect you from disease. Sure, let's make communion a pagan idol and worship communion but forget communion with God.

Years ago, just before Richard Wurmbrand died, I spent time with him in his home. He told me the story of having communion in his prison cell but he had no bread and no cup - but he had communion. He said it with such a twinkle in his eye that I understood what he meant. It was not about the emblems but the Person he communed with - Jesus Christ.

In the book of Exodus, God, intending to redeem His people from Egypt and make a covenant with them, used the Passover Meal to start the process. It started inter-generationally and continues that way even today.

It all began in their homes over 3000 years ago and it is still speaking fresh to our generation today.

Rather than remain in the context of family life, it moved to the Temple and was the focal point of an entire race of  people. Since the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, it has once again been restored to the home.

It would symbolize the suffering and death of the passover lamb which foreshadows Jesus Christ, our Passover Lamb.

The Lord’s Supper was established by Jesus in the presence of His Jewish disciples, in the context of the Passover Meal to dramatized Israel’s release from Egyptian slavery and their release from the bondage and slavery of sin.

When Jesus raised the third of four cups and said, “This is My blood, given for you.” it represented, to the Jews, the Cup of Redemption. It was the 3rd cup used but only after the Passover Meal.

Exodus 6:6-7 reveals the reason for the 4 cups.

Four expressions of deliverance promised by God.

1. I will bring out.
2. I will deliver.
3. I will redeem. (This is what Jesus drank from.)
4. I will praise and offer thanksgiving. (This is when we sit at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.)

The 4th cup Jesus abstained from drinking because it represented an unfinished meal yet to be consummated in a future Messianic banquet when He takes the 4th cup and “drinks it anew in the Kingdom of God.”

We have much to look forward to as the Book of Revelation reminds us of the finished work of the cross this way “Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood.” Rev. 1:5

We now live as those who are anticipating the fullness of our redemption made available to us in the Person of Jesus Christ.

This is My body...This is My blood...Do this in remembrance of Me!

UNDERSTANDING ADOPTION

Ephesians 1 reminds us that we have been pre-destined to adoption as sons of God. It is the crowning act of God's saving love.

John 1:13 is about adoption as those who have been "Born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." We are born into God's family and that makes us children of God.

My daughter Kim adopted a baby girl five years ago. When she signed the adoption papers, Grace became part of her family with all the rights and privileges of her other two children. It is the same for us when our names appear in the Lamb's Book of Life. It confirms our place in God's forever family.

When you are in the family, you are also in the will. God undertakes to provide for us to live life under His loving care. We don't always get what we want but we get what we need. He is a good father.

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has passed away, behold, the new has come."  2 Cor. 5:17.
The old life is no longer our reference point - the new one, God's family, becomes our new home with a new heritage and lineage.

There are four wonderful benefits to adoption.

Sons are granted the freedom of being adults who are led by the Spirit. Romans 8:14-15

Sons are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. Romans 8:16-17, 23

Sons are children of God and enjoy family privileges. 1 John 3:1

Sons are being conformed to the image of Christ. Romans 8:29

UNDERSTANDING JUSTIFICATION

I have always loved watching the lights go on in people who have never understood the Bible. This is especially true of the basic doctrines of Christianity like justification.

Did you know that justification is...

God’s legal action at the cross, in the person of Christ, providing us with salvation. It is a legal deal signed in the blood of Christ that is permanent and final.

Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. He is sinless and holy. He is the only person in human history qualified to be our substitute. He died in our place so we wouldn't die in our sins and be separated from God for all eternity.

Romans 1:16 -17 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith...as it is written, the righteous shall live by faith."

We have the righteousness of Jesus imputed to our lives and stand complete in Him. That is the power of the gospel at work in a human life.

Justification is by faith not works and happens instantly and is complete including the forgiveness of all our sins.

Romans 3:26 "shows His righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Gal. 2:16 says. "we know that a person is not justified....by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.

Justification is a judicial act not a subjective experience. Feelings may or may not come after salvation. Because justification is a completed deal we don't have to be concerned with how we feel about it.

God pronounces us not guilty! A relational change takes place where we come into fellowship with Him. Once we were estranged from God but not anymore.

The biggest stumble is the fact that my conduct and character doesn't change when I am justified. I am now in need of discipleship. I must learn to think and behave differently.

My greatest joy is knowing that my past, present and future sins are not excused but punished and satisfied in Christ’s sacrifice at the cross. I can now confess my sins and He is faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me of all unrighteousness.

Tomorrow we will look at adoption.