June 2, 2021 -- I Corinthians 11:26-29 -- Full systems check for health

 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

I Corinthians 11:26-29 ESV

You might be inwardly groaning. Here we go again! Another passage on God’s judgment and wrath. It is easy to skip over a passage like this and miss the lovingkindness of God our Father. Why are road signs posted? Warning signs like: Bridge out. Detour ahead? So that people do not drive headlong into destruction. The warning is given for the purpose of saving life.

So too with the words concerning the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. This Sunday many churches will celebrate the Lord’s Supper and it used to be the practice in our Presbyterian - Reformed circles to have the previous Sunday serve as a preparatory service, an invitation to taste and see the goodness of the LORD and a warning to make sure one did not eat and drink in an unworthy manner—a way in which would drive the believer away from God into danger and disaster.

To discern the body is to know Jesus Christ is the One Sacrifice Who has taken away the sin of the world. To discern the body is to believe this and set your whole confidence for salvation in Him, Jesus, the One Who was sent by the Father to rescue you from the dominion of darkness. To discern the body is to hate your own sin and by the inner working of the Spirit, Who is applying the Word of God to your minds and hearts, confess your sins and seek to remove anything that might block the full blessing and full joy of serving Jesus Christ.

Truly it is a wonderful blessing to know that the LORD our God is prepared to pour out His blessings on you life. It is humbling and tremendous to know His warning serves to open your heart and life to the fullest measure of blessing He has in store for you. And what blessing it is, to consider the fact that the Lord’s Supper is time bound. There will come a day when the heavens and the earth will be swept away. There will be a new heaven and new earth, sin will be no more. In eternity the Triune God’s great glory, majesty, love, kindness, patience, mercy and infinite holiness will begin to break on the senses of the believers made holy and this will increase and endure for all eternity!

Gracious God, Father of all kindness and mercy beyond the deserving of His people, thank You for the warnings You have given in Scripture. Thank You for the opportunity to repent, recommit mind and action to You by the renewing grace of Your Spirit. Jesus, Who is a Friend like You? Faithful are Your wounds received so that believers would not know wrath, but would walk in the blessedness of God our Saviour. Give us the courage and the faith to make a fearless and searching examination of our lives so that sin would be kicked to the curb and greater space is made to receive Your mercies, which are new every morning. Amen.

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