Subjects; Lord's Supper/The Bread of Life/The living water:
Many people teach that we are commanded to perform the Lord's Supper as a ceremony and ritual "in order to be saved." That by doing this they can assure their salvation. Some believe that the bread and drink actually become the body and blood of Christ. --- But what do the scriptures really say?
Paul said:
1 Cor 11:20-27 . . (NIV)
20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat,
21 for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk.
22 Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!
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." (caps are mine)
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." (caps are mine)
26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
27 Therefore, 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.
This message from Paul presents what Jesus said in three of the first four books of the New Testament. However, in Matthew, and Mark Jesus did not say "do this in remembrance of me." The event was just recorded. This statement by Jesus is only found in Luke. However, since they are the same story told by different Apostles we must conclude that it is the same event. It was also recorded by Paul in
1 Cor 11:23-26. NKJV
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;
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."
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."
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.
Matt 26:26-28 . . (NIV)
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.
Mark 14:22-25 . . (NIV)
22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."
23 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.
24 "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.
25 "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."
Luke 22:15-20 . . (NIV)
15 And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you.
18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME." (CAPS ARE MINE)
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
John did not mention this event but instead tells about Christ humbling Himself and washing the feet of the disciples.
John 13:1-5 . . (NIV)
1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
2 The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
*** Summation of the Lord's Supper
Jesus told His disciples to "DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME" in Luke 22:15-20 and Paul
mentions "DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME" in 1 Cor 11:20-27.
In Matt 26:26-28 and Mark 14:22-25 there is no mention of "DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME."
In John 13 there is no mention of breaking bread or drinking wine. If this ceremony is necessary for salvation, as some would have us to believe, then why did John leave it out? After all, it was John who wrote what Jesus said in John 6 that men use to tie with what Matthew, Mark, and Luke wrote about the last supper.
When we do this ceremony we are doing it in REMEMBRANCE of His last supper on earth and in REMEMBRANCE that he sacrificed His body and shed His blood for us. We do this out of respect, not as a legal requirement for salvation.
We can do this in the church or in the home at the supper table with our families and friends. We can do this anywhere. It shows to the world that we remember our savior, Jesus Christ. It is in the heart that we remember Him.
*** THE BREAD OF LIFE GIVEN BY GOD;
How do we really eat Christ's flesh and drink His blood? It is in a man's heart that this occurs. We do it when we place our faith (trust) in His sacrifice on the cross (John 6:35 below). But some believe that the bread and drink given by the Church actually becomes Christ's body and blood. I do not believe this any more than I can believe that the living water given by Christ is the water in a lake or river becoming living water.
John 6:32-65 . . (NIV)
32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
*** 35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
In verse 35 we are told how we get this bread from heaven; we go to Him and place our belief (faith/trust) in Him and he will give it to us.
36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
41 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."
42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"
43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered.
44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to me.
46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.
47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.
48 I am the bread of life.
49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died.
50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.
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."
Let me take a break at this point in order to point to what Jesus said in verse 51 above. If a person eating physical bread will live forever, why is it that many claim you have to do it over and over again in order to live forever? If you have to do it more than once then physical bread doesn't do what Jesus claimed.
CONTINUED
Many people teach that we are commanded to perform the Lord's Supper as a ceremony and ritual "in order to be saved." That by doing this they can assure their salvation. Some believe that the bread and drink actually become the body and blood of Christ. --- But what do the scriptures really say?
Paul said:
1 Cor 11:20-27 . . (NIV)
20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat,
21 for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk.
22 Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!
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." (caps are mine)
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." (caps are mine)
26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
27 Therefore, 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.
This message from Paul presents what Jesus said in three of the first four books of the New Testament. However, in Matthew, and Mark Jesus did not say "do this in remembrance of me." The event was just recorded. This statement by Jesus is only found in Luke. However, since they are the same story told by different Apostles we must conclude that it is the same event. It was also recorded by Paul in
1 Cor 11:23-26. NKJV
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;
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."
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."
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.
Matt 26:26-28 . . (NIV)
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.
Mark 14:22-25 . . (NIV)
22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."
23 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.
24 "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.
25 "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."
Luke 22:15-20 . . (NIV)
15 And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you.
18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME." (CAPS ARE MINE)
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
John did not mention this event but instead tells about Christ humbling Himself and washing the feet of the disciples.
John 13:1-5 . . (NIV)
1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
2 The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
*** Summation of the Lord's Supper
Jesus told His disciples to "DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME" in Luke 22:15-20 and Paul
mentions "DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME" in 1 Cor 11:20-27.
In Matt 26:26-28 and Mark 14:22-25 there is no mention of "DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME."
In John 13 there is no mention of breaking bread or drinking wine. If this ceremony is necessary for salvation, as some would have us to believe, then why did John leave it out? After all, it was John who wrote what Jesus said in John 6 that men use to tie with what Matthew, Mark, and Luke wrote about the last supper.
When we do this ceremony we are doing it in REMEMBRANCE of His last supper on earth and in REMEMBRANCE that he sacrificed His body and shed His blood for us. We do this out of respect, not as a legal requirement for salvation.
We can do this in the church or in the home at the supper table with our families and friends. We can do this anywhere. It shows to the world that we remember our savior, Jesus Christ. It is in the heart that we remember Him.
*** THE BREAD OF LIFE GIVEN BY GOD;
How do we really eat Christ's flesh and drink His blood? It is in a man's heart that this occurs. We do it when we place our faith (trust) in His sacrifice on the cross (John 6:35 below). But some believe that the bread and drink given by the Church actually becomes Christ's body and blood. I do not believe this any more than I can believe that the living water given by Christ is the water in a lake or river becoming living water.
John 6:32-65 . . (NIV)
32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
*** 35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
In verse 35 we are told how we get this bread from heaven; we go to Him and place our belief (faith/trust) in Him and he will give it to us.
36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
41 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."
42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"
43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered.
44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to me.
46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.
47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.
48 I am the bread of life.
49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died.
50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.
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."
Let me take a break at this point in order to point to what Jesus said in verse 51 above. If a person eating physical bread will live forever, why is it that many claim you have to do it over and over again in order to live forever? If you have to do it more than once then physical bread doesn't do what Jesus claimed.
CONTINUED
