I am so glad the church we are members that we observe the LORD’s Supper each week. At the end of each service on Sundays, regardless of who brings the message, we share in the taking of the bread and cup. The weekly reminder that we are not alone and have our brothers and sisters in Christ as one body as we undertake the next week of what comes from this world.
Growing up it was customary to observe the LORD’s Supper once a quarter and for the longest time, I believed that was the way it was supposed to be. I had fallen into legalism and process and procedure as opposed to the worship of Christ and following His Word.
“26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” – 1 Corinthians 11:26 (ESV)
There it is from Jesus Himself. We are to proclaim Him at all times. It only makes sense that we should observe Him at all times. Too often, I do believe that we fall into the habit of things and are not living in the moment as the LORD has outlined for us to do. I have to remember that the LORD is here always and I have to acknowledge Him as such. I have to observe His place in my life daily and always to ensure that I am working to be in line with His will for my life and the world around me. In order for that to happen, I have to remember the next two verses in the passage that are vital to the whole.
“27Whoever, 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. 28Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” – 1 Corinthians 11:27-28 (ESV)
When I look at the above verses, I am compelled to read them in reverse order, 28 then 27. I have to remember that yes, I take of the bread daily and always, yet I do need to first examine myself and “come clean” with the LORD before taking. I have to ensure that I have given all of me to the LORD and remember that I am here to do His will and not my own. I am of the body of Christ and therefore am here for His workmanship.
It is easy to fall into the traps of doing things because that is the way they are done. I see it too often in the corporate world. I have to remember that the important thing is really to ensure that I am doing things with the LORD’s Will in mind and not my own. The way for that to be done is to daily and always examine myself and the direction I am going and only when I have remembered and committed to doing the Will of God, I take of the body of Christ and proceed with His work and movement toward the end result of Christ which is the spreading of the gospel.
What is your approach to the taking of the body of Christ? Are you falling into the process and/or procedure that you are told? What if you were to take of the body of Christ daily and always to remind you, as in scripture, of the way of the LORD?
Trevor's Thoughts 