For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:23-29, 31, 32 NLT)
Paul writes to the Corinthians to wait for one another and eat the holy meal together. It seems they were rushing through it and not everyone got to eat. It wasn’t a very Christian thing to do.
Jesus reminds us that he is present in something so basic as food and drink. He is with us in all we do and say. So then we need to keep these things in mind at all times.
There is a certain amount of worthiness, but there’s a whole lot of grace. Grace from God in that if we believe in Him and what he has done for us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. We are made whole. We are His, welcome to enjoy His glorious kingdom.
Are you worthy? No one is.
Are we welcome?
YES!
Because we are children of God, welcomed by grace. Grace extended to us through Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Saviour, our King!
Another great read Rev. Nick.