The Meal That Heals
Inspired by Perry Stone’s book of the same title
Aug. 30, 2009 FBC, Chester Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
I Understanding the communion meal
A Over 3,500 years ago, the Hebrew people were being held in bondage by the Egyptian pharaoh who refused to let them go (crippled economy).
1 To set the captives free, God released 10 plagues on Egypt with the last one being the death angel. ...and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well.Ex 11:5 (NASB) Took the firstborn from men to beasts.
a To protect the Hebrews from the death angel, God required each Hebrew family to...
aa Kill a lamb and place the lamb’s blood over their doorposts.
bb ’Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.6 ’You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.7 ’Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.8 ’They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Ex 12:5-8 (NASB) Left post, right post, & top (Tav, +)
b We know this as Passover (Jews celebrate it annually on the 14th of Nisan).
aa Hebrew word is “Pesach”, which alludes to “skipping over, to leap or to dance.”
bb The word describes what God required the death angel to do when he came to a house where the blood was applied (protected/saved).
c This whole story is full of types & shadows of Jesus, the cross, & you.
aa Pharaoh (enemy king holding you in bondage); Egypt (corrupt system)
bb Blood of the Lamb that saves, protects, & sets you free
cc Keeps death away from you!
2 The miracles associated with the Passover are two-fold: protected & healed.
a By applying the blood, the death angel skipped over them.
b Also...the applied blood of the Lamb allowed the Hebrews to experience supernatural healing as described in Psalms 105:37: He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes. Psalms 105:37 (NKJV)
aa Over 1 million people cross through the Red Sea during the Exodus, & none are sick, weak, diseased.
bb We don’t see any Hebrews die until they start disobeying God!
B In Exodus 15:26, God introduces Himself as Jehovah Raphah (healer). And He said, "If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer." Ex 15:26 (NASB)
1 God is giving more than a new name; He’s giving a covenant.
a He knows that Egyptian diseases/plagues/illnesses could infect the Hebrew people, & they needed protection & would need healing.
b “Raphah” alludes to “stitching something that has been torn”, to completely repair. Figuratively, it means to cure someone.
c God says, “If you listen for Me, look for Me, live for Me...I will keep disease from you, heal you, you will be healthy.
2 We know within weeks the Hebrews began to sin, worshiped the golden calf, broke their promises & sinned against God.
a God sent plagues & fiery serpents to them. They got sick & died.
b God’s covenant with them was a “healing covenant”.
C Jesus’ ministry reveals that He is in the business of healing.
1 When I say “saved”, most of us think of eternal life through Christ, but in the New Testament, the meaning was much broader (“sozo” 57x’s, all but 5x’s translated as “saved”).
a “To save, deliver, protect, & heal”
b It’s a complete work of making a person whole (physically, spiritually, emotionally).
2 In Matt. 9:21-22, we read the story of the woman with an issue of blood who touched the tassel of Jesus’ prayer shawl (tazizit), & she was immediately made “whole” by her faith in Jesus as healer. For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. Matt 9:21-22 (KJV)
a The word translated “whole” is translated “saved” 52 other times in the New Testament (sozo).
b The point is we identify being “saved” with ONLY having our sins forgiven & God’s Word doesn’t make a big theological distinction between sickness of the spirit & sickness of the body.
c Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases...Psalms 103:3 (KJV) It’s God’s will to forgive all your sin & heal all your disease.
aa If you’re going to be healed physically, spiritually, emotionally...it will be through Jesus!
bb More on this shortly
II How do we receive the communion meal (worthy manner)?
A The Jewish Passover, from which the New Testament church ordinance of communion comes from, uses two elements: bread & the fruit of the vine.
1 The bread is unleavened (leaven represents sin).
a Religious Jews use matzo bread that has lines (furrows), holes, & is lightly browned.
b Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well -being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 (NASB)
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.Isaiah 53:7 (NASB)
But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring , He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.Isaiah 53:10 (NASB)
aa Stripes represents the scourging He took.
bb Holes represent the nails, thorns, spear
cc Brown to represent the bruising of His skin
2 There are 4 cups in the Jewish Passover, all numbered and named around the exodus.
a The first is a cup of sanctification, second is a cup of affliction, third is a cup of redemption, & the fourth is the cup of consummation or Hallel.
aa Most scholars believe it was the 3rd cup Jesus drank from after supper & changed everything.
bb And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.” Luke 22:20 (NASB) A new covenant in His blood!
cc The Hebrew believer would from that night forward no longer emphasize the deliverance from Egypt; instead, each time they took the cup they’d celebrate a spiritual freedom, a deliverance from death, hell, & the promise of eternal life.
B How do we know we are ready?
1 This is exactly what was going on in Corinth when Paul wrote 1 & 2 Corinthians.
a ...for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? 1 Cor 3:3 (NASB) He exposed the well-known “secret” that the believers weren’t getting along well with each other, “division & strife”, & repeats the rebuke in 1 Cor. 11:18. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. 1 Cor 11:18 (NASB)
aa Because of this division/disunity, many members were taking the Lord’s Supper in an “unworthy” fashion.
bb Their division/disunity/disobedience stopped the healing flow of God from working in His people.
cc For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. 1 Cor 11:30 (NASB) When they obeyed, they stayed healthy!
b As long as the church followed Jesus, walked in pure love & faith...a continual manifestation of healing sealed their covenant.
aa When the flesh rose up, they got weak & sick.
bb When Christians/churches allow the flesh to rise up...we still get weak & sick.
c This is why Paul told the Christian to “examine himself” when receiving the Lord’s Supper. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 1 Cor 11:28 (NASB)
aa “Examine” in this passage means to “test yourself”.
bb The church was not instructed to determine which Christians were “worthy” to participate in communion, but rather the believer him/herself determined it for themselves.
cc Turn the lights on & search for your OWN faults, flaws, weaknesses; causing you to confess & repent.
2 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16 (NASB)
a This confession/repentance of sin, combined with praying for one another unleashed the blessing of healing.
b Taking communion is more than taking the elements, it also means releasing anyone who has harmed us physically, spiritually, or emotionally.
3 And Jesus answered him, "It is written, ’Man shall not live on bread alone.’ " Luke 4:4 (NASB)
a If you’re not forgiven those who have wronged you & you want healing, you must first release the person you are holding hostage in your heart & forgive them their trespasses.
b We like to prosecute those who trespass against!
c He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. Deut 8:3 (NASB)
aa The bread is not your healer, cup is not your healer...that’s Jesus, your Savior.
bb If you want the bread of life to make you whole, you must do His will.
d If you’re taking communion without walking in obedience, you can’t expect the healing power of God.
Conclusion
A We’ve got some fresh revelation at the Lord’s Supper today.
1 We understand the communion meal.
2 We understand the way we are to receive the communion meal.
B You take the Lord’s Supper the same way you received salvation, by faith.
1 I do believe that communion can be the meal that heals.
a Healing is not the true, personal meaning-but rather it is to bring the believer into a more personal & intimate relationship with Christ.
b I pray today you approach the Lord’s Table with a quickened spirit.
aa What I have spoken & you have heard, God would quicken in your spirit, & it comes alive. Faith enters your spirit.
C Deacons pass out elements, bread & cup.
1 Show video
2 Pray: Heavenly Father, I thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem mankind. I thank You that through His sufferings, Christ purchased a threefold redemption for my spirit, mind, and body. Today, I ask you to bless this bread that represents the body of Christ. Bless the fruit of the vine that represents the precious blood of Christ.
Father, as You have forgiven me, so I forgive those who have sinned against me. Lord, I forgive and release anyone who has wronged me, and I ask You to search my spirit and remove any trace of sin or disobedience from my life. Today, I release from my mental prison anyone who has hurt me in any way, and I ask You to bless them and help them spiritually.
Father, as I receive this communion, I ask You to bring strength and health to me spiritually, emotionally, and physically, because of the New Covenant that was sealed through the sufferings of Christ. Father, Jesus carried my infirmities; therefore, I ask You to lift from me what Jesus carried for Me. I receive it by faith, and I give You all the glory and honor, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. (Perry Stone, The Meal That Heals)
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