Bread, Juice, and Healing
Introduction
Continue in the theme- becoming a Dangerous Church.
A Dangerous Church is a church that is
serious about their walk with God and
dangerous to the unbelief in- world around them
We are called to be a people of faith, not unbelief.
Hab 2:4 "Behold, as for the proud one,His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.
Too many “unbelieving” believers in the church today.
God gave to man-a wonderful mind, and incredible ability to reason.
Our culture exalts- intellectual part of our being above- spiritual/intangible part of- being.
We are called to be men/women of faith who see with eyes of the spirit as well as understand w/the mind.
Bread, Juice, and Healing
(taken from a CD series by John Paul Jackson- The Communion Effect)
Talk about- provision found in- crucifixion of Christ.
Isa 53:4-5
Communion is a picture of Jesus death on the cross.
In Communion we find God’s provision for our lives.
What does Communion mean to most Christians?
1. A reminder of Christ sufferings-
Christ was beaten and scourged for us- Isa 53
2. Forgiveness of our sins-
His blood was shed for forgiveness of sin
Mtt 26:28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. NASU
3. Reconciliation-
In Christ we have been reconciled to God
Rom 5:11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation
However, in the Communion Table we will also find-
1. healing (Mtt 8)
2. demonic deliverance (Mk 1)
3. miracles (Lk 22)
Passover Supper (precursor to Communion)
The Jews were slaves in Egypt for over 400 years.
God sent Moses to set them free- 10 plagues.
Just before God set the Jews free He had them
paint- blood of a lamb on- doorposts, lintels, and
eat the Passover meal- ate the flesh of the lamb.
Ex 12:3, 6-8
After eating the Passover meal they marched out of captivity and into freedom.
The blood protected- Jews from the death angel as the blood of Christ sets us free from eternal death.
The flesh of the Lamb that they ate is a picture of Christ work on the cross.
Jn 6:51 "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh." NASU
Consider- condition of- Jews in captivity- they were-
slaves, not a strong people afflicted and suffered a great deal
not a God worshipping people (400 yrs)
Now look at the picture after they ate- Passover meal-
Psa 105:37-38
The Jews came out of Egypt with
1. Wealth
Egyptians- take our gold- do not come back
2. Health
No longer a weak, afflicted, enslaved people
Through the blood on the door posts they were protected from the death angel.
By eating the Passover meal they were set free from captivity and entered into God’s provision.
Communion
This is a glimpse of what Christ came to do for us
Jn 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. NASU
The LIFE Jesus brought- not just spiritual in nature-
it is both life here and in the age to come.
Abundant life-also includes health for- physical bodies
When- Jews applied- blood to- door posts and ate the Passover meal- they experienced God’s provision-
they experienced physical strength/healing.
Jn 6:30-35, 48-56
Jesus refers to Himself as- Living Bread (life giving).
Jesus was saying- your father’s ate manna and died, but if you eat my flesh you will live forever.
Sounded weird, almost cultish to their intellect and as a result many stopped following Jesus.
Jesus experienced three Passover seasons during His ministry- Jn 2, Jn 6, Jn 12-19
With each season He revealed more and more of His purpose for coming to mankind as their Savior- He-multiplied bread and fish
fed thousands
walked on water
He cast out demons and set people free
He raised people from the dead
What we see in Jesus, as the Passover Lamb, is that salvation was much more than just repenting of sin.
Salvation is for our entire being- body, soul, and spirit-
1 Thess 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Spirit- wisdom, communion, conscience-
be preserved complete, blameless
Soul- mind, will, emotions-
be preserved complete, blameless
Body- flesh, bone, blood-be preserved complete, blameless
Look at- three fold purpose in Christ’s death
Isaiah 53:5 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.
Three elements of this passage
1. Spiritual healing for our sins
He was pierced through for our transgressions
Transgression- willful rebellion against God’s plan
Jesus was pierced through for our rebellion.
He was crushed for our iniquities
Isaiah says He was not recognizable as a man.
Iniquities- offense against God’s holiness, to be twisted or perverted.
Jesus was crucified for the most perverse of mankind.
There is healing for the most perverse of mankind.
2. Healing for our souls
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him
Well-being (peace)- wholeness, welfare, harmonious state of soul and mind.
Jesus died for our mental anguish, emotional struggles, mental torments- issues of the soul.
Isa 53:3, 7
Despised, rejected, oppressed, afflicted- soul issues.
He overcame in these areas so we can have peace-soul.
3. Healing of our bodies
And by His scourging we are healed
The tearing of Jesus body allows for the healing of our bodies.
Isa 53:4
Griefs- weakness and sickness, physical affliction.
Deut 7:15 "The Lord will remove from you all sickness; and He will not put on you any of the harmful diseases of Egypt which you have known, but He will lay them on all who hate you. NASU
Sickness- same Hebrew word as griefs in Isa 53:4.
Isa 53:4
Sorrows- anguish, affliction, to feel pain.
Job 33:19 "Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with unceasing complaint in his bones; NASU
Pain- same Hebrew word as sorrows.
Jesus died for our sicknesses, diseases, and pains, so we could be free from them.
Jesus carried that provision for us on the cross.
Because He overcame, we can overcome
Conclusion
Because Jesus overcame
1. spiritual issues- we can be reconciled to God
2. soulish issues- we can experience God’s peace
3. physical issues- we have provision for healing
Jesus made the provisions for all three of these areas because of what He suffered on the cross.
Isa 53:5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. NLT
Salvation- major part of what Christ did, but He did more than die for our transgressions/iniquities.
Look at these verses
Mk 16:17-18
Again in this verse I see God’s provision for mankind that came through the cross of Jesus Christ.
Communion
Ushers- serve the elements- bread and juice.
When you take the elements
the fruit of the vine and the bread,
we do this in remembrance of Jesus and the provision He made for us.
If you have an affliction or an infirmity, take the elements and then come up and receive prayer.
We will ask God to apply His provision to your life.
If you are suffering w/major illnesses, consider taking Communion daily until you are able to appropriate the provision God has for you.
