Fruit versus Wine
Communion Pt 2
Introduction
Continue in the theme- becoming a Dangerous Church.
We are called to be men/women who see w/eyes of the spirit and understand w/the mind- Kingdom of God
1Tim6:12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called
2nd part-two week series- on Communion/Lord’s Table
Review (Isa 53:4-5)
Typically Communion is thought about in terms of
1. Remembering Christ sufferings (Isa 53)
2. Forgiveness of our sins (Mtt 26:28)
3. Reconciliation (Rom 5:11)
However, Communion also encompasses
4. Healing (Mtt 8)
5. Demonic deliverance (Mk 1)
6. Creative miracles (Lk 22)
Last week- looked at Passover story in Ex 12.
In- NT- Jesus presents Himself as- Passover Lamb
Jn 6:48-56
Jesus- pointing to Himself-I Am-manna, Living Bread-
he who eats this bread will live forever.
V56 What does it mean to abide?
If you abide (live) in a house and are told you can use anything in that house, then anything in that house is for your use-in that sense it is yours
Principle-abiding-everything God is we have access to.
Looking again in Isa 53:5
Isa 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.
Jesus came to purify/sanctify us in spirit/soul/body.
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.
Three fold purpose of atonement (Isa 53:5)
1. Spiritual healing for our sins
He was pierced for our transgression He was crushed for our iniquities
Transgression- willful rebellion against God’s plan
Jesus was pierced through for our rebellion.
Iniquities- offense against God’s holiness, to be twisted or perverted.
Jesus was crushed for our iniquities.
2. Healing for our souls (mind, will, emotions)
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him
Well-being (peace)- harmonious state of soul/mind.
Peace is an issue of the soul-
peace of mind, peace of emotions, peace of will.
Jesus died for our mental anguish, emotional struggles, mental torments- issues of the soul.
We can have peace with God and the peace of God.
3. Healing of our bodies (flesh, bones, blood)
And by His scourging we are healed
Tearing of Jesus body allows for-healing of our bodies
Isa 53:4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. NASU
Grief’s- weakness, sickness, physical affliction.
Sorrows- anguish, to feel pain.
Jesus died for our sicknesses, diseases, and pains, so we could be free from them.
Do this in Remembrance of Me
Look at Lk 22:15-18
Jn 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
Jn 15- Jesus- I am the vine
Lk 22- Jesus- says- cup is the fruit of the vine
Out of- vine comes- juice- fruit of the vine, which represents the blood of Christ.
Out of Christ came His blood for forgiveness of sins.
Lk 22:19-20
In the NT Jesus likened His
body to manna (ate manna- eat my flesh), and
blood to wine (drink His blood- forgiveness).
Fruit versus Wine
Many think God is interested in fruit, but He is really interested in wine. John Paul Jackson
Wine comes forth when each individual grape is crushed and loses all of its identity.
Wine is the result of the fruit being crushed beyond recognition so it has no form or shape of its own.
The only thing left is juice that can be poured into a container of any shape-takes-shape of that container
To experience all Christ has for us- it will cost us our individual identity (personal fulfillment).
Difficult to hear in an ego-centric culture, who loves their personal identity and wants to hold onto it.
Union with Christ
Through His crucifixion, provision was made for our reconciliation, being united w/God who is Spirit.
1 Cor 6:17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. NASU
For that to happen there must first be reconciliation, then a joining together (union).
The crucifixion of Christ makes that union possible.
In the crucifixion we also receive …
healing for our soul (mind/will/emotions),
healing for- physical bodies (flesh/bone/blood),
deliverance from demonic oppression.
Why is there demonic deliverance in the crucifixion
the demons cannot enter into union w/HS in us.
Now, we do know that demons can work in us through mental strongholds in our lives.
You cannot cast down a mental stronghold
you must first cast out the demon and then
pull down the stronghold (break agreement).
2 Cor 10:3-5
Let’s take it a step further- Jesus said …
Jn 6:56 "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. NASU
The degree we allow Jesus to live in us, is the degree to which we are free from demonic oppression.
Therefore the more you pursue God and allow Him to live in you, the less you will struggle w/demonic.
If you are having trouble getting victory in an area of your life, perhaps there is demonic activity working through a mental strong-hold.
First cast out the demon, then pull down the stronghold - In that process we understand that habits (strongholds) take time to break, but demons are cast out instantly.
Judge Rightly
1 Cor 11:20-26
When you proclaim the crucifixion- you also proclaim- benefits that come from receiving Christ.
1 Cor 11:27-29
What does Jesus call the church? Body of Christ.
When we put ourselves ahead of others, we incorrectly judge the Lord’s body.
1 Cor 11:30
We better be careful what we say/think about others.
Many sick because- fail to treat- the Body correctly.
Now someone might say, “You do not know what this person or that person, or the church did to me.”
I would say, by holding on to your attitude, “you do not know what you are doing to yourself.”
1 Cor 11:31
Judge yourself- could be taken in the sense of are you clean or unclean spiritually.
Also- interpret- how do you judge the Body of Christ?
1 Cor 11:32
This is redemptive verse- so we do not go through the same judgment the world is going to receive. He allows sickness to bring us to repentance.
Look back at 1 Cor 11:27
If you devalue someone in- Body of Christ- you have said- Christ should not have died for their sins.
By hating, disliking, carrying offenses toward others, you have just communicated that someone is not valuable enough for God to have died for.
Mtt 6:14-15 (if forgive others, God forgives you)
To NOT properly discern the Body of Christ, is to NOT see someone the same way Christ sees them.
How you view someone in this room may not be how Christ views them …
and if you take communion, then you have misjudged the Body of Christ.
You have not recognized that in the atonement is everything they need for full healing/restoration.
If you misjudge the Body- you suffer consequences.
Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
Conclusion
Because Jesus overcame
1. spiritual issues-
we can overcome and be reconciled to God
2. soulish issues-
we can overcome and experience God’s peace
3. physical issues-
we can overcome/experience physical healing
In Communion you are symbolically eating His flesh, and drinking His blood it is picture of Jesus abiding in you.
When you eat His flesh (eat the bread)
His healing abides in you.
When you drink His blood (drink the juice)
His atonement abides in you.
Communion gives us something tangible to remember what God has done for us at the cross.
In a moment- take Communion- but first
1. Are saved?
If we are not saved, you can come to- Communion- if you come w/purpose- ask God to forgive your sins.
If you are not going to confess that you are a sinner in the need of a Savior- better not to take Communion.
2. Do you have hidden sin in our heart?
3. Are you properly related to the Body of Christ?
