A Life Worthy

That is why many of you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world  (1 Corinthians 11:24).

“You have two choices. You can discipline yourselves, or I can discipline you.”

As a middle school teacher, I have used that line many times. And it’s true–if you can’t control yourself, you’re inviting someone else to do it for you. That is pretty much always worse.

It would seem that many of the Corinthians were sick, and some had died of this sickness. Paul argues that this is God’s discipline on those who were violating the Lord’s Supper. How were they doing this? Well, we’ll get into that more in the next verses, but suffice to say that they were focusing too much on the “Supper” part and not enough on the “Lord” bit.

Beloved, each of us has areas of our lives that are not fully submitted to God.  Maybe we consider them small transgressions, hardly worthy of notice.

God notices.

Your Father wants you to grow spiritually big and strong, and if that requires correction on his part, he will not hesitate to apply it.

Perhaps a little self-discipline could help us avoid other kinds of discipline, hmm?

Just a thought.

Happy Thursday, Beloved

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:26).   

Are they mere symbols, the bread and the wine, 

or do they somehow, in the moment of Communion, become something more?

I don’t know, Beloved. I have never believed in transubstantiation, but I will say this–in the Eucharist, as in everything, there is so much more to God than we can fathom. 

Paul tells us that in Communion we proclaim the Lord’s death. 

The body broken

The blood poured out

But one day, Beloved–one glorious day–we will celebrate a different meal, in a different home. In Matthew 26:29, Jesus says of the cup, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Imagine the feasting on that day. That beautiful, glorious Someday. Until then, proclaim the death that brought you life.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and  said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24).

Remember who He is.

Remember what He has done.

Remember the gift He has given you. 

Remember who you were,

and 

Realize who you are now

Because of him. 

Happy Friday, Beloved.

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and  said, “This is my body…(1 Corinthians 11:24).

He created the very atoms of the universe,

then took a handful of them

and fashioned a body for himself.

He wore it for a time,

lived in it,

became one with it,

knew hunger and thirst and heat and cold and pain–

Oh yes, He knew pain, don’t think for a moment that He didn’t.

He knew the warmth of the sun on His face and the tickle of rain down the back of His collar.

He knew the taste of cold water, and the smell of fresh baked bread.

He knew what it was to hold a baby, and to embrace a friend.

Look, Beloved, I’m sure that what Jesus experiences at the Father’s right hand totally dwarfs the sensations of our limited physical bodies. Still, I wonder if, as he held the bread and considered what was coming…

Did he think he might miss this?

Just wondering

Happy Wednesday, Beloved

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks… (1 Corinthians 11:24).

One of the toughest things to do is have an attitude of thankfulness when you’re having a really tough day.

I think we can all agree that Jesus was embarking upon perhaps the worst day…ever.

And he gave thanks.

Yes, I know that giving thanks was part of the meal–I get that.

But there was more to it than that.

I think Jesus was giving thanks that he was fulfilling his destiny, that at long last he would complete  the task for which he had come into the world.

It would be finished.

I also think that Jesus, looking around the room, saw his disciples not just as they were, but as they would be. He saw them going forth in faith and changing the world and glorifying him in their lives and, eventually, with their deaths.

I think he saw the multitudes who would be redeemed in the years to come by what he was about to do.

I think he saw you.

I think he saw me.

I think Jesus was looking into eternity as he held that bread.

And he gave thanks.

Happy Monday, Beloved