Communion - July 10/22

Good Morning,

Today as we again remember Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross by observing the Lord’s supper, I’d like to take a couple minutes to look again at another verse from Isaiah 53. As many of you know, we have been journeying together through Isaiah 52 and 53, looking at the picture the prophet Isaiah gives us of the suffering servant. We know this man to be Christ - the one who died for us and took our place and punishment upon the cross. Today we are looking at Isaiah 53:5

Isaiah 53:5 ESV

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Jesus was pierced for us, crushed for us, chastised for us, and wounded for us. Pastor Jonathan noted to me that He wasn’t punished and died only as a righteous martyr - rather for Him it was personal. He took our punishment. He took your punishment, and my punishment. Isaiah 53:5, shows the Messiah being pierced for our sins. He took our punishment so we could have peace with God. And because He took that punishment, by those wounds, we are healed.

What are we healed from, and what peace do we now enjoy? Peace with God! Healing of relationship with Him! Pastor Jonathan also told me that peace in this sense means the complete well being of a person. It refers to enmity with God ending, wars ceasing, all relationships healed, but also the end of the conflict we have within ourselves (to do what’s right).Because of Jesus’ sacrifice we can be right with God.

As we again take communion today, we gain much by understanding the depth of sacrifice that Jesus made for us. He went to that cross and died personally for you. He died for me. He paid the price for my sin, and for yours. Do we realize the enormity of what Jesus did for us? By His sacrifice we are healed and can be in right relationship with God.

I’d like to invite you to join with me intaking communion. NPA practices open communion, so if you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour you are welcome to join with us. Remembering the image of the suffering servant from Isaiah, and how He personally sacrificed for each of us and made us right with God, we will now look at 1 Corinthians 11:23–26, and partake together.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when 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.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Pray