Communion of Saints

JJ

I left my seat and gathered in the center aisle with the other congregants. One by one, with piety and purpose, we moved forward to the communion table, ladened with sins and burdens, visible only to God. Would Jesus’ message spoken to me, spoken to all of us through the words of the pastor, remain in our hearts and minds, not only on Sunday, but for the rest of the week?

Walking toward those who served the bread and wine in memory of our Lord’s body and blood, I remembered the exchange that occurred at the cross as Jesus Christ took upon Himself our unrighteousness while offering us His righteousness. The same substitution occurs today when we repent and confess our sins to God through Jesus who lavishes us with loving forgiveness and gracious mercy. Repenting of my sins with humble boldness, I sought God’s forgiveness and reconciliation through His beloved Son’s sacrifice. Oh the grace—God’s riches at Christ’s expense—of God that frees us from our personal prisons of transgressions. 

I approached the table, offering my sinful self to my Savior. The server gave me a piece of bread saying, “The body of Christ broken for you.” With my right hand I grasped the bread and placed my cupped left hand underneath. As I dipped the bread in the cup of wine, a second server’s words “the blood of Christ shed for you” pierced my ears. When I placed that bread, now Christ’s body, in my mouth, some of the wine, now Christ’s blood, splashed into the palm of my hand. 

The splatter onto my hand ignited a burning within my soul. It’s as if I stood under the cross with Jesus impaled upon it while His blood dropped onto me. I consumed His blood soaked body, carried the wine droplet back to my seat, and sat down. While rubbing my hands together and wiping away the wine, an abrupt thought entered my mind. I have blood on my hands and yet, I know Jesus loves me.

Jesus loves me, even though my sins crucified Him. He stood in my place, carrying the weight of my wretched sin and shame to the cross. He hears my confession and says, “Daughter, you are forgiven. My righteousness covers you with mercy.” 

I am humbled by one drop of blood and stand in awe of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ. He chose me to be His child, not because of my goodness, but because of His mercy. 

Blanketed by His righteous and merciful grace, Jesus’ sacrifice covers my sin. It can cover yours as well. When we repent of our sins and believe in Jesus, we are saved. God sees us through Jesus’ righteousness. And Holy Spirit enables me to please God through obedience to His Living Word which is Jesus Christ. 

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16 (TLB)

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your love that established peace through the blood of the cross of your own Son, Jesus. What an offering of sacrificial devotion! I am forgiven and free. Uphold me, Lord God, with your righteous right hand forever. In the mighty name of Jesus, AMEN. 

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.         Colossians 1:19-20 (ESV)                                              

                                                                                   S.D.G.

*JJ Jesu Juva (Jesus help) and S.D.G. Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be Glory) — Johann Sebastian Bach wrote these letters on his pages before he began and when he ended composing his music. He gave God the glory after pleading for his help.

Yeast of Corruption

““I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”
~JESUS 

John 6:35 (NASB)”

          Boil. Foam. Bubble. Words that fashion in my mind’s eye a cauldron of evil. On second thought, I see a substance activated by water and flour. Combined with a few more ingredients, the dough doubles in size after several hours. Once baked, it yields a delicious staple. Fresh baked bread gives way to a mouthwatering experience, aromatic and appetizing.

          Jesus and bread seemed to go hand in hand throughout His time on earth. The New Testament testifies to the many times He talked about bread. He miraculously provided bread for hungry crowds. He called Himself the Bread of Life. Surprisingly He even discussed the active ingredient in bread. However, when he mentioned yeast, it had nothing to do with bread. God’s Word in the eighth chapter of Mark conveys some crucial eye-opening knowledge applicable for readers still today. 

          The chapter opens with a mighty miracle where Jesus fed a large hungry crowd after praying over several loaves of bread and a few fish. It’s a second account of Him miraculously feeding a colossal crowd from a meager source. The throng of people certainly enjoyed plenty of food as there were baskets overflowing with leftovers. Imagine witnessing such a phenomena. Think about how swiftly the news must have spread among the people. 

          Eventually reports of the supernatural event reached some Jewish leaders called Pharisees. Once they discovered Jesus’ location, they began questioning and testing Him. They demanded proof of His divine authority by requesting signs from heaven. They dismissed the power behind His miracles by challenging Jesus for more evidence. Because He recognized their unbelief, Jesus refused to grant them any information concerning His identity. He walked away from them and joined His disciples in a boat.

          As they sailed across the Sea of Galilee, Jesus warned His disciples of the yeast of the Pharisees. Yeast? The disciples assumed Jesus referred to the lack of bread for their trip as only one loaf had been stored in the boat. Could there be more to yeast than a loaf of bread?

          “Why are you talking about bread?” Jesus asked. “Do you not understand? Do your eyes fail to see and your ears fail to hear? Remember the two miracles? How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up?”

          The disciples answered respectively, twelve and seven, but Jesus knew they failed to comprehend the meaning. They only grasped the concept of yeast in the physical sense. They were spiritually blind to the evil brew of the Pharisees and other leaders (Mark 8:14-21).

          The disciples recognized yeast as a fermenting agent used to make bread. Jesus equated yeast to an attitude of corruption. Think of the cauldron of evil—boil and bubble. The Pharisees had perverted their religion by making it exclusive to law keepers. As Jewish leaders, they had harnessed the people with many impossible rules to obey. By veiling the authenticity of Scripture, the religious elite had blinded the common folk to God’s truth. 

          Public opinion began changing when Jesus showed up, ministering to the masses and upsetting the methodical religion of the Jewish leaders. The crowds following Jesus increased and His divine authority exposed religious hypocrisy. The sanctimonious Pharisees seethed with anger and envy as their impact seemed to dwindle. Powerful leaders despise the freedom gained by people whose eyes have been opened to truth.

          Religion has burdened mankind with man-made rules for centuries. The law exposes sin and sometimes those in control dictate observance to laws through works, negating the work of Jesus on the cross. When the doctrines of denominations supersede faith in a self-sacrificing Savior, we become divided. Adding man’s way to God’s way is like adding water to yeast and watching the cauldron of corruption boil over into trouble. Eventually our fallen nature clouds our vision. Recognizing truth becomes nearly impossible.

“When the doctrines of denominations supersede faith in a self-sacrificing Savior, we become divided.”

          During the 60’s and 70’s, some American pastors preached fire and brimstone, the wrath of God against sinful souls. People left church services feeling shame and defeat. Surely good works would pave the way to heaven instead of hell. Eyes became veiled to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

          As a new generation grew into influence, various church services, along with the sermons, were redesigned to focus on grace, the cheap grace that minimizes sin. Comfortable with coffee described a regular Sunday at church. Again eyes became veiled to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

          Jesus the Messiah came to earth to demonstrate a holy life to His disciples and followers. Through His Word, He shows us all a better way of life, offering grace and mercy to repentant people. The truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ is for every single person who will believe in Him. He died an excruciating death, taking upon Himself the sins of the world while offering His righteousness to humankind. It’s a beautiful exchange that requires humble recognition and repentance of our own sinfulness. It is the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

          Jesus the Savior is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). He wants us to know His gospel and its liberating truth. He yearns to deliver us from the yeast of corruption that infiltrates the church and the world. He longs to rescue us from wickedness and free us from sin’s bondage. He desires for us to focus on Him, living as He lived, loving as He loved. 

          But what are we to do when we don’t know what is true? It seems the yeast of the Pharisees has spread throughout the ages. The cauldron of evil appears to have boiled over into our modern world. Have we been blinded to truth? Is it even possible to see clearly through the haze of confusion? How can we use discernment and make truth visible?

          Turn away from the yeast of corruption. Change your focus from man’s way to God’s way. And return next week to see more of God’s truth revealed. 

Before you go, share with me in the comment section below some of the ways God is revealing His truth to you.

Ripped and Stained, Stitched and Mended

Our heartfelt worship service shifted into fervent prayer. Then the pastor proceeded to the podium as the congregation sat down. I reached for my Bible and journal, anticipating a sermon full of good news. From the corner of my eye, I noticed a three-inch mended tear in the seat cushion next to me. Now distracted, I inspected the defect that, in my opinion, ruined the entire pew. 

My perception of the less than perfect pew fabric centered on distaste and disdain. While glaring at the gash and wondering how it got there, I sensed God speaking to my heart. He uttered His words of life into the moment, transforming my thoughts. 

Immediately my heart softened over this perfect example of imperfection. Here we all sat—patched up people—yearning for renewed life. Ripped, stained, stitched, and mended, we came to worship the Savior who restores. Do we attend church to flaunt our perfections? No, we bring our flaws and blemishes to the Great Physician for repair. Church should be a place for healing, not haughtiness.

Why do church people tend to judge? Many outsiders refuse to go to church because of the hypocritical nature of the righteous ones. Instead of being filled with judgment, we should be full of mercy. It’s what Christ offers all of us when we repent. He is our perfect example of merciful grace and forgiveness. 

Church buildings dot the landscape of many communities all over the world. The cross stands upon a steeple on some while others display a storefront facade. But a building is only a building—it’s what’s inside that counts (like our hearts). The word church comes from the Greek word ekklesia which means assembly or called-out ones. The true Church is the body of Jesus Christ and He is the head (Ephesians 1:22-23). The Church is comprised of broken people who believe in Him, the Savior of the world. 

Once again I glanced at the tear and pictured a hospital full of damaged patients—disappointed, depressed, dejected, despondent, downcast, disgruntled people, even hypocrites. All enter the church doors to encounter Jesus Christ, our Counselor and Physician. He laid down His life to heal our broken lives. As our resurrected Intercessor, He presents His Church to Almighty God. Having confessed our sins and professed faith in Jesus, we stand before our Lord God changed from tattered rags to pristine attire. 

As the praise band began to sing, I realized I had missed the pastor’s sermon. But God had perfectly illustrated to me a valuable lesson. His true Church comprises wounded but repaired people making known the love of Christ, not pretentious individuals pointing in judgment. Restoration occurs when a person meets Jesus with honest repentance. The merciful grace He offers to us is the same merciful grace we must extend to others. 

So bring to church your rips and stains. Allow Jesus the Great Physician to mend your hurts and pains. Praise Him with thanksgiving for His healing touch. Then go into the world sharing the good news of Jesus’ saving grace. 

“Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;
save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.
Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV)”