A New Thing
Developing a Spiritual Life • Sermon • Submitted
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· 9 viewsSpiritual life requires good food - feasting on God's Word to us.
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Developing a Spiritual Life
Developing a Spiritual Life
We’re beginning a series today that will culminate on Pentecost Sunday - June 4th - with a service of healing and wholeness.
I have yet to be in a church where people did not want to grow spiritually. Actually I have seldom met any person that does not have a desire to grow spiritually however they may define that.
Where does it begin?
Where does it begin?
The truly spiritual life begins and ends in Jesus.
In the Gospel of John we read:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
John 1:1-
Later Jesus would say,
The Word was in the beginning,
was with God
was God
All things were made through him.
In Him was life
that life was the light
Later in that same passage we read:
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
The Word - God’s Word - became flesh and dwelt among us.
It is important that we recognize God’s spoken word was visible in this world as Jesus Himself. And that word is sustenance for us to live.
In Jesus said,
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Bread is a basic food source. Jesus is the basic food of life.
Our passage this morning shares of the institution of the Lord’s Supper:
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.”
I Cor 11:23-24
Paul, the author of this passage was not there with the disciples when this first celebration took place. In the Gospel of Matthew we read this account:
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
Matthew 26:26
We see the similarities, but notice in Matthew’s account we are told the bread represents Jesus body, and note it is broken.
Whenever we celebrate communion, we do so in remembrance of Jesus.
We remember His life.
We remember His commands
We remember His ministry
We remember His miracles
We remember His call and our response
Let’s pick it up in the next verse:
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.”
New Covenant…what does Jesus mean? Let’s look back at the Gospels and see if we get a hint:
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Matthew
Hmmm…Matthew records Jesus as saying, “my blood of the covenant.” Mark does the same:
And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
Mark 14:
Luke however puts in that word “New”:
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
So what’s happening? First let’s understand Covenant. A covenant is a binding agreement under seal between two parties. It is a promise one to the other and unlike a contract, if one party breaking their part of the deal does not release the other from their obligation.
This is evident as you look throughout the Old Testament and you see the people of Israel constantly turning their back and
If this is the New Covenant, What is the OLD Covenant?
The Old Covenant can be summed up in the Law and the Prophets. The Mosaic covenant - the covenant God made with Israel was constantly broken because of Israel’s sin. It is the same covenant we break through our departure from the Law and the Prophets.
Now Jesus is making a “New” Covenant…or is he?
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
sin…hmmm…remember when we read in ,
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In the Old Covenant sacrifices had to be made for sin to make atonement for them. In the New Covenant the sacrifice has been made.
Jesus said:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Matthew 5
The Old Covenant has been fulfilled. Once for all.
We read in
And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And in 1 Peter we read:
I Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
And the conclusion of our passage this morning:
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
That would not be good news if we did not first understand what Jesus has done for us.
Jesus fulfills the Law and the Prophets by his sacrifice of blood. He is our Pascal lamb.
IF we are truly seeking to live a spiritual life we must seek the one who has given us life. Where do we look? Where can we find?
It’s our Lord Jesus.
It’s God’s Word.
Preparation for Communion
Preparation for Communion