Communion Message
Self Examination
November 21, 2004
Pastor Leighton Sheley

We haven't come here today just to put in our time. We haven't come here today because there's no place else we could be. We haven't come here today out of some kind of a habit, but Lord we have come here today to experience You anew, to sense and enjoy Your presence and Your healing touch, to learn more about You and Your will and Your way through the opening of Your word. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord.

Reading this morning from 1 Corinthians chapter 11: For this is what the Lord himself said, and I pass it on to you just as I received it. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant between God and you, sealed by the shedding of my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it." For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again.

So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.

But if we examine ourselves, we will not be examined by God and judged in this way. But when we are judged and disciplined by the Lord, we will not be condemned with the world.

This last verse - if we examine ourselves, we will not be examined by God and judged in this way - that verse actually has four different words all with the same basic root word, krino, diakrino, and katakrino, and each one of those words has a specific meaning. If we were to look at the first word, the first word would mean contend. The second and third words are the same and we would probably use the word discipline for those words. And the last word, katakrino, has to do with a judgment or a final passing of a judgment. With that knowledge we would say if we contend with ourselves we will not be disciplined by God, but if we disciplined by God we will not be condemned with the world.

There is a contention within us because the old nature, the sinful nature, is at contention, at enmity with the new nature that God has put within us, the nature that desires to please God. Sometimes the old nature is victorious and we do things that are not pleasing to God. The Bible calls this sin. Thanks be to God for His holy word that says if we confess our sins He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I'd like to invite you, if you are physically able, to join with me now as we kneel in the presence of our Lord and Savior and examine our self as the Bible instructs us.

Lord we are thankful that we can come here today and we can bow before You. We can ask You to forgive us our sin and cleanse us, and that is what You desire to do. Lord thank you for providing for us salvation. And the elements that we hold remind us of the price that has been paid for our forgiveness and for our salvation, and reminds us as well that the price has been paid. Let's partake of the bread, and also the cup.

Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord. In Jesus' name we pray, and all God's people said, amen.