"However something about these engraved pieces of paper can destroy a marriage or cause men and women to sacrifice leisure time with family and friends, and even health, to get more of them. This innocent paper you're holding has driven young men in the inner city to entice their friends to take killer drugs. It has corrupted the justice of men who started out to give their lives upholding the law. The lust for money has led adults to do the unspeakable things to children, to make millions in the kiddie-porn trade. The desire for wealth has even caused wars. Somehow money has the terrible ability to gain control of a person's soul. The power of money can bring life or death."
excerpts from Daring to live on the edge by loren cunningham
---
suddenly reread this, worth a moment of pondering.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Friday, June 05, 2009
breaking of bread
why do christians have communion?
the past:
a visible and symbolic sign of remembrance of Christ's death and suffering. (1 corinthians 11:24-25)
- background history: the Jews celebrate the Passover meal annually by taking four cups of wine: 1. FREEDOM 'i will take you out of Egypt', 2. DELIVERANCE 'I will deliver you from Egyptian slavery', 3. REDEMPTION 'I will redeem you with demonstration of power', 4. RELEASE ' i wll acquire you as a nation' (exodus 6:6-8)
- so it is a symbolic sign of us celebrating the passover, the Lamb and the wine. and so on this day we should remember what God has done for us.
- out of the box: similarly that is why we say GRACE during meal, to remember His GRACE not merely to give thanks for the food.
the present:
our participation in the new covenant
- you know how gang's have brotherhood blood pax. yah by partaking of that wine we are joining into the covenant.
the unity and fellowship of believers
- the Greek word 'koinonia' refers to 'communion' or sometimes 'fellowship'. In greeks the phrase 'breaking of bread' can be interchangeably use with fellowship.
- the one bread, one wine symbolised the church as one body.
- the exchange of bread and wine with one another is to remember that it is a sharing of meal together, this is not just a personal 'dont disturb me' repentant affair. i personally think it is important to remember as well that Jesus did not just die for you alone but the person sitting next to you as well.
- out of the box: in fact every time we partake a meal together with our brother and sisters in Christ with God in mind, we are having communion. the breaking-of-bread together.
the future:
hope of His return
- background history: in the jewish engagement, the couple drink this glass of wine a sign of agreement to that engagement. the man then will go home to renovate the house and prepare a room for themselves. the woman on the other hand will never know when he will come. but the whole time she is suppose to be learning and preparing herself to be a good wife. she cannot go away for party and holiday because seriously she doesnt know when the groom will come back.
- and so for us, the partaking of that wine also symbolises our promise to Him that we will wait for Him to come back. at the meantime we are telling Him, we will prepare ourselves.
the big banquet
- background history: every Jewish man know that there is a big banquet at the day of His return (luke 14:15)
- the verse in luke 11:2-3 is a tough greek sentence to translate. the NASB version writes 'The bread of us belonging to the coming day give us today'. It is combining the verse prior to this making it sounds like this, 'Let the kingdom come, let the feast begin today'
- out of the box: so remember it is not a solemn affair only, it is a celebration of the feast. cheers!
'for whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes..."
actual meaning
eat = dont just eat but crunch, gnaw, chew
until = not just sitting passively waiting for it to happen but looked forward, anticipate and call upon it to come
the past:
a visible and symbolic sign of remembrance of Christ's death and suffering. (1 corinthians 11:24-25)
- background history: the Jews celebrate the Passover meal annually by taking four cups of wine: 1. FREEDOM 'i will take you out of Egypt', 2. DELIVERANCE 'I will deliver you from Egyptian slavery', 3. REDEMPTION 'I will redeem you with demonstration of power', 4. RELEASE ' i wll acquire you as a nation' (exodus 6:6-8)
- so it is a symbolic sign of us celebrating the passover, the Lamb and the wine. and so on this day we should remember what God has done for us.
- out of the box: similarly that is why we say GRACE during meal, to remember His GRACE not merely to give thanks for the food.
the present:
our participation in the new covenant
- you know how gang's have brotherhood blood pax. yah by partaking of that wine we are joining into the covenant.
the unity and fellowship of believers
- the Greek word 'koinonia' refers to 'communion' or sometimes 'fellowship'. In greeks the phrase 'breaking of bread' can be interchangeably use with fellowship.
- the one bread, one wine symbolised the church as one body.
- the exchange of bread and wine with one another is to remember that it is a sharing of meal together, this is not just a personal 'dont disturb me' repentant affair. i personally think it is important to remember as well that Jesus did not just die for you alone but the person sitting next to you as well.
- out of the box: in fact every time we partake a meal together with our brother and sisters in Christ with God in mind, we are having communion. the breaking-of-bread together.
the future:
hope of His return
- background history: in the jewish engagement, the couple drink this glass of wine a sign of agreement to that engagement. the man then will go home to renovate the house and prepare a room for themselves. the woman on the other hand will never know when he will come. but the whole time she is suppose to be learning and preparing herself to be a good wife. she cannot go away for party and holiday because seriously she doesnt know when the groom will come back.
- and so for us, the partaking of that wine also symbolises our promise to Him that we will wait for Him to come back. at the meantime we are telling Him, we will prepare ourselves.
the big banquet
- background history: every Jewish man know that there is a big banquet at the day of His return (luke 14:15)
- the verse in luke 11:2-3 is a tough greek sentence to translate. the NASB version writes 'The bread of us belonging to the coming day give us today'. It is combining the verse prior to this making it sounds like this, 'Let the kingdom come, let the feast begin today'
- out of the box: so remember it is not a solemn affair only, it is a celebration of the feast. cheers!
'for whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes..."
actual meaning
eat = dont just eat but crunch, gnaw, chew
until = not just sitting passively waiting for it to happen but looked forward, anticipate and call upon it to come
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