Communion

Remembering

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment 
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Luke 22:19 KJV

Just before Jesus went to the cross, He invited His friends to a private dinner, and there began to explain to them what was going to happen next by using bread and wine. Afterwards, Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

“But if we are saved by faith.” You might ask, “Why do we need to follow a ritual?” We ask that because we think of remembering, as simply recalling facts, as when we memorize formulas so that we can pass the math exam. But the kind of remembering Jesus talked about was not just keeping all the details straight. Receiving communion is more like, when I remember my dad, every time I glance up at a photograph of him. That photo isn’t my dad, but it reminds me of seeing his smile, hearing his voice, and feeling His gentle hand on my shoulder. In the same way, we are doing more than just eating a piece of cracker and a drinking a cup of juice. Holy Communion reminds us of His sacrifice, helps us remember His voice in the words of scripture, and even gives us the sense of His hand on our shoulders giving us the strength to live our lives for Him.

Serving Communion at Assisted Living

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments 
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. 1 Corinthians 11:23-24 ESV

I still remember the first time I served communion at one of the facilities that I visit here in Florida. I felt nervous because I wasn't sure who could receive because of dietary restrictions or their particular beliefs about communion. But as the Holy Spirit continued to impress on my heart the need to offer this as one of the essential ordinances of the church, I pressed ahead. After our meeting, one of the residents thanked me and said with tears, "Thank you so much. This is the first time I have been able to have communion in over a year!" If you are in any way involved in long-term care ministry, even if that means simply visiting people in their homes, I urge you to prayerfully consider bringing the Lord's Supper to our brothers and sisters who can no longer easily go to church. Here in this simple video, you will notice that the message is Biblical, complete and shared in less than four minutes. Then, while the elements are being passed, I sing two of the precious older hymns that reflect on the holiness of the moment. I hope you will be blessed, and if you want to learn more about nursing home ministry, please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel or following me here on WordPress. Have a blessed day everyone!

What’s Right with Contemporary Worship – Remembering the Blood

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments 
The Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces 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 his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.”
1 Corinthians 11:23b-25 NLT

Every hymn has an audience in mind. For example, “Holy Holy Holy” sings to God, while “Amazing Grace” addresses the church. Some hymns invite us to the altar, others offer comfort. Some rejoice in the promises of God while others teach us to weep over sins. God loves to use different expressions of worship to reveal Himself at different times, in different ways to different people. The most important aspect of our worship is that God should be glorified. In today’s song, “Thank You Jesus for The Blood” by Charity Gayle, her lyrics remind us of the primary focus of the Gospel: The Blood of Jesus Christ.

No one loves singing the old hymns more than I do. Some weeks I get to sing them for several small meetings at various nursing homes in our community. Some of their favorites are, Love Lifted Me”, “Mansion Over the Hilltop” and “In the Garden.’ While all of those are wonderful songs, none of them is more Biblically focused than today’s song. Even, “Amazing Grace” doesn’t mention God till verse four and “Holy Holy Holy” gives no mention of the cross. In His final meal on earth, Jesus commanded us to remember His coming sacrifice by breaking bread and drinking from the cup, which represent His Body and Blood given for us. What greater words can we sing than those of today’s song that tell of God’s greatest gift of love to us!

Thank you Jesus for the blood applied
Thank you Jesus it has washed me white
Thank You Jesus You have saved my life
Brought me from the darkness
Into glorious light!