Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:20.
In partaking with His disciples of the bread and wine, Christ pledged Himself to them as their Redeemer. He committed to them the new covenant, by which all who receive Him become children of God, and joint heirs with Christ. By this covenant every blessing that Heaven could bestow for this life and the life to come was theirs. This covenant deed was to be ratified with the blood of Christ. And the administration of the sacrament was to keep before the disciples the infinite sacrifice made for each of them individually as a part of the great whole of fallen humanity.
But the communion service was not to be a season of sorrowing. This was not its purpose. As the Lord’s disciples gather about His table, they are not to remember and lament their shortcomings. They are not to dwell upon their past religious experience, whether that experience has been elevating or depressing. They are not to recall the differences between them and their brethren. The preparatory service has embraced all this. The self-examination, the confession of sin, the reconciling of differences, has all been done. Now they come to meet with Christ. They are not to stand in the shadow of the cross, but in its saving light. They are to open the soul to the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. With hearts cleansed by Christ’s most precious blood, in full consciousness of His presence, although unseen, they are to hear His words, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.” John 14:27.
The atoning sacrifice is full and sufficient. It is the new covenant, sealed with His blood, which was shed for many for the remission of sins. This Christ declared at the Last Supper. In this cup there is to those who drink in faith, peace-making, soul-cleansing efficacy. It is the balm of Gilead, which God has provided to restore health and soundness to the sin-stricken soul.
The Faith I Live By p. 301
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Prayer Requests
—-I have a special prayer request for my older sister Deborah. I love her so much. She is in her early sixties and has a daughter who treats her terribly. My sister made mistakes with this daughter years ago when she was drinking. They were pretty bad. But she shouldn’t have to pay for them forever. My heart breaks for her. Heather
—-update—Early yesterday afternoon Xander was extubated, he is officially off the ventilator and breathing on his own quite well so far. We know that so many of you were praying for him and for his lungs to be strong. We are so thankful for your prayers and for the answers God has given. Please continue to hold Xander up in prayer that his breathing will continue to stay strong and improve! Joyce
—-pray for my two year old granddaughter that is undergoing surgery today to remove a benign lump in her neck, she has never had an IV or been under anesthesia, as a retired nurse I know the risks in any surgery. Patricia
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Dear Friends,
From the time that her children were old enough to go to school, my Auntie Joyce worked long hours at a Meyers Thrifty Acres store in Kalamazoo, Michigan. One day, as she tiredly walked toward her car, after a long and hard day’s work, she noticed a group of people gathered around the back of a station wagon that was parked near her car. She recognized it as one belonging to a coworker. An ambulance, siren blaring, could be heard in the distance. A police car followed.
Curious, my aunt walked over to the crowd to see if her coworker was alright. There on the ground was a large, unconscious woman, but it was not the lady that she worked with. Beside this woman was a large paper bag bearing the store’s logo. The back window of the station wagon had been broken into. Surprised, my aunt was trying to figure out what could have happened.
Seeing her coworker in the crowd, Auntie Joyce walked over and asked what had happened. Chuckling wryly, the girl said that the unconscious woman had eventually broken out the back window in order to steal the bag she saw inside. Taking the bag out of the car, she looked inside and had fainted. My aunt thought that was rather unusual for a thief until the girl explained.
That morning, while on the way to work, she had run over a cat. Unable to find the owner, she had placed the cat in the back of her station wagon in order to dispose of it at the end of her workday. When she got to work, she knew that it would be in poor condition by the time she got out of work, so she decided to get a paper bag from the store and put the cat inside.
Later, a woman, who had come to the parking lot to see what she if anyone had carelessly left any valuables in their vehicle, saw the sack in the back of the car. It obviously had something in it, so she had broken into the girl’s car in order to steal what was inside that tempting-looking sack. Picking up the sack and expecting to see some valuable prize, the woman couldn’t resist opening it before she got away from the scene. To her horror, a smelly, dead cat stared blankly at her. The woman had screamed and fainted. A crowd instantly gathered and someone ran back inside the store and told the store’s manager who had called the police.
There are always consequences that accompany our actions. Everything that we do, everything that we say, everything that we think determines where we will spend eternity. Paul tells us, “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Col 3:24,25; Rom 6:23 Obadiah declares, “as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.” Ob 1:15 Our Great Judge told Isaiah, “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.” Isa 3:10,11
God’s Holy Word is full of examples of those whose lives were changed by what they had considered at the time to be a very small act. When Ahab looked out of his palace window and coveted Naboth’s vineyard, had him killed, and took it for himself, the consequences affected his whole family. (1 Kings 21-2 Kings 1; 9, 10)
Conversly, the good decisions that we make bring rewards far beyond our expectations. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is full of examples of those who made the right decisions and looked forward to the reward. Paul writes, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” Heb 11:5-10,24-26
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Let us “cast not away therefore [our] confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry” “for the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Heb 12:1,2; 10:35-37; Mat 16:27 let us with courage stand for the right, though all around us choose the wrong way, that we, someday soon, will meet under the tree of life on the banks of the river of life; our troubles and heartaches gone, our hearts filled to overflowing with love for the One Who loves us so.
Rose
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“The New Testament in My Blood”