Prepared for Communion?

I sent most of this out as an email to our church people, but I feel like I should share it here as well. Wednesday nights are special around our church. We share a meal together then we have a short Bible study or worship time.

This Wednesday night falls right in the middle of “Passion Week” or “Holy Week” as the week before Easter is called and this week we will share communion as part of our service. I think this is entirely appropriate for this date and for the life of our church at this point in time — but that’s just a whole ‘nutha story to be shared at another time.

So, this week people are thinking about Easter and all that it means: eggs, new clothes, new shoes, candy, baskets — shopping galore! They plan dinners with family and friends and make special plans for Sunday.

This year, we want to shift people’s focus, thus the communion service. Traditionally, Jesus’ “last supper,” when He spoke the words “do this in remembrance of me” happened on Thursday, but I wasn’t managing the calendar then, so I’m cool with a Wednesday celebration.

The thing is, I think so many times we mess communion up. We come to the Lord’s dinner table totally unprepared. We wouldn’t come to our mother’s dinner table with dirty hands and faces (well, not MY mother’s, anyway!) — yet we come so often to God’s with dirty hands, hearts and minds.

Paul said,

“Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.”

So, while a spanking from Mom for dirty hands might be rough, being “guilty of the body and blood of the Lord” would seem to be much worse, and something I definitely don’t want to be. I mean, who would want to eat and drink judgment to himself? In this vein, we asked those who will be in attendance tomorrow night to prepare, to begin the process of examining oneself.

You might ask what that looks like. Well, Matthew 5:23-24 covers one way to start:

“Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”

If there’s someone you need to make an effort to reconcile with, get moving!

Proverbs 6:16-19 has something to say to us, too:

“There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.”

Wow. Short & simple, huh? So, are there any sins in your life that need to be confessed and turned from before you take communion? Here’s a starter list … ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any others to you, then confess. Turn – away from the sin and to God.

Lack of love     Judging     Bitterness

Unforgiving spirit      Selfishness

Pride

Stubbornness     Rebellion     Disobedience

Impatience     Complaining     Jealousy

Losing your temper     Hatred

Gossip     Speaking evil of someone

Anger     Lying     Profanity     Evil thoughts     Laziness

Hypocrisy     Worry     Unbelief     Cheating

Lust     Adultery

Catch you later, I’ve got some work to do before Wednesday night.

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