Communion - Do not mix the cup of the Lord with the cup of devils

 

Communion; Do not mix the cup of the Lord with the cup of devils

1 Corinthians 10:14-22  Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.  I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say.  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the  communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?  For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything?   Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 

 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?

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I am reminded of the scripture that tells us that God is a Jealous God and He will not share worship with any other gods of this world.

I am telling you a true story that happened many years ago, when my youngest daughter was in high School. She came home one day very upset, and I asked her what was the matter? Almost in tears, she told me that this day, during Home Room "Show and Tell," one of the students brought in a live witch who instructed the students how to levitate to do astral projection (meaning to rise up in the air and move from place to place) and she told of her experiences as a witch.   I asked my daughter, “What would you like for me to do? Would you like me to come to your class tomorrow and talk to the kids about the dangers?” Very excitedly she said, oh yes, would you do that? Of course, I will go with you tomorrow and speak to the principal and to your class. Now as it so happened I had maybe two dozen or so Chick booklets titled Bewitched that spoke about the dangers of fortune telling, the occult and witchcraft and to not be bewitched by the devil but come to Jesus and get clean of any involvement in such. I also brought some other chick booklets, as there was not enough of Bewitched books for the entire class.

The next morning, I met with the principal and explained that I was not against education, but there are two sides of the equation and I need to speak on behalf of the other side of the spirit world. Of course, I was welcomed, and entered the room with the teacher's approval, and waited for my introduction. The students were happy to see me and were very attentive as I explained that there is within us a need to seek out God and the supernatural, but when it comes to witchcraft and the occult there are dangers involved in receiving spirits that would do us harm and not help us. Some think it is innocent and fun to dabble in such things, but it is not a good thing to become possessed with something that will harm you and later on kill you.

I told the students, that I could not pass out some booklets that I have brought with me, but as you leave homeroom today, please you are welcome to take one with you by your own free choice. I had laid them out on a table in front of me, and as they left for the next class, every one of the booklets were gone in a minute. One girl came to me and thanked me for coming and stated that her mother was upset about the witch but was too afraid to come to school. I thanked her and said that I understood.

Today in our world, the class room has all sorts of evil being presented and available to our children. Not just in school, but have you ever noticed the cartoons the kids watch on TV.

Even the Disney movies are now filled with witches, wizards, elves and supposedly “friends” that look like devils. We as a nation are being brain washed to consider these things as harmless and fun. Not so my friends.

We can't go up on the mountain and isolate ourselves completely from the world, but we must be aware of the cleverness of the enemy who is attempting to get us as Christians to accept some things that were once sin, but we consider them as not so bad today. It might be well to go through your belongings and get rid of any Terra cards, books of the occult, we-gee boards, any horoscopes, yoga books or certain magazines.

Saints of God, it is time to wake up and throw some cold living water over our heads and allow it to seep down over our minds, our eyes, our ears, all the way to our feet.

Today as we come to the Lords table, we are to examine ourselves and repent if there be even a hint of anything in our attitudes, or in our homes, that displeases the Lord Jesus. Later please take care to remove and destroy anything of what you have promised God today.

Reading from 1 Corinthians 11:17-20   Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.  For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.  Therefore, when you come together in one place, it is to eat the Lord’s Supper as Jesus commanded us to do in remembrance of his death, burial and resurrection.

27-31 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason, many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.  For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.  But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

Let us take a moment to examine our heart, and to consider our walk with Jesus and lay aside anything that should not be there. Pause.

Let me tell you, if you repented of any involvement, you are forgiven, and you are now qualified to partake of the Lord's table.

Continuing to read from 1 Corinthians 11: For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 

 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”  For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

Amen