Thursday, September 15, 2022
I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit.
Isaiah 57:15
From Brokenness to Communion
Our God is the King of Kings, high and lifted up, above all. But our God also specializes in coming into the lowest places with us. There is something about reaching a breaking point that causes us to seek the Lord more sincerely. King David was once a broken man, and he prayed, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me… The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:10, 17). There are some things in our lives that need to be broken: pride, self-will, stubbornness, and sinful habits, for example. When we feel our brokenness, God compensates for us and promises - I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit. Isaiah 57:15
To us, broken things are despised as worthless, but God can take what has been broken and remake it into something better, something that He can use for His glory. Broken things and broken people are the result of sin. Yet God sent his Son, who was without sin, to be broken so that we might be healed. On the night before He died, Jesus broke the bread and said, This is my body, which is broken for you. He went all the way to Calvary to die so that we can live. His death has made it possible for broken, sinful humanity to be reconciled to God and be healed. Without the broken body of Jesus, we could not be made whole. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
Only when we surrender to Christ can we be restored and transformed. Such surrender requires this brokenness on our part. God draws us, He calls to us. He longs for us to come to Him so He can heal us. It is in this place we find communion with Him and when we have been restored and confess our sins, we can takecommunion – or the Lord’s Supper – together with the body of believers.
The Observance of the Lord’s Supper – A Personal Communion With God
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and wafter blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. Matthew 26:26-30
The Lord’s Supper is one of the ordinances that we observe. It is a very personal time, but usually experienced together as a church body. Some of the reasons we observe the Lord’s Supper are:
To commemorate the death of Christ: "This do in remembrance of me…"
To signify, seal, and apply to believers all the benefits of the new covenant. In this ordinance Christ seals his promises to us, and we in turn consecrate ourselves to Him.
To show a profession of our faith in Jesus as a Christian.
To represent our communion with Christ and the mutual communion of believers with each other.
The elements used to represent Christ's body and blood are bread and grape juice. The kind of bread, whether leavened or unleavened, is not specified. Christ used unleavened bread simply because it was what He had at the moment.
When we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we are testifying that we believe that Jesus’ body was broken for us and His blood was shed for us. We remember the forgiveness of sins and that we have already received this gift. We anticipate His return as Jesus Himself ate it in anticipation of the future. - I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. Matthew 26:29
