Thursday, August 22, 2019

On The Significance Of The Lord's Supper

  • How The Worship Service Is To Be Conducted:
          -The church is to practice open worship gatherings.
          -The worship service is to be performed in an organized and harmonious format.
          -Hymns are sung, prayers and words of praise and thanksgiving (for the bread and cup) are spoken, and a reading of Scripture is done.
  • The Purpose Of The Worship Service:
          -Edification/instruction
          -Fellowship with God and with brethren
  • What Worship Is To Be Centered On:
          -Worship is to have God as its specified object, as the Psalmists of the Old Testament plainly attest. The Psalms contain multiple instances of praise and thanksgiving. True worship points away from the worshiper and toward the Creator.
          -The New Testament narrows in on the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:24-26).
  • The Results Of Authentic Worship:
          -God is glorified, and dwells in the midst of those who sing praises to Him. In true worship, He is given priority above everything else.
          -The love of Christ and unity among brethren remains strong through partaking in communion. Moreover, it is from that ritual we learn the most regarding concepts of biblical and theological value.
  • Degrees Of Symbolism Employed In The Lord's Supper To Highlight The Significance Of Jesus Christ's Atonement Sacrifice:
          -The wine is representative of the brutal nature of His execution for our sins. The bread is representative of His body hanging on the cross.
          -1 Corinthians 10:16-17 conveys the idea of Christians partaking of bread and wine as a means of fellowship amongst each other.
          -John 6 mirrors the language employed during the Lord's Supper for the purpose of communicating salvific truths.
          -The repetition of the communion meal signifies us drawing our strength from Christ.
          -The New Covenant points to the greatest worship being offered up by us as a royal priesthood under the eternal kingship of Jesus Christ.
  • On The Greek Term Koinonia:
          -This word literally means fellowship. In various contexts, the word denotes active and friendly association amongst members of a group. Thus, Christians are to steadfastly devote themselves to prayer and breaking of bread. That is what a biblically vibrant and faithful church does by its very nature. Believers also experience koinonia with the Spirit of God (2 Corinthians 13:14).

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