Examined Hearts

Joshua 23-24; Psalms 44; 1 Corinthians 11 

“…whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats…That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.”

1 Corinthians 11:27, 28, 30, 31

The celebration of communion is more than remembering an historical event. The taking of bread and wine symbolizing the body and blood of the Lord Jesus is a renewal of our covenant vow to be true to Jesus and to receive his grace and mercy by faith. When we reduce communion to a ritual of remembering, and avoid examining the current condition of our heart and relationships, we grieve God and risk judgment through sickness and even death. Paul said that the casual, unexamined celebration of communion is “why many among you are sick and a number have fallen asleep”. 

If we could draw a straight line between our physical sickness and flippant communion practice, how would that change our approach to this celebration?

“Lord Jesus, you died so I might live. I humble myself before you, desiring truth and humility in my heart, for your glory.”