Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of Scripture, but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
Each day housewives have a great responsibility to their families. Although many times they go unnoticed, they are busy as a bee, as they quietly gather items in their cupboards, and place them in a big pot for dinner. Over the next few hours, the aroma of fresh onions, garlic and meat will begin to fill the air. But occasionally, she will take the top off the pot, put a spoon into the soup and take a little sip. Sometimes you can see an immediate reaction as she shakes her head, because she didn’t follow the recipe. Something is wrong and needs to be corrected. After adding a pinch of salt here, and some extra herbs there, she fixes the problems until the soup is absolutely perfect.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
In order for a meal to come out correctly, you need to check on it occasionally, making sure that it doesn’t burn and that the flavor is just right. It’s a process of examination, which is exactly what we are supposed to be doing in the church. We need to take a close look inside of our hearts and examine it closely to make sure that we are walking in the true faith.We must see how our lives line up with the teachings of scripture, and if it’s not the proper recipe, then we must adjust the things that are wrong and correct them.
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5
In order to prepare the meal that is on a menu, a cook needs to follow the recipe that is written in the cookbook. When they follow the instructions that are on the card, they can prepare the exact same meal that people have eaten and enjoyed for many years. But they have to occasionally examine it, testing it to make sure that they didn’t add the wrong ingredient. In order to become a follower of Jesus Christ, we too must follow the recipe for a Christian, which is found throughout the teachings of the New Testament. But like a cook will examine the meal with a spoon, we must examine our hearts with the Word of God. We must take a look to see if we are abiding in the truth and walking according to His will. This must be done before ever participating in Holy Communion.
1 Corinthians 11 ²³ For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: ²⁴ And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
²⁵ After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. ²⁶ For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. ²⁷ Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. ²⁹ For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. ³⁰ For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. ³¹ For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
³² But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
During Holy Communion, we partake of the physical body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, but some people partake of it and do not discern the Lord’s body. They really don’t believe the truth of what they are actually receiving, and because of this, they become sick and weak. There are many people who partake of Holy Communion who have no intention of turning from their sins at all. They simply go through the motions without any type of repentance in their heart or acknowledging the things that they need to do in order to come into compliance with God’s will. They refuse to confess faults to God and others whom they have wronged, rejecting the path of reconciliation. They have no feelings of compunction or contrition, and lack true Godly sorrow which results in humble obedience to God. Because of their lack of repentance through self-examination, they sin against the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and partake of Holy Communion unto damnation. Those who do such things treat His grace with contempt.
Hebrews 10 ²⁶ For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. ²⁸ He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: ²⁹ Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. ³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Baptism along with Holy Communion are required parts of Christianity but they must be done in faith. If genuine repentance doesn’t result, they will perish in their sins whether they call themselves a Christian or not. To inherit the sinless world that is coming, we must be transformed from sinners into saints. We are saved by God’s grace, but it is through the narrow passageway of faith. Genuine faith will always result in obedience and submission to God’s will. If this doesn’t happen, then it doesn’t matter how many religious activities someone participates in.
Matthew 7 ²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
“Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.” Lamentations 3:40
Psalms 139 ²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: ²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
A cook will make a close inspection of their food to see what is required to complete the meal. We must do the same, to see if we are walking in the true faith that was once given unto the Saints. We must look to the original Apostles and disciples of Christ who were walking in the truth 2000 years ago.
Does the faith you proclaim line up with the things that they taught? Does the faith that you proclaim cause you to depart from iniquity? Does the faith that you proclaim match the recipe that they handed down to the church? Everyone will need to look inside of their heart, take a little sip, and see if what you possess really passes…
…The Taste Test
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious goups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
tlkjbc.com
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 