One of the many things God’s Word teaches you is how to live. Making decisions or living opposite of God’s instructions usually brings problems into your life. Those problems can be rebuke, conviction, or even punishment from God but most often there is a natural consequence of violating God’s direction in your life. An example would be the family problems Jacob had for showing favoritism between children. Today we’re started a series of devotionals looking at the mistakes believers made in Scripture and the problems caused by their mistakes.
Let’s try to learn from them and avoid these mistakes so you don’t have to deal with the consequences. Let’s get started.
Some of the Corinthians were treating the sacrifice of Jesus irreverently and became sick or died.
17 Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 There must, indeed, be factions among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. 20 Therefore, when you come together, it is not really to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For at the meal, each one eats his own supper ahead of others. So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! 22 Don’t you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you look down on the church of God and embarrass those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you for this! 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 gave thanks, broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way, after supper He also took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 So a man should examine himself; in this way he should eat the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep. 31 If we were properly evaluating ourselves, we would not be judged, 32 but when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, so that we may not be condemned with the world. (1 Cor 11:17-32)
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross was a tremendous act by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father sent His Son to not only die for you, but He sent Him to pour out His full wrath on Him. Jesus went through torture at man’s hands in many ways and ultimately felt the Father’s full wrath. Think about that … He endured the Father’s full wrath, for you. God’s Holy Spirit had to be grieved … grieved to take on the sin of the world and grieved to pour out wrath on the Son.
God’s sacrifice for you was infinite! Jesus’ blood, the very blood of God was willingly shed for believers so they could be saved. We take communion to remember what God has done for us. It’s an odd combination of a somber time, a humble time, a thankful time, and a joyous time that is to be celebrated in reverence to God and His work.
The Corinthian’s did not celebrate in reverence. They ate and drank the communion meal in an unworthy way by being self-centered, selfish, and gluttonous. Although at the Lord’s table, they did not consume the meal and celebrate the occasion with the proper reverence to God and what He did. Picture a scene of a formal state dinner in the White House with the President and dignitaries. Everybody is dressed in fine clothes, the table is set beautifully, and the décor is posh. The scene is dripping with the importance of the event and the importance of the people in attendance. Now picture the Corinthians coming into this posh and reverent celebration like a herd of wild boars stampeding in jumping on the table and devouring all the food. Those boars are acting like animals and completely out of place not treating the people there or the event with the reverence it deserves.
Don’t be like the wild boar Corinthians. Do not approach the Lord’s Table irreverently by taking Him, His glory, or His work lightly. Celebrate the Lord with the reverence that God deserves … always. Some Corinthian’s did not and suffered severe consequences. They were sick and some died. The sad part is that it seemed they didn’t put two and two together. Hopefully when they were confronted about it, they learned reverence.
God is a Great King enthroned on high and deserves reverence equal to His greatness.
” A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts to you priests who despise My name. (Mal 1:6)
Keep in mind that you are a priest of God (1 Pe 2:9). Revere Him.
Think about it
Do you take communion irreverently or do you reverently focus on God and His work for you in humility, honor, awe, and thanksgiving?
Do you approach God with the reverence He deserves when you pray? When you worship? Whenever you are in His presence?
Do you try to exalt Him and humble yourself when approaching Him?
Before turning in for the night to pray, President Teddy Roosevelt and one of his trusted advisors would go out on the White House lawn to look up at the stars to humble themselves before God. They tried to grasp how huge the universe is and the infinite number of stars. They would discuss that God made it, knows each star, and how He sits above the universe. After taking it all in and realizing how small and unimportant he was, President Roosevelt would say something like, “Now that we feel small and have exalted God, I can go inside and pray”.
Humble yourself like that and exalt God when you approach Him!
BIBLE DEVOTIONS FOR LIVING 