The Heaton File

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.” (A song of ascents. Of David. Psalm 122:1)

I Love To Go To God’s House

The heart of David was entirely devoted to the worship of God. There was a pure sense of dedication to the spirit of David that reflected in his memorial as a man after God’s own heart. The closeness, intimacy, familiarity, and deep love David shared with the heavenly Father did not come from his intellectual knowledge of the Divine. His purpose in life was worship, and his favorite place to be was the house of the Lord. When the time came to go to the Temple and enjoy the fellowship of spiritual feasting with the people of God, David was at the head of the line. The Hebrew word David used to describe his joy was SAMACH, meaning “to brighten up,” “glee,” “cheer,” filled with joy, and made merry. This was not a frivolous kind of gladness. The spirit of David loved to go to the house of the Lord to sing praise, hear the powerful word of God spoken, listen to devout prayers, and witness the faithful making sacrifice.

There was no drudgery to David’s journey to the house of the Lord. When the time came to go, there was no question where he would be going. His time at the house of the Lord was not settled by a clock as if on a timer. The day of worship was a joyful occasion for David. Along with the thousands of worshipers, David was a common man bowing in reverence to the blessings of a benevolent God. He was king of Israel, but at the house of God, he was a humble man of faith. Mingling with the common people of Israel, David was like a gentle shepherd tending his flock. The union of faith united the hearts of everyone to the joy of worshipping the Lord at the house of God.

The house of God is no longer in Jerusalem, but in many communities throughout the world, a house of God can be found. Jesus built His church to be the body of the saved, the bride of Christ, a house of God, and a place of worship. Every first day of the week, the early disciples gathered together in a place to worship God. It may have been in a home, by a riverbank, in a cave, or in the catacombs of Rome the church would meet, but they gathered together as the house of God for a single purpose. The desire of all those who came together in one place was to worship the Lord.

“Going to church” is a similar phrase used in the modern setting, describing being in a particular place for worship. David said he was glad when they said, “Let’s go to the house of the Lord.” Sadly, there are many in the church today that have no gladness in assembling with the saints. Many want to stay home with a myriad list of excuses of why they cannot join with fellow Christians in the worship of Jesus Christ. Social media has spoiled many to become “Mattress Christian” or “Couch Members” who enjoy the show rather than the worship. There is no joy to go to the house of the Lord when the convenience of Dan and Bethel are offered. The spirit of David was pure joy to go to the house of the Lord, and nothing would hinder his journey. There must be the spirit of David among God’s people who love to go to the house of the Lord.

It is sad when children grow up never knowing if they are going to church or not. That is an indication the parents have taught them well the carnal materialism of the world is more important than worship. Any excuse will keep some from going to the house of the Lord. When the children grow up and leave the faith, there should be no surprise because they were never taught to love to go to the house of the Lord. There is nothing more important for a child of God to do in life than to go to the house of the Lord. Sitting in a church building will not save a person, but it is where devotion to God begins. The Lord commands His people to assemble, and to neglect the assembly brings the wrath of God. Under the Law of Moses, the Sabbath was not to be trifled with. The joy of going to the house of the Lord is why we assemble every first day of the week. What is your joy? Where do you want to find joy? Are you glad when it is time to go to the house of the Lord?

I will lift up my eyes to the hills — from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The Sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore. (A song of ascents. Psalm 121)

Walking In The Shade Of God

The Sun can be an unbearable burden in the heat of the day as it radiates its power over the earth. Deserts are scorching wastelands baked by the intense rays of an unshaded world. Being cast adrift on the oceans of water, men are desperate to find shade from the burning Sun. When God created light, He also created shade as a reflection of light on a solid mass. There is relief in the shadow of a tree or the cleft of a rock. The atmosphere was created at an exact density and makeup to allow sufficient rays of sunlight to penetrate but to protect the inhabitants from overexposure to dangerous radiation of ultraviolet light from the Sun. God created shade to allow relief from the heat of the Sun. Since the beginning of time, men have recognized the blessing of a little shade to relieve the suffering of heat.

As the Hebrews made their way to Jerusalem to worship the Lord God, they sang familiar psalms and hymns passed down from generation to generation. Songs of ascent describe the attitude of heart of God’s people preparing to worship. One of those psalms is a declaration of trust and faith in the providing care of the Lord God. Throngs of crowds moved toward the house of God, singing of their trust in the providential care of the Lord, singing their only help came from the Creator of the universe. There is no greater help than the Lord who made heaven and earth. Trusting in idols was foolishness. Seeking help from idols was folly. Looking for help from the Lord God of creation was the only true hope.

Trusting in God gives assurance that no harm can befall those who seek Him. He will not allow His children to stumble. The joy of walking in the light is seeing the things that will cause a man to stumble and avoiding them. God lights the way not allowing His children to be tempted beyond their abilities. Sin comes when we ignore the lighted path and stumble anyway. The overshadowing of the Lord is constant because He never slumbers, sleeps, or closes His eyes. Nothing can overwhelm the child of God when they are walking in the light of God.

Worshipping the Lord brings comfort from the heat of the world that bears down upon the soul like the heat of the noonday sun. The Lord watches over His children and shades them from the cruel heat of the day. Like the cooling shade on a hot day, God overshadows His children with a blanket of grace and love to soothe their troubled souls bringing comfort and hope. He will stand next to His children and protect them. The imagery of the Lord being a shade at the right hand is a powerful testimony that nothing is lacking in the protection of God. Being at the right hand is a place of ultimate protection. When a foe comes, those on the right hand are the defenders and protectors. God stands at the right hand of His children, protecting them as a shade in the day. He will not allow the Sun to strike His child nor the moon by night. The soul is preserved from evil by the shade of God’s grace.

Standing in the shade of God’s grace is a choice. Remaining in the heat of the noonday sun will bring death. The world stands in the burning Sun while few have found sanctuary in the shade of God’s protection. Every child of God who submits their will to the Father will find the cooling shade of grace flow over their lives, protecting them from the travails of a sun-drenched world dying of thirst. Jesus invites all men to come to the fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.  That fountain is found in the shade of God.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:9-10)

Especially Those In The Family Of Faith

The early disciples were a close-knit band of brethren willing to share and provide for everyone as they had need. Luke writes about how following the conversion of three thousand saints on the day of Pentecost, all who believed were together and had all things in common, selling possessions and goods to divide among all, as anyone had need. The early church began with devout hearts dedicated to the spiritual feast of unity in the body of Christ with gladness and simplicity of heart. God was praised through the benevolent acts between saints. The need to care for one another was a foundational character of the church of Christ.

As the church began to grow, there were needs that had to be met among the brethren. No one lacked among the saints for all who had possessions of lands or houses sold them to care for the brethren who were in need. The church was not a civic organization to care for the poor and needy of the world, as the work of the church was limited to the needs of the saints. Every example of the New Testament church’s authority to care for others is limited to the members of the body of Christ. Individual responsibilities cared for others, but the church was not to be burdened with worldwide benevolent needs. The focus was saints giving preference to saints. When the great famine throughout the world came in the days of Claudius Caesar, the disciples determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Corinth was a church of God filled with strife and immorality because they had lost the love and care for their fellow brethren. Division marred the church as factions fought against one another through envy, jealousy of gifts, and general lack of love for one another. There was a man with his father’s wife, and the brethren did not show love by rebuking his sin. It seems the central problem of Corinth was everyone was looking after their own needs. Writing to the churches of Galatia, the apostle Paul admonished the brethren always to give preference to the saints and members of the body of Christ.

Life can be filled with so much hardship, and the heart can become weary. Paul admonished the brethren not to get tired of what is good and, whenever the opportunity arose, do good to everyone but especially to those in the family of faith. Christians should do good to all men, but their first obligation is the care for their fellow brethren. One of the sterling characters of a Christian is their example of being good to all men. The world should see the Christian as a kind, compassionate, giving, and loving individual. While this is an important part of being a godly example, the Holy Spirit directs the saints receive a “double portion.” Saints should especially give preference to their brethren.

In the local church, brethren receive priority. This can be seen in the type of business we conduct, helping saints in a benevolent way, making sure the saints of a local congregation are cared for in their needs and a host of other things that always put the welfare of a fellow saint above the care of the world. There is a time and place to show the world a benevolent spirit, but it must begin in the household of faith. What would the world see when fellow saints are neglected by their own brethren? The Christian must do good to all men but especially those of the household of faith.

After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he left all, rose up, and followed Him. (Luke 5:27-28)

The Two Greatest Words

When Jesus called disciples to Him, He used a powerful and concise statement to draw men to Him or send them away. There was little fanfare to the appeal of Jesus. He never spent long hours trying to convince people to follow Him and accept His teachings. Jesus’s words were two simple words: Follow Me. Matthew (or Levi) was a man of importance in the Jewish and Roman world. His brethren did not like him as he was used by the Romans. Being a tax collector came with its own distrust, dishonesty, and oppression. It was not uncommon for tax collectors to ask more than demanded by the Romans to line their own pockets. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector who admitted to being dishonest. Matthew was sitting at his place of business collecting taxes when Jesus came by. Jesus said, “Follow me.” Matthew rose and followed Jesus for the rest of his life.

There was some background to Jesus and Matthew, and the appeal was that powerful. It was not as if Matthew had no understanding of who Jesus was. When the time came for Matthew to dedicate his life to the Lord, he acted like a man who fully trusted with no doubting in the truth that Jesus was the Son of God. When Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew casting a net into the sea as they had done all their life. They were fishermen working the family business for generations. Jesus said, “Follow Me,” and they did. When Jesus found Philip, He told him to follow Him, and Philip obeyed. All these men gave up their lives to follow a man who claimed to be the Son of God. These same men would give their lives in martyrdom because they followed Jesus. Following Jesus was not for entertainment or worldly gain, or notoriety among men. Jesus demands His disciples to follow Him without doubting and in complete faith.

Following Jesus requires two things. First, a follower of Jesus is subject to everything the Lord demands. There are no options, democratic voting, or selecting which parts are desirable and which are not. When Jesus calls a man to follow Him, it demands a full heart of obedience to everything the Lord requires. Secondly, there is only one way to follow, one truth to accept, and one life to live. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and to follow Jesus requires allegiance to Jesus only – no one else. Many who want to follow Jesus will only do so on their terms. They claim to be followers of Jesus but deny Him in their obedience. Following Jesus is either all or nothing.

Not everyone Jesus invites to follow Him accepts His invitation. Being a disciple of Jesus requires taking up a cross, and few are willing to accept self-crucifixion. A rich young ruler came to Jesus seeking eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell all he had and give to the poor and to follow Jesus. The man went away sorrowful because while he desired to follow Jesus, he was unwilling to pay the price. Men try to make excuses when Jesus calls them. Jesus urges a man to follow him, but he excuses himself so he can bury his father. This ritual was probably what the Jews did a year after a loved one died by going into the tomb to bury the bones. Following Jesus cannot be done beginning with excuses. After this man rebuffed the invitation of the Lord, someone comes to Jesus and tells Him he would follow Him, but first, he must tell his family goodbye. Again, Jesus explains that to follow Him requires a man not looking back.

The two greatest words given by Jesus is asking men to “Follow Me.” When a man accepts the invitation of Jesus, he will hear two more words when judgment comes as the Father will say, “Well done.” To finalize the greatest joy a man will hear are two words: “Enter in.” Two words. First to follow, then to be commended, and finally to enter in. What a joy. Praise God (two more words).

Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said: “Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. The high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste. I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam.” (Amos 7:7-9)

Judged By A Plumb Line

There is no certainty when the plumb line was invented, but Cain, son of Adam and Eve, built a city and named it after his son, Enoch. Building a city requires mathematics, science, and an understanding of foundations, structures, and walls. A wall can be constructed, but the key is to make sure the structure is secure and stable. Making certain the wall is at the proper angles vertically and horizontally would be required. Whatever means Cain used in building the city of Enoch is unknown, but it can be surmised a pattern of a plumb line would be necessary. Early in the genealogy of humanity, workers of iron and bronze are shown lending the creation of tools as rather advanced for the beginnings of the world. A plumb line would be one of the oldest tools still used today, and it accomplishes the same purpose as it would have in the days of Cain.

Amos was not a prophet, nor was he the son of a prophet, but God called him to speak to the wicked people of Israel seeking to bring them back from destruction. The prophet brings severe warnings to Israel for their idolatry and desire to be like the nations around them. All the kings of Israel (the ten northern tribes) did evil in the sight of the Lord. Amos delivers a blistering condemnation of their wickedness ending with four visions of locusts, fire, a plumb line, and a basket of summer fruit. The Lord stood on a wall He created with a plum line. Israel is the wall. When the Hebrews cried out to God in Egypt, the Lord God delivered them with a mighty hand, raising them to be a great nation. He gave them a law that would be their plumb line to know what is right and wrong. Everything they needed was contained in the Law of Moses with the promise that if they obeyed the commands, statutes, and laws, God would bless them without measure. Less than seven hundred years later, the Lord stands with a plumb line to see where the people stand, and the wall is nearly fallen over.

The word of God is the plumb line remaining constant and true through each generation. God’s word has not changed any more than gravity changed from the Egyptians who built the pyramids to modern-day skyscrapers. Israel had moved away from the word of God. The divine plumb line exposed their wickedness. They could argue and try to persuade the Lord they were still obedient, but the evidence was clear when God held up the plumb line on the wall He had built – they were out of line – in a huge way. The wall was leaning so far off center it was about to fall. In 722 B.C., the wall collapsed when the Assyrians captured Samaria and destroyed the ten tribes of Israel. Warnings were given. Measurements showed the wall in danger of falling. The people ignored the warnings, and then the wall fell. The plumb line of God was true.

God gives a plumb line to the world that will show the destruction as in the days of Israel if not heeded. Gravity has not changed since it was created by the hand of the Creator. A plumb line will show the purity of science of a continuous vertical line. Mathematics is the purest of sciences because one plus one has always equaled two and will never change. The plumb line of God’s word is the purest of doctrines because it has remained unchanged and unmoved by the whims of human wisdom.

Nothing will change the word of God settled in Heaven. The Bible is the plumb line of God judging nations, churches, and individuals. When a nation no longer fears God, they will fall because the plumb line of the Lord no longer centers them. Churches that refuse to model themselves after the New Testament pattern deny the model of the early church building the wall of truth in accordance with the divine plumb line. All of humanity will be judged by the Father, who holds the plumb line of truth in His hand. There is only one judge who holds the only plumb line that will judge the hearts of men. Either the heart is in line with truth, or it is not. The word of God is the plumb line of redemption. Jesus is the plumb on the vertical line of the Word. Do you measure up?

Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. (2 John 9-11)

The Doctrine Of Christ

What is the doctrine of Christ? A doctrine is a body of beliefs or principles of law established by teaching or instruction. The doctrine of Christ is the formation of the laws of God concerning the salvation of man. Throughout His ministry, Jesus spoke of His words as the words of the Father. After His death, the disciples of Jesus took the words of their Lord and taught them to others who were disciples or learners of the doctrine of Christ. The complete body of truth is found in the doctrine given by God through His Son Jesus Christ and Him alone. There is no other true doctrine. If a belief or teaching is not according to the doctrine of Jesus Christ, there is no truth.

John makes it clear that not abiding within the teachings of Jesus would bring the disfavor of God. When a man does walk according to the precepts of Christ, he has no relationship with God. Fellowship with the Father demands obedience to the word of Christ. Someone can’t claim to be a Christian and refuse to follow the law of God in Christ. Jesus reminded His disciples in the mountain sermon that calling Him “Lord, Lord” did not suggest salvation. Truth must be founded upon the will of the Father, and without obedience to the law, there is no salvation. Since there is only one Lord, there can only be one doctrine.

John made it very clear to the early disciples of Christ, accepting any other gospel than that which was delivered to the saints would bring the wrath of God. There was to be no fellowship with those who refused to abide in the doctrine of Christ. In the first century church, there were no other doctrines accepted. Apostasy came from doctrines such as John writes about in the Revelation, like the doctrine of the Nicolaitans (which God hated) and the doctrine of Balaam. These were doctrines contrary to the doctrine of Christ. There was only one church and one doctrine. Accepting any other doctrine was sinful. John goes further to tell the saints not to allow false doctrines to come into the home. There can be no harmony between the doctrines of men and the doctrine of Christ. Accepting a person who teaches error is to join in their evil deeds.

Religion has become more of a compromise than a distinct set of doctrines. In a ‘cancel’ world of denying distinct laws of authority, people look at the many churches and faiths as an expression of the will of men serving the will of God. Prayers are offered thanking God for the diversity of religion that abounds in the world. The apostle John, by authority of the Holy Spirit, writes that to abide in any doctrine other than the doctrine of Christ will not bring blessing but wrath. There is only one doctrine, one faith, one church (body), one Lord, and there is only one God (authority). Rejecting the teachings and instructions of Jesus Christ will not bring joy. Accepting the doctrines of men does not please the Lord. Abiding in the doctrine of Christ brings the blessing of the Father and the Son. There is only one doctrine: Jesus Christ.

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

The Word Of Truth

From the beginning of time, God has revealed His mind for men to know and understand what they must do to be saved. Sin brought condemnation and the fear of God’s wrath. Christ came into the world to become the atonement for sin through His blood. Entrance into the kingdom of God is only through the Son of God. The only way of salvation is Jesus Christ. Eternal life can only come by the blood of God’s Son. The whims of human wisdom do not measure truth but the word of truth that comes from the Father. There are two distinct elements to the way of salvation. First is the necessity of the word to impart knowledge, and second, a body of truth that will tell a man how to be saved. The word of truth is the information given by the grace of God showing sinful men how to find hope in eternal life.

There are many words spoken today that are powerful, but they are not according to truth. False doctrines or false truths are presented as the word of God. The world is filled with different churches teaching different doctrines with many avenues of salvation offered within each distinctive group. Some teach salvation by faith alone as truth. One group believes in following a man in Rome as God on earth. Churches vary in their patterns of worship, organization, doctrines, and membership. There are volumes of differences in the religious world defining truth by the word of their belief. While professing allegiance to Jesus Christ, they deny His teaching and His truth.

The word of truth is the body of truth that comes solely from the mouth of God. Paul admonished Timothy to examine the word of God in a proper manner to understand the word of truth. When Paul wrote his second letter, the canon of the New Testament had not been completed, but there were many books established as authoritative as truth. The Old Testament was truth verified by Jesus speaking of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms. In the present world, the fully revealed word of God has been delivered for all men to read and understand the mystery of God as presented through the Holy Spirit, inspiring men to write the will of the Father. The sixty-six books of the Bible is not a book of myths but the complete revelation of God’s word – the word of truth. Everything from Genesis to the Revelation is the mind of God delivered to the world to know how to find eternal life. There is no other truth, no other book, and no other revelations. If truth is to be found, it must be contained within the pages of the Bible.

Finding truth requires looking in the right place. Understanding the truth of God demands acceptance of the Bible as the fully revealed and complete word of God. The Bible cannot be trifled with by taking away its doctrines or adding to the word of God. Rightly dividing the word of truth is examining with a proper spirit how God has revealed His word. The word of truth sees the importance of the Old Testament to learn about the Divine and accept the message of the New Testament as the only means salvation can be found. The church of Christ is the only body where the saved are found, and those who give allegiance to the Lord must do so with complete obedience to the word of truth. There is no other truth. Whatever is believed and accepted is found in scripture because truth resides in the word of God. The word of truth. Jesus is the word, and Jesus is the truth.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:15-16)

God Is Love

The greatest hope that man can find in a dark and unyielding world is the knowledge that beyond the clouds of doubt, fear, hatred, and hopelessness resides a God that is fully capable of love beyond the bounds of understanding. Nothing is redeeming about the nature of man. From the beginning, the sway of rebellion has been in the heart of men. The greater portion of humanity has rejected the overtones of a loving God to live for the moment and die for their pleasures. Noah only saw seven other souls that were righteous in a world destroyed by the flood. Moses witnessed the death of his people for forty years because they rebelled against the power of the Almighty. The nation of Israel rose to be the greatest nation on earth before falling headlong into destruction with only a remnant to be saved. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth and was murdered on a Roman cross by His own people, the Jews. As He died, Jesus prayed to the Father to forgive humanity. God is love.

How can man explain the longsuffering of God? Where can the human mind find compassion, forgiveness, and mercy in a wholly evil creation? God is not love because He is a loving being. He is the fullest expression of love because He is love. The abiding love of God is the manifestation of eternal mercy to allow a sinful world to find grace in the death of God’s Son. God’s love begins with believing that Jesus is the Son of God. Without a conviction that Jesus is God, there is no hope and no love. It either starts with Jesus or ends with Jesus. God is love because Jesus is the Son of God. The totality of the life of Jesus is the embodiment and expression of how much God loves man. God spoke the world into existence, and He will destroy it by the same word. Instead of destroying the world by His word, God sent His Son, the Word, into the world so that all men could find abundant life. Why? God is love.

When a man comes to understand that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, the love of God abides in him. He sees clearly the grace of God saving worthless men, the mercy of God delivering rebellious hearts, and the act of love in sending His Son to die for the sins of all humanity. As Jesus suffered incredible pain on the cross at the hands of His tormentors, He prayed to Father to forgive them. What man is there that does not bear the shame and reproach of why Jesus was nailed to the cross? Jesus died two thousand years ago, and He was delivered up by the Jews to be executed by Roman law, but every time I sin on earth, I am the one who drove those nails and mocked Him and denied Him. There is no man worthy of the death of Jesus. He lived a sinless and perfect life and died perfected by His Father as the unblemished sacrifice of the lamb. Jesus died for my sin – every one of them. Why? God is love.

The children of God manifest love toward others because the Father showed His love to humanity by sacrificing His Son. Love is not defined by words but actions. To know the love of God, the offerings of the Father express the eternal nature of His love. As children of the Father of love, the Christian is to be filled with forgiveness, compassion, mercy, and the love of God. Love must be an abiding characteristic that resides in the soul every day. It is not a prosthetic that is put on when needed. The world must see in the life of the Christian the spirit of God’s love living within them by the example of their lives. Abiding in God is where true love is found because the conclusion of the matter is: God is love.

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 11:27)

Guilty Of The Body And The Blood

The Corinthian church was in a spiritual conflict. Division filled the hearts of the saints, immorality was condoned, authority was being abused, and a concern for how the church was remembering the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ filled the pages of the apostle’s letter. After Paul addressed the conflict of authority in the church, he rebuked the brethren for their lack of consideration for the communion of Christ. He reminded them of when Jesus instituted the supper as a memorial of His sacrifice and the admonition to reflect upon the eternal nature of the feasts. Sadly, early in the church’s infancy, the Lord’s Supper had become a common meal with little or no regard for the worship of remembrance.

One of the strongest languages used about the importance of the Lord’s Supper is found in the Corinthian letter. The church had not come together for the good but the worse. They should have been ashamed of their conduct, but they were not. After reminding them of the pattern of the institution, Paul makes very clear the consequence of their rebellion. Taking the communion in an unworthy manner brings guilt before the throne of God. Paul does not suggest any man is worthy of the sacrifice of Christ in the eternal sense. No one can stand worthy of God’s love. His point about worthiness is the attitude of heart that accompanies the communion. The Lord does not look on the outside but on the heart of a man. Taking the supper of the Lord is a matter of the spiritual yearning for the blessing of God.

There is a need to open the heart and examine one’s life when the supper of Christ is given. This moment in the worship of God’s people is central to the purpose and design of salvation. The Feast of the Passover was not a time for the Hebrews to eat some bitter herbs, unleavened bread, and drink the fruit of the vine. It was a time of contemplation on the memory of what it cost to deliver the people from bondage. The Egyptians suffered terrible losses with the death of every firstborn among men and cattle. Untold thousands of lives were sacrificed that night to atone the deliverance of God’s people. During the Feast of the Passover, God wanted the Hebrews to remember the price paid by the Egyptians to free them. The sacrifice of the Egyptians is nothing compared to the cost of God’s only begotten Son being offered as a sacrifice for the sins of every man. Jesus was the sinless Son of God who gave His blood to redeem every man.

One of the New Testament church pillars is to remember what it cost God to save mankind. He demands His people assemble together on the first day of the week and remember the Father’s love in giving His Son as a sacrifice for sin. Taking the Lord’s Supper in a frivolous, uncaring, and unloving way brings shame upon the name of Jesus Christ, counts the blood of the covenant by which all men are set apart as common and unholy, and insults and disdains the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to all men. The warning of Paul reminds those who gather for the communion to be very aware of what they are doing. This was not the case at Corinth, and it was sinful.

A final observation about the warning by Paul is that he challenges the Corinthians to consider themselves and examine themselves when they take of the supper. It has always been a problem in the church of the Lord for some of God’s people to take a casual view about assembling with the saints. There are untold reasons people decide to miss “church services” for work, recreation, laziness, and lack of faith. The problem comes from the misguided notion that church attendance is not required on Sunday. That is incorrect. What is required is for the child of God to assemble with the body of saints to take of the Lord’s Supper (among other things). It should also be noted the Lord’s Supper is the only worship that specifically has penalties attached to it by abusing the supper. There are suggested penalties attached to the other but nothing as clear as the supper. If a man is challenged when present to the manner he takes of the supper, what kind of view does God have of those who are unwilling to assemble with the saints? The Lord’s Supper is something that requires coming together. It cannot be done through a proxy. It requires assembling.  When a man does not take of the supper in a worthy manner, he is guilty of the body and the blood of Jesus Christ. If a man chooses not to assemble with the saints, will his guilt not be greater?

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.” And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” (Luke 9:20-22)

If You Believe Jesus Is Real

In a recent poll titled the “American Worldview Inventory 2020” by Dr. George Barna, Director of Research for the Cultural Research Center, research has revealed a “razor-thin 51% majority of Americans believe in a biblical view of God – this is down from 73% thirty years ago. This research adds to the mounting evidence that Americans are both redefining – and rejecting – God. Americans are almost evenly divided on the nature of Jesus Christ. Overall, 44% agreed that ‘when He lived on earth, Jesus Christ was fully divine and also fully human, and therefore committed sins, like other people.’ Slightly fewer (41%) viewed Jesus as fully divine and fully human, and sinless while on earth.” (Dr. Craig von Buseck; https://inspiration.org)

There is a great irony suggesting that Jesus was a real person and that He lived on the earth and yet disbelieved He was what He claimed to be, the Son of God. Studies have examined the texts of the gospels, trying to determine if the stories are true, with conclusions often returning that much of what is written about Jesus is a fabrication of human philosophy. There is an uneasy calm between wanting to believe that a man called Jesus lived in Nazareth two thousand years ago and accepting Him as a divine being. The great ploy of Satan is to allow men to accept that Jesus was a real person but then reject that He was anything more than a good man who went about doing good things.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John paint a very different picture of Jesus because they are the only ones whose writings are preserved to tell His story. The man Jesus is hinted at by many sources as a real person, but only the gospel writers detail the life of Jesus in His teachings and miracles. John claims that what he wrote should convince the reader that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Luke tells the story of Jesus asking His disciples who the crowds say that He was. There were many different opinions of people of what to make of the man from Nazareth. It was hard for some to see Jesus as divine because they could only see Him as a carpenter’s son. Peter spoke up and said that Jesus was the Christ of God. Jesus tells His disciples that He must suffer many things from the Jewish leaders, and they will kill him. The elders, chief priests, and scribes will reject Jesus as the Christ and have him killed through the authority of the Roman government.

On more than one occasion, Jesus says that when He is killed, He will rise from the dead. That is a remarkable claim. No man has made such a claim and proven its fulfillment. During the early days of the church, more than five hundred people claimed to have seen Jesus after His death. The New Testament church was established upon the faith of thousands of people willing to die for a risen Savior. Outside Jerusalem, an empty tomb stood as testimony to the proof of the resurrection. A dead man was put in the tomb, sealed with a huge stone, and guarded by the elite of the Roman army. The only way Jesus could have been taken out of the tomb was by the power of God. Jesus said He would rise from the dead, and He did.

The challenge to believe in Jesus is whether a person accepts the word of Jesus or to admit Jesus was the greatest con man in history and a prolific liar. It is contradictory to hear a man say he believes Jesus is a real person and then turn around and deny what Jesus said. Jesus claimed to be God, He claimed to have the power to forgive sins, He showed miraculous powers even the Jewish leaders never denied, and everything about the life of Jesus shows Him to be divine. The philosophies of men are contradictory to accept Jesus as real and then turn away from what He said. Either the story of Jesus is true, or it is a lie. If Jesus is a liar, then He is not a good man. Gandhi was a good man, but he never claimed to be the Son of God and promise he would rise from the dead. Jesus said He would be killed and raised the third day. He died on a Roman cross, buried in a new tomb guarded by Roman soldiers, and raised the third day by the power of God. If you believe Jesus is real, you have no choice but to accept the truth that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of the living God.