"WHAT IS THE BODY OF CHRIST?"


NOVEMBER 22, 1998 AM
MICHAEL F BLUME



1Cor 10:16-17  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we [being] many are one bread, [and] one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

1Cor 11:23-31  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: 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. 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. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 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. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.



Jesus' body died on the cross.
And we are dead by the Body of Christ.
Roma 7:4  Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ;
Jesus prayed and requested that we be not removed from the world but kept from the evil in the world.
John 17:15  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
We are in the world, but we are safe in this world. We are crucified to the world and the world is crucified to us. Paul referred to communion supper immediately after speaking about the Body of Christ being the Church -- one bread. The great truth to remember is that His body was broken in death as us, because sin demanded our deaths.

If we do not recognize that the Body of Christ was broken as us, then we do not discern the Lord's body.

Until He comes, there are trials in this world. What would we rather do? Many wonder how they could be over all power and enemies if they fail now and then. Israel forgot that God was with them when they were to enter Canaan and conquer the land. You must know that Christ died as you. The reason so many are weak and sickly is because they do not discern the Lord's Body. Jesus resurrected from the dead and declared that all power in heaven and earth is his. We need to feast on the bread and the wine.  if we eat Him, he said we will live by Him.
John 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
He is the bread of Heaven. That is why it is so important to come to the gathering of the saints, and hear a man of God teach the word. There are people after the secular jobs who get tired and cannot come to church. The Bible said we must make our calling and election sure. That is why we must come together, and learn the word of God so that we can discern the Lord's body when sickness and other enemies attack. We are feasting today on the bread and the wine. Take home with you what you learn here. You are in the name of Jesus since you were baptized into Him (Ro. 6:3). To  understand what it means to be in Jesus' name is to understand you are united with Him in His death, burial and resurrection. When the Lord says he has all power over heaven and earth, say, "Yes, I do!"



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