This morning we celebrated Communion at our church. Many millions, perhaps 2 billion people have or will celebrate Communion today since it is the first Sunday of the month. Of course some take Communion every Sunday, others usually on the first Sunday of the month.
Anyway last night in preparation for Communion, I turned to Luke 22. There in verses 19 and 20 are the familiar words of Jesus, "This is my body given for you" and again, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." I was meditating on the "my" and the "you" in these words so often read and heard. He gives and we receive. His body, His life blood given freely for us.
Then I paused on the word "poured out" or in the older English version, "shed". I could not remember how often the original Greek verb was used in the NT, or in what contexts. When I checked I realized that it is actually used fairly often. However one verse especially caught my attention.
"And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:5
I enjoyed bringing those two phrases together last night and again this morning. ""my blood, which is poured out for you" and "God's love has been poured out into our hearts". What a great gift our Saviour gave. Allowing them to place a piercing crown of thorns on his head; to whip his back, and to nail his hands and his feet to the Cross. And then finally a sword pierced his side. His blood, his life being poured out in death so that we might have eternal life.
And as we confess our sin and trust in this Crucified Christ, by the Holy Spirit, God's love is poured out into our hearts. Isn't it strange that we so often pursue and thirst for more human attention, affirmation, praise, and love; when we should instead thirst for a deeper appreciation and understanding of how much God loves us? Thirst for more even as we are satisfied with the knowledge that God loves us more than any human parent loves their most precious child.
"Dear Father, dear Saviour, thank you for the blood poured out for us; and thank you for the love poured out into us. We love because you first loved us."
Anyway last night in preparation for Communion, I turned to Luke 22. There in verses 19 and 20 are the familiar words of Jesus, "This is my body given for you" and again, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." I was meditating on the "my" and the "you" in these words so often read and heard. He gives and we receive. His body, His life blood given freely for us.
Then I paused on the word "poured out" or in the older English version, "shed". I could not remember how often the original Greek verb was used in the NT, or in what contexts. When I checked I realized that it is actually used fairly often. However one verse especially caught my attention.
"And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:5
I enjoyed bringing those two phrases together last night and again this morning. ""my blood, which is poured out for you" and "God's love has been poured out into our hearts". What a great gift our Saviour gave. Allowing them to place a piercing crown of thorns on his head; to whip his back, and to nail his hands and his feet to the Cross. And then finally a sword pierced his side. His blood, his life being poured out in death so that we might have eternal life.
And as we confess our sin and trust in this Crucified Christ, by the Holy Spirit, God's love is poured out into our hearts. Isn't it strange that we so often pursue and thirst for more human attention, affirmation, praise, and love; when we should instead thirst for a deeper appreciation and understanding of how much God loves us? Thirst for more even as we are satisfied with the knowledge that God loves us more than any human parent loves their most precious child.
"Dear Father, dear Saviour, thank you for the blood poured out for us; and thank you for the love poured out into us. We love because you first loved us."
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