I guess I didn't realize that the topics we picked out for went to well with each other. I had asked Alice about why Jesus calls himself the "Son of Man" so much. She also mentioned she was going to tell us about communion and blessed oil. We were also going to talk about how and when one gets "saved". Those were what were on the table for this Thursday study. Alice, bless her heart, had prepared such awesome information for all of it!
So, first, the Son of Man...
In Daniel 7:13-14, it tells about the vision and prophecy that took place regarding the coming of Christ. He refers to the "Son of Man" because he could see that the Messiah would come as a man. The Jewish people were familiar with this term because of this reference and so when Jesus refers to himself in that way, it's him saying he is the Messiah.
In John 1:1, it says "the word" was God. An explanation from netbible.org says the following about the word "logos" which is the translation for "the word":
In John, denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, theIn this way, Jesus was fully God. But in verse 4 of the same chapter, it explains that he took on human life. He was fully God, the Messiah, and also a human being. That is what makes his sacrifice so phenomenal - he left his heavenly home to become man and suffer for us! He made Grace and Mercy become reality for our lives against the demands of justice.
personal wisdom and power in union with God, his minister in
creation and government of the universe, the cause of all the
world's life both physical and ethical, which for the procurement
of man's salvation put on human nature in the person of Jesus the
Messiah, the second person in the Godhead, and shone forth
conspicuously from His words and deeds.
Which brings us to our next topic - Communion and Blessed Oil - which was something I was previously familiar with, but not to this extent.
I was familiar with the meaning of communion. The bread is representative of the body of Christ and the wine of his blood - a reminder of his sacrifice. However, here was an interesting new tidbit of information - In 1 Corinthians 11, it talks about taking the bread and wine "unworthily". I was brought up to understand that meant that if I was with sin, I should not partake. However, Alice showed us a video clip by Joseph Prince called "Health and Wholeness through the Holy Communion". In it, Joseph Prince addressed the confusion about the scripture in Corinthians about taking the communion. He said that he too had been previously taught that you should not come to the Lord's table if there is sin in your life and by doing so, you could get sick. He said it is no wonder that the world is sick because so many reject Christ, but why do Christians get sick? Why are they weak, sick and "falling asleep" or go to an early grave, as the scripture says? Everyone is getting weaker day by day because that is the aging process. The Lord's supper was given to offset this process! Because of erroneous, legalistic translation, some have made the Lord's supper as responsible for weakness and sickness, but actually it is the answer for it! The reason Christ shed his blood and was sacrificed was FOR the sinners! If we are not sinful, why do we need a Savior? The term "unworthily" is not an unworthy person... "unworthily" is an adverb, describing the action not the actor. He is saying not to take it in an unworthy manner or irreverently, not fully appreciating his sacrifice for us!!! The greek translation for "examine yourself" in verse 31 means to not doubt.
I have never, ever heard anything like this! It was an "aha" moment! I could take the "sacrament", even knowing I was full of sin (as everyone is) if I would just take it in the spirit of faith that Christ did it for me and not doubt that - to "proclaim his death" as the scripture says!!! Holy Cow! What a great discovery! The point was also brought home when Alice showed us a video with the song by Third Day called Communion with graphics of Jesus' sacrifice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x6khRQFlOc
He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
Also, in regard to when and where a communion can take place, Alice pointed out the 1 Corinthians 11:24 & 25 says "Do this" in his remembrance. He doesn't say, it has to be done by a church leader, someone with "authority" or in a certain way other than in his remembrance. I could bless and partake all by myself! That was a cool "aha" too!
Taking it one step further, Alice showed us that there were three important symbolic elements throughout the Bible - not just the bread and water - but also oil. In Numbers 15:4-5, it refers to making sacrifices as an offering. In addition to a lamb, they were to offer a portion of grain mixed with a portion of olive oil and also a portion of new wine. In Deuteronomy 7:13 it talks about God blessing the people with grain, new wine and oil. Again in Deuteronomy 11:14 it refers to grain, new wine and olive oil as a blessing.
We were already pretty familiar with the bread and the water and what they represented. However, the oil was a new concept for me to use in correlation with the other two. Alice showed us in the New Testament why the oil was significant.
In John 18:1-2, it refers to Jesus going into the vineyard - the same one that he went to with his disciples frequently. Matthew 26:36 tells us that that place was called Gethsemane. Translated, that means oil press. Matthew 26 continues to detail how in that place, Gethsemane, was the place where Jesus was "pressed" with his coming sacrifice. In verse 39 is tells of how he was face down to the ground praying to have the "cup" pass from him. The cup, as researched at netbible.org, is "the wrath of God that Jesus would experience (in the form of suffering and death) for us" (http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Mat&chapter=26#v48). In that "oil press" vineyard, he was pressed with the weight of what he was about to do. Interestingly enough, oil, to be pure, needs to be pressed.
Going to Luke 7:37, we learn that a woman, who was a sinner, learned where Jesus was eating and brought oil. She wet his feet with her tears, washed them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the oil she brought. This shows that anyone can use oil to bless others - not just those with certain "authority" or clergy-ship. Even a sinner woman performed this humble act.
But back to the three symbolic elements. The bread is Christ's body, the wine is his blood and the oil is the weight of his sacrifice - so we could be forgiven, healed and believe!
To believe - that is part of the equation of the question "Are You Saved?" Accepting Jesus as our Savior and understanding why he died is part of the answer. Alice said she knew these things, but one day she was listening to a Christian song on the radio in her car and it just all clicked - she just knew that she knew that she knew. I expressed that I had recently seen on a Christian forum where an LDS young man was defending the religion with total conviction. I used to be one of those LDS people - totally convinced that I had the total and only truth on the earth today! In high school, I remember completely defending the LDS faith when my "Christian" friends would debate it. Now that I have discovered that it is actually based on false teachings - a wolf in sheep's clothing - I am pretty hesitant to "commit" to calling anything "truth" like I once did. It was hugely devastating to find out what I had believed my entire life was not true - I never want to feel that loss again! So, intellectually, I have studied and learned about Jesus and really, really want to completely believe that he is "the way", but if I'm being completely honest, I'm still filled with hesitation. I want to be as convicted about Christianity as I once was about being LDS. I know I will have to continue to study, pray and truly seek the answers thoroughly to get there. I really hope I can!
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