Does God Judge Those Who Take Communion Without Repentance?

Does God judge people who take communion without truly repenting best is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer with pastor Pedro Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question.

At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first step today we have a good news story to share with you what electrician John Kinney of Woburn, Massachusetts. Enter the home of an elderly woman named Gloria. He said the house was in such bad condition. He couldn't believe his eyes. John his brother Dan own and operate the Kinney electric company, Gloria called them and said that sparks were shooting out of her light fixture but as soon as John arrived he saw a million other problems that needed fixing. While after repairing the light. He said he simply couldn't walk away from the house knowing that Gloria was living in such poor conditions. After talking to her more. John discovered she has no family and very little money so he decided on the spot he was going to reach out to his network of contractors and colleagues to see who might be willing to help.

He also started an online fundraiser and asked for donations of time and money.

Well, the community of Woburn responded big time. In fact, the next weekend. An army of plumbers, carpenters and landscapers showed up and ready to work on Gloria's house wow talk about going the extra mile. The great yeah I just love it when you hear the stories about people who it's not just about the money it's really about serving others. I don't know where this guys that spiritually, but what a beautiful gesture to the sweet older woman. Yeah, I'm sure she was extremely blessed and there's no more sparks shooting out of her light fixture which is the best when it happens, don't you bill me to let's get to our first question Beth posted this on our website. If only the father knows when Christ shall return. Why does Revelation say that the bride has made herself ready for Christ. Hey Beth, thanks to that question that you referring to Revelation chapter 19. The context is what's called the marriage supper of the Lamb. In verse six I John wrote he said then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, hallelujah for the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory for the marriage of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready. It was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure.

Now just because the bride is made herself ready. Doesn't mean that she knew or knows when Jesus was coming as if you know that Jesus said nobody knows except the father I don't even know but the bride knows no.

Even Jesus is described as preparing his bride for marriage thing. Both the apostle Paul said in Ephesians chapter 5 verses 25 to 27 this is like the classic text for husbands and wives and and what Christian marriage is supposed to look like it's a it's a reflection of the marriage that exists between Christ and the church and listen to what Paul said there husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

That there Beth Jesus himself has prepared the church so that he might present his bride to himself. How is he prepared her he's washed the bride of Christ with the water of the word is we don't know when Jesus is coming, but the repeated call in the New Testament is to be ready. Now I remember there was a time in my life. Years and years ago before I was really walking with the Lord, or even would call myself a Christian, where I had the sense of you know, yeah, I think God is real, may be that the second coming is the real thing.

But I remembered there was this verse is in the book of Revelation, and I'd heard it and it it says that he comes with the clouds, and every eye will see him so I remember as a young man thinking. If it's not a cloudy day. Jesus is coming today because it's a C comes with the clouds and talk about, you know, not interpreting the Bible the right way, but in my mind at that time I was sort of thinking, hey, let me just live for myself and do my own thing and then after I've had my fine after a long period of time, then I'll get ready for the return of Jesus. I was so foolish and I think a lot of people today, that's how they think. They think you know I'm in a live for myself will get into religion or God, or that kind of spiritual stuff later in life when I'm when I'm ready to sort of let go of the things that I want to hold onto right now.

But the reality is living for yourself is so empty were called to know and to love God and were called to be ready for the coming of Jesus.

Because what we don't know when he's coming we know that he is coming.

He's promised that he's going to return so the question for each of us.

Beth is are you ready in my ready have I been prepared by Jesus washed by the blood of the Lamb and the way in which the churches prepared herself. This is through that washing.

And so the text you referring to there in Revelation chapter 19.

Doesn't mean that we knew and Jesus didn't know when he was going to come just means that the church was was waiting just like Jesus that prepared washed by the blood of Jesus. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and our website is core Christianity.com/radio.

If you have a question for us. Noel posted this on Facebook. When Paul warned the Corinthians that whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord, does that mean we need to prepare ourselves ahead of time so we can take the Lord's supper in a worthy manner.

I think that that we definitely should prepare our hearts as we approached the Lord's table, Noel, and I'm so glad the US is question because one of the things I love to talk about is the church and the ordinances that Jesus gave to the church. I think that so often today in many of our lives. We sort of downplayed their significance in many churches.

Also, they downplay the significance of things like baptism and the Lord's supper, but these are the holy means through which God promises to meet his people to minister to us to extend his grace to you and so it's so important that we understand baptism, the Lord's supper and so as I said, I'm really glad the US is question. I think we should just read that the section that you referring to in first grade. In chapter 11. I want to begin in verse 23 Paul said, for I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said this is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way. He also took the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this is often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Whoever therefore eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.

Let a person examine himself then and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup for anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill and missed some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly we would not be judged.

But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

Wow when you talk about a high view of the Lord's supper. Paul is saying something that I think would shock many people today. He says unworthy participation in the Lord's supper leads to God's judgment that he said to the Corinthians. This is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.

It's because they're not judging the sin in their own lives and their coming before the Lord's table in there taking the bread and the wine the body and blood of Jesus flippantly unbelieving without faith.

And that's really at the heart of what it means to worthily partake of the Lord supper. You see, we gotta be very careful that we don't confuse this year.

Paul does not mean that were righteous in and of ourselves.

You've lived a pretty good week this week you didn't fall into that old sin that you struggle with on a regular basis. Your worthy to take the Lord's supper today. No, not at all. Actually, the Lord's supper is for broken sinners. It's for people who have struggled all week even that day and were coming before God, humble in saying God I need your mercy. I need the body and blood of Jesus I need your cleansing. I need your grace back to the Lord's supper is for.

If you recognize that about yourself. If you come before the Lord broken and needy, hungry point, God feeds you with his grace in this assignment of the breaking of the bread, the giving up of the cup but were warned against. Here is coming in an unbelieving manner that is holding onto our sins being prideful about them not wanting to part ways with them and then coming before the table and thinking yet.

No big deal.

I'm in communion with Jesus. I said a prayer a long time ago are you know was baptized many years ago and yet were not aware of the significance of what's taking place when we come to the table and were not judging the sin in our own lives, placing God have mercy upon me so important that we recognize that this meal the Lord's supper. Noel is, it isn't just like in our Tuesday night dinner.

This is a holy ordinance given to us by Jesus, and above all else. It's a gift.

It's a means of grace. What I mean by that is it's one of the ways with the tangible ways God communicates his love and his mercy to his people. That's why we can't be flippant about it. It you know. Imagine if somebody was extending to you the most precious gift in the world and you just sort of laughed and slapped it out of their hands or took it but didn't take care of it. What a travesty in the Lord's supper.

Christ extends to you, his love, his benefits, his body and blood by faith, we should receive it with joy and thanksgiving and with faith above all else is. I just said there and so yes there is a preparation I think that preparation just looks like humbling ourselves before the Lord and saying in honesty and truth. God I need you nourish me. I believe in you. I cling to Jesus.

We should do that every time we gather together is the people of God, and every time we take the Lord's supper your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez I Bill Meyer and if you or somebody you love has been struggling during the call with my team situation. We have an important resource to offer you today. Thanks Bill were offering our listeners a wonderful little book by Harold St. file called Christ and calamity that you think that God has forgotten us when things get tough, or that he doesn't care about us. We continue to cry out to him in the midst of our suffering. This book is going to remind you over and over again that God is faithful in that you can trust him no matter what calamity or facing.

What difficulty are going through in life. God is merciful and good you can turn to him for take advantage of this offer. Head over to core Christianity.com/offers. You can reserve your copy of that book today for a donation of any amount.

As Israel said, just head over to core Christianity.com/offers. You can also call us at 833-843-2673 for help getting any one of our offers. That's 833. The core Intel and it can fly Adriana down what you mean when he said Lord Grantham dancy but they didn't wait on how what does that mean thank you Merrimack and I enjoy your program and I Day you find God bless you too Darlene and us so good to hear from you.

Why don't you open your Bible, you have a Bible to Mark chapter 12 beginning in verse 38 the passage that you're referring to is one of the most helpful in the Gospels place to go to explain this Mark chapter 12 beginning in verse 38 and in his teaching. Jesus said, beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like greetings in the marketplaces.

They have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at the feast who do have our widows houses and for a pretense make long prayers, they will receive the greater condemnation. Then he tells this story right after he mentioned this darling he said this in Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and watch the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums and a poor widow came and put into small copper coins, which make a penny. He called his disciples to him and said to them, truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box for they all contribute out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had all she had to live on that. I think that it's really important that we read those two passages together in order to rightly understand what Jesus means when he says woe to the scribes and Pharisees, who devour widows houses that what was happening, probably is. They were taking from the most vulnerable, whereas the religious leaders were called to shepherd the flock care for the flock feed the flock, and especially to be tender toward the widow, the orphan, to take care of them what was happening in Israel at that time and this is just goes to show you how corrupt the system of religion was instead of caring for the flock they were taking from the flock consuming the flock and even the poor widows they were devouring their livelihood, their houses so that they might have for themselves. Now what an indictment that is against religious leaders today who don't truly care for the sheep who don't sacrifice for the sheep.

Give to the sheep but instead take take take. I'm thinking in particular Darlene of the prosperity gospel and and those preachers that you see on television who you know they talk about how God wants you to be blessed and all you have to do is give to Mia. So your big seed of however much money I'm I'm asking you to give to me and and then you're really good to be blessed with their devouring people's houses and oftentimes here's the sad thing.

The people whose homes get devoured are some of the most vulnerable in society and that the prosperity gospel has gone out throughout the world it into some of the most poverty-stricken nations of the world and you have poor people who are giving to the charlatans giving everything that they have like this poor widow.

Now it's interesting because in in the passage here the widow is commended. She has faith she's trusting in God. She is relying upon him, and so God looks upon her with compassion, with love, he sustains her. He takes care of her but these false shepherds, the scribes and these Pharisees. They were called to take care of that poor widow, and instead what you have happening. She's giving everything she has to the temple treasury to help them build these bigger store houses and Jesus in front of one fell swoop, he rebukes the scribes for taking advantage of this poor widow and he praises the poor widow for trusting in God and being someone who gives sacrificially not nowhere in Scripture does it save widows have to give everything that they have is that as I said, actually in Scripture. The people of God are called to his caring for orphans and widows. You see this especially in the New Testament under the new covenant. One of the things that the church is called to do is care for widows. Paul talked about this at some length when he was writing to Timothy and so what's being highlighted here. Darlene is that the religious system at the time of Jesus's ministry was so corrupt that instead of caring for the sheep taking care of the vulnerable. They were devouring their homes taking their livelihood consuming the sheep if you will, the scribes want true shepherds you know what they were.

They were wolves in the sad reality is, is there a lot of wolves in the church today and that's exactly what the apostle Paul said would happen, and that's why we need to cling to the chief Shepherd to Jesus and to people who are faithful at following his word and caring for the sheep under him under the true shepherd by serving them by nourishing them with the word of God. I hope that helps to really highlight what Jesus is getting out there for you when he rebukes the scribes and the Pharisees for devouring widows houses give us a call back if you have any more questions. Drill. It's so sad you mentioned this, that in some of the most poverty-stricken areas of the world herbal countries. There are people who are abusing the poorest of the poor are in Christ name and for that is something that God is quick to judge very harshly.

I tremble when I think about it Bill, you're absolutely right. I mean, this is why James chapter 3 verse one system that many of you become teachers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment and there is a judgment coming a severe judgment coming on those who are in the ministry to take advantage of the vulnerable who are praying on the week who are using their positions of power to abuse the flock and it really is heartbreaking and that's why we have to be on guard in the fact the matter is it's one of those warnings. You see, as I as I mentioned over and over and over again in the New Testament because the disciples knew Jesus knew hey this is coming. We have to be watchful.

We have to be vigilant and we have to know God's word well so that we can stand against whenever it's twisted, or people who are coming and that teaching things that are contrary to and so we got another word bill so critical in this day and age. This is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez and Brett posted this on our Instagram account is as I was wondering in what order should the third use of the law be preached in a sermon. Does preaching it out of order risk turning the gospel into law okay.

Brett told us a lot to this question.

I'm guessing that a lot of people don't really have those categories and in their minds. The third use of the law. First use the law and so forth. So let me just explain that to you. If you're unfamiliar with that phrase. Here's what I mean by that. What a lot of pastors and theologians mean by that. The law of God.

God's commandments. It's helpful to differentiate how it's used throughout Scripture and is one of the things that we see actually in the Bible is like the law being used in different ways. So when we talk about the first use of the law referring to the fact that God's law exposes our sin is like a mirror that that shows us that were sinners and ultimately it drives us to Jesus.

It condemns us. Paul said to Timothy in first Timothy chapter 1 verse nine. Understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the Jost but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and sinners for the unholy and profane for those who strike their fathers and mothers for murderers. The law of God exposes our sin. It's like a guillotine that puts us to death and shows us that we need Jesus. So I think that's a helpful way of thinking about the lot in the first use. Think of the law is this guillotine that puts us to death because of our sins, but there are also other ways in which the law of God is use the second use of the loss. The law functions not just as a guillotine, putting us to death as a guard in broader society and the whole world because the law of God.

In one sense, is written on everyone's heart.

We have the sense of right and wrong that we typically don't have to argue with people to convince them that murder is wrong. That's because the law of God is written on the hearts of all people.

In one sense and because of that, the law of God functions and in the broader world in broader society as this guard as this restraint to evil.

Now the third use of the loss of the laws a guillotine. It puts us to death that shows us our sin. It's also a guard in broader society, but it's also an guide for believers.

See the law kills us because it shows us our shortcoming that we failed to obey God leads us to the gospel and now for us.

The law is no longer over us to condemn us were dead to the law alive to Jesus Christ. Now for the believer, the law is a guide and it guides us it helps us to know what God calls us to love God and to love neighbor Paul said in Romans chapter 8 verse four that, by the Spirit in Christ, we fulfill the righteous requirements of the law as far as preaching is concerned.

You note that third use of the law. The law as a guide. Is it okay to preach that in the sermon. Where do we do. I think that we do when we preach. It is an implication of the gospel. The main thing I think in our preaching is that we have to keep the cross central pulse that I declared to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified. In Galatians 3.about placarding Jesus before us we have the cross and the gospel's central because brother transforms people's lives, and through that message call to love and obey God's law. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us@corechristianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673 that's a 33 core when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this podcast and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together