Today we celebrate the ritual of the Lord's table that is part of the mystery doctrine of the church that was inaugurated by TLJC as the only ritual of Church Age as part of the new covenant to the Church the evening before his crucifixion. Luke 22:14-20;
By suffering the death of the cross he was obedient to the Father's plan Phil 2:8; that resulted in his humanity being exalted above every created being, such that, every created being will ultimately bow down to him. Phil 2:9-10;
He completely and perfectly fulfilled the directive will of the Father by unilaterally providing a way of salvation for all men. Rom 5:8; as the "lamb slain from the foundation of the world" Rev 13:8; KJV John 1:29;
While we were enemies of God, God demonstrated his love for us by giving his uniquely born Son "monogenes" John 3:16
As a result, God is free to reconcile mankind from their fallen state of depravity without compromising his perfect righteousness and justice. because TLJC willingly laid down his life for us as our substitute. John 15:13; 1John 3:16
This is why believing in TLJC is the only way to a relationship with God John 14:6, salvation Acts 4:12 and eternal life John 3:16;
Anyone can appropriate this Grace gift of salvation which is secured by the Power of God John 10:26-29; simply by believing in TLJC 1Cor 15:3-4 in the same way that Paul and Silas instructed the Philippian Jailer who asked "what Must I do to be saved?"
Their response recorded In Acts 16:31
Anyone, any time, anywhere can become saved in a moment in time simply by believing in TLJC privately in their thoughts only.
TLJC left his friends, the members of The Royal Family of God, this one and only ritual in the church age The Lord's table which we are mandated to observe in remembrance of Him.
The mandate is found in 1Cor 11:24; in the second person plural present active imperative of the Greek word " poieo" that where Paul references TLJC's own instruction found in Luke 22:19-20;
An expanded translation of 1Cor 11:24 taking into consideration the tense mood and voice of "poieo" would be " Keep on doing this in remembrance of me"
As a result of this mandate, the Lord's Table is one and only ritual of the Church Age and it is a test of our capacity to concentrate on our Lord Jesus Christ through the Bible Doctrine that is resident in our soul as we partake of the elements that represent his work on our behalf.
We have these instructions for partaking of the Lord's table from the Apostle Paul starting in verse 26 of 1Cor 11.
1Cor 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.
30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.
31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.
We understand from this that we are to evaluate ourselves in the light of the word, privately in our thinking, in the privacy of our priesthood, and when we find we are outside of the word, we apply the first problem solving device, and simply acknowledge the sin as described in 1 John 1:9;
If we acknowledge our sins he is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Having examined ourselves, and taken appropriate action, We are then instructed to partake of the elements, the bread and the cup.
The bread which represents his body in which he bore the sins and the judgment for our sins and the sins of the whole world, past present and future.
1Cor 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;
1Cor 11:24 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.
eat the bread
The cup which represents his substitutionary spiritual death on the cross which purchased the freedom from spiritual death and eternal condemnation of everyone who believes in him.
1Cor 11:25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper saying This cup is the new covenant in my Blood do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.
drink cup
Since we are approaching the observance of Resurrection Sunday aka Easter it is appropriate for us to take some time to review some of the doctrines related to his resurrection that is recorded in Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1-6; and John 20:1;
When we ran out of time last time we were discussing the power of God that is deployed in resurrection.
The identical omnipotence of God the Father and omnipotence of the Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that has been provided for us in grace to execute the protocol plan of God.
The omnipotence of God the Father is available to every believer through their portfolio of invisible assets.
The omnipotence of Jesus Christ is available to believers, because not only does He hold the universe together but at the same time perpetuates human history one day at the time.
The omnipotence of the Holy Spirit is available to believers through their residence, function, and momentum inside the operational divine power system. God has provided this omnipotence for every Church Age believer.
Never before in history has so much divine omnipotence been available to so many believers for the glorification of God through the execution of His will, His plan, and His purpose.
The omnipotence that raised Jesus Christ from the dead will also raise all church age believers at the exit resurrection or rapture of the church.
The omnipotence of God the Father will provide the resurrection body for all the dead in Christ.
The omnipotence of the Holy Spirit will provide a resurrection body for all who are alive on the earth at that time.
Phil 3:20-21; "For our politeuma (citizenship) is in heaven, from which we eagerly await for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform this body of our humiliation so that it will be like the body of His glory on the basis of the power that enabled Him to bring into subjection all creatures to Himself."
Therefore, the victory of resurrection is given all believers in Jesus Christ regardless of their spiritual status in time.
Since resurrection is the Lord's victory, all believers will spend eternity in the presence of God in resurrection bodies. That is grace explained in 1John 5:11-12; "In fact, this is the deposition: that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has this eternal life. He who does not have the Son does not have eternal life."
God's grace and God's victory begins at salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, continues in time under the PPOG where we do have some control as to what kind of believers we are, and it concludes in the eternal state where we have no control at all.
The omnipotence of God the Father and the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit, that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that enables believers to execute the PPOG during the church age.
If we're going to use this power, we have to know that it exists, we have to know that it's available, and we have to know how to use it.
1Pet 1:3-8; "Blessed be the God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead;
v4 to obtain an inheritance (that includes the resurrection body) which is incorruptible and undefiled, and does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you
v5 who are guarded by the power of God through faith, for a deliverance ready to be revealed at the last time.
v6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various categories of suffering;
v7 that the proof of your faith (doctrine), being much more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in the praise, the honor, the glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
v8 and though you have not seen Him you love Him, and though you do not see Him now but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory."
This "living hope" is the fact that the believer's power, abilities, and strengths will contribute nothing to the Christian life. God has provided the power, the ability, and the strength through regeneration and God has provided the power for execution of the PPOG.
An inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled is an inheritance based on divine power rather than human power, on God's grace rather than human accomplishment. It will not fade away because God's power cannot fade.
The power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is the same power that provides eternal security for every believer.
The "deliverance" refers to the resurrection of the Church, effected by the omnipotence of God the Father and the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit. The power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power by which Church Age believers have eternal security and the means of fulfilling the protocol plan of God.
This passage explains the death of the believer in terms of God's grace, and the future of the believer in terms of resurrection.
Resurrection is guaranteed to every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 1:4; "Who was demonstrated the Son of God by means of power belonging to the Holy Spirit, by means of the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord."
Rom 8:11; "Now if the Spirit from Him (God the Father) who raised Jesus from the dead indwells you (and He does), He (God the Father) who raised Jesus Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you."
God the Holy Spirit returned the human soul of Jesus Christ to His body in the tomb. God the Father returned our Lord's soul to His body in the tomb. Therefore, it is not surprising that both God the Holy Spirit and God the Father play a part in the resurrection of the Church.
God the Father provides the resurrection bodies for those who are in interim bodies in heaven when the exit resurrection of the Church occurs, and almost simultaneously God the Holy Spirit, who is indwelling believers who are alive on earth, provides the resurrection bodies for believers who are physically alive at that time.
Eph 1:19-20; "and what is the surpassing greatness of His power to us who have believed for the working of His superior power, which power He put into operation by means of Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places."
The power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is the same power that gives every believer a resurrection body in the future. That same power has been given to us for the execution of the unique spiritual life of the Church Age.
1Pet 3:18; "Because Christ also once died with reference to sins, the righteous on behalf of the unrighteous, in order that He might bring us to God; on the one hand, having died physically, but on the other hand, having been made alive by means of the Holy Spirit."
We were brought to God by grace. It was the work of the Father who judged our sins from His omnipotence. It was the work of the Son who endured the cross; it was the work of the Holy Spirit who sustained the unglorified humanity of Christ for the most intense suffering the world has ever known.
This is why it is the objective of believers to come to know him and the power of His resurrection. Phil 3:10;
The doctrine of resurrection was well known to Old Testament saints. Both Daniel and Job made personal application of the doctrine of resurrection through the problem solving devices.
Both used the faith-rest drill to metabolize and apply the doctrine of the resurrection to their adversities and pressures during their life on this earth. Both demonstrate a personal sense of destiny and occupation with Christ.
Daniel wrote a prophesy concerning the resurrection in Dan 12:2; "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, those to everlasting life, but others to disgrace and everlasting shame."
Job recalled the doctrine of resurrection for comfort in his suffering, Job 19:25-26; "And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end (of Jewish client nation states) He will rise up from the dust, even after my skin has been destroyed, yet without my flesh I shall see God."
Abraham in his tent illustrates resurrection, because he knew his real home was in heaven. Heb 11:9-10, 13; "By means of faith-rest (application of doctrine to experience), he (Abraham) lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;
v10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." The city of Abraham will be suspended above the earth.
v13 "On the basis of faith, all these (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) died, not having received the promises, but having seen the same from a distance (looking into the future), and having saluted and embraced them; furthermore they acknowledged that they were strangers and transients on the earth."
In Genesis chapter 12 God had made a promise to Abraham that he would receive all of the land as far as he could see and farther to the north, south, east, and west.
Heb 11:9 also refers to the eternal city of Abraham mentioned in Rev 21:2; and Rev 21:10;
Abraham looked forward to living in this permanent city of the eternal state, so he continued to live in a tent rather than use his great wealth to build a palace and to fortify all of his wealth.
Living in a tent was his testimony that God's promises to him were more real to him than all of the prosperity he had while he was living on the earth.
Living in a tent was a testimony of the faith-rest function of Abraham and his personal sense of destiny. He was not concerned that these promises were not fulfilled in his lifetime because he understood the doctrine of resurrection.
Abraham's happiness and contentment was based in his relationship with God. The function of faith rest as a problem solving device led him to apply the doctrine of resurrection to his experience.
Heb 11:17-19; records that Abraham recalled the doctrine of resurrection when God told him to sacrifice his son Isaac.
v17 "By means of faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promises was offering up his uniquely born son;
v18 to whom it was said, `In Isaac your seed will be called.'
v19 He concluded that God is able to raise (Isaac) even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type."
Isaac was uniquely born because God had to revive Abraham and Sarah's ability to procreate in old age before Isaac to be conceived.
Abraham knew that if he killed his son as a sacrifice, God would raise him again, because God must fulfill His word that stated "in Isaac your seed will be designated."
Abraham used problem solving devices to conclude that God would immediately resurrect his son because God had made a promise regarding Isaac.
When believers begin to understand the power of the resurrection and begin to put that resurrection power into operation through the power solving devices, then they have a testimony that will cause them to have no shame at the judgment seat of Christ..
Joseph also understood the doctrine of resurrection. Heb 11:22; "By faith, Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus to the sons of Israel and gave orders concerning his bones."
Gen 50:24-26; "And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will surely concern Himself about you, so that He will take you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob."
v25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath, saying, `God is going to deliver you, therefore you will carry my bones up from this place.'
v26 So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt."
There was no tomb for Joseph. His coffin remained above ground for 475 years as a testimony that he knew he would be resurrected.
In Ex 13:19; we see that Joseph's coffin went at the head of the column when the Israelites left Egypt. For forty years it was carried through the desert as a testimony of the faithfulness of God and the certainty of resurrection.