Breaking Bread Together
If you have not yet read the Our Daily Bread post I would like to suggest you do so before trying to digest this one. As it will help bring you more understanding and insight into what this one is all about.
As mentioned in the other post this one would touch more on how we should come together in order to study Gods Word, Breaking Bread with one another so to speak. So let's take a look at some more scriptures and see what they have to say.
1 Corinthians 11:18-19
For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you.
It seems to me that we are trying to come together here as one body to study Gods Word, and Break Bread with one another. We are also already starting to see a division amongst ourselves, much like the previous scripture describes. And it seems there is a reason for this. but If we allow this to continue, we will not get very far as you can see by the following scriptures, This only makes it impossible for us to break bread with one another in a manner that we should be doing.
1 Corinthians 11:20-22
When therefore ye assemble yourselves together, it is not possible to eat the Lord's supper: for in your eating each one taketh before other his own supper; and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you? In this I praise you not.
I think the previous scripture helps show that we should read and study Gods Word at home, not just simply when we gather together. When we study Gods Word we are eating the Bread of Life, and drinking from Christs Spirit. Whether we eat on our own, as we should already be doing. Or together there's a certain way we must go about it.
1 Corinthians 11:23-24
For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Notice Jesus gave thanks before he broke the bread, as so should we give thanks to God as we open our Bibles to study His Word which Is the Bread of life. We must remember the suffering Jesus went through for us, and be thankful for it.
1 Corinthians 11:25
In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
We are only able to drink of the Holy Spirit because Christ shed His blood for us, It is the Holy Spirit that brings us understanding into the Word of God. We must remember this also as we study His Word. While seeking our own forgiveness. For it is Christs blood that covers our sins.
1 Corinthians 11:26-27
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
If we are breaking bread without thanksgiving, or the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and without first examining our own hearts, seeking forgiveness of our sins. Then chances are we only serve to allow ourselves to become misguided in our teachings.
1 Corinthians 11:28
But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. For he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself, if he discern not the body. For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep.
We can become weak, and sick in the Spirit, we can also sleep in the Spirit. This is what happens when we fail to come before the Lord the way we should. And we come before the Lord every time we read and study the Word of God.
1 Corinthians 11:31-32
But if we discerned ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
We must learn to discern the Word of God for ourselves, not by what someone else teaches, but by the teaching of the Holy Spirit. We must also learn to examine and judge our own hearts, instead of the hearts of others.
1 Corinthians 11:33-34
Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, wait one for another. If any man is hungry, let him eat at home; that your coming together be not unto judgment. And the rest will I set in order whensoever I come.
Once again the importance of the study of Gods Word at home. Without each of us having the guidance of the Holy Spirit and learning from it while we break bread together, and at home. We will only be led into much confusion and judgment.
If you have not yet read the Our Daily Bread post I would like to suggest you do so before trying to digest this one. As it will help bring you more understanding and insight into what this one is all about.
As mentioned in the other post this one would touch more on how we should come together in order to study Gods Word, Breaking Bread with one another so to speak. So let's take a look at some more scriptures and see what they have to say.
1 Corinthians 11:18-19
For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you.
It seems to me that we are trying to come together here as one body to study Gods Word, and Break Bread with one another. We are also already starting to see a division amongst ourselves, much like the previous scripture describes. And it seems there is a reason for this. but If we allow this to continue, we will not get very far as you can see by the following scriptures, This only makes it impossible for us to break bread with one another in a manner that we should be doing.
1 Corinthians 11:20-22
When therefore ye assemble yourselves together, it is not possible to eat the Lord's supper: for in your eating each one taketh before other his own supper; and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you? In this I praise you not.
I think the previous scripture helps show that we should read and study Gods Word at home, not just simply when we gather together. When we study Gods Word we are eating the Bread of Life, and drinking from Christs Spirit. Whether we eat on our own, as we should already be doing. Or together there's a certain way we must go about it.
1 Corinthians 11:23-24
For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Notice Jesus gave thanks before he broke the bread, as so should we give thanks to God as we open our Bibles to study His Word which Is the Bread of life. We must remember the suffering Jesus went through for us, and be thankful for it.
1 Corinthians 11:25
In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
We are only able to drink of the Holy Spirit because Christ shed His blood for us, It is the Holy Spirit that brings us understanding into the Word of God. We must remember this also as we study His Word. While seeking our own forgiveness. For it is Christs blood that covers our sins.
1 Corinthians 11:26-27
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
If we are breaking bread without thanksgiving, or the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and without first examining our own hearts, seeking forgiveness of our sins. Then chances are we only serve to allow ourselves to become misguided in our teachings.
1 Corinthians 11:28
But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. For he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself, if he discern not the body. For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep.
We can become weak, and sick in the Spirit, we can also sleep in the Spirit. This is what happens when we fail to come before the Lord the way we should. And we come before the Lord every time we read and study the Word of God.
1 Corinthians 11:31-32
But if we discerned ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
We must learn to discern the Word of God for ourselves, not by what someone else teaches, but by the teaching of the Holy Spirit. We must also learn to examine and judge our own hearts, instead of the hearts of others.
1 Corinthians 11:33-34
Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, wait one for another. If any man is hungry, let him eat at home; that your coming together be not unto judgment. And the rest will I set in order whensoever I come.
Once again the importance of the study of Gods Word at home. Without each of us having the guidance of the Holy Spirit and learning from it while we break bread together, and at home. We will only be led into much confusion and judgment.