The Passover feast was commanded by God to be kept “by an ordinance forever” (Exodus 12: 14). Jesus broke bread at the Passover meal with his disciples and said “this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22: 19). The early church “continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart” (Acts 2: 46). Paul wrote to the Corinthians to follow him as he followed Christ to keep the “ordinances” or “transmissions” or “teachings” that he practiced regarding the Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11). He quoted the Lord saying when they gathered together to share the meal, they were to be remembering the finished work of his broken body for the removal of our sicknesses and his shed blood for the removal of our sin, both individually and as one united body in him. It was not just a meal to fill a hungry belly; it was a meal in the homes, and when they gathered together, with a spiritual lesson to keep faith activated for health and victorious living as one united body in the agreement of faith in Christ. This was a practice that was central to the early church, and to Paul, as it carried out the “ordinance forever” commandment that was given in Exodus 12: 4, which embodied all of what Jesus accomplished for us. To not practice this with repentance from sin and faith in Jesus gives rise to sickness, defeat, and premature death (1 Corinthians 11: 30).
This daily practice, as a basic central teaching, constantly reminded the people of what Christ had already accomplished for them. It was a constant reminder that they were one body united in the agreement of faith in which there is great power (Matthew 18: 18-20). By this word of the gospel and by this practice, their faith was constantly built up and encouraged resulting in thousands of converts and multitudes supernaturally healed (Acts 2: 46, 47; 5: 16). It is a living picture of the original Passover meal that healed and the blood sprinkled on the door posts causing the death angel to pass over. The result: the Hebrews came out of Egyptian bondage as one united body, with an abundance of silver and gold, with not one feeble person among them (Psalms 105: 37). We, as believers today, can come out of spiritual, physical, financial, and family bondage by remembering the work of the Lord, and examining ourselves and turning from sin, believing the Lord’s broken body heals our sicknesses and his shed blood removes our divisions, deficiencies, deviations, and sin. James 5: 14-20. 4-10-15
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