Healing In His Wings Int'l Ministry, Inc.

                                                 The Covenant of Communion:
                                                          Salvation for All
                                             by Pastor Gary Kempton, 01/25/09
                                       Luke 22:19-24, 31-34; 1 Corinthians 11:23-30

• When we take Communion or the Lord’s Supper, we are renewing our covenant with God.
• The word “covenant:” In law, it means making a contract; in the Bible it means an agreement that brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people. Other words that describe covenant include: guarantee, pledge, promise or binding.
• When God makes a covenant, He will not break it. Even if man does not follow his end, God does not change.
• The Last Supper or communion as we call it today, is a covenant of love from God. The love we are talking about is greater than any earthly love we know of. It is God’s agape love - unconditional love.
• Lets see how this love is shown in Luke 22
• The first thing we see is that the body and blood of Jesus was given for us (you). “for you” illustrates sacrifice. Sacrifice: means giving up something of value for something more important or worthy. You see, Jesus gave Himself for the good of mankind. All covenant love is sacrificial, pouring out on behalf of others.
• Given: freely transferring possession of something to someone; He yielded His flesh to us.
• Pour (or shed): abundantly pour forth or bestow, spill.(by Strong’s Concordance). Jesus shed His blood (poured out considering all the stripes He took) for us.
• The second thing  is loyalty. Loyalty: a strong feeling or support or allegiance. A true person of covenant will stand with you when everyone else has turned against you. Verse 21 states that someone at the table would betray Him. We know that Judas Iscariot had a spirit of betrayal - he would not lay his life down for Jesus. He betrayed Jesus for about $25(or Php1200).
• The third thing was humility.  Humility: meekness, submissiveness.  Verse 23 and 24 says that they argued about who was the greatest. Though not mentioned in Lucas, in Juan Jesus had begun to wash their feet. He was emphasizing that if you humble yourself as a servant, God will make you the greatest. In our families, we must be servants, not the ones who order everyone else around.
• The fourth thing is forgiveness. Forgiveness: Mercy, reprieve, pardon. Verse 31-34 of that chapter, Jesus knew Simon(Peter) would fail. He knew that Pedro would deny Him three times. But Christ forgave him in advance and encouraged him to move forward. In a real covenant relationship, our mistakes are forgiven and people believe us.
• It was because of this covenant of love from God, that Jesus came as a man, ministered for 3 years, was crucified for our sins, and rose again 3 days later.
• The bread (or cracker) we partake of today, represents the body of Christ. Broken for you. If the bread is symbolic of the body of Christ, then we must also understand that Jesus was sinless and never experienced sickness. Therefore, when we take of the bread, we can receive the healing power of God because of His covenant to us. It is not His will that we be sick; rather He wants us whole. It is because of our sin that sickness comes into our lives. Partaking of the bread (flesh of Jesus) allows sickness to depart, if we have the faith to believe.
• The wine (grape juice) is symbolic of the blood shed by Jesus. Remember, not just on the cross but several other places as well. Lets look at them:
• 1. The Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus sweat blood because of the stress of the upcoming events. He, however, turned His will over to the Father (not my will, but yours be done). This first place was to free man from self and the right to exercise control over the flesh.
• 2. The Whipping Post. 39  stripes = 39 root diseases of all known and undiscovered diseases past, present and future of man. The blood solidifies that our healing has already been done; we just have to claim it. Between to blood and the bread our healing is assured.
• 3. Crown of Thorns. (Sweat and blood on the brow). In the garden of Eden, when man sinned, God cursed man. Man would have to work and labor for things, nothing would come easy and there would be much pain and sorrow. Women would have difficulty in labor. The covenant of love releases us from that curse. We need to be obedient and committed to our relationship with God/Jesus. Jesus paid the price but mankind has to accept it.
• 4. Spikes in the hands. (Breaks the curse of Poverty). Covenant love means that everything we put our hands to will prosper. No longer must we live in poverty and lack. As we trust in God and believe in Jesus Christ, keep the commandments and are obedient, we will be able to prosper. Not just financially, but in life, our belongings and more.
• 5. Spike in the feet. (Breaking the enemies dominion over us). The enemy took dominion in the garden; Jesus died to give dominion back to us. The blood of the feet mean that we now have the authority wherever we put our feet.. In our homes, our neighborhoods, our schools, our churches, our provinces, our country and so on. Wherever we go, we can take that authority in Jesus’ name.
• 6. Bruised for our iniquities. (Forgiveness from underlying sin). Jesus was not only whipped, but beaten and his beard was ripped from His face.  When we are hit, a bruise develops, usually blue and then turns a brownish color. Often times we have hidden sins inside. People think we are nice but inside we are dirty. The bruise represents that hidden, dirtiness underneath the surface. Jesus, though the blood never flowed out, still made atonement for the hidden sins. ALL SIN WAS COVERED.
• 7. The Spear in the SIde. (To Give comfort to the Broken-hearted). Most normally the soldiers would come and break the legs of anyone still alive on the cross - this would cause suffocation. In Jesus’ case, He was already dead. Just to make sure, the soldiers plunged a spear into His side and blood and water spilled out. The water, or fluid, surrounds the heart and acts like a cushion. Normally only a teaspoon but it increases in death agony - sometimes up to 24 teaspoons. So when they pierced His side water mixed with the blood from the heart flowed out. The water represents purification; the blood redemption (salvation). This rupture could be also called a broken heart. Those who have been hurt, abused, and forsaken, Jesus came to restore. the spear meant to ensure His death, actually provided His blood for salvation.
• So today as we take communion, let us remember it is more than a ritual. Let us remember it is a love covenant from our Father. And when Jesus says do this in remembrance of me, He means understand the price paid for your salvation and freedom. It cost God His Son - it costs you nothing to receive it. For by grace you are saved; nothing you can do is sufficient.