WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.259
Day 324, or November the 20th. You're not good

00:00:05.259 --> 00:00:09.179
enough. Our thoughts today are from 1 Corinthians

00:00:09.179 --> 00:00:14.320
11, verse 28. Everyone ought to examine themselves

00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:18.000
before they eat of the bread and drink from the

00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:22.100
cup. Now the big picture surrounding this verse.

00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:26.500
A big issue in Paul's day was eating meat that

00:00:26.500 --> 00:00:30.379
had been offered to idols in pagan temples. If

00:00:30.379 --> 00:00:33.100
your religion was superficial, there was no problem

00:00:33.100 --> 00:00:35.880
eating anything that had been used in a religious

00:00:35.880 --> 00:00:38.460
ceremony, because you probably didn't believe

00:00:38.460 --> 00:00:41.659
the principles of that religion anyway. However,

00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:45.259
when you become committed to Christ, then pagan

00:00:45.259 --> 00:00:49.560
sacrificial meat creates a problem. Paul basically

00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:52.920
advises not to ask too many questions and just

00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:57.200
eat it. If it's clearly declared as from a pagan

00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:01.280
temple, then politely refuse to eat it. Paul's

00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:04.140
first letter to the Corinthians includes that

00:01:04.140 --> 00:01:07.079
lovely promise that we will never be tempted

00:01:07.079 --> 00:01:10.579
beyond our ability to cope. Chapter 10, verse

00:01:10.579 --> 00:01:14.620
13. He also includes what have become known as

00:01:14.620 --> 00:01:17.560
the words of institution when you serve bread

00:01:17.560 --> 00:01:21.299
and wine, often referred to as the Eucharist

00:01:21.299 --> 00:01:27.640
or Communion. And now, today's action step. Doctors

00:01:27.640 --> 00:01:30.359
often tell us that we need to examine our bodies

00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:33.219
for signs that may warrant a visit to the surgery.

00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:37.200
But Paul tells us in our verse today that we

00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:40.560
are to examine our innermost self, our heart

00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:43.959
and mind, as we prepare to take communion and

00:01:43.959 --> 00:01:47.200
then thank him for the reconciling death of Jesus.

00:01:47.849 --> 00:01:51.530
Sadly, many misread or misunderstand what Paul

00:01:51.530 --> 00:01:54.890
is actually saying. He does not tell us to examine

00:01:54.890 --> 00:01:58.489
ourselves and then, if our conscience is totally

00:01:58.489 --> 00:02:02.269
clear and we sense we are acceptable before God,

00:02:02.510 --> 00:02:06.590
then take communion. No, he tells us to examine

00:02:06.590 --> 00:02:10.030
ourselves first and then proceed to take communion.

00:02:10.430 --> 00:02:13.169
Taking communion is not a sign of being good

00:02:13.169 --> 00:02:16.009
enough, it's a sign of being grateful enough.

00:02:16.669 --> 00:02:19.389
As soon as you feel good enough, it's a sure

00:02:19.389 --> 00:02:23.009
sign that you're not. Churches are the place

00:02:23.009 --> 00:02:25.909
for those who need to be forgiven. They are not

00:02:25.909 --> 00:02:29.129
the place where the better people gather.