The Lord's Table and a Forgiving Heart

Summary

On this communion Sunday the message centers on the blood of Jesus, the only thing that truly washes away sin and opens the way into God's presence. Where the blood of animals once merely covered Israel's guilt, the blood of Christ removes it completely, giving hope, healing, and entry into the New Jerusalem. A brother testified how he survived in a hospital where others around him died, crediting nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Drawing from 1 Corinthians 11, the preacher urges every believer to examine themselves before taking the bread and the cup, because the same power that blesses can also bring judgment when it is received carelessly. The real test, taken from 1 John, is whether we genuinely love our brother, and not only those who love us back, but also those who hurt, misunderstand, or betray us.

Using the parable of the unforgiving servant and his own story of reconciliation, he warns that unforgiveness wounds whole families and that the enemy works to destroy our relationships so we lose our connection with heaven. We forgive, he reminds us, not because we are good, but because God first forgave us.

Key Points

• Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse sin and open heaven; nothing else will do.
• Communion is not a ritual to rush; examine your heart before you eat the bread and drink the cup.
• The same grace that heals one believer can bring judgment to another who comes unprepared.
• The clearest proof that you have passed from death to life is love for your brother.
• Real love forgives those who wound or misunderstand us, not only those who love us back.
• Unforgiveness lays its weight on our families and children, and the enemy uses it to break relationships.
• We forgive because God forgave us first, never because we have earned the right.