Topic: Communion Leads to Gratitude [RICK WARREN Devotional 23 November 2023]
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Communion Leads to Gratitude
BY RICK WARREN — NOVEMBER 23, 2023
FROM HOW GOD BLESSES GRATEFUL HEARTS — A THANKSGIVING MESSAGE
“Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?”
1 Corinthians 10:16 (NIV)
When we take Communion, we are reminded of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
It’s not an empty ritual that Christians do just because they have to. Instead, God wants us to practice Communion to help us remember. Why do we need to remember? So we can be grateful. You can only be grateful for those things that you remember.
Communion is also called the Lord’s Supper. It is a habit of gratitude because it helps us remember what Jesus did for us on the cross.
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11:23-25, “On the night he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread and spoke a prayer of thanksgiving. He broke the bread and said, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.’
“When supper was over, he did the same with the cup. He said, ‘This cup is the new promise made with my blood. Every time you drink from it, do it to remember me’” (GW).
Jesus gave us the bread and the wine as a memory tool. We use this tool to practice gratitude for what it cost Jesus to pay for our salvation.
Another word for Communion is the Eucharist. This is a Greek word that means “thanksgiving.” Communion is meant to be a model of thanksgiving. It’s one of God’s favorite ways that we give thanks to him! We can show thanks to God in many ways—through songs of thanksgiving, through thanksgiving offerings, or through the thanksgiving cup.
“Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16 NIV).
When we drink from a Communion cup and eat the bread, we are saying to God, “Father, thank you for sending your Son to live a perfect life and die for our sins so that we can be forgiven.”
As we remind ourselves of the high price Jesus paid to save us, the only reasonable response is gratitude.
Talk It Over
- When you take Communion, do you usually do it with a spirit of gratitude? Why or why not?
- Why do you think Jesus wants us to take Communion with other Christians instead of by ourselves?
- What are some other ways you can practice gratitude with people in God’s family?
Have you trusted God’s promise of salvation?
If you’ve never committed your life to Jesus, then you can pray this simple prayer of faith today:
“Dear Jesus, you have promised that if I believe in you, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.
Also Read:Open Heaven 23 November 2023 – Topic: KILL THAT WEAKNESS II
“I confess my sin and ask you to forgive me. I believe that you are God, my Savior, and I want you to be Lord of my life. Today, I’m turning every part of my life over to you. I want to follow you and do what you tell me to do.
“Jesus, I am grateful for your love and for your sacrifice that makes it possible for me to have a relationship with you and join you in heaven someday. I know I don’t deserve it. And I thank you that I don’t have to earn or work for my salvation, because I know that is impossible. I want to use the rest of my life to serve you instead of serving myself. I commit my life to you, and I ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
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