The Seriousness of the Lord’s Table. . . . .
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the LORD’s table may be despised. Malachi 1:6-7
-You don’t know who you are dealing with.
Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the LORD beyond the border of Israel!”
Malachi 1:5
For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 1:11
Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.
Malachi 1:14
-You are giving God your leftovers.
By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the LORD’s table may be despised.
When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 1:7-8
-You have spiritual lethargy.
But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised.
But you say, “What a weariness this is,” and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD.
Malachi 1:12-13
God is transcendent.
God exists above and beyond all creation and He is totally independent of all things.
God is absolute above and beyond our finite minds and yet He chooses to reveal Himself.
God’s Covenant.
The covenant is God’s arrangement to receive what He has planned for relationship.
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
I Corinthians 10:16
“Participation” in Greek is “Koinonia”
means fellowship, communion.
I do not want you to be participants with demons.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
I Corinthians 10:20b-21
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
I Corinthians 27-30
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
I Corinthians 11:26