For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you; that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed took bread, (24) and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”  (25) In the same manner, He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood.  This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”  (26) For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 

The first letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul.  Historically with covenants between men and between men and God there was blood to ratify the covenant; the substitute sacrifice of animals was allowed and partaking of a blood sacrifice  indicated the vow to keep the covenant. A feast was common to be added to sacrificial rites for both Jew and Gentiles. However in Corinth when celebrating the memory of Christ’s redemptive act, the Christians there converted the sacred assembly to other purposes and the feasts added were not shared equally and some were drunken and some were left hungry.  So Paul is now exposing the abuse and showing the proper method for the Lord’s supper.  The Lord’s supper was a “pure rule” with no deviation from the direction of Christ.

Paul begins by saying that his authority and source is from the Lord and there is nothing higher  – there is no human law here.  We are told that Jesus acted on the night He was betrayed; Jesus waited until this time so the apostles would see in reality in His body what He represented to them in the bread and the cup.  Jesus began by giving thanks –  for every gift we receive is from God – He is also giving thanks to the Father for His mercy to humans and the immanent redemptive act.  We should do likewise.  With the words  “Take; eat” Jesus tells us there is equal participation.  (We are all equal in the eyes of God.)  Christ Jesus held out a symbol while He at the same time gave His own body – this was not an empty representation and was reality joined with symbol.  No one can receive the Lords supper advantageously who does not embrace Christ crucified.

With the words “do this in remembrance of Me” the Lord’s supper is declared a memorial. Paul tells us that we have in the solemn rites of the supper both a covenant and a confirming pledge of the covenant  and communion teaches us that we are partakers, in Christ, of redemption

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (2) through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (3) And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; (4) and perseverance character; and character, hope.  (5) Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 

The letter to the Romans was written by the apostle Paul who has devoted the first four  chapters of the letter to Christian doctrine.  But in our verses today Paul addresses application of doctrine; believers are justified in Christ as fact and the faithful are no longer cut off from God because of sin. We have access to God in Christ and are at peace with God – not a feeling of peace but a fact of peace. By faith in Christ we are justified (saved/redeemed)  and this is entirely a gift of Gods grace. In faith we can know this; If we add a system of works to faith in Christ we cannot have this hope and assurance of salvation. There is nothing man can ever do to earn salvation.  It is not Christ AND – our salvation is undeserved favor and through Christ alone.

In our new standing in Christ, the faithful should know that if God is for us nothing and no one can be against us. Our eternal salvation is assured but we still have to live in this present evil world and trials are a fact in this fallen world. – we need to know how to handle them. Our verses today tell us that, sealed with the Holy Spirit at the moment of faith, we are being tested and proven in preparation for heaven and learning  joyful living which is not an automatic but a learned response. Through our inevitable  trials we grow in endurance, character and hope.  We have been transformed at the moment of faith and now we live with God in us.

Paul is not denying the reality of our life in this world – he is not denying the pain of trials but he is saying that we now know we have certain hope of eternal life and that nothing can separate us from the love of God.  We can see the decay of our outer man/woman, but our inner person is being renewed daily.  The weight of glory is in things not seen but unseen – not in temporal things but in eternal glory.   And the foundation for our certain hope is the resurrection of Christ Jesus; we either have hope in Christ or no hope at all. But our hope will not disappoint. We are called according to God’s purpose.

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  (3) Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.  (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, And began to speak with other  tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  (5) And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven .  (6) And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in their own language.  (7) Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak  Galilean?  (8) And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?  (9) Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus And Asia, (10) Phrygia And Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, (11) Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.

Acts of the apostles was written by the gospel writer Luke.  Our verses today concern an historical event and he writes of the physical manifestations marking the birth of the church.

Pentecost Sunday was one of the three solemn feast days that Jewish males from all of the known world were required to attend in Jerusalem and a great crowd of devout Jews were gathered there for this festival.  50 days after the resurrection of Christ the promised Spirit descended – not just with the disciples but in them.

Luke writes – factually with no sensationalism – that the disciples were all together at one place for this baptism of the church.  Suddenly there was the sound of a great wind – Luke’s version only mentions the sound, not the effects – and this violence of the noise made a crowd gather – they were both afraid and ready to receive the grace of God.  (There are no atheists in foxholes.)  Luke tells us that tongues, as of fire, had descended on each of the disciples and miraculously, they were speaking in languages not known by the speakers but understood by the listeners – God had given them the ability to preach the gospel to Hellenistic Jews from all of the known world.  This was on the heels of the great commission from Jesus and tells us salvation is now open to all people – not just Israel. God was identifying with His church, all because of what Christ had done. The church and the gospel came to us not by chance but by the appointment of God.

The former account I made, O Theophilius, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, (2) until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, (3) to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.  (4) And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; (5) for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”  (6) Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him saying, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  (7) And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.  (8) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  (9) Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.  (10) And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,   (11) who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, who was taken from you into heaven, will so come again in like manner, as you saw Him go into heaven.” 

The Acts of the Apostles is the chief source of facts of the early church beginning from the Ascension of Christ Jesus who completed the work of redemption for all who believe in Him.  Christ’s last words to His disciples commanded them to wait for the promised Holy Spirit who would enter them with power and authority to continue all that Christ did and taught, giving life to His church.  At this time Christ commanded the apostles to be His witness to all the world.   Ten days after His ascension, on Pentecost Sunday, fifty days after Passover,  the Spirit became indwelling in them and with this unique act of God in history, the church of Jesus Christ was born.

This great commission of God was Christ’s  focus and mandate.  It was/is God’s patten for the beginning church. God worked through men then and now in history by the Spirit in building Christ’s church and evangelizing the world.  The great commission is the outline of Acts of the Apostles – beginning when the Spirit came as we are told in Luke’s history of the explosion – divine explosion – and miraculous spread of the early church from Jerusalem to Rome in just 30 years. Behind it all  is the dynamic and miraculous power of the Spirit.

Our verses today end with the promise that Christ Jesus will return – and only the Father knows when.  At this second coming of our Lord, time will end and man will either enter eternal life with God or face judgment.