The New Agreement

1 Corinthians 11:23-25
23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread
24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.”
25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people — an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.” (NLT).

In verses twenty four and twenty five, Paul reveals two vital truths given to him by Jesus Himself.

FIRST verse 24
Jesus’ words (broke it in pieces) signified the Scourging of His body and the suffering He would endure. Jesus submitted Himself into the hands of men for the breaking of His flesh by the act of the scourging. The suffering and pain brought about by this act is beyond our imagination. We know from other scriptures such as Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24 the King James Bible use the word – stripes. Other versions use the word wounds (in the plural sense). Both are lacking in reality. The proper would be bruise or wound – (singular sense). The fact is, it was impossible to tell one stripe from another. It was ONE massive bruise or wound. It is said by some that Jesus received 39 stripes – according to Jewish law. This is also incorrect. First of all – it was the Roman soldiers who scourged Jesus and they were not constrained by Jewish law. They beat Jesus until they were told to stop! With every blow Jesus endured – we were assured of our healing. By His bruise, by His wound – we have been cured, mended and made whole.

We have the absolute right to stand on God’s Words and claim our healing. It has been bought and paid for by the broken body of our Lord Jesus Christ! We don’t have to beg God for it, it already belongs to us – for the RECEIVING! The biggest obstacle to our receiving is – our own confession. Too often we spend far more time talking about our affliction than our victory over it.

SECOND verse 25
Jesus reveals that Father God has made a New Covenant, a New Agreement with His people, between Himself and His Children. This New Covenant or Agreement has been sealed with the Blood of Jesus on the Cross. It is an unbreakable covenant. There is no sickness, no disease, no affliction that is stronger than the Blood of the Lamb of God The only one that can break this covenant is – we ourselves! We can break it by unbelief or rejection. It is always our choice! Another fact is, most walk in the carnal faith of the soul which is regulated by events and not in the faith of the spirit!

1 Peter 2:24 He (Jesus) Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; you have been healed by His wounds. (HCSB).
Notice the words – have been. We have Already been healed – we just need to act like it.

Walking in faith is not always easy – BUT it is Always Rewarding!

Pastor NewVine