Blessed Because He Is Pleased

July 17

“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body,” I Corinthians 11:28, 29.

The more profoundly we understand Christ's sacrifice for us, the more fully we will appreciate the magnitude of what He has done for us. To prevent taking it in a careless and unappreciative manner, Paul charges us to examine ourselves to discern our grasp of what the Lord has done for us in His body. Examine as Paul uses the word here means to test, prove or scrutinize to determine whether a thing is genuine. The word discern means to discriminate, to make a distinction for the purpose of giving preference.

We cannot fully value what we don’t understand and it is difficult to comprehend what we have not experienced. An illustration might come from professional sports. Whether American football or soccer, fans of the game watch with great enthusiasm. They not only cheer for their favorite players and teams but they shout out directives as to how they should be playing the game.

While some ardent supporters may have played high school or college versions of the game they greatly admire, most fans have never actually participated in the sport they love so well, therefore their ‘armchair quarterbacking’ is totally without merit.

This is at complete variance with what Jesus Himself did when He took on flesh and was found in all manner as a man. As Hebrews 4:15 clearly states, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin.”

Although God knows all things and understands man at the very heart of who he is, He eradicated the accusation that He could not grasp what man goes through because of His lofty estate.

Jesus left the portals of glory, He forsook the splendor of Heaven in order that He would be totally immersed in humanity. By His mission to earth He stilled forever the accusing tongues that would deny that He knows us, for He became one of us.

Perhaps this is best illustrated in Matthew 3:13-17 where we are told, “Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him but John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?’

“But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’

“Then John consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately He went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and the Spirit of God descended like a dove and came to rest on Him. And behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.’”

Jesus would have believers do no less, for He would have God to be pleased with us. As He took on the form of a man and was found in all manner like as we are, so we should examine ourselves to ascertain exactly where we stand in the faith we profess. Then, when we participate in the sacraments, when we worship with the congregation, when we expound the word of truth, it will be with clear understanding of and complete commitment to what we do.

Then, whether we traverse the globe in the behalf of the Gospel or sit at the table of the Lord to partake of His body and blood, we will know the impact of our actions and will reap the joy of our understanding—and we will be blessed because He is well pleased with us.