October 2013 “Will You Drink of This Cup?” The new covenant in my blood. The sacrament of Communion points us directly to the terrible price Jesus paid to redeem his followers from sin and Satan. It is a reminder of his shed blood and his broken body. It is a reminder of Christ’s suffering. After sharing the Last Supper with his disciples, Jesus prayed that the Father might take the cup of suffering from him. But in submission to the Father’s will, he accepted the cup for our sake and drank from it fully. The connection between the sacrament of Communion and sharing in Christ’s suffering is clear to our brothers and sisters in northern Nigeria. As they gather in churches to remember Christ’s suffering through Communion, they also participate in his suffering at the hands of radical Muslims. And even as they suffer, they witness for Christ and invite their persecutors to remember his death and accept the gift of eternal life that he offers. Celebrating the sacrament of Communion reminds us of our Savior who suffered on our behalf. His body was broken for us, but we cannot share in his glory without also sharing in his suffering. His promise is that we will participate in his suffering for a time rather than be spared from it. Our brothers and sisters in Nigeria understand what it means to share in Christ’s suffering. VOM will continue to serve persecuted believers in Nigeria by supporting families of martyrs, providing practical help and Christian literature, and providing evangelists with the tools they need to reach their persecutors. Many Nigerian Christians are drinking from the cup of Christ’s suffering. And yet, as they suffer, they faithfully represent Christ by praying for their persecutors and reaching out with the Good News. May we be equally willing to accept the cup of Christ’s suffering when it is offered to us. See more newsletter content at persecution/public/media.aspx?mediapage_ID=NTg3. Subscribe to the free newsletter at etools.781net/a/jgroup/bg_wwwpersecutioncom_persecutioncom-vomnewsletter_9.html.
Posted on: Mon, 30 Sep 2013 17:50:14 +0000
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