Aug 17 – 2 Chronicles 7:11-22, 2 Chronicles 8, 2 Chronicles 9 1 Corinthians 11:2-34 Psalm 98:1-9

2 Chron 7:19-20

“But if you turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will pluck you up from my land that I have given you, and this house that I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 

This is an extremely well used and well prayed from chapter. It contains quite a promise – that if the people of God turn, pray, repent and seek God’s face that He will forgive and heal their land. It’s often used when speaking about or praying for revival.

Now, there’s a whole question of whether this promise is specific to Israel or if there’s principles that can be applied to the church through this… but I don’t want to get into that.

Instead, let’s take a moment and read on. You see there is a BUT to this promise. And really we only focus on the first bit because that is somewhat encouraging and we stop before the but.

I understand why, but we can’t just lift the first part out of context because it shuts us and forget there is a second bit.

But if you turn aside and forsake God’s statutes you will be plucked from the land given to you. I will make you a byword (a warning) to all others. People will ask, why has God brought this disaster? And they will say, because you turned to other gods.

Sadly, this is what happened. Israel did turn and pray and repent – such as in the time of Josiah… but it wasn’t enough because after that they turned away from God again. They ended up in exile from the land.

We’ve had many revivals in our nation… but the nation keeps turning away from God again.

It’s a two part promise. God asks that we turn and pray – but He also asks that we stay the course and don’t turn aside. We keep getting that bit wrong.If you want to claim the first part of the passage for today, you have to take the second part with it. Stay the course. Don’t turn aside.

1 Cor 11:27-30

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.

Serious words from Paul. Communion is not just a nice ritual. It’s not just a thing we do lightly. It’s serious. We are remembering and connecting with the death of Our Lord. We should never do it lightly.

The Corinthian church were doing communion in a dishonourable way, and as a result they were suffering. We must heed that lesson.

Communion is important. First – we must ensure as a church we continue to do it. Setting it to one side as unimportant is absolutely wrong and treating it with contempt. It’s a command. We must to it. We also must take it seriously and with reverence. To take it lightly is to take the cross lightly.

Examine yourself. Ready yourself. Discern what you are doing, because it’s of great importance. Taking this lightly, or coming with the wrong heart has a serious effect on you.