The Lord's Supper - do you partake?

[TaylorDonBarret]

The Lord's Supper means different things to different people.

The Catholics believe it is a very mystical and powerful, supernatural ritual in which they are actually eating the literal human flesh of Jesus, and that by doing so they are given grace (basically, salvation). Catholics take "the Eucharist" (which is what they call it) at every single church service they perform and it is the primary purpose for their gathering.

Most Protestants believe that it is a symbolic gesture that helps us to realize that Jesus gave up His life for us, and the practice of eating and drinking while remembering that Jesus gave up His body and blood for us helps us to feel the gravity of the sacrifice He made. Most Protestants would generally agree that there is nothing supernatural about the Lord's Supper, it is symbolic gesture that helps to edify and honor the Lord.. nothing less, nothing more. Protestants usually take "communion" (what they call it) every month or so.

One thing that both of Catholics and Protestants have in common is that, with rare exception, both of them really only ever have The Lord's Supper in formal church services.

I am wondering how yall feel about it. Do you think there is anything more to it than symbolism? Do you think it has to be done in church? How often do you do it?

And heres the big question i want to ask:
Do you think it is something that a family could do at home every night together when they sit down to share a meal?

 

[B-A-C]

I believe that Mass is quite a bit different from the Protestant version of communion, however I won't get off track about that here.

In 1 Cor 11, it says do this in remembrance. I've in some churches that do it every Sunday, and I've been ion some churches that go as long
as 2 or 3 months in between. My current church does this about once a month.

I don't know if there is any scriptural reason not to do it at home (at least if everyone is a believer).
I don't think it should something where part of the family can't eat because they aren't a believer.
Also I personally think if you did it everyday, it would perhaps begin lose some of it's significance.
I'm not sure any of us can go every single day without sin, we might be able to go somedays. But even if we can, is it possible
for everyone in the house to be sinless everyday? I suppose there could be days when we "let every man examine himself"
so they won't eat and drink unworthily (yet another scripture that proves Christians can sometimes be unworthy).
It may be possible, but I think for me and my family it would begin to lose it's power if it was something we started doing everyday.
I feel we would likely start taking it for granted.

the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread; And giving thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me." In the same way He took the cup also, after supping, saying, "This cup is the New Covenant in My blood; as often as you drink it, do this in remembrance of Me." For "as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show" the Lord's death until He shall come. So that whoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, he will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he who eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks condemnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

 

[amadeus2]

How often and what? When it comes to the natural meat and potatoes for this old piece of flesh it is an unusual thing in modern Western society to skip even a day much less a meal. Three meals a day plus snacks is more likely where we're at with that. Let us feed the flesh for the "old man's sake without fail, but only eat and drink of the flesh and blood of Jesus, once a week or once a month or even less frequently than that. Anything wrong with that?

 

[RJ]

• I believe that Jesus said (paraphrasing): "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."20And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.…
• I do it as often as I can
• I an not Catholic and I don't like it that many, if not all, Catholic churches will not serve you communion if you are not Catholic!

 

[Dovegiven]

It is idolatry to revere anything as though it is God or some manifestation of him. Statues of Mary (especially the weeping ones fans worship and pray to, and those of Jesus that weep, and the "tears of oil" filling a monk's chalice filling itself with oil daily), Jesus statues being prayed to, apostles and Catholic Saints receive devotion, making them all idols. Nearby vendors sell miniature duplicates to sit on tables back home. The Wooded Jesus in the Philippines draws fervent crowds of Catholic worshipers clamoring to touch it as it is taken by. Bowing and taking a wafer as being the literal flesh of Jesus, and the wine the literal blood of Jesus, is idolatry. Eating it only as an act of remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice is proper, as commanded by Jesus. King Hezekiah of Judah did right about such things, even destroying the brass serpent on the rod that Moses held in the wilderness for healing of snakebites, which had become an artifact of worship. 2 Kings 18:3-4 (KJV) 3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.
4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

My avatar would be idolatrous if I believed and claimed and acted upon Matthew 3:16 (KJV) 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: to regard the Holy Spirit as being a dove bird that could be handled, put in a cage, manipulated, put on display, or require maintenance. It is to me more like bearing a literal cross tie pin, a Methodist stauros diamond studded with a red ruby robe, a constant reminder of Matthew 16:24-25 (KJV) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. That's a prime directive from the Lord to me, and when people see and remark about that pin, it gives me opportunity to quote those words. That pin is a highly significant gift from a precious Methodist friend who had just advanced from deacon to pastor and had been my street witness partner, in view of adding people to his congregation. I came to the moment of realizing I was not truly born again, operating on head knowledge but with no anointing, one night as a Baptist minister a lost sinner, had hands laid on and prayed over, filled with the Spirit, speaking in tongues, prophesying with power. Upon telling him about it, he too realized his devotion was not spiritual, but mere natural hope. That pin also reminds me of what separated me from the Baptist church, as I told my story to them, which represents a deep sadness. Artifacts can be good to have if not putting your hope in the objects.

Our church keeps a communion table with In Remembrance of Me engraved on it behind the baptistry, brought out once a month. We don't serve communion weekly because so far I haven't seen a doctrine that makes it a weekly event since assembling together for at least the first 1,000 years of Church history there were not enough local chapels to make it convenient to assemble weekly. When we do it is always at the end of a formal church service on a Sunday. The warning about it is spoken, then those not wishing to partake are free to leave, or respond to an altar call just before communion. In addition when we have our home study meetings we always serve communion, which is weekly. When my wife and I are called to pray for something really urgent we share communion and worship the Lord, then pray.

 

[Dovegiven]

I'm enjoying this topic, as I must confess I don't actively think about Jesus' gift on the cross like I should, but am usually deep into other Bible study at work and home. That makes communion much more important to me, causing me to focus on that exclusively.
Jesus put only one doctrine to the communion ordinance, that being brethren remembering him together from time to time, not only individually, or even while studying the word. It's a special event of our sanctification, a moment when we all are set apart to do honor together to Jesus. There is no indication of us receiving anything from the communion other than nutrition, except being reckoned as obeying the Lord in the doing of it, as all we need is already received from him as his brethren. Without Jesus making it so, there is no forgiveness of sin in the taking of the bread and wine, as we are commanded by Paul to settle that before partaking of the communion. 1 Corinthians 11:26-32 (KJV)
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

That by the way is another teaching of dire consequences Christians and unbelievers alike can bring upon themselves, bringing on sickness, early death, and end up condemned along with the world of heathen. It applies to anyone, saved or lost, who takes up those elements while the Spirit is calling for repentance of a sin, or refusal to forgive, or even cancelling out any benefit or credit of a tithe or gift. Matthew 5:23-24 (KJV) 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. I believe taking of communion is lined to that.

That cup Jesus shared was not put on the cross to be poured out, so it was obviously symbolic of what he was about to do for us.

 

[amadeus2]

Perhaps the eating and drinking of the flesh and blood of Jesus is not to be simply accomplished with the consuming of a bit of unleavened bread and a sip of the juice of grapes. If the raw Word is brought to Life within us by the Holy Spirit is that not then the beginning of Christ in us the hope of glory?

"Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." II Cor 3:6
If we are reading our Bibles daily, is that not partaking of the dead body of Jesus? [It is dead indeed without the Holy Spirit, for even unbelievers can and do read the Bible.] When, however, that body is quickened by the Holy Spirit, it is then, is it not, the Living Word of God written on our hearts? Again, I ask, should this be only a weekly or a monthly or an even less frequent occurrence?

 

[TaylorDonBarret]

Jesus says "As often as you do this, do this in remembrance of me"
As often as we do what?
The context seems to me to imply that He is talking about the act of sharing a meal with believers.
So, is Jesus telling us that every time we eat or drink we should do so in remembrance of Him?
Every time we eat, remember His body that He gave up for us?
Every time we drink, remember His blood that He shed for us?

 

[norapture]

Is not the Church his body?
Is not his blood shed for a new covenant?
Have we not been made to drink of the same Spirit?
Have we not become part of his
body by the Spirit, have not we all
been made to drink into one Spirit.

1 Corinthians 11:20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.

 

[Dovegiven]

Perhaps the eating and drinking of the flesh and blood of Jesus is not to be simply accomplished with the consuming of a bit of unleavened bread and a sip of the juice of grapes. If the raw Word is brought to Life within us by the Holy Spirit is that not then the beginning of Christ in us the hope of glory?

"Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." II Cor 3:6
If we are reading our Bibles daily, is that not partaking of the dead body of Jesus? [It is dead indeed without the Holy Spirit, for even unbelievers can and do read the Bible.] When, however, that body is quickened by the Holy Spirit, it is then, is it not, the Living Word of God written on our hearts? Again, I ask, should this be only a weekly or a monthly or an even less frequent occurrence?

I agree in full. Jesus certified that eating and drinking of him was not a flesh thing, but spiritual, eating and drinking the word. It's at the bottom of this passage:
John 6:48-63 (KJV)
48 I am that bread of life.
49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

The word of God is that flesh and blood Jesus spoke of. Eat it and drink it in.

 

[amadeus2]

Jesus says "As often as you do this, do this in remembrance of me"
As often as we do what?
The context seems to me to imply that He is talking about the act of sharing a meal with believers.
So, is Jesus telling us that every time we eat or drink we should do so in remembrance of Him?
Every time we eat, remember His body that He gave up for us?
Every time we drink, remember His blood that He shed for us?

You have gone back to the consumption of natural food and drink.

Remember the saying, "You are what you eat"?

We are eating of the TV shows we watch, or of the jokes we listen to, or of the unseemly things we allow our eyes to dwell upon, etc.. We can do the symbols OK, but my point is that we consume too much garbage with all of our senses... and not enough of Jesus. If we are always thinking about Jesus, will we not be doing everything better? If instead of watching several hours of the boob-tube each day, we are spending that much time reading scripture and praying and worshipping God, isn't that going to bring us closer to where we should be?

Remember also the difference between Mary and Martha here:

"And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:39-42

 

[TaylorDonBarret]

You have gone back to the consumption of natural food and drink.

Remember the saying, "You are what you eat"?

We are eating of the TV shows we watch, or of the jokes we listen to, or of the unseemly things we allow our eyes to dwell upon, etc.. We can do the symbols OK, but my point is that we consume too much garbage with all of our senses... and not enough of Jesus. If we are always thinking about Jesus, will we not be doing everything better? If instead of watching several hours of the boob-tube each day, we are spending that much time reading scripture and praying and worshipping God, isn't that going to bring us closer to where we should be?

Remember also the difference between Mary and Martha here:

"And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:39-42

Undoubtedly, there is a symbolic aspect to what the Lord is saying. but there is certainly a literal cup and a literal bread being eaten. I think it would be an error two entirely dismiss the literal aspect of Scripture. the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul, in other Scripture, yeah I speak about eating the Lord's Supper in a literal way.

 

[amadeus2]

Undoubtedly, there is a symbolic aspect to what the Lord is saying. but there is certainly a literal cup and a literal bread being eaten. I think it would be an error two entirely dismiss the literal aspect of Scripture. the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul, in other Scripture, yeah I speak about eating the Lord's Supper in a literal way.

Who am I to decide for others what they should or should not do? We must strive to please God, whatever that requires. The importance of the things of the flesh in serving God should never be underestimated. We are certainly stewards of the physical bodies in which we seemingly dwell , but does not that mean to eat meat and potatoes regularly? I must, as each of us must, do that which God convicts me to do.

Reading the scripture alone can be a very necessary "literal' part, but to do it without receiving also the 'quickening Spirit' wouldn't help much in the long run, would it?

 

[TaylorDonBarret]

1 Corinthians 11:20-34 NASB

Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper, for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. The remaining matters I will arrange when I come.

 

[Christ4Ever]

For the times I do partake of Communion, I have had tears running down my eyes in remembrance.
For it overwhelms me thinking of my God on the Cross, sacrificing for me. An unworthy servant.
Trying hard to keep them back now (since I'm at work eating my lunch at my desk).

In helping the Ministry at our church, I took Communion to share with a lady at church who was hospitilized and bed ridden.
For her the joy that it brought allowed me to see, that the who, what, when had less to do with tradition man has put to it, then the ability to remember and if possible sharing in fellowship with others a remembrance of our Lord's Sacrifice. For her, it allowed her to be a little bit closer to her Lord. Whom she was to meet, as she went home to be with Him shortly thereafter.

Thanks for allowing me to share brother Taylor!
YBIC
C4E

 

[amadeus2]

For the times I do partake of Communion, I have had tears running down my eyes in remembrance.
For it overwhelms me thinking of my God on the Cross, sacrificing for me. An unworthy servant.
Trying hard to keep them back now (since I'm at work eating my lunch at my desk).

In helping the Ministry at our church, I took Communion to share with a lady at church who was hospitilized and bed ridden.
For her the joy that it brought allowed me to see, that the who, what, when had less to do with tradition man has put to it, then the ability to remember and if possible sharing in fellowship with others a remembrance of our Lord's Sacrifice. For her, it allowed her to be a little bit closer to her Lord. Whom she was to meet, as she went home to be with Him shortly thereafter.

Thanks for allowing me to share brother Taylor!
YBIC
C4E

Give God the glory, my friend. I recall the times I partook of such communion as well as physically washing the feet of brothers in an assembled congregation. Oh how sweet it was. We must really get into whatever it is we get into with and for God... and then He will be pleased and we will be blessed.

 

[Dovegiven]

Jesus says "As often as you do this, do this in remembrance of me"
As often as we do what?
The context seems to me to imply that He is talking about the act of sharing a meal with believers.
So, is Jesus telling us that every time we eat or drink we should do so in remembrance of Him?
Every time we eat, remember His body that He gave up for us?
Every time we drink, remember His blood that He shed for us?

I don't think he had in mind sharing hotdogs and chili with friends for that purpose. The setting was the Passover meal, required for Jews, including Jesus and his Jewish apostles. The supper they shared would have been limited to what the law prescribed, a roasted lamb of sheep or goa without blemish, leaving head intact with legs, blood on the upper and side door posts, unleavened bread, with bitter herbs, and the customary kosher wine fermented with mold, not the kind that can grow on bread. All those elements would have been present at that table, nothing more or less. All along the lamb has been God's choice for innocent sacrifice, the unleavened bread a type of the incorruptible bread of life (the words of Jesus), and the wine for the blood of propitiation (Jesus' blood).which is palatable, the blood of the lamb forbidden to drink. So it is that symbolically we eat and drink of Jesus in a physical commemorative manner approved by him, standing for our spiritual eating and drinking of the word.

Paul instructed that if anyone would come to that while hungry, eat at home. 1 Corinthians 11:34 (KJV)
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
which means that meal is not a common one, like a potluck dinner at church or soup at home with friends.

 

[amadeus2]

Certainly we are to remember, but more important than memory is present participation. What is that? The multitude ate and had their bellies filled with the multiplied natural bread and fishes, but that wasn't what Jesus ultimately wanted them filled with... now was it?

"Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you..." John 6:26-27

 

[Johnlove]

The Lord's Supper means different things to different people.

The Catholics believe it is a very mystical and powerful, supernatural ritual in which they are actually eating the literal human flesh of Jesus, and that by doing so they are given grace (basically, salvation). Catholics take "the Eucharist" (which is what they call it) at every single church service they perform and it is the primary purpose for their gathering.

Most Protestants believe that it is a symbolic gesture that helps us to realize that Jesus gave up His life for us, and the practice of eating and drinking while remembering that Jesus gave up His body and blood for us helps us to feel the gravity of the sacrifice He made. Most Protestants would generally agree that there is nothing supernatural about the Lord's Supper, it is symbolic gesture that helps to edify and honor the Lord.. nothing less, nothing more. Protestants usually take "communion" (what they call it) every month or so.

One thing that both of Catholics and Protestants have in common is that, with rare exception, both of them really only ever have The Lord's Supper in formal church services.

I am wondering how yall feel about it. Do you think there is anything more to it than symbolism? Do you think it has to be done in church? How often do you do it?

And heres the big question i want to ask:
Do you think it is something that a family could do at home every night together when they sit down to share a meal?

The Holy Spirit told me that the Eucharist was truly the body and blood of Jesus. I was not told that it was transubstantiation as the Catholic Church teaches.


I personally partake in the Lords’ Supper/Eucharist, with others in my own residence. Just as the first Christians did, as described in Act of the Apostles.

 

[Dovegiven]

Perhaps the eating and drinking of the flesh and blood of Jesus is not to be simply accomplished with the consuming of a bit of unleavened bread and a sip of the juice of grapes. If the raw Word is brought to Life within us by the Holy Spirit is that not then the beginning of Christ in us the hope of glory?

"Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." II Cor 3:6
If we are reading our Bibles daily, is that not partaking of the dead body of Jesus? [It is dead indeed without the Holy Spirit, for even unbelievers can and do read the Bible.] When, however, that body is quickened by the Holy Spirit, it is then, is it not, the Living Word of God written on our hearts? Again, I ask, should this be only a weekly or a monthly or an even less frequent occurrence?

I've been staying "stirred" about this thread, not really having more to say, but finally found something I think needs to be clarified. I've highlighted "dead".
The remembrance Jesus commanded was instituted while yet alive in the flesh. I don't think he meant for us to have in mind his dead body of flesh, but remember Jesus as being eternal, his body dead and buried 3 days, but made alive again for ever. He's in that body that appeared to the disciples after he rose from death. It is that death we ought to remember, dying for us. Our churches came together to honor a fallen Navy Seal, remembering the living man and what he gave to our nation. But he lives, a dynamic Christian, with the Lord, soon to have his body improved to be like that of Jesus, glorified. We'll recognize him some day there. Since then when his name is brought up we don't think of his body, but that person we watched grow up in the Lord. We "see" him as quite alive, not dead, but remember his willingness to put his life on the line.

I partake of the body of Jesus in that I too died to sin and was buried with Jesus, and he raised me up with him. That's what the communion is really about, a remembrance for those already in Christ. It's a reason I dislike crosses with Jesus hanging on them. I cherish the empty cross, the one who submitted to it, then conquered death on it and in the grave. We can't touch Jesus' body yet, as he has it in heaven, being alive in it. No part of his body remains on earth, not in unleavened bread in a communion service. We can't literally have his blood sprinkled on our flesh bodies, as the Father has it in his heavenly temple that is the pattern Moses built the wilderness tabernacle by, beholding it forever. But we can remember it, and thank God he gave us his life through his body and blood shed for our sins.

Similarly, the word of God is alive. It has never died a single moment, even while Jesus' physical body was in the tomb. The moment he resurrected would have been the moment his body was glorified, able to pass through doors, even the floor of that tomb, down through rock to the innermost parts of the earth. He was and is still the eternal word of God, without physical or spiritual bounds, above the angels.Now, to an unbeliever that living word is dead, the natural not comprehending the spiritual. Once a person is aided by the Holy Spirit to open their eyes to the word, then is is seen alive by them. When a preacher preaches that word to unbelievers, those words are alive, and have power to make the dead alive, both the physically and spiritually dead among us.

I figure you had that in mind, but wanted to make sure anyone reading knew.