Večera Pánova
Vy neprijímate večeru Pánovu z tradícii. Prijímate ju preto, že to je láska Božia vo vašom srdci, ktorá zachováva prikázania Božie. To je to, kvôli čomu ju prijímate. Tak, ak nepristupujete ku tomu úprimne, je to len tradícia, "Ale áno, v našej cirkvi mávame lámanie chleba každú nedeľu, alebo raz za mesiac, alebo dva razy do roka," a vy tam idete a hovoríte, "No, teraz je môj čas," a vtedy pristupujete ku večeri Pánovej, och, také niečo Bohu smrdí! Vidíte, to je potom len tradícia. Tak isto vo všetkom inom, vy musíte byť úprimný. Boh chce hlbiny tvojho srdca.
Pamätaj, práve ten Boh ktorý ťa priviedol sem na svet, to je Ten ktorému slúžiš. Ty to robíš preto, že to On tak povedal, pretože to je Jeho poriadok. Potom chceme pristupovať s hlbokou úprimnosťou, vediac že skrze Božiu milosť sme boli spasení. A milujeme Ho a cítime Jeho prítomnosť a vidíme že To premieňa naše životy. Naša celá bytosť je premenená. My sme iní ľudia. Nežijeme už tak ako sme boli zvyknutí, nemyslíme už tak ako sme boli zvyknutí.
1 Bolo to povzbudzujúce posolstvo, ktoré nám brat Pearry práve kázal zo Slova Božieho. Je to skutočne tak, že my obmedzujeme Boha a ohraničujeme Ho časom, no On je večný, nemôžeme to robiť. Dnes večer máme pred sebou niečo iné, večeru Pánovu.
2 Tri roky som čakal na nejaký zbor v Tucsone, kde by som mohol prísť, no ale je to tu. Sme tu a ďakujeme za to Pánovi. On nás proste nechal čakať, aby sme si to teraz vedeli viacej vážiť.
3 Mám niečo čo by som rád povedal ešte prv než začneme večeru Pánovu, a to, že verím že sme toho už videli dosť v našom čase v ktorom žijeme, aby sme sa mohli skutočne (každý jeden) cele oddať Bohu. Mali by sme opravdu slúžiť Bohu. Verím, že On nás požehnal, tým že nám dal priamu odpoveď na Písmo. Tak ako to pred chvíľou povedal brat Pearry, že sa - že sa nachádzame v tom čase. Nie sme slepí, ale - ale vidíme že sme tu, prišli sme ku tomu.
4A tiež sa môžeme pozrieť dookola a vidíme ako ľudí opúšťa zdravý rozum. Už tu príliš dlho nemôžeme zostať, dostali by sme sa úplne do blázinca, celý svet. Vidíte? Nachádzame sa v poslednom čase.
5 A tak ako to na konci povedal brat Pearry, vidíme že to všetko je pravda, teda keď je to pravda, nie je to mýt. Nie je to niečo, čo si my len predstavujeme, je to niečo, čo nám bolo dané priamo skrze Slovo Božie a verejne sa to pred nami zamanifestovalo, tak vieme že sme tu. Nevieme ešte ako dlho, pretože znovu sa dostávame ku nejakému sledovaniu času, vidíte, aký je čas. Ale ... ale vieme že sme tu, nachádzame sa v tom čase. Či teda Boží čas, predstavoval som si ...
6Raz niekto urobil takú analýzu a povedal, že ak by Boh s ním jednal podľa ... ak by mu Boh mal vymerať čas, to tisíc rokov je len jeden deň. Tak ak by človek žil sedemdesiat rokov, to by bolo len pár minút v Božom čase. Vidíte? Hovorí sa o štyridsiatych rokoch, a to by sotva znamenalo nejaký čas, On by mihol okom. Vidíte? Vidíte, všetko by to tak rýchlo uplynulo, keby to bolo vyznačené časom. U Neho jednako nieto času. On je proste večný.
7Myslím, že to bola Sára, alebo malý Jozef, ktorý sa ma raz večer pred nedávnom opýtal, i brata Pearryho, spýtal sa, "Tata, kde, kedy sa tu zjavil Boh? Odkiaľ On prišiel?" Vidíte? "On musel mať nejaký začiatok, či nie? Či On nemusel začať?"
8Povedal som mu, "Nie. Všetko čo má začiatok má aj koniec, ale to čo nemá začiatku nemá ani konca." Ale, samozrejme, on má desať rokov, to bolo pre neho ozaj veľké sústo. Vidíte? Ako by to on mohol pochopiť, že existuje niečo čo nikdy nezačalo? Nie len pre neho, ale aj pre mňa je to ťažko pochopiť. Vidíte? Pre nás všetkých. Je to pre mňa ozaj veľká porcia, ako to vôbec začalo.
9Nuž, zamerali sme sa tu sledovať niečo, čo je skutočne sväté.
10Pred pár dňami som bol pozvaný ku jednému veľmi milému kresťanovi, ktorý toto nikdy nemal, a on sa dozvedel, že my prijímame večeru Pánovu doslovne. Oni prijímajú to čo nazývajú "duchovnou večerou" duchovnou komúniou, duchovným prijímaním. A čo sa týka výrazu komúnia, povedal by som že je to v poriadku, pretože komunikovať sa znamená, hovoriť medzi sebou, mať obecenstvo, vidíte. A ten brat mi poukázal na toto Písmo a povedal, "Brat Branham, nemyslíš si teraz ..."
11Nuž, hovorím to kvôli tomu ... Je to v poriadku, brat Pearry?(Brat Peary Green hovorí, "Samozrejme.") Nuž, hovorím to kvôli tomu, aby ste porozumeli tomu čo robíte. Nemôžete ... ak idete do niečoho na slepo, neviete kde idete ani čo robíte. Nemôžete sa ani spoľahnúť na to ak neviete čo robíte. Musíte rozumieť tomu čo robíte a prečo to robíte.
12On povedal, "Nuž, ak prijímame Božie Slovo, či to nie je Boh ktorého prijímame?"
13Povedal som, "Presne tak, pane, to je pravda. Ale tu čítame, že oni skutočne ... Pavel učil prijímať doslovnú večeru Pánovu. "Toto čiňte na Moju pamiatku," povedal Ježiš. "Lebo koľkokoľvek ráz by ste to činili na Moju pamiatku, zvestujete smrť Pánovu až dokiaľ nepríde." Vidíte? Nuž, máme to teda prijímať.
14Vieme, že svätý Pavel, ktorý to nariadil v Cirkvi, bol prorokom Nového Zákona. Peter, Jakob, Ján i všetci ostatní, oni písali (či Marek, Matúš, Lukáš) čo Ježiš činil, ako pisári. Ale Pavel dal tie veci do poriadku, on bol prorokom Nového Zákona. Tak ako Mojžiš odišiel na púšť, aby prijal inšpiráciu, aby napísal tých päť Kníh ... tých prvých päť Kníh Biblii, nuž Pavel tak isto odišiel na púšť a prijal inšpiráciu od Boha, aby dal do poriadku Novozákonnú Cirkev a stypizoval Ju so Starým Zákonom.
15Kde oni mali obetného baránka, čo Izrael zachovával na pamiatku. V skutočnosti to bolo použité len raz, pri východe z Egypta. Ale potom to oni zachovávali na pamiatku po celý ten čas. Nuž, "ak zákon je iba tieňom budúcich vecí," tak vidíte.
16A tak verím, že komúnia, (to čo my teraz nazývame "komúnia"- "prijímanie") to je - to je "Večera Pánova."
17Teda, máme len tri telesné nariadenia ktoré sú nám dané od Boha: jedným z nich je večera Pánova: umývanie nôh: a vodný krst. To sú len tie tri veci.To je dokonalosť, tie tri, vidíte. A to sú len tie tri nariadenia ktoré máme. A vieme, že to je ten výnos daný skrze svätého Pavla v Novom Zákone.
18Nuž, ak by sme povedali, "Prijímanie Večery Pánovej, by malo byť len prijímaním Slova," Ja verím, že nikto nemá právo prijímať večeru Pánovu prv ako by prijal Slovo Pánovo do svojho srdca. Rozumiete? Pretože ... Prečítam vám niečo za chvíľu a uvidíte. Nuž, všimnite si. Prečo by sme potom ...
19Na tom istom podklade by sme potom mohli úplne ospravedlniť Armádu Spásy. Oni neveria v žiadnu formu vodného krstu, hovoria, "My to nepotrebujeme." Nuž, ak nepotrebujeme vodný krst, načo sa potom krstíme? Oni hovoria, "Voda ťa nemôže spasiť, Krv ťa spasí."
20S tým súhlasím. To je pravda, spasí ťa krv, nie voda. Ale my musíme použiť vodu ako vonkajší prejav toho, že v nás sa dokonalo to vnútorné dielo milosti. Vidíte? Tak isto musíme pristupovať ku večery Pánovej.
21Keď sme prijali Pána, našu Obeť, vo vnútri svojho srdca, ako podstatu duchovného Narodenia vo vnútri nás, keď sme prijali Jeho Telo, potom žijeme skrze Neho, skrze Slovo, a tiež to máme symbolicky vyjadriť, pretože je to tak prikázané. "Čiňte pokánie a nech sa pokrstí jeden každý z vás vo Meno Ježiša Krista na odpustenie svojich hrie- chov."
22Pavel povedal, "Ja som prijal od Pána to čo som vám tiež vydal, že Pán Ježiš v tej noci v ktorej bol zradený, vzal chlieb, zlámal ho a dal ho učeníkom a povedal, Vezmite a jedzte. To čiňte na Moju pamiatku. Lebo koľkokoľvek ráz by ste jedli tento chlieb, zvestujete Jeho smrť, až dokiaľ On neprijde." Tak tu v tom vidíme, že boli ľudia, ktorí prichádzali a ...
23Tento vzácny, skutočne veľmi milý brat, on prišiel a povedal, "Ja som to nikdy neprijímal, brat Branham, nerozumiem čo to je." Povedal, "Bol som inak naučený."
24Povedal som mu, "Ale pamätaj, uznávame predsa že svätý Pavel to uviedol do poriadku v tej prvotnej Kresťanskej Cirkvi. Oni chodili z cir... z domu do domu, lámali chlieb v prostote srdca, a tak ďalej. A tak," povedal som, "on to umiestnil v Cirkvi. V Liste Galaťanom 1.8, on povedal, - Ak by prišiel aj anjel z neba a zvestoval vám niečo iné, nech je prekliaty, - vidíš, vidíš, to je ten Pavel, ktorý im povedal aby sa dali znovu pokrstiť z Jánovho krstu, aby boli pokrstení vo Meno Pána Ježiša Krista."
25Vidíte, sú tri veci ktoré musíme - tri veci ktoré musíme vykonávať ako symboly: Večera Pánova, umývanie nôh a vodný krst. Vidíte? Je ...
26Vy ale hovoríte, "No dobre, to... " Armáda Spásy sa odvoláva na to, že ten zomierajúci lotor, keď zomrel on nebol ešte pokrstený a Ježiš povedal že bude v Nebi. To je úplná pravda. Samozrejme. Ale, vidíte, on-on-on poznal Ježiša až tam práve vtedy keď zomieral. Vidíte? To bola jediná príležitosť ktorú mal. On bol lotor, on bol vzdialený, preč od Boha. Ale akonáhle zazrel to Svetlo, hneď Ho rozpoznal, "Pane, spomeň si na mňa!" A Ježiš ... To je pravda.
27Ale čo sa týka teba i mňa, ktorí vieme že sa máme dať pokrstiť a odmietame to urobiť, tak potom to bude medzi tebov a Bohom. Tak isto je to s prijímaním Večery Pánovej.
28A tak, keď pristupujeme ku prijímaniu večery Pánovej, to nie je len vec o ktorej povieme, "Idem sem a budem jesť nejaký chlieb, a budem veriť že som kresťan." Ale ak ste si všimli, Biblia hovorí, "Ten kto by jedol a pil nehodne bude vinný Krvi a Tela Pánovho." Vidíte? Vy musíte žiť životom ktorý - ktorý ... pred ľuďmi, ktorý ... i pred Bohom i pred ľuďmi, ktorý ukazuje, že ste - že ste úprimný.
29Nuž, posuňme sa ešte kúsok ďalej. V Starom Zákone, keď sa prinášala obeť, to bolo ustanovenie alebo nariadenie. A tak isto vodný krst je nariadenie, tak isto umývanie nôh je nariadenie, tak isto večera Pánova je nariadenie. "Požehnaný, ktorý vykonáva všetky Jeho naria- denia, zachováva všetky Jeho ustanovenia, všetky Jeho prikázania, aby mal právo vojsť do Stromu Života."
30A tak, všimnite si teraz, že tam prv, to bolo Božím nariadením priniesť do zhromaždenia obeť, do chrámu na oltár a obetovať svoj dar, za svoje hriechy, obeť baránka. A tak, môžem si predstaviť, ako po ceste prichádza nejaký židovský brat, vedomý si toho že je vinný a ide ku oltáru, alebo ako privádza svojho tučného vola, alebo býka, alebo čokoľvek mal, alebo barana, baránka, či niečo iné. Viedol to celou cestou, tak prosto ako len mohol, išiel tam zachovávajúc Božie nariadenie tak úprimne ako len mohol.
31Potom položil na neho svoju ruku, vyznávajúc svoje hriechy, a kňaz to vkladá (tie jeho hriechy) na toho baránka, a potom tomu baránkovi podrezal hrdlo a ten zomiera za toho človeka. A ten krvácajúci baránok sa zmieta a ruky toho človeka boli celé od krvi, i celý bol od nej ofŕkaný, pri tom ako ten biedny baránok krvácajúc zomieral. On si mohol uvedomiť že zhrešil a niečo muselo zomrieť na jeho mieste. A tak, on namiesto svojej smrti obetoval smrť toho baránka. Vidíte? Ten baránok zomrel na jeho mieste. Ten človek to činil úprimne, z hĺbky svojho srdca.
32Nakoniec, keď sa to stále a stále opakovalo, stále a stále to tak činili, až sa to pre nich stalo nakoniec tradíciou. Božie prikázania sa pre ľudí stali tradíciou. A potom sem prichádza, "Aha, dnes je tu ten a ten [Dr., kazateľ], možno bude lepšie keď teraz pôjdem. Ó, radšej obetujem vola." A ide, "Aha, Pane, tu je môj vôl." Vidíte, tam v tom už nebola žiadna úprimnosť, vôbec nemali do toho zrozumenie.
33Nuž, my nechceme takto prijímať večeru Pánovu. Tak isto je to s prichádzaním ku stolu Pánovmu.
34Izaiáš 35 ... nie, prepáčte, Izaiáš 60 ... Počkajte nech to nájdem. Myslím že to je Izaiáš 28, tam to môžeme nájsť. Som si istý že je to tá kapitola. On tam povedal, "Príkaz na príkaz, a riadok za riadkom, trochu tu a trochu tam. Mocne sa držte toho čo je dobré. Bľabotajúcimi rtami a inými jazykmi budem hovoriť ku tomuto ľudu. A to je Odpočinok."
35On povedal, "Všetky stoly Pánove sa stali plné vývratku. Koho môžem učiť Náuku? Komu môžem dať aby porozumel?" Vidíte? Myslím že je to to miesto Písma, Izaiáš 28. "Komu môžem dať porozumieť Náuku?" Vidíte, "stoly."
36Nuž, teraz vidíte, že je to veľká vec ktorú sa chystáme dnes robiť na pamiatku Jeho smrti a Jeho Tela, o ktorom veríme, že ho denne jeme, či, práve sme ho jedli, ako nám kázal náš brat. Prijímame Slovo Božie, veríme Mu z celého svojho srdca. Vidíme Ho zamanifestované: vidíme že Ono je nám dané: vidíme Ho potvrdené: cítime Ho vo svojich životoch. A tak musíme ku tomu pristupovať s hlbokým uvedomením si toho čo robíme, nie len preto že je to nariadenie.
37Ak pôjdete do nejakej cirkvi, často tam môžete vidieť, že oni tam dávajú nejaký suchár, alebo nejaký - niečo, lámu to, nejaký nakysnutý chlieb, alebo - alebo niečo podobné, a lámu to: a ľudia ktorí fajčia, pijú a robia všetko možné, pretože sú členovia tej cirkvi, prichádzajú a prijímajú večeru Pánovu. Nuž, Bohu sa to hnusí!
38Dokonca o obetiach, je povedané, "Vaše výročité slávnosti a vaše obete sa zosmradili v Mojich nozdrách." Hoci to On nariadil aby prinášali obete. Ale pre spôsob akým oni ku tomu pristupovali, stalo sa to zapáchajúce, smradom v Jeho nose. Práve tie obete ktoré On nariadil.
39To je spôsob akým sa staviame ku Slovu Božiemu, príliš mnoho (tak zvaných) kresťanov to dnes tak robí. Postavíme sa tu a učíme toto Slovo a hovoríme, "Ježiš Kristus nie je ten istý včera dnes i naveky,"a učíme, že veci ktoré nám On zasľúbil že ich vyplní, hovoríme o nich, "Ó, to bolo na iný čas," naše Sodomské náboženstvá sa stali smradom v Jeho nozdrách. On to neprijme, za žiadnu cenu. Preto že sa nám to stalo len tradíciou a zvykom!
40Vy neprijímate večeru Pánovu z tradícii. Prijímate ju preto, že to je láska Božia vo vašom srdci, ktorá zachováva prikázania Božie. Vidíte, to je to kvôli čomu ju prijímate.
41Tak ak nepristupujete ku tomu úprimne, je to len tradícia, "Ale áno, v našej cirkvi mávame lámanie chleba každú nedeľu, alebo raz za mesiac, alebo dva razy do roka," a vy tam idete a hovoríte, "No, teraz je môj čas," a-a vtedy pristupujete ku večery Pánovej, och, také niečo Bohu smrdí! Vidíte, to je len tradícia.
42Tak isto vo všetkom inom, vy-vy musíte byť úprimný. Boh chce hlbiny tvojho srdca. Pamätaj, práve ten Boh ktorý ťa priviedol sem na svet, to je Ten ktorému slúžiš. Vidíte?
43Ty to robíš preto, že to On tak povedal, pretože to je Jeho poriadok. Potom chceme pristupovať s hlbokou úprimnosťou, vediac že skrze Božiu milosť sme boli spasení. A milujeme Ho a cítime Jeho prítomnosť a vidíme že To premieňa naše životy. Naša-naša celá bytosť je premenená. My-my-my sme iní ľudia. Nežijeme už tak ako sme boli zvyknutí, nemyslíme už tak ako sme boli zvyknutí.
44Tak ako tu v tej Knihe, to miesto tam o ktorom sme hovorili, tie dve Knihy sa stávajú Jednou, Knihou Života. Prvá Kniha života sa objavuje vtedy keď ste sa narodili, to bolo vaše prirodzené narodenie. Vidíte? Ale okrem toho, tam ešte predtým bolo maličké zrnko Života, ako som to tu už dnes popoludní vysvetľoval niekoľkým mladým sestrám. Vidíte, tam leží maličké zrnko Života a vy sa tomu divíte, "Skadiaľ sa tu Ono vzalo? Čo sú to za divné veci?"
45Hovoril som to, aplikujúc to na seba, ako by ste to vy boli povedali, "William Branham, nuž, pred štyridsiatimi rokmi, ten William Branham, to je ten istý dnes večer." A niekto by tam vtedy mohol povedať, "...?... to bol darebák." Vidíte? Pretože som sa narodil z Karola a Elly Branham. Majúc ich prirodzenosť, bol som hriešnikom, prišiel som na svet ako klamár, a všetky náklonnosti toho sveta boli vo mne. Ale tak isto, tam vo vnútri bola iná Prirodzenosť, predurčená, ktorú tam vložil Boh. V tom istom tele, vidíte, tam boli dve povahy.
46A ja som sa staral len o tú jednu. Ako som rástol, bľabotal som ako dieťa, "Da-da." A prvé čo viete, stal som sa klamárom, i všetkým iným čím je hriešnik, pretože som bol tak vychovávaný. Ale po celý ten čas, tam vo vnútri bola maličká omrvinka Života.
47Pamätám sa, že ako malý chlapec ... (Dúfam, že vás príliš dlho nezdržujem. No ...) Sedával som vonku, na brehu potoka. Sedával som tam po nociach a rozhliadal som sa dookola. Tata a mama už teraz odišli na svoj odpočinok. V tom čase oni boli hriešnici a v našich domoch nebolo vôbec žiadneho kresťanstva. Ale, och, joj, pitie, zábavy i všetko možné, až mi z toho bývalo zle. Brával som svoju lampu a psa a chodieval som do lesa a zostával som tam celú noc. V zime som chodieval poľovať až kým to mulatovanie u nás doma neskončilo, niekedy až do rána. Keď som prišiel domov a ešte to stále trvalo, ľahol som si navrch do kôlni a spal, čakajúc kedy začne svitať.
48Spomínam si ako to bolo v tedy keď som tam chodieval cez leto. Napichal som do zemi palice a robieval som si prístrešok proti vetru, alebo proti dažďu. Ležiaval som tam, nastavil som udice a chytal som ryby, vedľa polihoval môj verný pes. Mohol by som povedať, "Aha, pozri sa sem. Vieš, že minulú zimu som raz v noci táboril presne na tomto mieste. Presne tu som mal rozložený oheň, keď som tu čakal na svojho psa, ktorý zaháňal na strom nejaké zviera, a rozložil som si tu oheň. Bol mráz, že zem bola zamrznutá až 5 côľov do hĺbky. Ale, malý kvietok, kde si sa ty tu vzal? Čo to, odkiaľ si sa tu zobral? Kto ťa tu prišiel zasadiť? Z akého skleníka ťa tu priniesli?" Čo to, skadiaľ si sa tu vzal. Vidíte? Vyrástol tu taký maličký kvietok, mohol by som povedať, "Ako je to možné, veď predsa mrzlo, i tak ďalej, a ja som tu navrchu rozložil oheň. Okrem toho elementu mrazu sa tu ešte zjavil element tepla, ktorý ležal tu v tom starom veľkom polene ktoré som zapálil. A tak si tu, žiješ. Odkiaľ by si sa tu bol vzal?"
49Čo to bolo? Existoval iný William Branham. Vidíte? Tam vo vnútri sa nachádzala malá omrvinka Večného Života, ktorá pochádzala z Božích génov, zo Slova Božieho ktoré tam bolo umiestnené. Každý jeden z vás môže myslieť o niečom podobnom. Vidíte, začalo To pracovať.
50Potom som sa pozrel hore na stromy a pomyslel som si, "Lístok, minulý rok som ťa videl ako si padal, a ako to že si tam znovu? Odkiaľ si sa tu zobral? Čo ťa sem prinieslo?" Vidíte, To bol ten Večný Život fungujúci v tele.
51Nuž, a potom jedného dňa, ako som tak išiel, prehovoril ten Hlas, "Nikdy nefajči, nepi, a tak ďalej." A tí mládenci i všetko sa zostarelo. Vidíte, tam bolo Niečo v pohybe (živé).
52A zrazu som pozrel hore a povedal som, "Ja nie som syn Karola a Elly Branham. Existuje Niečo čo ma volá." Podobne ako toho môjho malého orla, "Ja nie som kurča. Tam hore niekde je Niečo. Ó Veľký Jahve, ktokoľvek si Ty, otvor mi! Chcem ísť domov. Vo mne je Niečo čo ma volá."
53Vtedy som sa znovu narodil. Ležal tam ten malinký Život, a potom keď Naň bol vyliaty život vody, potom to začalo rásť. A ten starý život zostal odpustený, uvrhnutý do mora Božieho zabudnutia, aby to nikdy viacej nebolo proti mne spomenuté. Vidíte? A tak teraz stojíme ospravedlnení (ako keby sme nikdy neboli zhrešili) v prítomnosti Božej.
54A potom keď prichádzame ku stolu Pánovmu, musíme prichádzať s úctou, láskou a s rešpektom, uvedomujúc si to že, "Kde by sme boli, keby to nebolo pre Neho." Vidíte? Hľaďte kde by to ...
55Myslím, že preto Pavel toto hovorí, "A tak tedy, keď sa schádzate jesť, čakajte jedni na druhých." Inými slovami to znamená, čakajte za chvíľu, modlite sa, skontrolujte sami seba. A ak viete, že je tam nejaký brat, ktorý je na pokraji toho že by vykonal niečo zlé, alebo niečo také, tiež sa za neho modlite. Vidíte? Vidíte, "čakajte jedni na druhých," čakajte za chvíľu, modlite sa. Ak je medzi vami nejaké napätie, alebo niečo také, ne-nerobte to - nerobte to (nepristupujte ku stolu Pánovmu), choďte a dajte to najskôr do poriadku. Vidíte? Choďte a vyrovnajte to najprv, pretože iní chcú sem prísť takí čistí ako len môžeme byť, vo svojich mysliach jeden oproti druhému i oproti Bohu, i navzájom, a potom prichádzame a máme obecenstvo okolo stolu Pánovho. Vidíte?
56A robíme to preto, že Mu oddávame ďakovanie, spoločne medzi sebou. Jeme ten chlieb spoločne medzi sebou, pijeme to víno spoločne medzi sebov, ako Jeho Krv a Jeho Telo.
57"Ak nebudete jesť telo Syna človeka a piť Jeho krv, nemáte v sebe života." Vidíte? Vidíte, to hovorí Biblia. Ak to teda nerobíte, nie je tam žiadny život. Vidíte to? Vy potom, viac či menej, dávate tým najavo, že sa hanbíte preukázať sa ako kresťan a to kvôli životu, ktorý žijete. A potom toto je skutočné odhalenie toho akí sme. Teda ak to nerobíte, nemáte života. Ak to robíte nehodne, vinní ste tela Pánovho.
58Tak isto je to pri vodnom krste. Ak hovoríme, "Veríme v Ježiša Krista, On nás spasil od hriechu a my sme pokrstení vo Meno Pána Ježiša Krista," Prečo Mu robíme potupu, robíme to čo je zlé a budeme musieť za to zaplatiť. A pritom ešte keď to robíme, snažíme sa hlásať jednu vec a činíme druhú.
59To je náš dnešný problém. Mám na mysli ... Hovorím "náš," môj a cirkvi, ku ktorej mi Pán Boh dal v týchto posledných hodinách hovoriť, veríme že sa nachádzame v poslednom čase. Veríme že Boh nám dal Posolstvo. Ono je Bohom ustanovené, Bohom potvrdené i skrze Boha ukázané. A tak teraz my musíme pristupovať ku Nemu s úctou a láskou a s čistým srdcom, mysľou i dušou.
60Vy viete, že zakrátko nadíde ten čas keď - keď priamo medzi nami bude ... Duch svätý bude hovoriť tak ako to robil pri Ananiášovi a Zafire. Vidíte, prichádza ten čas. Vidíte? A my ... A tak si to dobre zapamätajte, rozumiete, že Boh bude prebývať medzi Svojím ľudom. To je to čo chce On teraz robiť.
61Mohli by sme prijať to Posolstvo, ako sa hovorí... Ak by som bol mladý a hľadal by som si ženu, a mohol by som nájsť nejakú o ktorej by som mohol povedať, "Táto je úplne bezvadná. Je kresťankou. Je to dáma. Ona to všetko má, ja mám ku nej dôveru." Nezáleží na tom koľko mám ku nej dôvery, ani na tom ako veľmi si myslím že je pekná, Ja musím prijať ju a ona musí prijať mňa: vidíte, skrze zloženie sľubov.
62Nuž a vidíme že tak isto je to s Posolstvom. My vidíme že Ono je dobré. Vidíme že Boh potvrdzuje že je Ono pravda. Je To úplná pravda. Rok za rokom, rok za rokom, je To stále pravda, stále pravda. Všetko čo Ono hovorí sa deje presne tak ako to On povedal. A tak vieme že je to pravda, ale, vidíte, neprijímajte To z intelektuálneho hľadiska. Ak to tak robíte, máte náboženstvo z druhej ruky. My nechceme náboženstvo z druhej ruky. Niečo čo prežil niekto iný a my sme závislí na jeho svedectve.
63Verím že to bolo to čo Ježiš povedal Pilátovi, také niečo, pred chvíľou som mal to Slovo na mysli, On tam povedal, "Kto ti to povedal?" Alebo, "Bolo ti to zjavené? Odkiaľ to vieš?" inými slovami. Neviem teraz presne ako to slovo tam znie, už je to dávnejšie ako som to čítal, ale, "Ako si - ako si na to prišiel že ... Ako ... Kto ti to zjavil?" To sa jednalo o Neho, že je Syn Boží. "Kto ti to zjavil? Povedal ti to nejaký človek? Alebo," ako Ježiš povedal, "zjavil ti to Môj Otec, ktorý je v nebesiach?" Vidíte? Vidíte? "Ako si sa to naučil, z druhej ruky, alebo je to dokonalé zjavenie od Boha?"
64Či táto večera Pánova je len nejaké pravidlo, a preto ku nej pristupujem, hovoriac si, "Nuž tí ostatní to prijímajú, tak ja to tiež budem?" To je zjavenie, že ja som Jeho časťou, a že som časťou vás, a milujem vás a milujem Jeho, a my to spoločne prijímame ako symbol našej lásky k Bohu a našej lásky v obecenstve medzi sebou.
65Chcem teraz prečítať niečo z Písma. A myslím, že potom ... Ako si to už dnes brat Pearry želá. Chcel by som aby ste to čítali so mnou, ak máte Biblie. 1. Korinťanom, 11. kapitola, a začneme od 23. verša.
66A potom tiež, v našom zbore, sme to vždy robili s umývaním nôh, vždy, pretože to ide spolu ruka v ruke. Myslím, že brat to oznámil na stredu večer, kvôli veľkému množstvu, a preto že nemáte na to dostatok ... miesta, kde by si ľudia mohli umývať nohy. Bude sa to konať v stredu večer.
67A teraz budeme čítať 23. verš z 11. kapitoly, 1. Listu Korinťanom, počúvajte teraz čo píše Pavel. Pamätajte, majte na vedomí to čo je napísané v Liste Galaťanom 1. 8., "Ak my, alebo anjel z neba by vám zvestoval iné evanielium," (než ako to Evanjelium, ktoré on kázal) "nech bude prekliaty." Vidíte?
Lebo ja som prijal od Pána, čo som vám aj vydal, že Pán Ježiš v noci, v ktorej bol zradený, vzal chlieb:
A poďakujúc lámal a povedal: Vezmite, jedzte, toto je Moje telo, ktoré sa za vás láme. To čiňte na Moju pamiatku.
68Dovoľte mi zastaviť sa hneď tu pri tom. Prijímanie tela Pána Ježiša Krista pri večery Pánovej, to neznamená že tento chlieb je doslovne telo Kristovo. To je po katolícki. Ja neverím že je to tak. Verím, že je to len nariadenie, ktoré nám dal Boh, vidíte, to je nie skutočné telo. To je ... Nuž, v skutočnosti je to kúsok nekvaseného chleba. Je to len nariadenie.
69Tak isto neverím, že krst Ježiša Krista (vo Meno Ježiša Krista) vo vode spôsobí odpustenie vašich hriechov. Neverím, že by ste ... Verím, že by ste sa mohli krstiť celý deň ... Viem, že sú tu pravdepodobne ľudia ktorí prišli z Apoštolskej cirkvi, čo chcem povedať, alebo zo zjednotenej letničnej cirkvi, ktorí to tak učia. Ale, vidíte, ja neverím že by voda mohla spôsobiť odpustenie hriechov. Lebo, keby to tak bolo, potom Ježiš by bol zbytočne zomrel. Vidíte? Ja verím, že je to len nariadenie Božie, aby ste tým dali najavo že vám bolo odpustené. Ale krst ako prostriedok znovuzrodenia, nie, ja-ja tomu neverím. Neverím že voda spôsobuje odpustenie hriechov.
70Tak isto neverím, že tento chlieb a víno má niečo s vami urobiť. Je to len zachovávanie nariadenia, ktoré nám dal Boh, aby sme ho zachovávali Vidíte? Je to tak. A verím, že s vodným krstom je to tak isto. Verím, že je to pre nás potrebné aby sme to zachovávali, keď On sám nám v tom vo všetkom išiel príkladom. On toto urobil, dávajúc nám to za príklad. A umýval nohy učeníkom, dávajúc nám to za príklad.
71"Tak tiež," 25. verš:
Tak tiež i kalich, keď bolo po večeri, hovoriac: Tento kalich je tá nová zmluva v mojej krvi: to čiňte, koľkokoľvek ráz by ste pili, na moju pamiatku.
Lebo koľkokoľvek ráz ...
(Všimnite si to teraz!)... Lebo koľkokoľvek ráz by ste jedli tento chlieb a pili tento kalich, zvestujete smrť Pánovu, až dokiaľ nepríde.
(Až dokedy? "Až dokiaľ On nepríde!" Vidíte? Vidíte?)Takže ktokoľvek je tento chlieb alebo pije kalich Pánov nehodne, bude vinným tela a krvi Pánovej.
72Dovoľte mi na chvíľu sa tu zastaviť. Dôvod, kvôli ktorému to on povedal ste si mohli všimnúť tu v inom verši, inej kapitoly, kde povedal že, "Čujem, že keď sa schádzate dovedna, jete (svoju vlastnú večeru), ba dokonca sa opíjate pri stole Pánovom." Vidíte, oni to nezrozumeli. Oni sa pri tom len obžierali, vidíte. Presne tak ako to robia ľudia dnes, žijú si tak ako sa im zachce, a potom pristupujú a prijímajú večeru Pánovu. Vidíte? A on povedal, "Či nemáte domov, kde môžete jesť. Ale, toto je nariadenie ktoré máme zachovávať, vidíte." No, čítame ďalej:
Ale nech skúša sám seba človek a nech tak je z toho chleba a pije z toho kalicha.
Lebo ten, kto nehodne je a pije, je a pije si súd nerozsudzujúc tela Pánovho.
(Vidíte?)
73Čo si? Si kresťan, ži pred každým ako kresťan. Ale ak pristupuješ ku tomu a nežiješ ako kresťan, nerozsudzuješ tela Pánovho. Kladieš niekomu do cesty kameň úrazu, vidíte, keď vidia, že toto sa snažíš robiť, a potom nežiješ tak ako by si mal. Vidíte, nerozsudzujete tela Pánovho. Všimnite si teraz čo to ... aké zlorečenstvo je kvôli tomu:
Preto je medzi vami mnoho slabých a chorých, a mnohí spia.
(Správny preklad tohoto slova, brat Pearry, je, "mŕtvi." Vidíte? Vidíte, "mnohí sú mŕtvi.")Lebo keby sme - lebo keby sme sami seba rozsudzovali, neboli by sme súdení.
(Vidíte, ak by sme sami seba rozsudzovali, neboli by sme súdení. Vidíte?")Ale súdení súc od Pána káznení sme, aby sme neboli odsúdení so svetom.
(Vidíte, nebyť vôbec zviazaný so svetom)A tak tedy, moji bratia, keď sa schádzate jesť, čakajte jedni na druhých.
(Vidíte?)A jestli je niekto lačný, nech sa naje doma, aby ste sa ne- schádzali na odsúdenie. A ostatné keď prídem, zariadim.
(Vidíte?)
74Nuž, inými slovami, nepristupujte ku tomu len ako ... Ako som pred chvíľou povedal, o tom ako židia, pri ich obetiach, ako oni ... Bolo to nádherné, bolo to dané od Boha, ale došlo to do takého stavu, že to nerobili úprimne, s úctou a podľa poriadku, potom sa to stalo len ... zo- smradilo sa to Jeho nosu.
75Nuž, a tak isto je to s naším pristupovaním a prijímaním večeri Pánovej, že my musíme ku tomu prichádzať, vedomí si toho čo robíme. Práve tak ako keď idete do vody, aby ste sa dali pokrstiť vo Meno Pána Ježiša Krista, viete čo robíte, pred očami zboru priobliekate na seba to čo Boh vložil do vás, Krista.
76A keď prijímame toto, to ukazuje pred zborom že, "Verím každému Božiemu Slovu. Verím že On je Chlieb Života, ktorý zostúpil od Boha z Neba. Verím, že každé Slovo ktoré On povedal je Pravda. A žijem Tým Slovom ako najlepšie viem, Boh je mojím Sudcom. A preto, pred mojimi bratmi, pred mojimi sestrami ... Neprisahám, nepreklínam, nerobím takéto veci, pretože milujem Pána, a Pán o tom vie a potvrdzuje mi to. A preto pred vami beriem tento kúsok Jeho tela, dávajúc tým najavo, že nie som odsúdený so svetom." Vidíte, tak to má byť, potom je to požehnanie.
77A, pamätajte, mohol by som o tom povedať veľa svedectiev, kde som to vzal a predstavil som to chorým a videl som ako boli uzdravení.
78Spomeňte si na to, že keď Izrael vzal len ten predobraz tohto tu, oni putovali po púšti štyridsať rokov a ich rúcha sa nezodrali, a oni vyšli a nebolo medzi nimi ani jedného slabého, s pomedzi dvoch miliónov ľudí, čo je predobraz tohoto tu. Nuž, čo potom dokáže Skutočný obraz veci? Ak telo obetného zvieraťa pre nich toľko učinilo, čo učiní pre nás Telo Ježiša Krista, Emanuela? Buďme opravdu úctiví, keď ku tomu pristupujeme. Pristupujme ku tomu s najväčšou úctou akú len môžeme mať.
1 Stirring message that Brother Pearry gave us just then from the Word of God. How true it is that "We limit God and time God; and He's Eternal, we can't do that." So tonight we're facing something else now, is communion.
2Three years I waited for a church to come in Tucson, but it's here. Yeah, we're--we're here. So we thank the Lord, He just let us wait till we can appreciate it now.
3 Now, there's one thing that I'd want to say just before we start the communion, is this, that I believe that we have seen enough in our day that we live in, that we ought to really give (every) all of our being to God. We--we should really serve God. I believe that He has blessed us with the direct answer to Scripture. As Brother Pearry gave it a few moments ago, that we--we are--we're at that time. We're not blind, we--we--we see that we're here, we--we've arrived.
4And we also can look around and see that the way that the human mind is leaving the people. That, we--we can't stay too much longer, we'd be in a complete insane institution, the whole world would be. See? So we--we're at the end time.
5 Now, as Brother Pearry ended up there, seeing these things are true, see that they are true, they're not myth. They're not just something that we imagine. They're something that's been directly given to us by the Word of God and manifested publicly before us, that we know we are here. We--we don't know how long now, because again we come back to a watch, you see, what time it is. But we are... we know we--we're here, we're at the time. Whether God's time, I'd imagine...
6Someone give a little analysis one time that said that if God put up with him according... if He was to allot time, one--one thousand years is just one day. So if a man lived seventy years old, it'd just be a few minutes of God's time. See? Well, and said it'd be forty years, that wouldn't even mean time, hardly, He could bat His eye. See? See, just that's how quick it is, the whole thing, if it be lotted time; which, He doesn't have any time. So He just is Eternal.
7 I believe it was Sarah back there... or, no, was Joseph, the other night, said to me and Brother Pearry, said, "Daddy, where, when did God come on the scene? Where did He come from?" See? "He had to have a beginning, didn't He? Didn't He have to start?"
8I said, "No. Anything that has a beginning has an end, but it's that which had not a beginning has no end." But, course, he's ten years old, that was kind of a--a real mouthful for him. See? And how could he receive that, knowing that something never did begin? Not only to him, it is to me. Now, see, it's just a great big dose for me, how it did ever begin.
9 Now we're fixing to observe something here that's really sacred.
10I was called on a few days ago, to some very fine Christian gentlemen that--that's never had this, and he understood that we taken communion literally. They take it what they call "spiritual communion." And which, as far as communion, I'd say all right, 'cause communicate is "to talk to," see. And the brother give me this Scripture, said, "Brother Branham, don't you think now..."
11Now, reason I'm saying this... It's all right, Brother Pearry? [Brother Pearry Green answers, "Sure."--Ed.] See, that reason I'm saying this, so that you would understand what you're doing. You don't... if you walk into anything blindly, you don't know where, what you're doing. You can't have even confidence if you don't know what you're doing. But you must understand what you are doing and why you're doing it.
12He said, "Now if we take the Word of God, isn't that God that we're taking?"
13I said, "Exactly right, sir, it's true. But we read here that they actually... Paul taught taking the literal Lord's supper. 'This do in remembrance of Me,' said Jesus. 'As oft as you take it in remembrance of Me, you show forth the Lord's death till He comes.'" See? Now, we are to take it.
14 We understand that Saint Paul, who ordained it in the Church, being the prophet of the New Testament. Peter, James, John, all of them, they wrote (why, Matthew, Mark, Luke) what Jesus did, as scribes. But Paul set the thing in order, he was the--he was the prophet of the New Testament. Just as Moses went into the wilderness to receive the inspiration to write the--the five Books of--of... the first five Books of the Bible, well, Paul also went into the desert and received inspiration from God, to set the New Testament Church in order and type It with the Old.
15Under there they had the sacrificial lamb, that Israel kept that for a memorial. It was actually used one time, coming out of Egypt. But then they kept that as a memorial all down through the age. Well, "if the law being a shadow of things to come," you see.
16Now, I do believe that communion (what we call "communion," now) is to... is "the Lord's supper."
17 Now, we only have three physical Divine orders left to us: one of them is--is communion; feet-washing; water baptism. That's the only three things. That's the perfection, of the three, see. And that's the only three orders we have. We realize that that was the issue given by Saint Paul in the New Testament.
18Now, if we would say "the communion should just be taking the Word," I don't believe anyone has a right to take the Lord's supper until he has taken the--the Word of the Lord into his heart. See? Because I'm going... I'll read something for you in a few moments and you'll see. Now, notice. Then, why then would we--we would...
19On the same basis we could absolutely justify the Salvation Army. They do not believe in any form of water baptism, said, "We don't need it." Now, if we don't need water baptism, why are we baptized? Said, "The water can't save you, the Blood saves you."
20I'll agree with that. That--that's right, the Blood saves you, not the water. But we must take the water as an outward emotion that an inwardly work of grace has been done. See? So must we on communion!
21 When we have taken the Lord, our Sacrifice, into us, as a matter of spiritual Birth into us, and His Body, we live by Him by the Word, we also should symbolize it because it's a commandment. "Repent, every one of you and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins."
22Paul said, "I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you, 'That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread, and brake it and give it to the disciples, and--and said, "Take and eat, this do in remembrance of Me." For as often as you take this bread, you show forth His death till He comes.'" Now we find out that, in that, they had people who come and...
23 This precious brother, a very dear brother, he came and he said, "I never--I never did take it, Brother Branham, I don't understand what it is." Said, "I been taught the other side."
24I said, "But remember, we will admit that Saint Paul set it in order in the early Christian Church. They went from church... from house to house, broke the bread with singleness of heart, and so forth. Now," I said, "he did put it in the Church. Galatians 1:8, he said, 'If an angel from heaven comes and says anything else, let it be accursed,' you see, see, the same one that had them to be rebaptized again from the baptism of John, to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ."
25You see, there are three things that we must--three things that we must do as symbols: the Lord's supper, feet-washing, water baptism. See? There's...
26 You say, "Well, the..." Now, the Salvation Army takes it from the point, "The dying thief, when he died, he wasn't baptized, yet Jesus said he would be in Heaven." That's exactly the truth. That's exact. But, you see, he--he--he only recognized Jesus right there in the hour he was dying. See? That's the only--that's the only opportunity he had. He--he was a thief, he was away, he was out. And he, as soon as he seen that Light, he recognized It, "Lord, remember me!" And Jesus... That was true.
27But to you and I who know that we should be baptized, and refuse to do it, then that'll be between you and God. Same thing in communion!
28Now, when we take this communion, it isn't just the thing say, "I'm coming up here and going to eat some bread, and I'll believe I'm a Christian." But, if you noticed, the Bible said, "He that eateth and drinketh unworthily shall be guilty of the Blood and the Body of the Lord." See? You've got to live a life that--that... before the people, that... and before God and the people, that shows that you are--that you are sincere.
29 Now, just a moment longer. Now, in the Old Testament when the sacrifice was made a--a statute or an ordinance. And so is water baptism an ordinance; so is feet-washing an ordinance; so is the Lord's supper an ordinance. "Blessed is he that does all of His ordinance, keeps all of His statutes, all of His commandments, that he might have a right to enter into the Tree of Life."
30Now, notice in this now, that in that first, when it was first an ordinance of God to bring a sacrifice to the church, and to the temple and the altar, and offer your gift, and--and for your sins, the sacrifice of a lamb. Well, I can just imagine seeing some Jewish brother coming down the road, knowing that he was guilty, and he goes to the altar; or brings his fat ox or a bullock, or whatever he had, or a ram, lamb, something. He had brought it down the road just as sincere as he could come, he walked up there, keeping God's ordinance just as sincerely as he could.
31Then he laid his hands upon it, confessing his sins, and the priest placing this (his sins) upon the lamb, and the lamb's throat was cut, and--and then died for him. As he laid there, the little lamb kicking and bleeding, his hands being full of blood, and it flying all over him, (the little lamb blatting, dying), he would realize that he had sinned and something had to die in his place. Therefore, he was offering this lamb's death for his death. See, the lamb died in his place. Then the man done it with sincerity, with deepness of his heart.
32 Finally, over and over it went again, over and over it kept going until finally it become a tradition. The commandment of God became a tradition to the people. And then here he come down, "Well, let's see, this is so-and-so today, maybe I better go down. Yeah, I better offer a--a bullock." He went down, "Well, Lord, here's my bullock." See, there's no sincerity in it, there's no understanding to it.
33Now, we don't want to take communion like that. That's the same thing as we come to the Lord's table.
34Isaiah 35... no, I beg your pardon, Isaiah 60... Let me take that back. I--I--I believe it's Isaiah 28, is where we find this. I'm pretty sure that's the right chapter. He said, "Precept must be upon precept; and line upon line upon line; here a little, there a little. Hold fast to that what's good. With stammering lips and other tongues will I speak to this people. And this is the Rest."
35He said, "All the tables of the Lord has become full of vomit. Who can I teach Doctrine? Who can I make to understand?" See? I think that was the right Scripture, Isaiah 28. "Who can I make understand Doctrine?" See, "the tables."
36 Now, we find out today that this great thing that we're fixing to do tonight, in commemoration of His death and His Body that we believe that we eat daily, or, just got through eating as our brother preached to us. Taking the Word of God, we believe It with all of our heart. We see It manifested; we see It given to us; we see It vindicated; we feel It in our lives. And we must come to this with a deep conscience of what we're doing, not just because it's an order.
37You go into church, and many times they give out an old soda cracker or some kind of a--a something, break it up, and light bread or--or something, and--and break it up; and people who smoke, drink, everything else, because they're a member of the church they come and take the Lord's supper. Well, that's filthiness before God!
38 Even the sacrifice, said, "Your holy days and your sacrifice become a stench in My nose." Yet He ordained them to make that sacrifice. But the way they treated it, it become a stench, stink in His nose (His nostrils), the very sacrifice that He ordained.
39That's the way we take the Word of God, too many Christians today (so-called) does that. We stand up here and teach this Word, and say, "Jesus Christ isn't the same yesterday, today, and forever," and teach the things that He promised us that He would honor, and say, "Oh, well, that was for something else," our solemn worships just become a stink in His nose. He will not receive it, by no means. That's the reason, by our traditional habits!
40 You don't take the Lord's supper by a tradition. You take it because it's the love of God in your heart, in keeping the commandments of God. See, that's what you take it for.
41So if you don't take it in sincerity, just it's a tradition, "Well, our church observes communion once every Sunday, or once every month, or twice a year," and you go up, say, "Well, it's my time," and--and then take the communion, why, it's a stink to God! See, that's just a tradition.
42Even like anything else, you--you've got to be sincere. God wants the depths of your heart. You remember, the very God that brought you here on earth is the One you're serving. See?
43You're doing this because He said so, because it's His order. Then we want to come up with deepness of sincerity, knowing that by God's grace that we have been saved. And we--we love Him and we feeled His Presence, and we--we see It change our lives. Our--our whole being is changed. We--we--we're different people. We don't live like we used to, we don't think like we used to.
44 Like in the Book here, and the spot there we was talking about the--the two Books being One, the Book of Life. The first Book of life coming up, was when you were born, that was your natural birth. See? But then one time, way back down in there, there was a little grain of Life as I was explaining to some of the young sisters at the house this afternoon. See, there's a little grain of Life laying there, that you wonder, "Where did It come from? What--what these strange things?"
45I was saying this, taking for myself, like you was going to say, "William Branham, well, forty years ago, the William Branham, it isn't the same one tonight." If somebody back there would say, "William Branham, he was a rank rascal," see, because I was born of Charles and Ella Branham. In their nature I was a sinner, I came to the world, a liar, and all the habits of the world laid right in me. But down in there, too, was another Nature present, see, predestinated, was in there by God. In this same body, see, two natures in there.
46Well, I only catered to one. As it growed, I gooed as a baby, "Dad-da." First thing you know, I become a liar, become everything else that's a sinner, because I raised up that way. But down in there was a little speck of Life all the time.
47 I used to remember, as a little boy... (I hope I'm not holding you too long. But knowing...) Sitting out in the... on--on the creek bank, and I'd sit there and look around at nighttime. Pop and mom, they're gone on now to their rest. And them days they were sinners, there was no Christianity in our homes at all. And, oh, my, drinking, and parties, and carrying on; it made me sick, I'd take my--my lantern and my dog and go to the woods, to stay all night. In the wintertime I'd hunt till the party was over, maybe daylight in the morning. Come home, wouldn't be over, I've laid on top of a shed and sleep, waiting for daylight to break.
48Then I'd think of how that times, then being out there in the summertime, get my sticks and put them down for a little windbreak, where if it rained; lay there and have the poles sticking in the water, fishing; my old coon dog laying there. I'd say, "Looky here. You know, last winter I camped right here one night, I built a fire right here when I was waiting for my old dog here to tree, and I had a fire here. It was froze five inches deep in the ground. But, little flower, where did you come from?" See? "Well, and where'd you come from? Who come out here and planted you? And what hothouse did they bring you out of? Or--or what about it, where'd you come from?" See? That little flower, I'd say, "Why, it was froze, and everything, and I built a fire on top here. Besides the freezing element, there was a heat element laying here on a big old log where I burned you. And yet here you are, and you're alive. Where'd you come from?"
49 What was it? There was another William Branham. See? A little spot of Eternal Life down there, from the--the--the genes of God, the Word of God that was placed in there. Each one of you can think of similar things. See, It was working.
50Then look up to the trees, and I think, "Leaf, I seen you fall off last year, and why are you back there again? Where'd you come from? What brought you here?" See, It was that Eternal Life working in the body.
51Now, then one day as I walked on, that Voice talking, "Don't never smoke, drink, so forth." And the young fellows and all got older. See, there was Something moving.
52But yet all at once I looked up, and I said, "I'm not the son of Charles and Ella Branham. There's Something calling." Like my little eagle, "I'm not a chicken. There's Something up yonder, somewhere. O Great Jehovah, Whoever You are, open up! I want to come home. There's Something in me, calling."
53Then I was born again. That little Life was laying there, the life of water was poured upon It, then It begin to grow. Now, that old life was forgiven, put in the sea of God's forgetfulness, to never be remembered against me no more. See? Now we stand justified (as though we never had sinned) in the Presence of God.
54 Then when we come to the Lord's table, we must come in reverence, love and respect, of "Look where we would have been if it hadn't been for Him." See? Look where it would've...
55Therefore, Paul, I think, in saying this, "Wherefore, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for the other." That is, other words, just wait a few minutes, pray, check yourself out. And if you know a brother is in there, just about to do something that's wrong, or something, and you pray for him, too. See? See, "tarry one the other," wait just a minute, pray. If there's any feelings between you or something, don't--don't do it--don't do it, go make that right first. See? Go straighten that up first, because they want to come here just as pure as we can be, and our thoughts of one another and to God, and to each other, and then we come in fellowship around the table of the Lord. See?
56 And we do this because that we are giving thanks to Him, and among one another. Eating the bread between each other, drinking the wine between each other, as His Blood and His Flesh.
57"Except you eat the Flesh of the Son of man and drink His Blood, you have no Life in you." See? You see, that's what the Bible said. Except you do it, there's no Life. You see? You are then, more or less, showing you are ashamed to identify yourself as a Christian, because of the life that you live. And then this is really the showdown. Then if you don't do it, you have no Life. If you do do it unworthily, you are guilty of the Body of the Lord.
58 Same thing in water baptism. If we say, "We believe on Jesus Christ, He saved us from sin, and we are baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ," why, we bring--we bring disgrace to Him, we do the things that's wrong and we--we'll have to pay for that. And another thing, when we do that, we are trying to profess one thing and do another.
59That's the trouble of us today. What I think... I'm saying "us," me, and the church that the Lord God has let me speak to in these last hours, that we believe we're in the closing time. We believe that God has give us a Message. It's been ordained of God, It's been proven of God, It's been showed of God. Now we must come to Him with reverence and with love, and with--with purity of heart and mind and soul.
60 You know, the hour will soon arise when--when right among us will be... the Holy Spirit will speak out like It did in Ananias and Sapphira. Remember, see, that hour is arriving. See? And we are... Now, you just remember that, see, that God is going to dwell among His people. That's what He wants to do now.
61We can receive the Message, as saying... If I was a young man and--and hunting for a wife, and I could find a wife, I said, "She's just perfect. She's a Christian. She's a lady. She's all this, I got confidence." No matter how much confidence, how much I think she's nice, I've got to receive her, she's got to receive me; see, upon these vows.
62Well, it's the same thing we find is the Message. We see It's right. We see God vindicates It's right. It's perfectly right. Year after year, year after year, It continues right, continues right. Everything It says, happens just exactly the way He said. Now, we know It's right, but, see, don't do it from an intellectual standpoint. If you do, you got a secondhanded religion. See? We don't want a secondhanded religion, something that somebody else has experienced it and we are living off of--of their testimony.
63 As I believe it was Jesus said to Pilate, something, a word I was thinking, and He said there just a few moments ago, "Who told you that?" Or, "Was it revealed to you? How did you know these things?" in other words. I don't know just what the word is now, it's been a long time since I read it, but, "How did you--how did you know this? What? How? Who revealed this to you?" About Him being the Son of God. "Who revealed it to you? Did some man tell you that? Or," as Jesus said, "is it My Father in Heaven which has revealed it to you?" See? See? "How did you learn it, a secondhand or is it a perfect revelation from God?"
64Is this communion just something I go up for it, an order, say "Well, the rest of them take this, I will too"? It's a revelation that I am part of Him and I'm part of you, and I love you and I love Him, and we're taking this together as a symbol of our love to God, and our love and fellowship to one another.
65 Now I want to read some from the Scripture. And then I guess... Where do you... Whichever way Brother Pearry desires today. I wish you'd read it with me, if you got your Bible. I Corinthians, the--the 11th chapter, and begin with the 23rd verse.
66And then also, at our tabernacle, we've always observed this and feet-washing, always, because they go hand in hand together. I believe the brother announced that "Wednesday night" because of the crowds and you don't have enough to... room to get the people in for feet-washing, they're going to observe--observe this Wednesday night.
67 Now, 23rd verse of the 11th chapter of I Corinthians, listen at Paul now. Now remember, and keep this in mind, Galatians 1:8, "If we or an angel from heaven preaches any other gospel unto you," (than this Gospel that he had preached) "let him be accursed." See?
For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
And when he had gave thanks, he brake it,... said, Take and eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
68Now, let me stop right here, to say: but taking the body of the Lord Jesus Christ in this communion, does not mean that that communion is the literal body of Christ. That's Catholic. I do not believe that that's right. I believe it's only an ordinance that God made with us, see, it isn't the actual body. It's... Now, it's really a little piece of kosher bread. It's just an ordinance.
69 Neither do I believe that the baptism of Jesus Christ (in the Name of Jesus Christ) in water does forgive your sins. I do not believe that you... I believe you could be baptized all day long... Now, I know that there's perhaps people sitting here who come from the Apostolic church, I mean, or the United Pentecostal church, which they teach that. But, you see, I--I do not believe that the water forgives sins. Or, if it was, then Jesus died in vain. See? I believe that it's only an ordinance of God, see, to show that you have been forgiven. But to be baptized for regeneration, no, I--I--I don't believe that. I don't believe that water forgives sins.
70Neither do I believe that this bread and wine has anything to do with you, only keeping an ordinance that God has ordained for us to do. See? That's right. I believe water baptism is the same thing. I believe it's compelling to us to do it, that He had done it all for our example. And He done this for our example. And He washed feet for our example.
71 Now, "After the same manner also," 25th verse:
After the same manner also he took the cup, and when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
For as oft... (Remember now!)... For as oft as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do shew forth the Lord's death till he comes. (How long? "Until He comes!" See? See?)
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
72Let me stop just a minute. The reason he said this, you noticed in another verse here, another chapter, that he said, "I understand when you--when you come together you're eating, even getting drunk at the Lord's table." They misunderstood it, you see. They just glutton-ed in, see. Just like people are doing today, just live any kind of life and take it. See? He said, "You got homes to eat in, see. But, this is an ordinance that we should keep, see." Now:
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. (See?)
73 What are you? You're a Christian, you live before everybody as a Christian. And if you take that and don't live as a Christian, you're not discerning the Lord's Body. You're putting a stumbling block in somebody else's way, see, as they see you trying to do that and then not living what you're supposed to live. See, you're not discerning the Lord's Body. Now watch what it... what the curse of it is:
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many are sleep. (The right translation of that word, Brother Pearry, is "dead." See? See, "many are dead.")
For if we--for if we would judge ourself, we should not be judged. (See, if we judge ourself we won't be judged. See?)
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (See, not any attach to the world.)
Wherefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, tarry one for the other. (See?)
And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that you come not together unto condemnation. And the rest I will set in order when I come. (See?)
74 Now, in other words, don't just come to take it as a... As I said a while ago, about what the Jews, their sacrifice, they... It was wonderful, it was given by God, but it got to a place where they didn't do it in sincerity and reverence and in order, then it become just a... it become a--a stench in His nose.
75Now, the same thing is by our coming to take the Lord's supper, that, we must come knowing what we are doing. Just like when you go into the water to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, you know what you're doing, you're putting on to the church what God has put in you, Christ.
76When we take this, it shows to the church, that, "I believe every Word of God. I believe that He is the Bread of Life that come from God out of Heaven. I believe every Word that He says is the Truth. And I live by It, to the best of my knowledge, God being my Judge. Therefore, before my brothers, before my sisters... I--I do not swear, I do not curse, I do not do these things, because I love the Lord, and the Lord knows it and bears me record. Therefore, before you, I take the parcel of His body, to know that I am not condemned with the world." See, there you are, then it's a blessing.
77 And, remember, I could give many testimonies on this, where I've took that and explained it in a sickroom, and seen them healed.
78Remember, when Israel taken the type of this, they had journeyed forty years in the wilderness and their clothes never even wore out, and they come out without one feeble one--one among them, with two million people as a type of this. Well, what will the Antitype do? If the body of a sacrificial animal did that for them, what would the Body of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, do for us? Let's just be reverent when we come. Let us be just as reverent as we know how, to come.
1 Bolo to povzbudzujúce posolstvo, ktoré nám brat Pearry práve kázal zo Slova Božieho. Je to skutočne tak, že my obmedzujeme Boha a ohraničujeme Ho časom, no On je večný, nemôžeme to robiť. Dnes večer máme pred sebou niečo iné, večeru Pánovu.
2 Tri roky som čakal na nejaký zbor v Tucsone, kde by som mohol prísť, no ale je to tu. Sme tu a ďakujeme za to Pánovi. On nás proste nechal čakať, aby sme si to teraz vedeli viacej vážiť.
3 Mám niečo čo by som rád povedal ešte prv než začneme večeru Pánovu, a to, že verím že sme toho už videli dosť v našom čase v ktorom žijeme, aby sme sa mohli skutočne (každý jeden) cele oddať Bohu. Mali by sme opravdu slúžiť Bohu. Verím, že On nás požehnal, tým že nám dal priamu odpoveď na Písmo. Tak ako to pred chvíľou povedal brat Pearry, že sa - že sa nachádzame v tom čase. Nie sme slepí, ale - ale vidíme že sme tu, prišli sme ku tomu.
4A tiež sa môžeme pozrieť dookola a vidíme ako ľudí opúšťa zdravý rozum. Už tu príliš dlho nemôžeme zostať, dostali by sme sa úplne do blázinca, celý svet. Vidíte? Nachádzame sa v poslednom čase.
5 A tak ako to na konci povedal brat Pearry, vidíme že to všetko je pravda, teda keď je to pravda, nie je to mýt. Nie je to niečo, čo si my len predstavujeme, je to niečo, čo nám bolo dané priamo skrze Slovo Božie a verejne sa to pred nami zamanifestovalo, tak vieme že sme tu. Nevieme ešte ako dlho, pretože znovu sa dostávame ku nejakému sledovaniu času, vidíte, aký je čas. Ale ... ale vieme že sme tu, nachádzame sa v tom čase. Či teda Boží čas, predstavoval som si ...
6Raz niekto urobil takú analýzu a povedal, že ak by Boh s ním jednal podľa ... ak by mu Boh mal vymerať čas, to tisíc rokov je len jeden deň. Tak ak by človek žil sedemdesiat rokov, to by bolo len pár minút v Božom čase. Vidíte? Hovorí sa o štyridsiatych rokoch, a to by sotva znamenalo nejaký čas, On by mihol okom. Vidíte? Vidíte, všetko by to tak rýchlo uplynulo, keby to bolo vyznačené časom. U Neho jednako nieto času. On je proste večný.
7Myslím, že to bola Sára, alebo malý Jozef, ktorý sa ma raz večer pred nedávnom opýtal, i brata Pearryho, spýtal sa, "Tata, kde, kedy sa tu zjavil Boh? Odkiaľ On prišiel?" Vidíte? "On musel mať nejaký začiatok, či nie? Či On nemusel začať?"
8Povedal som mu, "Nie. Všetko čo má začiatok má aj koniec, ale to čo nemá začiatku nemá ani konca." Ale, samozrejme, on má desať rokov, to bolo pre neho ozaj veľké sústo. Vidíte? Ako by to on mohol pochopiť, že existuje niečo čo nikdy nezačalo? Nie len pre neho, ale aj pre mňa je to ťažko pochopiť. Vidíte? Pre nás všetkých. Je to pre mňa ozaj veľká porcia, ako to vôbec začalo.
9Nuž, zamerali sme sa tu sledovať niečo, čo je skutočne sväté.
10Pred pár dňami som bol pozvaný ku jednému veľmi milému kresťanovi, ktorý toto nikdy nemal, a on sa dozvedel, že my prijímame večeru Pánovu doslovne. Oni prijímajú to čo nazývajú "duchovnou večerou" duchovnou komúniou, duchovným prijímaním. A čo sa týka výrazu komúnia, povedal by som že je to v poriadku, pretože komunikovať sa znamená, hovoriť medzi sebou, mať obecenstvo, vidíte. A ten brat mi poukázal na toto Písmo a povedal, "Brat Branham, nemyslíš si teraz ..."
11Nuž, hovorím to kvôli tomu ... Je to v poriadku, brat Pearry?(Brat Peary Green hovorí, "Samozrejme.") Nuž, hovorím to kvôli tomu, aby ste porozumeli tomu čo robíte. Nemôžete ... ak idete do niečoho na slepo, neviete kde idete ani čo robíte. Nemôžete sa ani spoľahnúť na to ak neviete čo robíte. Musíte rozumieť tomu čo robíte a prečo to robíte.
12On povedal, "Nuž, ak prijímame Božie Slovo, či to nie je Boh ktorého prijímame?"
13Povedal som, "Presne tak, pane, to je pravda. Ale tu čítame, že oni skutočne ... Pavel učil prijímať doslovnú večeru Pánovu. "Toto čiňte na Moju pamiatku," povedal Ježiš. "Lebo koľkokoľvek ráz by ste to činili na Moju pamiatku, zvestujete smrť Pánovu až dokiaľ nepríde." Vidíte? Nuž, máme to teda prijímať.
14Vieme, že svätý Pavel, ktorý to nariadil v Cirkvi, bol prorokom Nového Zákona. Peter, Jakob, Ján i všetci ostatní, oni písali (či Marek, Matúš, Lukáš) čo Ježiš činil, ako pisári. Ale Pavel dal tie veci do poriadku, on bol prorokom Nového Zákona. Tak ako Mojžiš odišiel na púšť, aby prijal inšpiráciu, aby napísal tých päť Kníh ... tých prvých päť Kníh Biblii, nuž Pavel tak isto odišiel na púšť a prijal inšpiráciu od Boha, aby dal do poriadku Novozákonnú Cirkev a stypizoval Ju so Starým Zákonom.
15Kde oni mali obetného baránka, čo Izrael zachovával na pamiatku. V skutočnosti to bolo použité len raz, pri východe z Egypta. Ale potom to oni zachovávali na pamiatku po celý ten čas. Nuž, "ak zákon je iba tieňom budúcich vecí," tak vidíte.
16A tak verím, že komúnia, (to čo my teraz nazývame "komúnia"- "prijímanie") to je - to je "Večera Pánova."
17Teda, máme len tri telesné nariadenia ktoré sú nám dané od Boha: jedným z nich je večera Pánova: umývanie nôh: a vodný krst. To sú len tie tri veci.To je dokonalosť, tie tri, vidíte. A to sú len tie tri nariadenia ktoré máme. A vieme, že to je ten výnos daný skrze svätého Pavla v Novom Zákone.
18Nuž, ak by sme povedali, "Prijímanie Večery Pánovej, by malo byť len prijímaním Slova," Ja verím, že nikto nemá právo prijímať večeru Pánovu prv ako by prijal Slovo Pánovo do svojho srdca. Rozumiete? Pretože ... Prečítam vám niečo za chvíľu a uvidíte. Nuž, všimnite si. Prečo by sme potom ...
19Na tom istom podklade by sme potom mohli úplne ospravedlniť Armádu Spásy. Oni neveria v žiadnu formu vodného krstu, hovoria, "My to nepotrebujeme." Nuž, ak nepotrebujeme vodný krst, načo sa potom krstíme? Oni hovoria, "Voda ťa nemôže spasiť, Krv ťa spasí."
20S tým súhlasím. To je pravda, spasí ťa krv, nie voda. Ale my musíme použiť vodu ako vonkajší prejav toho, že v nás sa dokonalo to vnútorné dielo milosti. Vidíte? Tak isto musíme pristupovať ku večery Pánovej.
21Keď sme prijali Pána, našu Obeť, vo vnútri svojho srdca, ako podstatu duchovného Narodenia vo vnútri nás, keď sme prijali Jeho Telo, potom žijeme skrze Neho, skrze Slovo, a tiež to máme symbolicky vyjadriť, pretože je to tak prikázané. "Čiňte pokánie a nech sa pokrstí jeden každý z vás vo Meno Ježiša Krista na odpustenie svojich hrie- chov."
22Pavel povedal, "Ja som prijal od Pána to čo som vám tiež vydal, že Pán Ježiš v tej noci v ktorej bol zradený, vzal chlieb, zlámal ho a dal ho učeníkom a povedal, Vezmite a jedzte. To čiňte na Moju pamiatku. Lebo koľkokoľvek ráz by ste jedli tento chlieb, zvestujete Jeho smrť, až dokiaľ On neprijde." Tak tu v tom vidíme, že boli ľudia, ktorí prichádzali a ...
23Tento vzácny, skutočne veľmi milý brat, on prišiel a povedal, "Ja som to nikdy neprijímal, brat Branham, nerozumiem čo to je." Povedal, "Bol som inak naučený."
24Povedal som mu, "Ale pamätaj, uznávame predsa že svätý Pavel to uviedol do poriadku v tej prvotnej Kresťanskej Cirkvi. Oni chodili z cir... z domu do domu, lámali chlieb v prostote srdca, a tak ďalej. A tak," povedal som, "on to umiestnil v Cirkvi. V Liste Galaťanom 1.8, on povedal, - Ak by prišiel aj anjel z neba a zvestoval vám niečo iné, nech je prekliaty, - vidíš, vidíš, to je ten Pavel, ktorý im povedal aby sa dali znovu pokrstiť z Jánovho krstu, aby boli pokrstení vo Meno Pána Ježiša Krista."
25Vidíte, sú tri veci ktoré musíme - tri veci ktoré musíme vykonávať ako symboly: Večera Pánova, umývanie nôh a vodný krst. Vidíte? Je ...
26Vy ale hovoríte, "No dobre, to... " Armáda Spásy sa odvoláva na to, že ten zomierajúci lotor, keď zomrel on nebol ešte pokrstený a Ježiš povedal že bude v Nebi. To je úplná pravda. Samozrejme. Ale, vidíte, on-on-on poznal Ježiša až tam práve vtedy keď zomieral. Vidíte? To bola jediná príležitosť ktorú mal. On bol lotor, on bol vzdialený, preč od Boha. Ale akonáhle zazrel to Svetlo, hneď Ho rozpoznal, "Pane, spomeň si na mňa!" A Ježiš ... To je pravda.
27Ale čo sa týka teba i mňa, ktorí vieme že sa máme dať pokrstiť a odmietame to urobiť, tak potom to bude medzi tebov a Bohom. Tak isto je to s prijímaním Večery Pánovej.
28A tak, keď pristupujeme ku prijímaniu večery Pánovej, to nie je len vec o ktorej povieme, "Idem sem a budem jesť nejaký chlieb, a budem veriť že som kresťan." Ale ak ste si všimli, Biblia hovorí, "Ten kto by jedol a pil nehodne bude vinný Krvi a Tela Pánovho." Vidíte? Vy musíte žiť životom ktorý - ktorý ... pred ľuďmi, ktorý ... i pred Bohom i pred ľuďmi, ktorý ukazuje, že ste - že ste úprimný.
29Nuž, posuňme sa ešte kúsok ďalej. V Starom Zákone, keď sa prinášala obeť, to bolo ustanovenie alebo nariadenie. A tak isto vodný krst je nariadenie, tak isto umývanie nôh je nariadenie, tak isto večera Pánova je nariadenie. "Požehnaný, ktorý vykonáva všetky Jeho naria- denia, zachováva všetky Jeho ustanovenia, všetky Jeho prikázania, aby mal právo vojsť do Stromu Života."
30A tak, všimnite si teraz, že tam prv, to bolo Božím nariadením priniesť do zhromaždenia obeť, do chrámu na oltár a obetovať svoj dar, za svoje hriechy, obeť baránka. A tak, môžem si predstaviť, ako po ceste prichádza nejaký židovský brat, vedomý si toho že je vinný a ide ku oltáru, alebo ako privádza svojho tučného vola, alebo býka, alebo čokoľvek mal, alebo barana, baránka, či niečo iné. Viedol to celou cestou, tak prosto ako len mohol, išiel tam zachovávajúc Božie nariadenie tak úprimne ako len mohol.
31Potom položil na neho svoju ruku, vyznávajúc svoje hriechy, a kňaz to vkladá (tie jeho hriechy) na toho baránka, a potom tomu baránkovi podrezal hrdlo a ten zomiera za toho človeka. A ten krvácajúci baránok sa zmieta a ruky toho človeka boli celé od krvi, i celý bol od nej ofŕkaný, pri tom ako ten biedny baránok krvácajúc zomieral. On si mohol uvedomiť že zhrešil a niečo muselo zomrieť na jeho mieste. A tak, on namiesto svojej smrti obetoval smrť toho baránka. Vidíte? Ten baránok zomrel na jeho mieste. Ten človek to činil úprimne, z hĺbky svojho srdca.
32Nakoniec, keď sa to stále a stále opakovalo, stále a stále to tak činili, až sa to pre nich stalo nakoniec tradíciou. Božie prikázania sa pre ľudí stali tradíciou. A potom sem prichádza, "Aha, dnes je tu ten a ten [Dr., kazateľ], možno bude lepšie keď teraz pôjdem. Ó, radšej obetujem vola." A ide, "Aha, Pane, tu je môj vôl." Vidíte, tam v tom už nebola žiadna úprimnosť, vôbec nemali do toho zrozumenie.
33Nuž, my nechceme takto prijímať večeru Pánovu. Tak isto je to s prichádzaním ku stolu Pánovmu.
34Izaiáš 35 ... nie, prepáčte, Izaiáš 60 ... Počkajte nech to nájdem. Myslím že to je Izaiáš 28, tam to môžeme nájsť. Som si istý že je to tá kapitola. On tam povedal, "Príkaz na príkaz, a riadok za riadkom, trochu tu a trochu tam. Mocne sa držte toho čo je dobré. Bľabotajúcimi rtami a inými jazykmi budem hovoriť ku tomuto ľudu. A to je Odpočinok."
35On povedal, "Všetky stoly Pánove sa stali plné vývratku. Koho môžem učiť Náuku? Komu môžem dať aby porozumel?" Vidíte? Myslím že je to to miesto Písma, Izaiáš 28. "Komu môžem dať porozumieť Náuku?" Vidíte, "stoly."
36Nuž, teraz vidíte, že je to veľká vec ktorú sa chystáme dnes robiť na pamiatku Jeho smrti a Jeho Tela, o ktorom veríme, že ho denne jeme, či, práve sme ho jedli, ako nám kázal náš brat. Prijímame Slovo Božie, veríme Mu z celého svojho srdca. Vidíme Ho zamanifestované: vidíme že Ono je nám dané: vidíme Ho potvrdené: cítime Ho vo svojich životoch. A tak musíme ku tomu pristupovať s hlbokým uvedomením si toho čo robíme, nie len preto že je to nariadenie.
37Ak pôjdete do nejakej cirkvi, často tam môžete vidieť, že oni tam dávajú nejaký suchár, alebo nejaký - niečo, lámu to, nejaký nakysnutý chlieb, alebo - alebo niečo podobné, a lámu to: a ľudia ktorí fajčia, pijú a robia všetko možné, pretože sú členovia tej cirkvi, prichádzajú a prijímajú večeru Pánovu. Nuž, Bohu sa to hnusí!
38Dokonca o obetiach, je povedané, "Vaše výročité slávnosti a vaše obete sa zosmradili v Mojich nozdrách." Hoci to On nariadil aby prinášali obete. Ale pre spôsob akým oni ku tomu pristupovali, stalo sa to zapáchajúce, smradom v Jeho nose. Práve tie obete ktoré On nariadil.
39To je spôsob akým sa staviame ku Slovu Božiemu, príliš mnoho (tak zvaných) kresťanov to dnes tak robí. Postavíme sa tu a učíme toto Slovo a hovoríme, "Ježiš Kristus nie je ten istý včera dnes i naveky,"a učíme, že veci ktoré nám On zasľúbil že ich vyplní, hovoríme o nich, "Ó, to bolo na iný čas," naše Sodomské náboženstvá sa stali smradom v Jeho nozdrách. On to neprijme, za žiadnu cenu. Preto že sa nám to stalo len tradíciou a zvykom!
40Vy neprijímate večeru Pánovu z tradícii. Prijímate ju preto, že to je láska Božia vo vašom srdci, ktorá zachováva prikázania Božie. Vidíte, to je to kvôli čomu ju prijímate.
41Tak ak nepristupujete ku tomu úprimne, je to len tradícia, "Ale áno, v našej cirkvi mávame lámanie chleba každú nedeľu, alebo raz za mesiac, alebo dva razy do roka," a vy tam idete a hovoríte, "No, teraz je môj čas," a-a vtedy pristupujete ku večery Pánovej, och, také niečo Bohu smrdí! Vidíte, to je len tradícia.
42Tak isto vo všetkom inom, vy-vy musíte byť úprimný. Boh chce hlbiny tvojho srdca. Pamätaj, práve ten Boh ktorý ťa priviedol sem na svet, to je Ten ktorému slúžiš. Vidíte?
43Ty to robíš preto, že to On tak povedal, pretože to je Jeho poriadok. Potom chceme pristupovať s hlbokou úprimnosťou, vediac že skrze Božiu milosť sme boli spasení. A milujeme Ho a cítime Jeho prítomnosť a vidíme že To premieňa naše životy. Naša-naša celá bytosť je premenená. My-my-my sme iní ľudia. Nežijeme už tak ako sme boli zvyknutí, nemyslíme už tak ako sme boli zvyknutí.
44Tak ako tu v tej Knihe, to miesto tam o ktorom sme hovorili, tie dve Knihy sa stávajú Jednou, Knihou Života. Prvá Kniha života sa objavuje vtedy keď ste sa narodili, to bolo vaše prirodzené narodenie. Vidíte? Ale okrem toho, tam ešte predtým bolo maličké zrnko Života, ako som to tu už dnes popoludní vysvetľoval niekoľkým mladým sestrám. Vidíte, tam leží maličké zrnko Života a vy sa tomu divíte, "Skadiaľ sa tu Ono vzalo? Čo sú to za divné veci?"
45Hovoril som to, aplikujúc to na seba, ako by ste to vy boli povedali, "William Branham, nuž, pred štyridsiatimi rokmi, ten William Branham, to je ten istý dnes večer." A niekto by tam vtedy mohol povedať, "...?... to bol darebák." Vidíte? Pretože som sa narodil z Karola a Elly Branham. Majúc ich prirodzenosť, bol som hriešnikom, prišiel som na svet ako klamár, a všetky náklonnosti toho sveta boli vo mne. Ale tak isto, tam vo vnútri bola iná Prirodzenosť, predurčená, ktorú tam vložil Boh. V tom istom tele, vidíte, tam boli dve povahy.
46A ja som sa staral len o tú jednu. Ako som rástol, bľabotal som ako dieťa, "Da-da." A prvé čo viete, stal som sa klamárom, i všetkým iným čím je hriešnik, pretože som bol tak vychovávaný. Ale po celý ten čas, tam vo vnútri bola maličká omrvinka Života.
47Pamätám sa, že ako malý chlapec ... (Dúfam, že vás príliš dlho nezdržujem. No ...) Sedával som vonku, na brehu potoka. Sedával som tam po nociach a rozhliadal som sa dookola. Tata a mama už teraz odišli na svoj odpočinok. V tom čase oni boli hriešnici a v našich domoch nebolo vôbec žiadneho kresťanstva. Ale, och, joj, pitie, zábavy i všetko možné, až mi z toho bývalo zle. Brával som svoju lampu a psa a chodieval som do lesa a zostával som tam celú noc. V zime som chodieval poľovať až kým to mulatovanie u nás doma neskončilo, niekedy až do rána. Keď som prišiel domov a ešte to stále trvalo, ľahol som si navrch do kôlni a spal, čakajúc kedy začne svitať.
48Spomínam si ako to bolo v tedy keď som tam chodieval cez leto. Napichal som do zemi palice a robieval som si prístrešok proti vetru, alebo proti dažďu. Ležiaval som tam, nastavil som udice a chytal som ryby, vedľa polihoval môj verný pes. Mohol by som povedať, "Aha, pozri sa sem. Vieš, že minulú zimu som raz v noci táboril presne na tomto mieste. Presne tu som mal rozložený oheň, keď som tu čakal na svojho psa, ktorý zaháňal na strom nejaké zviera, a rozložil som si tu oheň. Bol mráz, že zem bola zamrznutá až 5 côľov do hĺbky. Ale, malý kvietok, kde si sa ty tu vzal? Čo to, odkiaľ si sa tu zobral? Kto ťa tu prišiel zasadiť? Z akého skleníka ťa tu priniesli?" Čo to, skadiaľ si sa tu vzal. Vidíte? Vyrástol tu taký maličký kvietok, mohol by som povedať, "Ako je to možné, veď predsa mrzlo, i tak ďalej, a ja som tu navrchu rozložil oheň. Okrem toho elementu mrazu sa tu ešte zjavil element tepla, ktorý ležal tu v tom starom veľkom polene ktoré som zapálil. A tak si tu, žiješ. Odkiaľ by si sa tu bol vzal?"
49Čo to bolo? Existoval iný William Branham. Vidíte? Tam vo vnútri sa nachádzala malá omrvinka Večného Života, ktorá pochádzala z Božích génov, zo Slova Božieho ktoré tam bolo umiestnené. Každý jeden z vás môže myslieť o niečom podobnom. Vidíte, začalo To pracovať.
50Potom som sa pozrel hore na stromy a pomyslel som si, "Lístok, minulý rok som ťa videl ako si padal, a ako to že si tam znovu? Odkiaľ si sa tu zobral? Čo ťa sem prinieslo?" Vidíte, To bol ten Večný Život fungujúci v tele.
51Nuž, a potom jedného dňa, ako som tak išiel, prehovoril ten Hlas, "Nikdy nefajči, nepi, a tak ďalej." A tí mládenci i všetko sa zostarelo. Vidíte, tam bolo Niečo v pohybe (živé).
52A zrazu som pozrel hore a povedal som, "Ja nie som syn Karola a Elly Branham. Existuje Niečo čo ma volá." Podobne ako toho môjho malého orla, "Ja nie som kurča. Tam hore niekde je Niečo. Ó Veľký Jahve, ktokoľvek si Ty, otvor mi! Chcem ísť domov. Vo mne je Niečo čo ma volá."
53Vtedy som sa znovu narodil. Ležal tam ten malinký Život, a potom keď Naň bol vyliaty život vody, potom to začalo rásť. A ten starý život zostal odpustený, uvrhnutý do mora Božieho zabudnutia, aby to nikdy viacej nebolo proti mne spomenuté. Vidíte? A tak teraz stojíme ospravedlnení (ako keby sme nikdy neboli zhrešili) v prítomnosti Božej.
54A potom keď prichádzame ku stolu Pánovmu, musíme prichádzať s úctou, láskou a s rešpektom, uvedomujúc si to že, "Kde by sme boli, keby to nebolo pre Neho." Vidíte? Hľaďte kde by to ...
55Myslím, že preto Pavel toto hovorí, "A tak tedy, keď sa schádzate jesť, čakajte jedni na druhých." Inými slovami to znamená, čakajte za chvíľu, modlite sa, skontrolujte sami seba. A ak viete, že je tam nejaký brat, ktorý je na pokraji toho že by vykonal niečo zlé, alebo niečo také, tiež sa za neho modlite. Vidíte? Vidíte, "čakajte jedni na druhých," čakajte za chvíľu, modlite sa. Ak je medzi vami nejaké napätie, alebo niečo také, ne-nerobte to - nerobte to (nepristupujte ku stolu Pánovmu), choďte a dajte to najskôr do poriadku. Vidíte? Choďte a vyrovnajte to najprv, pretože iní chcú sem prísť takí čistí ako len môžeme byť, vo svojich mysliach jeden oproti druhému i oproti Bohu, i navzájom, a potom prichádzame a máme obecenstvo okolo stolu Pánovho. Vidíte?
56A robíme to preto, že Mu oddávame ďakovanie, spoločne medzi sebou. Jeme ten chlieb spoločne medzi sebou, pijeme to víno spoločne medzi sebov, ako Jeho Krv a Jeho Telo.
57"Ak nebudete jesť telo Syna človeka a piť Jeho krv, nemáte v sebe života." Vidíte? Vidíte, to hovorí Biblia. Ak to teda nerobíte, nie je tam žiadny život. Vidíte to? Vy potom, viac či menej, dávate tým najavo, že sa hanbíte preukázať sa ako kresťan a to kvôli životu, ktorý žijete. A potom toto je skutočné odhalenie toho akí sme. Teda ak to nerobíte, nemáte života. Ak to robíte nehodne, vinní ste tela Pánovho.
58Tak isto je to pri vodnom krste. Ak hovoríme, "Veríme v Ježiša Krista, On nás spasil od hriechu a my sme pokrstení vo Meno Pána Ježiša Krista," Prečo Mu robíme potupu, robíme to čo je zlé a budeme musieť za to zaplatiť. A pritom ešte keď to robíme, snažíme sa hlásať jednu vec a činíme druhú.
59To je náš dnešný problém. Mám na mysli ... Hovorím "náš," môj a cirkvi, ku ktorej mi Pán Boh dal v týchto posledných hodinách hovoriť, veríme že sa nachádzame v poslednom čase. Veríme že Boh nám dal Posolstvo. Ono je Bohom ustanovené, Bohom potvrdené i skrze Boha ukázané. A tak teraz my musíme pristupovať ku Nemu s úctou a láskou a s čistým srdcom, mysľou i dušou.
60Vy viete, že zakrátko nadíde ten čas keď - keď priamo medzi nami bude ... Duch svätý bude hovoriť tak ako to robil pri Ananiášovi a Zafire. Vidíte, prichádza ten čas. Vidíte? A my ... A tak si to dobre zapamätajte, rozumiete, že Boh bude prebývať medzi Svojím ľudom. To je to čo chce On teraz robiť.
61Mohli by sme prijať to Posolstvo, ako sa hovorí... Ak by som bol mladý a hľadal by som si ženu, a mohol by som nájsť nejakú o ktorej by som mohol povedať, "Táto je úplne bezvadná. Je kresťankou. Je to dáma. Ona to všetko má, ja mám ku nej dôveru." Nezáleží na tom koľko mám ku nej dôvery, ani na tom ako veľmi si myslím že je pekná, Ja musím prijať ju a ona musí prijať mňa: vidíte, skrze zloženie sľubov.
62Nuž a vidíme že tak isto je to s Posolstvom. My vidíme že Ono je dobré. Vidíme že Boh potvrdzuje že je Ono pravda. Je To úplná pravda. Rok za rokom, rok za rokom, je To stále pravda, stále pravda. Všetko čo Ono hovorí sa deje presne tak ako to On povedal. A tak vieme že je to pravda, ale, vidíte, neprijímajte To z intelektuálneho hľadiska. Ak to tak robíte, máte náboženstvo z druhej ruky. My nechceme náboženstvo z druhej ruky. Niečo čo prežil niekto iný a my sme závislí na jeho svedectve.
63Verím že to bolo to čo Ježiš povedal Pilátovi, také niečo, pred chvíľou som mal to Slovo na mysli, On tam povedal, "Kto ti to povedal?" Alebo, "Bolo ti to zjavené? Odkiaľ to vieš?" inými slovami. Neviem teraz presne ako to slovo tam znie, už je to dávnejšie ako som to čítal, ale, "Ako si - ako si na to prišiel že ... Ako ... Kto ti to zjavil?" To sa jednalo o Neho, že je Syn Boží. "Kto ti to zjavil? Povedal ti to nejaký človek? Alebo," ako Ježiš povedal, "zjavil ti to Môj Otec, ktorý je v nebesiach?" Vidíte? Vidíte? "Ako si sa to naučil, z druhej ruky, alebo je to dokonalé zjavenie od Boha?"
64Či táto večera Pánova je len nejaké pravidlo, a preto ku nej pristupujem, hovoriac si, "Nuž tí ostatní to prijímajú, tak ja to tiež budem?" To je zjavenie, že ja som Jeho časťou, a že som časťou vás, a milujem vás a milujem Jeho, a my to spoločne prijímame ako symbol našej lásky k Bohu a našej lásky v obecenstve medzi sebou.
65Chcem teraz prečítať niečo z Písma. A myslím, že potom ... Ako si to už dnes brat Pearry želá. Chcel by som aby ste to čítali so mnou, ak máte Biblie. 1. Korinťanom, 11. kapitola, a začneme od 23. verša.
66A potom tiež, v našom zbore, sme to vždy robili s umývaním nôh, vždy, pretože to ide spolu ruka v ruke. Myslím, že brat to oznámil na stredu večer, kvôli veľkému množstvu, a preto že nemáte na to dostatok ... miesta, kde by si ľudia mohli umývať nohy. Bude sa to konať v stredu večer.
67A teraz budeme čítať 23. verš z 11. kapitoly, 1. Listu Korinťanom, počúvajte teraz čo píše Pavel. Pamätajte, majte na vedomí to čo je napísané v Liste Galaťanom 1. 8., "Ak my, alebo anjel z neba by vám zvestoval iné evanielium," (než ako to Evanjelium, ktoré on kázal) "nech bude prekliaty." Vidíte?
Lebo ja som prijal od Pána, čo som vám aj vydal, že Pán Ježiš v noci, v ktorej bol zradený, vzal chlieb:
A poďakujúc lámal a povedal: Vezmite, jedzte, toto je Moje telo, ktoré sa za vás láme. To čiňte na Moju pamiatku.
68Dovoľte mi zastaviť sa hneď tu pri tom. Prijímanie tela Pána Ježiša Krista pri večery Pánovej, to neznamená že tento chlieb je doslovne telo Kristovo. To je po katolícki. Ja neverím že je to tak. Verím, že je to len nariadenie, ktoré nám dal Boh, vidíte, to je nie skutočné telo. To je ... Nuž, v skutočnosti je to kúsok nekvaseného chleba. Je to len nariadenie.
69Tak isto neverím, že krst Ježiša Krista (vo Meno Ježiša Krista) vo vode spôsobí odpustenie vašich hriechov. Neverím, že by ste ... Verím, že by ste sa mohli krstiť celý deň ... Viem, že sú tu pravdepodobne ľudia ktorí prišli z Apoštolskej cirkvi, čo chcem povedať, alebo zo zjednotenej letničnej cirkvi, ktorí to tak učia. Ale, vidíte, ja neverím že by voda mohla spôsobiť odpustenie hriechov. Lebo, keby to tak bolo, potom Ježiš by bol zbytočne zomrel. Vidíte? Ja verím, že je to len nariadenie Božie, aby ste tým dali najavo že vám bolo odpustené. Ale krst ako prostriedok znovuzrodenia, nie, ja-ja tomu neverím. Neverím že voda spôsobuje odpustenie hriechov.
70Tak isto neverím, že tento chlieb a víno má niečo s vami urobiť. Je to len zachovávanie nariadenia, ktoré nám dal Boh, aby sme ho zachovávali Vidíte? Je to tak. A verím, že s vodným krstom je to tak isto. Verím, že je to pre nás potrebné aby sme to zachovávali, keď On sám nám v tom vo všetkom išiel príkladom. On toto urobil, dávajúc nám to za príklad. A umýval nohy učeníkom, dávajúc nám to za príklad.
71"Tak tiež," 25. verš:
Tak tiež i kalich, keď bolo po večeri, hovoriac: Tento kalich je tá nová zmluva v mojej krvi: to čiňte, koľkokoľvek ráz by ste pili, na moju pamiatku.
Lebo koľkokoľvek ráz ...
(Všimnite si to teraz!)... Lebo koľkokoľvek ráz by ste jedli tento chlieb a pili tento kalich, zvestujete smrť Pánovu, až dokiaľ nepríde.
(Až dokedy? "Až dokiaľ On nepríde!" Vidíte? Vidíte?)Takže ktokoľvek je tento chlieb alebo pije kalich Pánov nehodne, bude vinným tela a krvi Pánovej.
72Dovoľte mi na chvíľu sa tu zastaviť. Dôvod, kvôli ktorému to on povedal ste si mohli všimnúť tu v inom verši, inej kapitoly, kde povedal že, "Čujem, že keď sa schádzate dovedna, jete (svoju vlastnú večeru), ba dokonca sa opíjate pri stole Pánovom." Vidíte, oni to nezrozumeli. Oni sa pri tom len obžierali, vidíte. Presne tak ako to robia ľudia dnes, žijú si tak ako sa im zachce, a potom pristupujú a prijímajú večeru Pánovu. Vidíte? A on povedal, "Či nemáte domov, kde môžete jesť. Ale, toto je nariadenie ktoré máme zachovávať, vidíte." No, čítame ďalej:
Ale nech skúša sám seba človek a nech tak je z toho chleba a pije z toho kalicha.
Lebo ten, kto nehodne je a pije, je a pije si súd nerozsudzujúc tela Pánovho.
(Vidíte?)
73Čo si? Si kresťan, ži pred každým ako kresťan. Ale ak pristupuješ ku tomu a nežiješ ako kresťan, nerozsudzuješ tela Pánovho. Kladieš niekomu do cesty kameň úrazu, vidíte, keď vidia, že toto sa snažíš robiť, a potom nežiješ tak ako by si mal. Vidíte, nerozsudzujete tela Pánovho. Všimnite si teraz čo to ... aké zlorečenstvo je kvôli tomu:
Preto je medzi vami mnoho slabých a chorých, a mnohí spia.
(Správny preklad tohoto slova, brat Pearry, je, "mŕtvi." Vidíte? Vidíte, "mnohí sú mŕtvi.")Lebo keby sme - lebo keby sme sami seba rozsudzovali, neboli by sme súdení.
(Vidíte, ak by sme sami seba rozsudzovali, neboli by sme súdení. Vidíte?")Ale súdení súc od Pána káznení sme, aby sme neboli odsúdení so svetom.
(Vidíte, nebyť vôbec zviazaný so svetom)A tak tedy, moji bratia, keď sa schádzate jesť, čakajte jedni na druhých.
(Vidíte?)A jestli je niekto lačný, nech sa naje doma, aby ste sa ne- schádzali na odsúdenie. A ostatné keď prídem, zariadim.
(Vidíte?)
74Nuž, inými slovami, nepristupujte ku tomu len ako ... Ako som pred chvíľou povedal, o tom ako židia, pri ich obetiach, ako oni ... Bolo to nádherné, bolo to dané od Boha, ale došlo to do takého stavu, že to nerobili úprimne, s úctou a podľa poriadku, potom sa to stalo len ... zo- smradilo sa to Jeho nosu.
75Nuž, a tak isto je to s naším pristupovaním a prijímaním večeri Pánovej, že my musíme ku tomu prichádzať, vedomí si toho čo robíme. Práve tak ako keď idete do vody, aby ste sa dali pokrstiť vo Meno Pána Ježiša Krista, viete čo robíte, pred očami zboru priobliekate na seba to čo Boh vložil do vás, Krista.
76A keď prijímame toto, to ukazuje pred zborom že, "Verím každému Božiemu Slovu. Verím že On je Chlieb Života, ktorý zostúpil od Boha z Neba. Verím, že každé Slovo ktoré On povedal je Pravda. A žijem Tým Slovom ako najlepšie viem, Boh je mojím Sudcom. A preto, pred mojimi bratmi, pred mojimi sestrami ... Neprisahám, nepreklínam, nerobím takéto veci, pretože milujem Pána, a Pán o tom vie a potvrdzuje mi to. A preto pred vami beriem tento kúsok Jeho tela, dávajúc tým najavo, že nie som odsúdený so svetom." Vidíte, tak to má byť, potom je to požehnanie.
77A, pamätajte, mohol by som o tom povedať veľa svedectiev, kde som to vzal a predstavil som to chorým a videl som ako boli uzdravení.
78Spomeňte si na to, že keď Izrael vzal len ten predobraz tohto tu, oni putovali po púšti štyridsať rokov a ich rúcha sa nezodrali, a oni vyšli a nebolo medzi nimi ani jedného slabého, s pomedzi dvoch miliónov ľudí, čo je predobraz tohoto tu. Nuž, čo potom dokáže Skutočný obraz veci? Ak telo obetného zvieraťa pre nich toľko učinilo, čo učiní pre nás Telo Ježiša Krista, Emanuela? Buďme opravdu úctiví, keď ku tomu pristupujeme. Pristupujme ku tomu s najväčšou úctou akú len môžeme mať.
1 Stirring message that Brother Pearry gave us just then from the Word of God. How true it is that "We limit God and time God; and He's Eternal, we can't do that." So tonight we're facing something else now, is communion.
2Three years I waited for a church to come in Tucson, but it's here. Yeah, we're--we're here. So we thank the Lord, He just let us wait till we can appreciate it now.
3 Now, there's one thing that I'd want to say just before we start the communion, is this, that I believe that we have seen enough in our day that we live in, that we ought to really give (every) all of our being to God. We--we should really serve God. I believe that He has blessed us with the direct answer to Scripture. As Brother Pearry gave it a few moments ago, that we--we are--we're at that time. We're not blind, we--we--we see that we're here, we--we've arrived.
4And we also can look around and see that the way that the human mind is leaving the people. That, we--we can't stay too much longer, we'd be in a complete insane institution, the whole world would be. See? So we--we're at the end time.
5 Now, as Brother Pearry ended up there, seeing these things are true, see that they are true, they're not myth. They're not just something that we imagine. They're something that's been directly given to us by the Word of God and manifested publicly before us, that we know we are here. We--we don't know how long now, because again we come back to a watch, you see, what time it is. But we are... we know we--we're here, we're at the time. Whether God's time, I'd imagine...
6Someone give a little analysis one time that said that if God put up with him according... if He was to allot time, one--one thousand years is just one day. So if a man lived seventy years old, it'd just be a few minutes of God's time. See? Well, and said it'd be forty years, that wouldn't even mean time, hardly, He could bat His eye. See? See, just that's how quick it is, the whole thing, if it be lotted time; which, He doesn't have any time. So He just is Eternal.
7 I believe it was Sarah back there... or, no, was Joseph, the other night, said to me and Brother Pearry, said, "Daddy, where, when did God come on the scene? Where did He come from?" See? "He had to have a beginning, didn't He? Didn't He have to start?"
8I said, "No. Anything that has a beginning has an end, but it's that which had not a beginning has no end." But, course, he's ten years old, that was kind of a--a real mouthful for him. See? And how could he receive that, knowing that something never did begin? Not only to him, it is to me. Now, see, it's just a great big dose for me, how it did ever begin.
9 Now we're fixing to observe something here that's really sacred.
10I was called on a few days ago, to some very fine Christian gentlemen that--that's never had this, and he understood that we taken communion literally. They take it what they call "spiritual communion." And which, as far as communion, I'd say all right, 'cause communicate is "to talk to," see. And the brother give me this Scripture, said, "Brother Branham, don't you think now..."
11Now, reason I'm saying this... It's all right, Brother Pearry? [Brother Pearry Green answers, "Sure."--Ed.] See, that reason I'm saying this, so that you would understand what you're doing. You don't... if you walk into anything blindly, you don't know where, what you're doing. You can't have even confidence if you don't know what you're doing. But you must understand what you are doing and why you're doing it.
12He said, "Now if we take the Word of God, isn't that God that we're taking?"
13I said, "Exactly right, sir, it's true. But we read here that they actually... Paul taught taking the literal Lord's supper. 'This do in remembrance of Me,' said Jesus. 'As oft as you take it in remembrance of Me, you show forth the Lord's death till He comes.'" See? Now, we are to take it.
14 We understand that Saint Paul, who ordained it in the Church, being the prophet of the New Testament. Peter, James, John, all of them, they wrote (why, Matthew, Mark, Luke) what Jesus did, as scribes. But Paul set the thing in order, he was the--he was the prophet of the New Testament. Just as Moses went into the wilderness to receive the inspiration to write the--the five Books of--of... the first five Books of the Bible, well, Paul also went into the desert and received inspiration from God, to set the New Testament Church in order and type It with the Old.
15Under there they had the sacrificial lamb, that Israel kept that for a memorial. It was actually used one time, coming out of Egypt. But then they kept that as a memorial all down through the age. Well, "if the law being a shadow of things to come," you see.
16Now, I do believe that communion (what we call "communion," now) is to... is "the Lord's supper."
17 Now, we only have three physical Divine orders left to us: one of them is--is communion; feet-washing; water baptism. That's the only three things. That's the perfection, of the three, see. And that's the only three orders we have. We realize that that was the issue given by Saint Paul in the New Testament.
18Now, if we would say "the communion should just be taking the Word," I don't believe anyone has a right to take the Lord's supper until he has taken the--the Word of the Lord into his heart. See? Because I'm going... I'll read something for you in a few moments and you'll see. Now, notice. Then, why then would we--we would...
19On the same basis we could absolutely justify the Salvation Army. They do not believe in any form of water baptism, said, "We don't need it." Now, if we don't need water baptism, why are we baptized? Said, "The water can't save you, the Blood saves you."
20I'll agree with that. That--that's right, the Blood saves you, not the water. But we must take the water as an outward emotion that an inwardly work of grace has been done. See? So must we on communion!
21 When we have taken the Lord, our Sacrifice, into us, as a matter of spiritual Birth into us, and His Body, we live by Him by the Word, we also should symbolize it because it's a commandment. "Repent, every one of you and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins."
22Paul said, "I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you, 'That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread, and brake it and give it to the disciples, and--and said, "Take and eat, this do in remembrance of Me." For as often as you take this bread, you show forth His death till He comes.'" Now we find out that, in that, they had people who come and...
23 This precious brother, a very dear brother, he came and he said, "I never--I never did take it, Brother Branham, I don't understand what it is." Said, "I been taught the other side."
24I said, "But remember, we will admit that Saint Paul set it in order in the early Christian Church. They went from church... from house to house, broke the bread with singleness of heart, and so forth. Now," I said, "he did put it in the Church. Galatians 1:8, he said, 'If an angel from heaven comes and says anything else, let it be accursed,' you see, see, the same one that had them to be rebaptized again from the baptism of John, to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ."
25You see, there are three things that we must--three things that we must do as symbols: the Lord's supper, feet-washing, water baptism. See? There's...
26 You say, "Well, the..." Now, the Salvation Army takes it from the point, "The dying thief, when he died, he wasn't baptized, yet Jesus said he would be in Heaven." That's exactly the truth. That's exact. But, you see, he--he--he only recognized Jesus right there in the hour he was dying. See? That's the only--that's the only opportunity he had. He--he was a thief, he was away, he was out. And he, as soon as he seen that Light, he recognized It, "Lord, remember me!" And Jesus... That was true.
27But to you and I who know that we should be baptized, and refuse to do it, then that'll be between you and God. Same thing in communion!
28Now, when we take this communion, it isn't just the thing say, "I'm coming up here and going to eat some bread, and I'll believe I'm a Christian." But, if you noticed, the Bible said, "He that eateth and drinketh unworthily shall be guilty of the Blood and the Body of the Lord." See? You've got to live a life that--that... before the people, that... and before God and the people, that shows that you are--that you are sincere.
29 Now, just a moment longer. Now, in the Old Testament when the sacrifice was made a--a statute or an ordinance. And so is water baptism an ordinance; so is feet-washing an ordinance; so is the Lord's supper an ordinance. "Blessed is he that does all of His ordinance, keeps all of His statutes, all of His commandments, that he might have a right to enter into the Tree of Life."
30Now, notice in this now, that in that first, when it was first an ordinance of God to bring a sacrifice to the church, and to the temple and the altar, and offer your gift, and--and for your sins, the sacrifice of a lamb. Well, I can just imagine seeing some Jewish brother coming down the road, knowing that he was guilty, and he goes to the altar; or brings his fat ox or a bullock, or whatever he had, or a ram, lamb, something. He had brought it down the road just as sincere as he could come, he walked up there, keeping God's ordinance just as sincerely as he could.
31Then he laid his hands upon it, confessing his sins, and the priest placing this (his sins) upon the lamb, and the lamb's throat was cut, and--and then died for him. As he laid there, the little lamb kicking and bleeding, his hands being full of blood, and it flying all over him, (the little lamb blatting, dying), he would realize that he had sinned and something had to die in his place. Therefore, he was offering this lamb's death for his death. See, the lamb died in his place. Then the man done it with sincerity, with deepness of his heart.
32 Finally, over and over it went again, over and over it kept going until finally it become a tradition. The commandment of God became a tradition to the people. And then here he come down, "Well, let's see, this is so-and-so today, maybe I better go down. Yeah, I better offer a--a bullock." He went down, "Well, Lord, here's my bullock." See, there's no sincerity in it, there's no understanding to it.
33Now, we don't want to take communion like that. That's the same thing as we come to the Lord's table.
34Isaiah 35... no, I beg your pardon, Isaiah 60... Let me take that back. I--I--I believe it's Isaiah 28, is where we find this. I'm pretty sure that's the right chapter. He said, "Precept must be upon precept; and line upon line upon line; here a little, there a little. Hold fast to that what's good. With stammering lips and other tongues will I speak to this people. And this is the Rest."
35He said, "All the tables of the Lord has become full of vomit. Who can I teach Doctrine? Who can I make to understand?" See? I think that was the right Scripture, Isaiah 28. "Who can I make understand Doctrine?" See, "the tables."
36 Now, we find out today that this great thing that we're fixing to do tonight, in commemoration of His death and His Body that we believe that we eat daily, or, just got through eating as our brother preached to us. Taking the Word of God, we believe It with all of our heart. We see It manifested; we see It given to us; we see It vindicated; we feel It in our lives. And we must come to this with a deep conscience of what we're doing, not just because it's an order.
37You go into church, and many times they give out an old soda cracker or some kind of a--a something, break it up, and light bread or--or something, and--and break it up; and people who smoke, drink, everything else, because they're a member of the church they come and take the Lord's supper. Well, that's filthiness before God!
38 Even the sacrifice, said, "Your holy days and your sacrifice become a stench in My nose." Yet He ordained them to make that sacrifice. But the way they treated it, it become a stench, stink in His nose (His nostrils), the very sacrifice that He ordained.
39That's the way we take the Word of God, too many Christians today (so-called) does that. We stand up here and teach this Word, and say, "Jesus Christ isn't the same yesterday, today, and forever," and teach the things that He promised us that He would honor, and say, "Oh, well, that was for something else," our solemn worships just become a stink in His nose. He will not receive it, by no means. That's the reason, by our traditional habits!
40 You don't take the Lord's supper by a tradition. You take it because it's the love of God in your heart, in keeping the commandments of God. See, that's what you take it for.
41So if you don't take it in sincerity, just it's a tradition, "Well, our church observes communion once every Sunday, or once every month, or twice a year," and you go up, say, "Well, it's my time," and--and then take the communion, why, it's a stink to God! See, that's just a tradition.
42Even like anything else, you--you've got to be sincere. God wants the depths of your heart. You remember, the very God that brought you here on earth is the One you're serving. See?
43You're doing this because He said so, because it's His order. Then we want to come up with deepness of sincerity, knowing that by God's grace that we have been saved. And we--we love Him and we feeled His Presence, and we--we see It change our lives. Our--our whole being is changed. We--we--we're different people. We don't live like we used to, we don't think like we used to.
44 Like in the Book here, and the spot there we was talking about the--the two Books being One, the Book of Life. The first Book of life coming up, was when you were born, that was your natural birth. See? But then one time, way back down in there, there was a little grain of Life as I was explaining to some of the young sisters at the house this afternoon. See, there's a little grain of Life laying there, that you wonder, "Where did It come from? What--what these strange things?"
45I was saying this, taking for myself, like you was going to say, "William Branham, well, forty years ago, the William Branham, it isn't the same one tonight." If somebody back there would say, "William Branham, he was a rank rascal," see, because I was born of Charles and Ella Branham. In their nature I was a sinner, I came to the world, a liar, and all the habits of the world laid right in me. But down in there, too, was another Nature present, see, predestinated, was in there by God. In this same body, see, two natures in there.
46Well, I only catered to one. As it growed, I gooed as a baby, "Dad-da." First thing you know, I become a liar, become everything else that's a sinner, because I raised up that way. But down in there was a little speck of Life all the time.
47 I used to remember, as a little boy... (I hope I'm not holding you too long. But knowing...) Sitting out in the... on--on the creek bank, and I'd sit there and look around at nighttime. Pop and mom, they're gone on now to their rest. And them days they were sinners, there was no Christianity in our homes at all. And, oh, my, drinking, and parties, and carrying on; it made me sick, I'd take my--my lantern and my dog and go to the woods, to stay all night. In the wintertime I'd hunt till the party was over, maybe daylight in the morning. Come home, wouldn't be over, I've laid on top of a shed and sleep, waiting for daylight to break.
48Then I'd think of how that times, then being out there in the summertime, get my sticks and put them down for a little windbreak, where if it rained; lay there and have the poles sticking in the water, fishing; my old coon dog laying there. I'd say, "Looky here. You know, last winter I camped right here one night, I built a fire right here when I was waiting for my old dog here to tree, and I had a fire here. It was froze five inches deep in the ground. But, little flower, where did you come from?" See? "Well, and where'd you come from? Who come out here and planted you? And what hothouse did they bring you out of? Or--or what about it, where'd you come from?" See? That little flower, I'd say, "Why, it was froze, and everything, and I built a fire on top here. Besides the freezing element, there was a heat element laying here on a big old log where I burned you. And yet here you are, and you're alive. Where'd you come from?"
49 What was it? There was another William Branham. See? A little spot of Eternal Life down there, from the--the--the genes of God, the Word of God that was placed in there. Each one of you can think of similar things. See, It was working.
50Then look up to the trees, and I think, "Leaf, I seen you fall off last year, and why are you back there again? Where'd you come from? What brought you here?" See, It was that Eternal Life working in the body.
51Now, then one day as I walked on, that Voice talking, "Don't never smoke, drink, so forth." And the young fellows and all got older. See, there was Something moving.
52But yet all at once I looked up, and I said, "I'm not the son of Charles and Ella Branham. There's Something calling." Like my little eagle, "I'm not a chicken. There's Something up yonder, somewhere. O Great Jehovah, Whoever You are, open up! I want to come home. There's Something in me, calling."
53Then I was born again. That little Life was laying there, the life of water was poured upon It, then It begin to grow. Now, that old life was forgiven, put in the sea of God's forgetfulness, to never be remembered against me no more. See? Now we stand justified (as though we never had sinned) in the Presence of God.
54 Then when we come to the Lord's table, we must come in reverence, love and respect, of "Look where we would have been if it hadn't been for Him." See? Look where it would've...
55Therefore, Paul, I think, in saying this, "Wherefore, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for the other." That is, other words, just wait a few minutes, pray, check yourself out. And if you know a brother is in there, just about to do something that's wrong, or something, and you pray for him, too. See? See, "tarry one the other," wait just a minute, pray. If there's any feelings between you or something, don't--don't do it--don't do it, go make that right first. See? Go straighten that up first, because they want to come here just as pure as we can be, and our thoughts of one another and to God, and to each other, and then we come in fellowship around the table of the Lord. See?
56 And we do this because that we are giving thanks to Him, and among one another. Eating the bread between each other, drinking the wine between each other, as His Blood and His Flesh.
57"Except you eat the Flesh of the Son of man and drink His Blood, you have no Life in you." See? You see, that's what the Bible said. Except you do it, there's no Life. You see? You are then, more or less, showing you are ashamed to identify yourself as a Christian, because of the life that you live. And then this is really the showdown. Then if you don't do it, you have no Life. If you do do it unworthily, you are guilty of the Body of the Lord.
58 Same thing in water baptism. If we say, "We believe on Jesus Christ, He saved us from sin, and we are baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ," why, we bring--we bring disgrace to Him, we do the things that's wrong and we--we'll have to pay for that. And another thing, when we do that, we are trying to profess one thing and do another.
59That's the trouble of us today. What I think... I'm saying "us," me, and the church that the Lord God has let me speak to in these last hours, that we believe we're in the closing time. We believe that God has give us a Message. It's been ordained of God, It's been proven of God, It's been showed of God. Now we must come to Him with reverence and with love, and with--with purity of heart and mind and soul.
60 You know, the hour will soon arise when--when right among us will be... the Holy Spirit will speak out like It did in Ananias and Sapphira. Remember, see, that hour is arriving. See? And we are... Now, you just remember that, see, that God is going to dwell among His people. That's what He wants to do now.
61We can receive the Message, as saying... If I was a young man and--and hunting for a wife, and I could find a wife, I said, "She's just perfect. She's a Christian. She's a lady. She's all this, I got confidence." No matter how much confidence, how much I think she's nice, I've got to receive her, she's got to receive me; see, upon these vows.
62Well, it's the same thing we find is the Message. We see It's right. We see God vindicates It's right. It's perfectly right. Year after year, year after year, It continues right, continues right. Everything It says, happens just exactly the way He said. Now, we know It's right, but, see, don't do it from an intellectual standpoint. If you do, you got a secondhanded religion. See? We don't want a secondhanded religion, something that somebody else has experienced it and we are living off of--of their testimony.
63 As I believe it was Jesus said to Pilate, something, a word I was thinking, and He said there just a few moments ago, "Who told you that?" Or, "Was it revealed to you? How did you know these things?" in other words. I don't know just what the word is now, it's been a long time since I read it, but, "How did you--how did you know this? What? How? Who revealed this to you?" About Him being the Son of God. "Who revealed it to you? Did some man tell you that? Or," as Jesus said, "is it My Father in Heaven which has revealed it to you?" See? See? "How did you learn it, a secondhand or is it a perfect revelation from God?"
64Is this communion just something I go up for it, an order, say "Well, the rest of them take this, I will too"? It's a revelation that I am part of Him and I'm part of you, and I love you and I love Him, and we're taking this together as a symbol of our love to God, and our love and fellowship to one another.
65 Now I want to read some from the Scripture. And then I guess... Where do you... Whichever way Brother Pearry desires today. I wish you'd read it with me, if you got your Bible. I Corinthians, the--the 11th chapter, and begin with the 23rd verse.
66And then also, at our tabernacle, we've always observed this and feet-washing, always, because they go hand in hand together. I believe the brother announced that "Wednesday night" because of the crowds and you don't have enough to... room to get the people in for feet-washing, they're going to observe--observe this Wednesday night.
67 Now, 23rd verse of the 11th chapter of I Corinthians, listen at Paul now. Now remember, and keep this in mind, Galatians 1:8, "If we or an angel from heaven preaches any other gospel unto you," (than this Gospel that he had preached) "let him be accursed." See?
For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
And when he had gave thanks, he brake it,... said, Take and eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
68Now, let me stop right here, to say: but taking the body of the Lord Jesus Christ in this communion, does not mean that that communion is the literal body of Christ. That's Catholic. I do not believe that that's right. I believe it's only an ordinance that God made with us, see, it isn't the actual body. It's... Now, it's really a little piece of kosher bread. It's just an ordinance.
69 Neither do I believe that the baptism of Jesus Christ (in the Name of Jesus Christ) in water does forgive your sins. I do not believe that you... I believe you could be baptized all day long... Now, I know that there's perhaps people sitting here who come from the Apostolic church, I mean, or the United Pentecostal church, which they teach that. But, you see, I--I do not believe that the water forgives sins. Or, if it was, then Jesus died in vain. See? I believe that it's only an ordinance of God, see, to show that you have been forgiven. But to be baptized for regeneration, no, I--I--I don't believe that. I don't believe that water forgives sins.
70Neither do I believe that this bread and wine has anything to do with you, only keeping an ordinance that God has ordained for us to do. See? That's right. I believe water baptism is the same thing. I believe it's compelling to us to do it, that He had done it all for our example. And He done this for our example. And He washed feet for our example.
71 Now, "After the same manner also," 25th verse:
After the same manner also he took the cup, and when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
For as oft... (Remember now!)... For as oft as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do shew forth the Lord's death till he comes. (How long? "Until He comes!" See? See?)
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
72Let me stop just a minute. The reason he said this, you noticed in another verse here, another chapter, that he said, "I understand when you--when you come together you're eating, even getting drunk at the Lord's table." They misunderstood it, you see. They just glutton-ed in, see. Just like people are doing today, just live any kind of life and take it. See? He said, "You got homes to eat in, see. But, this is an ordinance that we should keep, see." Now:
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. (See?)
73 What are you? You're a Christian, you live before everybody as a Christian. And if you take that and don't live as a Christian, you're not discerning the Lord's Body. You're putting a stumbling block in somebody else's way, see, as they see you trying to do that and then not living what you're supposed to live. See, you're not discerning the Lord's Body. Now watch what it... what the curse of it is:
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many are sleep. (The right translation of that word, Brother Pearry, is "dead." See? See, "many are dead.")
For if we--for if we would judge ourself, we should not be judged. (See, if we judge ourself we won't be judged. See?)
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (See, not any attach to the world.)
Wherefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, tarry one for the other. (See?)
And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that you come not together unto condemnation. And the rest I will set in order when I come. (See?)
74 Now, in other words, don't just come to take it as a... As I said a while ago, about what the Jews, their sacrifice, they... It was wonderful, it was given by God, but it got to a place where they didn't do it in sincerity and reverence and in order, then it become just a... it become a--a stench in His nose.
75Now, the same thing is by our coming to take the Lord's supper, that, we must come knowing what we are doing. Just like when you go into the water to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, you know what you're doing, you're putting on to the church what God has put in you, Christ.
76When we take this, it shows to the church, that, "I believe every Word of God. I believe that He is the Bread of Life that come from God out of Heaven. I believe every Word that He says is the Truth. And I live by It, to the best of my knowledge, God being my Judge. Therefore, before my brothers, before my sisters... I--I do not swear, I do not curse, I do not do these things, because I love the Lord, and the Lord knows it and bears me record. Therefore, before you, I take the parcel of His body, to know that I am not condemned with the world." See, there you are, then it's a blessing.
77 And, remember, I could give many testimonies on this, where I've took that and explained it in a sickroom, and seen them healed.
78Remember, when Israel taken the type of this, they had journeyed forty years in the wilderness and their clothes never even wore out, and they come out without one feeble one--one among them, with two million people as a type of this. Well, what will the Antitype do? If the body of a sacrificial animal did that for them, what would the Body of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, do for us? Let's just be reverent when we come. Let us be just as reverent as we know how, to come.