About

[Slide1] Turn in your bible to one of the passages that you see listed on the screen behind me. In a few moments I will be asking that each of these passages is read aloud in whatever version you prefer. Last week, we set out to prepare ourselves for the Lord’s Supper. From I Corinthians 11:27-33 and from other passages of scripture we considered two questions. First, what does it mean to be prepared for the Lord’s Table? Second, How should I approach the Lord’s Table? The first question focused on this past week, and the second question focused on today. [Slide 2] But just in case you missed last week, let me summarize the preparation required to come to the table. First, is self-examination. Not to be a perfect Christian or sinless – but rather to ensure that you are a Christian. Are you a true child of God? This is a good question to consider because to partake in this spiritual meal while being unworthy could lead to sickness or even death. Second is seriousness. To prepare for the Lord’s table you cannot be concerned about the temporary problems of this world, nor can you underestimate the value of the Lord’s Supper. Further, and thirdly, if you are to be prepared you must come in understanding – not just of the meal, but intimately understanding what God has done and continues to do for His people. Fourthly, you must come hungering and thirsting after the benefits of the atonement of Christ. Only then will you eat and drink deeply. Fifth, to be prepared for the meal you must come with contrition over your sin. Not mourning what you intend to keep, nor racking your brain to confess everything you can think of, but rather sorrowfully understanding that your sin killed the Son of God – yet He went willingly to pay its penalty for you, to break its power over you, and one day, starting today, to eliminate it presence in you. Sixth, to be prepared, you must come in sincerity. Why are you coming to dine? To Check a box, to perform a ritual, to earn something from God? No! Come humbly seeking and expecting to be fed by your God. Finally, to be truly prepared, you must come with a growing love of Christ. Indeed, it is He with which we do commune in this meal. He comes to join us here spiritually as He continues to intercede for us in the throne room of the Father. Stoke your love for Him who has freed you unto life. I hope that you who were here last week have spent adequate time preparing your hearts and the hearts of your family and others, for the meal which is laid before us. [Slide 3] As I considered what would be a fitting message to give as we head into the Lord’s Table my intention from the outset was to provide all that you needed to approach the Table this morning with understanding and the right attitude. I began by looking over my previous sermons on the topic. As I read through what we have seen already, I started copying snippets. Eventually I had an entire message cobbled together from several previous messages. And so, I guess we have somewhat of a Frankenstein’s monster message this morning. Let me pray before we dive in. [Slide 4] So, the first thing we need is to understand. What is the meaning of this thing we do? First, it is called a sacrament. Now what does that word mean? It isn’t really a word we use in every day conversation, is it? Sacrament means a holy ordinance of Christ which is symbolic but also confers the meaning of the symbol to those who partake. So to define all our terms here, first it is a holy ordinance of Christ. Christ did ordain this practice and set it apart for worship. It is symbolic, in that the elements of the ordinance represent spiritual truth but are not in and of themselves anything extraordinary. But this symbol also confers or gives the meaning of those symbols in the ordinance to those who come in true faith. So as we apply this to the Lord’s Supper, what does this mean? The Meaning of the Sacrament: 1. First, we must see what the Lord’s Supper is not. a. [Slide 5] We deny that the elements themselves contain or become the actual physical body and blood of Christ. Such a teaching is theologically contradictory to God’s law, Christologically contradictory to Christ’s presence in heaven, Stereologically contradictory to Christ’s sacrifice being once for all, physically disturbing, and has grave implications both in its composition and application. i. Therefore we strongly deny the Roman Catholic and Lutheran perspectives on the Lord’s Supper. ii. We instead affirm that the elements represent the spiritual reality of the redemptive effect of Christ’s body and blood. And so, we partake spiritually of Christ’s atoning work of His body and blood and so feed our souls on that effect. b. [Slide 6] We deny the use of the Sacrament as a work to earn a state of grace or to earn forgiveness for our sins. Again, such a teaching is theologically dubious and has dire applications for both the church and the individual believer. Ultimately, such teaching is works based salvation which is a false gospel. i. With this we therefore deny the Roman Catholic and Lutheran perspectives on the Lord’s Supper. ii. We affirm a spiritual benefit of the meal, but such a benefit is only available to those who are already a partaker in the truth that the sign represents. And that benefit is a gift of God that we receive by faith. c. [Slide 7] We deny that the Lord’s Supper is only a memorial, remembering the death of Christ. i. The key word here is only. We certainly do remember our Lord’s death, but more than that, we are nourished by it to the extent that we leave strengthened and empowered to live more like Christ. ii. With this we therefore deny most Baptist, Bible, Non-Denominational, and Evangelical church views on the Lord’s Supper, not as heretical, simply as incomplete. iii. We affirm the spiritual benefit of the meal, as we are united to Christ. By partaking of the bread and the cup we are spiritually partaking in the redemptive and sustaining power of the body and blood of Christ. 2. [Slide 8] So, what is the Lord’s Supper? The Lord’s Supper is a feast of remembrance, communion, faith, hope, fellowship and thanksgiving. a) It is a feast of remembrance. We come in remembrance that our Lord Jesus Christ was sent of the Father into the world to assume our flesh and blood and to fulfill for us all obedience to God’s divine law, even to the bitter and shameful death of the cross. By His death, resurrection, and ascension he established a new and eternal covenant of grace and reconciliation that we might be accepted of God and never be forsaken by Him. b) It is a feast of communion. We come to have communion with this same Christ who has promised to be with us always, even to the end of the world. – In the breaking of the bread he makes himself known to us as the true heavenly Bread that strengthens us unto life eternal. He calls it His body, in that His Body inaugurates for us a new and living way to access God. 1. His Body is the rent curtain, the new and living way to God - Hebrews 10:19-25 2. Christ is the Bread of Life – John 6:35-40 3. The Bread is His Body – I Corinthians 11:23-24 – In the cup of blessing he comes to us as the Vine in whom we must abide if we are to bear fruit. He calls it the New Covenant, ratified by his blood, by which we have been sprinkled clean. 1. Christ is the Vine apart from which we are nothing. God gives us fruitfulness through Christ’s sacrifice for our sin and by His righteousness. Drawing from Him and pruned by the Father we will bear much fruit. John 15:1-11 2. The cup is the New Covenant in His blood where God puts away our sin and writes his law on our hearts- I Corinthians 11:25-26 3. The New Covenant is inaugurated in Christ’s blood by which we are sprinkled clean – Hebrews 9:11-15 4. It is this blood of the eternal covenant with which we can enter God’s holy presence and receive mercy and grace – Hebrews 4:16 and some one else can grab Hebrews 13:9-12 c) It is a feast of faith. We come in faith, believing that unity with Christ is God’s normal way in which He strengthens and sustains us for His holy purpose on earth, and will ultimately present us faultless before the throne of God, perfecting the work which He began in us. The Lord’s Supper is a sign of this truth. But unlike the normal means of grace – study of God’s Word, prayer, preaching, and church fellowship and discipleship – the Lord’s Supper is a special way that God does strengthen and sustain His dear children. In that, void of human effort, for those entering by faith to receive this sign of God’s provision in Christ – God does also then provide Christ to us all the more. d) It is a feast of hope. We come in hope, believing that as often as we eat this meal together, we do proclaim the Lord’s death, its continual atoning work for us, until he comes again. Knowing that He will present us faultless before the throne of God if we are His children. And believing that this bread and this cup are a pledge and foretaste of the feast of love of which we shall partake when his kingdom has fully come, when we with unveiled face shall behold him, and be made to be like him in his glory. e) It is a feast of fellowship. Since by his death, resurrection, and ascension Christ has obtained for us the life-giving Spirit who unites us all in one body, so we come to receive this Supper in true love, mindful of the communion of saints. And, as we are united to Christ more through this meal – we are also united more to one another. f) It is a feast of thanksgiving. We come in thankfulness for what our Savior has done for us, and continues to do for us, and will do for us. Although we may disagree with their doctrine, the Roman Catholic Church refers to the Lord’s Supper as the Eucharist. This name is derived from the Greek word Eucharidzo which means to give thanks. In each account of the first Lord’s Supper in Scripture Christ gives thanks before breaking the bread. So, Christ the Son of God demonstrates for us the proper spirit of receiving this sign and the truth signified. We do so with gladness in our hearts for what we are in Christ and how God continues to sustain us with Him until we will be like Him. [Slide 9] This is the Lord’s Supper. Today we will celebrate together! But how should you approach this feast of blessing? a) [Slide 10] First let me speak to those who should NOT partake in this meal with us. a. If you are not a believer here among us today. Meaning that you have never claimed to follow Christ. I would caution you about attending this event. If you want to observe, you may, but please do not partake. Not only is there nothing for you beneficially in this event, there is also great risk to you as well. The scriptures warn us that this is a holy meal. A meal which could do great harm to you, possibly even kill you if you partake in an unworthy way. b. The same warning goes for those among us who have claimed to be followers of Christ, but are knowingly and willfully living in sin that they do not intend to turn from. Claim to be of Christ all you wish, but know that until you agree with God about your sin, and desire to kill it, you cannot be sure that you are God’s child. You cannot be sure that he is forgiving and cleansing you of sin. A hatred of sin and a love of God’s law is something He produces, in growing degrees, in all his dear children. So please, for your own sake, repent of the sin to which you are clinging, and join us to receive grace for victory, or do not partake. c. Finally, if you see the Lord’s Supper completely different than we do – either clinging to something we deny or denying something we affirm. I’d also encourage you to not partake. I cannot say with certainty that you would do so in an unworthy way – but it may be best for you to settle the matter with God before joining us. d. If you are any of these people – and do not plan to observe – I’d ask that you quietly depart after the prayer. Try your best to not engage in conversation, or otherwise distract those who are entering into this sacred meal. b) [Slide 11] Now let me talk to those who should partake in this meal. a. Friends do you need victory over sin, a closer relationship to Christ, a more intimate bond with fellow believers, passion and power to do as God pleases, or to be sustained once again by the reality of the atonement of Christ? Are any of these you? b. God has given a meal for you. A sign of the truth that Christ sustains us… and in that sign… He does actually sustain us. c. So come, eat, drink, let us be filled in our souls by the atonement of Christ. d. [Slide 12] But as we learned last week – approach the table in these 5 ways. i. Come in humility and self-denial. Understand that in and of yourself you are unworthy to come and dine. Yet the Most-High God was pleased to crush His Son to secure your invitation to come and be sustained by His Son’s crushing. Know your place and come knowing what you are - a humble beggar who has been offered a royal feast. ii. Come with hearts set on heaven. This meal is the Kingdom of heaven peeking through the curtain of this world. This is Christ communing with us in images and pictures as He will one day commune with us in flesh and blood. See the meal as it is – a foretaste of what will be. iii. Come in true faith. A faith that endures all things. A faith that trusts God no matter what life, this world, or anyone or anything else says. A faith that loves God and obeys God. A faith that is alive. Come with this alien faith given by the Spirit. iv. Come with love for one another. No grudges, no fights, no lingering sins. Whether someone has sinned against you and you cannot let love cover it, or you have sinned against another and they have not mentioned it, in either case – pursue peace and love with your brother. And see them as they are – the object of Christ’s atonement- just. Like. You. v. Come in prayerfulness. Come expecting the Lord to do great things. Come expecting to be freed from sin. Come expecting to be given victory. Come expecting to be comforted. Come expecting to be strengthened. God is not obligated to do so. He may not yet desire you to be free of the trial or difficulty you are in, but that doesn’t change our hopeful hearts as we come asking and expecting to be filled, begging to have our thirst quenched. [Slide 13] For all who are planning to join us for the meal, please listen carefully. In a few moments I will pray. After that, we will all make our way upstairs to have the Lord’s Supper together. Children will be brought to the intersection outside the restrooms. Parents can pick them up there. At the top of the stairs, on either side, will be a table with the bread and juice. Please grab what you need and find a seat further into the room. We will begin with prayer and testimonies when everyone has gotten what they needed. If you do not plan to attend, again, I’d ask that you try your best not to distract any who are headed up. We do not wish to interfere with their own approach to the table. Let me pray.