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Title: Ready for the Lord’s Table Text: I Corinthians 11:27-33 FCF: We often struggle being adequately prepared for the Lord’s Table. Prop: Because of the importance of the symbol and sign, we must be ready to partake in the Lord’s Table. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to I Corinthians chapter 11. Although it was always the plan to speak on this topic today, I found it to be quite difficult to address since it is the first sermon I have preached in about a month. I would have rather just continued with Titus. But God had other plans this week and I am the better for it. As you well know, I dislike topical sermons. Topical sermons come together in strange ways. For example, this week I began preparing this sermon examining the question “How do you prepare your family for Communion?” I spent all of Wednesday gathering passages of scripture, interpreting them and categorizing them. Most of them had to do with the necessity of parental and ecclesiastical engagement in children’s discipleship. [Slide 2] At the end of the day Wednesday, I grabbed a book off my book shelf titled “The Lord’s Supper” by the puritan Thomas Watson. It is about 80 pages. I sat down and thumbed through it, looking for some extra thoughts and maybe a quote or two. I was so impressed by what I read, I began at the first page and started reading. 50 pages later, I had discarded my original question for this sermon in favor of a new one. “How can you prepare yourself for Communion?” All of a sudden, all those passages of scripture amounted to, in essence, the application of a sermon about preparing your own heart for Communion. It is really the cart after the horse now. You see if your own heart is not ready – you cannot hope to prepare your family, friends, children, grandchildren, or fellow church members. And so, I was back to square one. But as I continued to read Pastor Watson’s book, I realized that his understanding would more than provide what we need. So, this sermon will be a little different than normal. First it is different because much of its structure has been borrowed and expanded from Thomas Watson. Indeed, I was so moved by his work, and felt it so accessible to most people that I have ordered 20 copies for our church. I would strongly encourage you to take a copy to read this week. They are first come first serve. I’ll have them up front with me after the service. [Slide 3] Second, this sermon is different because we will go to a text of scripture, but rather than expounding it textually verse by verse – we will endeavor to draw out what the text means topically. Asking of ourselves two very important questions. 1 – What does it mean to be prepared for the Lord’s Table? Answering this question will help us from now until Saturday May 15thto prepare our hearts and the hearts of our family to be ready for the Lord’s Table. But we will also answer another question today. 2 – How should we approach The Lord’s Table one week from now? The answer to this question will help us next Sunday morning as we prepare to come to church and partake in the Lord’s Feast. [Slide 4] So the text we will go to this morning is I Corinthians 11. We won’t start in verse 17 or even verse 23 though. Instead we will skip right to the end of this entire discussion. Starting in verse 27. I am reading from the NET which you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1294. Transition: So two questions for us today. What does it mean to be prepared for the Lord’s Table and How should we approach the Lord’s Table one week from now? Both of these are answered in these next 7 verses and other texts of scripture. So keep your bible open to this passage and you look for these points in the text. I.) What does it mean to be prepared for the Lord’s Table? a. [Slide 5] We prepare ourselves first through Self-examination (28,31) i. Certainly, we have others examining us. The leaders of the church have been keeping a close and watchful eye on us as they do so for our soul’s sake. ii. Surely our family and church family keep a watchful eye on us, inspecting our fruit – not maliciously as if to judge us but mercifully so as to prune and edify us. iii. But we must not forget also to examine our own hearts. Besides the Lord, no one knows us better. Although we may lie to ourselves, fool ourselves, and otherwise trick ourselves – with Spirit empowered self-examination, we can catch a glimpse of what the Lord sees. iv. We approach the word of God, a great mirror of our souls. We see ourselves for what we truly are. v. What are we looking for? Fruit. Fruit of the Spirit. We are looking for the scars of grace. vi. Just as it says in Ephesians 2 that by grace we are saved through faith unto good works prepared by God for us to do – so also we look for that chain. God’s grace to us produces faith and faith produces good works. Indeed, the three sermons in my absence all said essentially this. God’s grace gives us a foreign faith from the Spirit, which produces works with us, through us and in us. vii. What we are not looking for is perhaps just as important. We are not taking inventory of our sins. We are not cleaning up the house to come to the Table. viii. Our self-examination is not to try to take a spiritual shower or wash our hands before coming to eat. Instead, it is to assess whether or not we have received an invitation to the feast. ix. Do we have the wedding gowns? Are we sheep or goats? That is the nature of our self-examination. And even if we think we know the answer – depending on the truth of who we are, we can come to fear or come to comfort our hearts with the knowledge that God does also examine us at the Table. From the text here today “If we examined ourselves we would not be judged but when we are judged by the Lord we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned with the world.” What does this phrase mean? Simply that God will be judging those who enter to eat and drink, whether we examine ourselves first or not. And even if we examine wrongly – God knows His own and disciplines His own. x. This week, my friends, even if you have been a follower of Christ, bearing much fruit, do not skip this step. Spend time carefully considering that Jesus broke the bread and passed the cup to His disciples. Are you one of them? b. [Slide 6] We prepare ourselves through fostering Seriousness (sobriety) (29) i. Consider the statement “one who eats and drinks without careful regard for the body” ii. The statement is rich and full. In one sense it most certainly refers to the body of Christ being the gathered assembly. That we regard one another in love. But most certainly also, Paul uses this as a “both/and” to refer also to the bread and cup and their importance. iii. To come to this feast in flippancy, with earthly concerns on our hearts, or even to check a box or perform a ritual – is to not think seriously enough of the Table of the Lord. iv. To allow ourselves to consider it as some tangential part of our Christian walk, to think it a mere memorial, to treat the Table in the slightest hum drum fashion is to do so without careful regard for the body. v. As Paul says – such an attitude incurs judgment upon himself. Indeed that is why many are sick and dying, for their lack of careful and serious consideration of the Table. vi. Something that naturally leads us to seriousness is properly understanding what we are doing and why. c. [Slide 7] We prepare ourselves through Proper Understanding (29) i. We understand what it is we are doing here. ii. Thomas Watson says that “The Lord’s Supper is a visible sermon, a mirror in which to gaze on the sufferings and death of Christ. God, to help our faith, does not only give us an audible Word, but a visible sign.” iii. But more than this, the Supper is a time in which to partake of the benefits of Christ death by faith, to be fed and cherished by the Lord in his own banqueting house, and to obtain a foretaste of the glory which will be fully realized only in heaven. iv. And we understand this, we know this intimately when we are truly the Lord’s people. For we have experienced the truth of what the sign signifies. We have been sprinkled clean by the blood of the lamb and we have been granted access by the tearing of His body. v. We have this great High Priest who was also the sacrifice and the altar. In this we being united to Him further in the meal – we eating of His atonement, drinking of His mercy – we do appropriate even more the mercies of forgiveness of sins and even more the cleansing of sins. vi. We understand what this table is – because in so many ways it represents all we have come to know and love. It is the very sweetness of redemption in a visible sign. vii. All five of our senses experience what our soul knows and our soul grows all the more because of it. viii. This is how we can carefully regard the body. d. [Slide 8] We prepare ourselves by stoking our Hunger and Thirst (28, 32) i. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be what? Filled. ii. Indeed, God offers a banquet to us. A banquet in the presence of our enemies while we are sitting in a world that is not our home. iii. We are aliens here. We weather the hardships of living in a world where the Kingdom of God is here but has not yet come fully. iv. And our Lord has given us a banquet. A feast of Himself. He has offered to us the body and blood of His Son. Spiritual food for our souls to nourish us and sustain us in this mirey world. v. Thomas Watson goes into several ways to stoke the hunger and thirst for the meal – but I’ll leave that to your own personal reading. vi. Suffice it to say – that when we come to the table we ought to be anxious to eat and drink of the atonement. We ought to remember the grace and mercy of God in what His dear Son did for us. vii. Paul says that after someone examines themselves “Let him eat the bread and drink of the cup” This is a command. It is a command to eat and drink. These words certainly mean eat and drink but there can be a sharpness to them. A subtle nuance which we could render “devour” and “imbibe.” viii. Truly this is a feast. And those invited, those who have examined themselves, are commanded to devour and imbibe. To drink deeply, and eat your fill. Consume. e. [Slide 9] We prepare ourselves with Contrition over sin (28) i. So we counter balance seriousness with hunger and thirst. Now we go back again to balance the feasting with our understanding of our spiritual state. ii. What about our sins do we mourn as we prepare for the Lord’s Table? That as we remember the death of Christ it is our sin that held Him there until it was accomplished. iii. As our teeth tear the bread, as our tongue laps the juice, so our sin broke and spilled our Lord. iv. But it pleased the Father to crush Him. Yes it was our sin that killed Him that day – but not against His will. Our sins were not weapons we raised against Him. He had no need to die for them. v. But out of love for us, He did lay down His life, willingly. vi. And so, we come to the table with bitter tears knowing – that this table is for me, yet it is not earned by me… indeed, my sin pierced Him. My wounds afflicted Him. Yet He bore them for me. vii. So let us remember, let us examine, let us discover all the sins which have been killed in us, and all the sins that remain and remember that our sin has killed the Son of God, but may we also with fondness remember too, that the Son of God has killed and is killing now, our sin. f. [Slide 10] We prepare ourselves by purifying the Sincerity of heart (28) i. What is our aim in this meal? ii. To remember our Lord? Yes. But also to be judged by Him. To come before Him and to be further united to His atoning work. iii. To come for mercy and find grace for help in a time of need. iv. Indeed, we come to feast deeply. v. We hunger and thirst after righteousness. We come mourning our sin. We come poor in spirit. And in these we are promised to be given the kingdom of heaven, comfort, and satisfaction. vi. We come longing for the benefits of Christ. Not because we are worthy, but because we are commanded to, and God has promised to give it to us. vii. So we come – sincerely in heart – to get what God has promised to give. g. [Slide 11] We prepare ourselves by spurring ourselves in the Love of Christ (29) i. Why do we call it communion friends? ii. Truly we are communing with one another. But this is secondary. iii. First, we commune with our God. iv. We unite to Him, we eat and drink Him – not in some odd cannibalistic way, but by faith we devour and imbibe upon the mercies and graces afforded to us in the death of Christ. v. In this we do proclaim the Lord’s death. vi. So we come in love. We come to be fastened to, and comingled with our Lord. The Atonement and those atoned for – together. vii. A shadow of what the Kingdom of God will be – always. viii. We commune, in careful regard to the body. h. Friends, if you are in this frame. If you prepare yourself in this way in the week ahead – you will be ready to partake of the feast which the Father has laid before you. His Son, and all He has accomplished and continues to accomplish for you. Transition: [Slide 12 (blank)] But what about the day of? What about next Sunday? As we pull up our cars, drop off our families. Should we get coffee? Should we eat breakfast? Should we wear different clothes? Should we walk in somberly as if it is a funeral? Should we come in joyously as if a great celebration? What do we do next week as we approach the spiritual feast laid before us? II.) How should we approach The Lord’s Table? a. [Slide 13] We come to the Lord’s Table in Humility/Self-denial (27-28) i. Infinitely more important than earthly things like drinking coffee, eating beforehand, or even what you wear to the meal – is the heart of those who approach the table. ii. It is important to say that there is not a spiritual maturity standard you must meet to come. The only maturity standard is those who have truly been born of God. Those who are genuine disciples of Christ. iii. But for our own sake, for our safety, and in view of the sacredness of the meal itself and the holiness of the God who gives it – we must be prepared in our hearts as we approach to dine. iv. Going along with our preparation ahead of time – after having spent the week examining ourselves, sobering our outlook, understanding our God and His meal, stoking our hunger and thirst for His provision, remembering our sin which made our atonement necessary to us and given by Christ in His death, purifying our motives to come and receive what God has promised, and encouraging and inflaming our love for Christ in His atonement and its symbol and seal in this meal – having spent all week doing this – we come empty handed – but not forsaken. v. We come with nothing to bring, but much to be given. vi. And so with humble hearts, without pretense of our own worthiness, we come denying selfish ambition and only seek what has been promised. vii. Although we spend so much time in preparation – we do not trust in our preparation to receive what God is going to give. Rather we simply trust His promise to give freely to His people. b. [Slide 14] We come to the Lord’s Table with our hearts Set on Heaven (28-29, 32) i. Going hand in hand with humility – we have examined ourselves and carefully regarded the body – and therefore as we come – we come knowing that if it were not for the invitation of our God to come and dine, we would not be otherwise worthy to sit and eat and drink. ii. So what is this meal but a heavenly shadow of what fellowship and communion we will enjoy with the Son and His people forever. iii. And so as the Kingdom is here, we eat and drink with Him, both in His body and blood and with one another. We enjoy true fellowship, taking into ourselves the reminder of the Union which makes us worthy, and surrounding ourselves with those who are His Bride. iv. Our minds cannot help but turn to our future as the bride, knowing that we proclaim the Lord’s death in this meal – until when? v. Until He comes. vi. You see, once He comes, we need not continue to proclaim and remember His death – for our salvation will be finished. Our glory given. A glory not our own but inherited through union and adoption. We all will be sons and daughters in Christ. vii. And so as we come to the Table to eat and drink – we come with hearts lifted from this terrestrial ball and caught up into the heavenly. We imagine what it will be like at the great marriage supper of the lamb. And we hope, as often as we do this, for that future day when our Lord will again sup with us. c. [Slide 15] We come to the Lord’s Table in true Belief (29) i. God’s grace produces faith and faith produces works. ii. True His grace gives us faith, but that given faith continues to leave us open for grace. iii. And so, as we come to the table, we come believing it is a symbol of what Christ has done. We come believing that Christ’s death sustains us in this life with devils filled. iv. And in that belief God does give us sustenance. God does give us grace. Our alien faith, given by the Spirit, does continue to channel God’s grace to us. v. But as James alludes to – there are false faiths. Dead faiths. Choking faiths. Scorched faiths. vi. Examine your faith my friends. Thomas Watson explores false and great faiths in this book. vii. But let me summarize quickly. viii. Alien faith, a faith given by the Spirit, endures. Through all, it endures. ix. Conjured faith, faith mustered from within us, human faith, domestic faith is a faith that fails often both in morals and devotion. x. After examining yourself, bring with you the faith which God has given, and leave the rest. d. [Slide 16] We come to the Lord’s Table with Love for one another (29 and 33) i. The whole context of the book of I Corinthians is unity and love for one another. ii. And so as Jesus taught, if you come to worship and remember that someone has something against you, or you them – leave your gift at the altar, go and be reconciled, then return to worship the Lord. iii. Just as John says – if a man says I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar. How can he love God whom he has never seen and hate his brother who stands before him? iv. As you approach the table, certainly you should analyze your love and walk with God, but friends do not neglect your walk and love with His bride. v. Do you love me Peter? Feed my sheep! vi. You cannot come to the love feast hating the bride of the one who gives you bread and wine. vii. So, as you come, come in love of other believers. viii. You do not dine alone. You dine with all those whom Christ loved. All those whom Christ died to save. You dine with those whom He also broke His body to save and continue to save. You feast with those whom you share in the atonement. ix. Drink from it all of you – Christ said. We are not just communing with Christ and His graces and mercies – but with one another. We need one another and we all need Christ… together. e. [Slide 17] We come to the Lord’s Table in Prayerfulness (32) i. Finally – as we approach, we ought to approach as Hannah, with a prayer on our lips. Begging God for a blessing ii. We ought to come like Jacob, wrestling God for a blessing. iii. We ought to come like the Canaanite woman demanding crumbs from the table and not letting go until we have them. iv. God tells us to pray in His will… What is the will of God? v. Is it that His children, His true people, be fed and sustained by the life-giving fountain, by the living water, by the bread of life? Is this God’s will for His people? vi. Is it God’s will that we should eat Christ’s flesh and drink His blood? Only those who are His disciples do this. We eat the flesh which is the new and living way to access our God. We drink the blood which is the cleansing spring canceling and continuing to cleanse us from sin. vii. My friends – come to the table praying in the will of God – that you will not leave without Him blessing you there. You will not leave until you are sustained by His provision. Transition: [Slide 18] Truly how vast, how deep, how rich, how marvelous is the feast that has been laid before us. He was offered up once for sin – and that offering still feeds us and quenches our thirst. And one day we will be filled. One day our thirst will be extinguished. Conclusion: But what about your children, your spouse, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or simply others in the church? How do you help them prepare? The beauty of making disciples and the family unit – is that they will see your preparation. You can even be intentional about allowing them to see it. As you examine yourself – confess sin to each other. As you probe your own understanding, explain, teach what you have learned to one another. As your love for Christ grows – talk of it to your family and friends. We often have the expression “doing life together” what is this if not teaching? What is this if not preaching? It is simply beggars sharing food with each other. As you prepare, be sure to demonstrate. As you approach, bring your family too. Spend this week preparing your hearts. Examine who you are and who this God is, what His Christ has done and come ready for a feast. Not for your body but for your souls. Be hungry and thirsty for all that Christ provides. And next week – as one body – we will feast together. Be sure that you are ready. And in your preparation, prepare others as well.