SACRAMENTS, part 4 (The Lord's Supper)

“TAKING THE LORD’S SUPPER IN A WORTHY MANNER”
Sacraments, part 4
1 Corinthians 11:17-34
Rev. Grady Davidson 082811

As many of you know, in my family we’re in the process of teaching a teenager to drive a car (so far, so good). Looking at driving from the passenger’s seat, and for the first time in my life trying to teach driving to someone else, has forced me to re-think all the myriad of things that go into driving that 3000 pound missile down the road. In the process I’ve been reminded that safe driving really all boils down to being alert and attentive and aware of where you are, and what you’re doing, and what’s going on in the environment around you. In particular, a good driver is constantly checking the driver’s side mirror, the passenger side mirror, and the rear-view mirror – all the while keeping focused on the road ahead through the windshield. As my daughter is learning to drive above all else I just want her to learn to be vigilantly aware of what’s going on around her. (As my Dad would say, “You’ve got to drive for the other guy too!”)
Today we’re coming back to our study in God’s Word on the Lord’s Supper – this sign and seal of God’s covenant of grace. Last week we saw the Lord’s Supper as an event of remembrance and of anticipation as our spirits are fed on the life of Jesus Christ at His Table. Today we’re talking about preparation to come to the Lord’s Table. As I studied this text that is the classic passage of scripture on being prepared to come to the Lord’s Table and taking it in a worthy manner, it occurred to me that preparing yourself to dine at the Lord’s Supper is a lot like a safe driver constantly checking her mirrors. In particular there are four questions of self-examination that the Bible teaches we should always ask before coming to the Table (in your bulletin):
1. Am I a baptized, born again Christian?
2. Am I being considerate of others in the Body of Christ?
3. Have I properly examined my own life?
4. Am I aware of the presence of Christ at the Lord’s Supper?
(I’m going to teach briefly on each of those.)
But before digging in, I want to address some of the extremes that we sometimes see with regard to taking the Lord’s Supper. These are extremes which don’t honor the Lord, and miss the point of the Table; and we need to avoid.
On the one end of things, some folk come to this table and take the Lord’s Supper with the same attitude and expression on the face that they would have when they’re in a funeral receiving line, viewing a dead body. Friends, the Lord’s Supper isn’t a funeral visitation. There’s nothing morbid about this sacrament. If you lean in that direction, then you would do well to remember that precious name for the sacrament which the Episcopal Church uses: the “eucharist,” a table of “thanksgiving.” When I administer the Lord’s Supper, I always try to mention especially that this is His Table, and Jesus is the Host. You dishonor your host, to come to his table with a glum face!
Still others we observe are gripped with a paralyzing fear that keeps them from participating in the Lord’s Supper. They take vv. 28, 29 of our text very seriously (to examine themselves). The result is that they become consumed with spiritual naval-gazing, so that they’re focused so much on their own sin, that they entirely miss the message of the Table – which is the broken body and the shed blood of Christ –given FOR SINNERS. To walk away from the sacrament with the seemingly pious excuse, “I’m not good enough,” is an insult to Jesus Christ who died for you, and earnestly desires to have the honor of your presence at his table!
A third extreme: those who are totally unprepared and they receive the Lord’s Supper the same way they’d pick up a Happy Meal in the drive through at McDonalds.
Enough chitchat.
The first place a good driver should look when starting up the car is through the windshield. (Is there another car or a pedestrian or a trashcan in front of the car?)
Before receiving the Lord’s Supper, the windshield to check out before proceeding forward is the question: Am I a baptized, born again Christian? Have you received Christ into your life as your Savior and your Lord, trusting Him and Him alone for your salvation? Do you believe that He died on the Cross for you and for your sins? And hearing the good news about Jesus, have you responded to that message with faith, with repentance, and with public profession of your faith? If not, then you are not a Christian. You are not a member of God’s family. You are an outsider to God’s family, and the Lord does not invite you to come to His Table. If you are not certain of your salvation, then don’t despair. You can receive Jesus Christ today, before this service is over! There is no reason for anyone to leave this sanctuary and go home dead in their trespasses and sins. I urge you, please, believe in Jesus Christ, surrendering to Him right now!
But notice also the phrasing of the question: Am I a baptized, born again Christian? Perhaps you believe in Jesus Christ; the Holy Spirit has given you assurance of your salvation. You love Jesus; you trust in Him – and yet you’ve never been baptized. We ask that you receive the sacrament of baptism first, which is the sign of your coming in to God’s family. Baptism is to be administered once; after that you will come regularly to the Lord’s Table to receive His grace and strength and for the renewing of your faith.
Second question:
Am I being considerate of others in the Body of Christ? I think of this question as the driver’s side mirror. You want to check that mirror for traffic before pulling out!
The Corinthian Christians (to whom the Apostle wrote in our text) did everything with gusto, and that certainly included the way they took the Lord’s Supper. Here’s the situation that Paul was addressing in these verses. The first thing that you have to understand is that the Corinthians were in the habit of celebrating the Lord’s Supper as a fully cooked, “four course” dinner. The second thing that you have to understand by way of background is that in the Corinthian congregation there were a number of very wealthy, influential folk; but many extremely poor people – slaves, dock workers, laborers. For the poor in the church, coming to the Lord’s Supper meant a rare opportunity to get a decent meal. But the wealthy people, who had more leisure in their schedules, were arriving early and eating everything (and some even becoming intoxicated)… then when the poor showed up, there was nothing left. Paul asks, “What are you doing? Do you despise one another? Are you intentionally humiliating the needy people in the congregation?” The offense of the situation was double-edged. The rich were insulting the poor at the Table; but what’s more, and worse, is that by insulting those whom the Lord invites to His feast, they were insulting the LORD himself (because he’s the host!)
To look at it from another perspective: the one loaf speaks to us of our unity in Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 10:17, “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.” If there’s something wrong between you and another believer (especially if it’s someone in our church family), then it is paramount that you apologize and ask forgiveness, or as the case may be, extend forgiveness to your brother or sister before coming to the Table.
Furthermore, this text calls to our attention that we should be aware and attentive concerning what other people are going through. If somebody’s broke and needs some help with grocery money; or someone’s sick and hurting, or grieving or has any other kind of known, identified need… then it behooves us NOT to come to the Table until we have first given assistance to our brother or sister in Christ. We can’t (on the one hand) claim to be a part of the Body of Christ by coming and taking from the one loaf; and yet (on the other hand) overlook obvious needs within the Body (see ch. 12!)
So before coming to the Table we need to step back and take a look at our relationships, especially our relationships with one another.
Question three: Have I properly examined my own life? This is the rear-view mirror, the one which if you tilt your head just right, you can see yourself in the reflection!
(see vv. 27-28 in the text; v. 27, lit., you murder the Lord)
This is where we confess our sin, turn away from it and believe the gospel that Jesus died for that sin. This is where we ask the Holy Spirit to probe into our hearts and bring to light anything that stands between us and the Lord. The question isn’t, “Have I sinned in the past week or past month, since taking the Lord’s Supper?” Of course you have! The question is, “Right now, this moment, knowing my sin, do I truly believe in Jesus? Right now, do I truly want His supernatural life to be strengthened within me for that ongoing battle with the world, the flesh and the devil?” If you can answer that question, “YES!,” then you have every reason to come to the Table without fear or hesitation. At this point I want to return to what I said earlier about those who are so introspective and so worried about sin in their lives that they rarely if ever take communion. Listen – the Lord invites you to His table! If you feel unworthy, that is just to say that you have a good and sober estimation of yourself. But don’t miss the gospel, that Christ is worthy, and that in Christ you are loved, accepted, forgiven and valuable. That is the message of this Table!
I am growing to love the Westminster Larger Catechism. It’s so thoughtful and so pastoral. And one of the Larger Catechism questions deals with this very issue:
Q. 172. MAY ONE WHO DOUBTS OF HIS BEING IN CHRIST, OR OF HIS DUE PREPARATION, COME TO THE LORD'S SUPPER?
A. One who doubts of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, may have true interest in Christ, though he be not yet assured thereof; and in God's account has it, if he be duly affected with the apprehension of the want of it, and unfeignedly desires to be found in Christ, and to depart from iniquity: in which case (because promises are made, and this sacrament is appointed, for the relief even of weak and doubting Christians) he is to bewail his unbelief, and labor to have his doubts resolved; and, so doing, he may and ought to come to the Lord's Supper, that he may be further strengthened.
Translation: If you have doubts about your level of preparation for the Table, then most likely the best thing you can do is come on and participate in the Lord’s Supper, so that Christ can meet you there and strengthen your faith!
Question four:
Am I aware of the presence of Christ at the Lord’s Supper? (see v. 29) There’s some debate about this verse. Some people (a majority?) believe that recognizing the Lord’s body and blood has to do with the seriousness of the elements of bread and wine, knowing that Christ is truly and spiritually presented to us in the elements. Other people argue about this verse, that recognizing the “body” has to do with question #2 on your outline; that is, “am I aware of other Christians and my relationship with them?”
Personally, I think the verse is big enough to capture both those meanings. But if nothing else, there’s a warning here that when we take the bread and take the cup in our hands, that we are drawing as near to Jesus Christ as we will ever be this side of eternity (and what a sobering thought!). Jesus Christ is truly present by His Spirit in the bread and the wine. This is why covenant children who have been baptized, but have not yet been examined by the Elders and professed their faith, should not take the Sacrament. We want to see that a child or a new believer can explain the meaning of the sacrament in his or her own words before he or she is permitted to come to the Lord’s Table.
I’m not dwelling on it, but notice that Paul (v. 30 ff) says that God had disciplined many of the Christians in Corinth through physical sickness and even death because they were failing to recognize the body of the Lord.
Conclusion: Kistemaker, “Practical Considerations,” 395-396.