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Lesson 8 - The ordinance of the Lord's Supper
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take and eat; this is my body."
Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father*s kingdom." When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Mat 26:26-30)
The Lord's Supper did not appear from nowhere. The background is from the passover. In fact it was instituted during the Passover meal. The Jews understood this. Exodus 12. This was from the time when God told Moses that he will send a final plague and the firstborn of every Egyptian would be killed. God's judgement passed over every home where blood was painted on the door posts. It was after that the Pharaoh told Moses to take the Israelites out. The Passover is in remembrance of what God has done to deliver them out of Egypt. There was both a remembrance and a promise. The Jews remembered God delivering them from bondage in Egypt. The promise is they will be brought into the promise land.
The Israelites would not have left Egypt if it is just to go to the desert. It is a land of milk and honey that caused them to want to leave Egypt. The desert was only for a while but it ended up to be 40 years.
This is one of the most disputed theological sentence in the bible.
We want to see the How, What, Who
HOW - This is my body
Is it literal or symbolic? Until now this is not resolved. Thomas Aquinas, a Roman Catholic theologian in the 13th century dogmatised the Lord's Supper (Transubstantiation). See B1.
The Roman Catholic came up with this is because the Lord's Supper is necessary for salvation.
Everytime the mass is celebrated, the sacrifice of Christ is repeated (in some sense). So for a real sacrifice, the body of Christ must be present in some form.
To address this issue we raise the question, where is Jesus now?
The glorified body of Christ is now in heaven, seated next to the Father. Jesus is also God and at the same time omnipresent.
Our response is:
John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
It is a finished work so the sacrifice need not be repeated.
Hebrews 10:12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
The sacrifice of Christ is once and for all.
Martin Luther in the 16th century came up with the Consubstantiation view. See B2
This view is no different from Transubstantiation except instead of the element changing into the actual blood and body of Christ but contain it.
Zwingli came out with the view that it is just a memorial, symbolic of the body and blood of Christ. From the term remember.
Finally John Calvin came out with a view where it disagrees with all the others. He believe it is a memorial and is symbolic but a real (true) spiritual presence of the Lord. See B3
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
WHAT - Forgiveness of sin
When we take the Lord's Supper, what do we remember him for? Are we focused on spiritual blessings or physical (temporal) blessings. Forgiveness of sin is spiritual blessing and the coming of Christ (future kingdom of God).
1 Corinthians 11:23-34 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognising the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. 33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. 34 If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.
- Remembrance of Jesus
- Proclaim the Lord's death
- Until He comes
When a person who seek physical healing, financial provision and peace, he is seeking the temporal. Anything you need here and not in heaven is temporal. Is it wrong? No but all these are secondary benefits of the Lord's death.
When Paul says to proclaim the Lord's death, it is not about proclaiming the incident but rather the spiritual significance, that is the forgiveness of sin.
The sacrifice of Christ is for the propitiation of sin and we now have reconciliation and is now redeemed from the bondage of sin.
When we remember Him during Lord's Supper, we remember the above. And that He will come back. See A4.
Perhaps the most blessed and most solemn ordinance of the church is the Lord's Supper. On the night before his crucifixion our Saviour gathered his disciples together in an upper room to eat the feast of the Passover. He was about to die as the true Passover Lamb for the atonement of our sins. The Jews ate the Passover supper in anticipation of redemption, as it was portrayed in the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt. And, on the eve of his crucifixion, our Lord consecrated the supper to us as a memorial celebration of redemption by him.
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognising the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment to himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions. (1 Cor 11:23-34)
A. WHAT is the Meaning of the Lord's Supper?
There are several things symbolised and affirmed in the Lord's Supper.
1. When we participate in the Lord's Supper, we symbolise the death of Christ because our actions give a picture of his death for us. It also symbolises that we participate in or share in the benefits(blessings) earned for us by the death of Jesus. (1Cor 11:26)
2. The bread and wine of the Lord's Supper picture the fact that there is spiritual nourishment that Christ is giving to our souls. (1Cor 11:26) (John 6:53-57)
John 6:53-57 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.
This is about spiritual nourishment.
3. When Christians participate in the Lord's Supper together, they also give a clear sign of their unity with one another. (1Cor 11:29) (1Cor 10:17)
1 Corinthians 11:29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognising the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
The body of the Lord. This body has got 2 meaning. One is the bread which is the body of Christ but Paul wrote this also meaning the church, where there is a unity of spirit, coming together as a body of Christ.
4. The Lord's Supper is to be observed in remembrance of Christ. We remember his glorious person, his gracious works and his great promises. (1 Cor 11:24) (1 Cor 5:7)
B. HOW is Christ Present in the Lord's supper ?
1. The Roman Catholic View: Transubstantiation
The bread and wine actually become the physical body and blood of Christ. The bread and wine changes into the body and blood of Christ.
2. The Lutheran Protestant View: Consubstantiation
The physical body of Christ is present "in, with, and under" the bread of the Lord's Supper. The bread and wine contains the body and blood of Christ.
3. The non-Lutheran Protestant View: Symbolism and Spiritual Presence
The bread and wine symbolise the body and blood of Christ and Christ is spiritually present as we partake of the bread and wine. (Matt 18:20)
C. WHO Should Participate In the Lord's Supper?
All those who believe in Christ should participate in the Lord's Supper. However there must be some form of self-examination to ensure that we will not eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner. The Lord's Supper is definitely not for unbelievers. (1 Cor 11:28)
Questions
1. Is it biblical for a sick Christian to partake of the Lord's Supper primarily to obtain healing grace for his sickness ?
No. Because of the word primarily. The Lord's Supper has bigger implications. However, when the spiritual presence of Christ is in our midst, miracles happens but it is not what we seek primarily. We seek the spiritual blessings first and not the temporal.
2. Should we allow children to partake of the Lord's Supper?
We should not after having studied this through. When we say children, we look at age. When the child can articulate that they are saved and can comprehend it then it is time. Once they have a consciousness that they are a Christian. Maybe 12-14.
3. What is meant by partaking of the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner ? Can a Christian whose life is not perfectly holy partake of the Lord's Supper?
Self examination - worthy or unworthy. What is meant by unworthy? The state of your heart is important. It is not talking about perfect holiness. It is about ignorance, repentance and rebellion. don't examine someone else. It's about you and the Lord.
4. What will happen to an unbeliever who partakes of the Lord's Supper?
The bible says there will be judgement. And God uses the word discipline. And discipline is often for our good. And this is for the believer.
For the unbeliever, the wrath of God is on him. The unbeliever is under the law of God or his conscience. The believer, God disciplines. But when judgement falls under an unbeliever there is no special grace upon him. He will be judged not disciplined. What judgement? We do not know. Unless he took out of ignorance where I believe in cases like them they will not be judged. It is the state of the heart.
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