Five Truths Concerning the Lord's Table

First Corinthians chapter 11. As we look afresh at this text on the Lord's table. Those of you who are good notetakers and daters of my sermons you'll know the five priests in this text numerous times you know you say somewhere over 40 years than you preach on the miter major text a lot, however, this is a brand-new outline the brand-new message so you can't say what he preach that right there I saw that this was a new one you love the Lord's table. This observance God has given his local church is one of those things that submit to remind us that we are inseparably connected with eternity to maybe jolt us afresh that what we are experiencing now in time and space history still little tiny speck of all that's there we were in the heart of God in eternity past as he foreordained that he would have a people and build his church were part of God's communion God's fellowship.

Now, as his elect, regenerate born-again children but not me and with this. This is just a little passing over sojourn if you will, and we connect all the way to eternity and I will know the glorious things. That's one of the things that we need to be mindful of when we take the Lord's table that bought God's doing. We are connected to the eternal God, and shall never perish SlickEdit together we'll look at verses 23 through 29 of first Corinthians chapter 11 Paul writes for I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you. The Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread 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 he took the cup, also after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes that whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord, but a man must examine himself and in so doing these. To eat of the bread and drink of the cup who, for he who eats and drinks eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the bottle body rightly now. I'll not take the time to unpack all that's here that would take actually several messages but I do want to give you father keep troops five key truths concerning the Lord's table 5 things I want you to think on this morning grasp afresh as we share as a local church body together in what we sometimes call communion, or the Lord's table. First of all, let's note its divine authorization. Actually, I could use the word sanction. There is divine sanction, but I'll use the word its divine authorization we see in verse 23 Paul said I'm going to deliver to you the notice is wording what received from the Lord. That means this didn't come from me. The instruction the command if you will that we partake of this ordinance.

This communion together came from God by divine revelation to Paul. So Paul is saying here know what I'm teaching you church is not something that I received from the narrative of the Lord's original installation of the Lord's table. I'm not teaching you are sharing with you something I've learned from others. This is not a creative element that came out of my mind that I think might be best for the churches to observe and practice. I did not get these instructions even from the most imminent apostle are even trustworthy eyewitnesses to the first Lord's supper know it's greater than that I got this by direct divine revelation from the Lord. I received it from a the Lord and motivate the apostle Paul establishes that the totality of the doctrine he preached the gospel which is saying basically the same thing. The gospel that he preached, came to him by divine revelation of his is something outside of our comprehension.

Today, God is not giving divine direct authoritative revelation to men today. He did that through his early apostles, and they wrote down the sacred text that we would have their in our Bibles. The faith once for all delivered to the site's but those early men were wrought upon by the spirit of God, to give the binding authoritative truth of God to the church for all generations, for example in Galatians 111 and 12, Paul writes, for I would have you to know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man the gospel preach is not of man's making members. 12. The first car. Galatians 1. For I neither received it from a man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Actually, all the times I preach the Lord's table. I've never brought this out. Paul specifically says here. This isn't just a story or an oral tradition of how the Lord did it. God gave me the specific your to hold and practice is the church concerning the Lord's table so we notice is divine authorization artist divine sanction. It came from God. He thought it up. No II notice divine sanctification. I know you know that the word sanctification simply means to be set apart is the idea that something is not of a profane or a base around that. This is sanctified, its unique and set apart. It has a purpose. It is from God and into his eyes as a purpose for God.

The text clearly says in verse 25 in the same way he took the cup, here's the phrase also.

After supper I think the point is made there. The reason Paul writes it like that is because the Lord's table wasn't just a part of another meal. The regular supper the regular meal had finished. It was all over, and then the Lord did something distinctly new and separate and different when he instituted the Lord's supper are communion, it is sometimes called so this supper is unique. It is set apart. It is given by God is to be separate from all of the suppers. All of the remembrances and all of the ordinances. The course is only one of the ordinance and that is baptism. So being separate. It stands alone. In one sense, you can never say where the Lord's table is like this because it's not like anything else that you make. There's nothing else we do.

That's like the Lord's table.

Now the message of the Lord's table in so many ways is like the message of the ordinance of baptism proclaims Christ in the work of Christ and saving us, but it's also unique in many wipes. It has a sanctified element to it. It's different. For example, a father may be sitting around the table one evening at supper time and the father may say you know were all Christians. Now we all believe in the Lord and were all sharing a meal together. So this is like the Lord's supper. Well, the Lord is present whenever were fellowship in together and him. Of course, but that is not like the Lord's supper. It's distinct from those type fellowships. It's unique and it's very special. Now a significant part of the supper sanctification is that it is given as a local church ordinance, you might say it's given to the church is not to be toyed with or tampered with or taken lightly and in lighter fellowships or more are trivial might be a good word trivial settings. It's a special and sanctified ordinance given to the local church. It's not intended for any other setting Lord's table is a communion with Christ in a communion with his church. One to the other is to be only observed in his church. Done talking about. It's sanctification limiting for quick thoughts here about it being not just sanctified but closely akin to that word its holy that's one of the ideas assigned to the case and is something is set apart as holy under the Lord. Well we know it's a holy ordinance because it was given again by divine direct revelation. That's very unique that there are many times where the Bible says something along the line of the apostles. What seemed best to them. There are dozens and dozens could we say hundreds of things we do in the church that we have no divine direct authority about it. It's just what we say think is wisest and best. There's nothing in the Bible about having a student camp every summer.

There's nothing in the Bible about having a kids camp every summer is nothing in the Bible about having a vacation Bible school, not those specific instructional acts that we think it's good and wise. We think it's best but those things are not in the league with this holy ordinance that God gave directly to Paul. The specifics of what it is about and how we are to observe and has a unique holy sanctification. It was given that by divine direct revelation secondly is a holy ordinance because he says in verse 25 it proclaims the Lord's death, just gloss over that proclaiming the Lord's death through this holy ordinance means this is indeed holy ground. Thirdly, not only is it a holy ordinance because it came a divine retinal revelation proclaims the Lord's death, but also he should do it, in remembrance of me and he is the holy one remember me remember what I've done to forgive you and save you. And then fourthly he warns in verse 27 that when we approach this supper. We must not approach it in an unworthy manner. Why it's a holy ordinance so we notice that this supper is given a divine authorization or sanction. We notice this Lord's table is giving a divine sanctification if unique, it's special. There's nothing else like it, but thirdly let's notice this divine interpretation of the words. As Paul was given the instruction on the Lord's table. It wasn't just up to us to put our own understanding on it RRR our own meaning to it. God has told us what we are to understand about the Lord's table. So how does God want us to interpret this supper. How are we to understand it.

Are we to lean over here with our Roman Catholic friends in Roman Catholic theology says that the Lord's supper is a part of the mass, it has to be administered by a priest and somehow intaking the wafer and in somehow in drinking the wine Christ very body is in effect crucified for you again and you swallow is very body because transubstantiation, the Roman Catholic doctrine teaches that the bread actually become the body of Christ, and we drink the wine in in Roman theology. It means that the Jews actually becomes the blood of Christ. And so, in partaking of what they would call this sacrament in the church, you are actually doing a work a ritual that help secure your soul and gain your own salvation. Are we to lean in that direction course were not that some man adding to the ordinance what God hasn't added and I will say again I said it many times what you did or said because the principles of false teaching occur everywhere under all kinds of headings but it's an effort to make the people dependent upon the church because they would tell you you got to have the impartation of this sacrament.

In order to gain the salvation you long for. I want to tell you, with all the patches of my soul. Your salvation does not depend upon Jeff Nodland or the church elders of the church staff are some priest we administered thing we preach the word that reveals to you. Cripes I knew go to Christ in faith to be tried here hello secures and save your soul. So it's important that we have the interpretation of what this mean well three thoughts here. You can probably have 47 even but three key thoughts about the understanding of the supper. First of all, is meant to be a symbol and therefore a reminder of Christ and his saving work of the Lord uses the emblem of bread and in the earlier gospel.

He says this bread is my body.

In other words, it symbolizes my body and then the symbol of wine this this wine is the new covenant in my blood and in the symbol of him distributing it as he breaks the bread and passes around its feet symbol of how out of Christ very being in life and work on the cross he did he distributes to us forgiveness and new eternal life. These are symbols and reminders brothers and sisters, I submit to you a view that takes these things as little it literally sort of magically becoming Christ as we eat them. You can go to any witch doctor in the Bush of Africa get the same teaching in principle, it's a silly superstition. Our forefathers God to stand against it and rejected.

You must trust Christ not a ritual inside the church house to save you, and these emblems of the table are symbolic to remind us that he and he alone is mighty to say well it's a symbol of Christ in the saving work also. It's a celebration of our salvation brothers and sisters, we remind ourselves this morning that the Lord's table is not a fast it's a feast it's not a time when we sing a wall for birds were not here this morning to sing the blues. I like the blues but not about Jesus not blue about him, sing the blues or to sing at guards witnessing the joy of the security of our salvation in this glorious were the one, Jesus Christ. So it is a symbol of Christ and his saving work. It is a celebration of our salvation but also interest in interpreting it.

Our understanding it. Let's notice that it is a communion deepest commonality. It is a communion deepest commonality in October. I'm supposed to get another grandchild and watching my wife with my children when they were just tiny infants and watching my daughters with their babies. There's nothing in the human realm that can really grasp the depth of the bond between a mom and her newborn baby. But even that pales in comparison to the bond we have in Christ, and we have together because mobs when you get to heaven is precious is that baby what is she will not be your baby in heaven not think of even a more glorious unity in heaven, but it won't be that kind of unity you knew as mom and child is and so what we have as the redeemed of the Lord and what we share together, and particularly what's to be thought of and pointed out and made all where fresh in our hearts and minds during the Lord's table is that we have a communion of deepest commonality. We are one with him. We take the supper taking the bread remembering his body is one with us.

His body was cross for us. His life lives in us. We are one with him and he is one with us. Let's listen to the words of the high priestly prayer in John 17 verses 20 and 21 Jesus talks to the father and he says I do not ask on behalf of these alone.

That means those believers who were there around them. At that time, but for those also who believe in me through their word. That's us. We believe the word they recorded in Scripture so much. Jesus asked verse 21, that they may all be one, even as you father are in me and I in you, so that they also may be in us so that the world may believe that you sent me. The Lord is praying that I want them to grow in grasping the commonality the union the oneness they have in Christ together and that's the most fun way they can show the world that I'm real way. We love, care for, consider ourselves united in the Lord's supper more than anything.

God's given us is the point that out and bring that afresh to our mind. We are one Lord, one faith, one baptism, Paul writes to the church at Ephesus, emphasizing that no matter where you come from or where you are, we all believe in the same Lord. We ought the same basic tenets of our faith. We are baptized with the same profession through believers baptism were all one in John 1711 Jesus said, I'm no longer in the world and yet they themselves. My children are in the world and I come to you.

Holy father keep them in your name. The name which you have given me, that they may be one, what, when this Jesus even as we are. Can you just call for moment can you use the gray matter God put between your ears to summons up all of it and try to contemplate for moment the intimacy of God the father with God the son and God the son with God the father just can't grasp it. And Jesus says I want them to sense that commonality that communion that oneness that father me and you have well it's developing right now that oneness is growing right now as we grow together matured a local church will be culminated on a day later so we are one with him. He is one with us and we are one with each other in him, so we've seen something of the divine authorization are sanction of this ordinance, God gave it to Paul, we sing something of his divine sanctification. It's is not to be tagged onto a meal even like that we find have a meal in the do the Lord's supper not saying that's wrong but it stands alone, its unique and special. Thirdly, the divine interpretation. It's a symbol for us to remember Christ and what is done is a celebration of all that he's done for us and it's a communion of the deepest commonality number four is divine proclamation. Whatever else the supper says he says in verse 26 we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. We proclaim the Lord's death. That means when we take the supper it's important not listen to me, we'll just proclaim that he died. Anybody can do that, no, no, no wheatgrass more than just he died. He's not just an example of unselfishness that we was radically unselfish. It's more than that. Did he die and what he accomplished in his death, is what we proclaim now in the context the Corinthian church was missing, it is Paul writes to them. He's already pointed out that in their carnality, and in their immaturity.

They were not using the Lord's supper to proclaim him in his death. They were using it to get drunk they were using it just a fill up and be gluttonous. So in effect in their gross immaturity.

They were proclaiming that the Lord's death was insignificant. They were in effect proclaiming the Lord's death is unimportant.

Paul is trying to rope them in and get them back on track. In verse 27 that's why he says. Therefore, anyone who eats the bread or drinks of the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

What does it mean by an unworthy manner.

I believe a lot of you sitting here this morning have a false and wrong concept of what it means to take the supper in the unworthy manner and unworthy manner means coming to the supper with a proud heart coming to the supper with a proud heart and giving to the supper any meaning other than the meaning. The Lord gave it that's coming in unworthy manner to come to the table in unworthy manner does not mean we have to become worthy before we come, then none of us would ever come.

Then none of us would ever take of the supper, succumbing in a worthy matter does not believe you got mean you go through some sort of purging some sort of cleansing experience.

How I can take the supper you now more than you know you just went backwards. Now you're proud now your arrogant and you by thinking you became more the exit became more unworthy coming to the supper in a worthy matter listen to you pastor is to come in humility and to come with a heart proclaiming him and him alone is worthy coming to say here I am father, I partake of this precious communion.

The Lord's table and I calm with the radical depths of unworthiness and I come proclaiming that the one represented in these elements is the only worthy one. By the way he's not just worthiness person. He's worthy in his work. The father looked at the son's death for us on the cross and the father says that's a worthy sacrifice that someone talk, but that right there is where justice so now I can declare my children themselves, holy unworthy is worthy because the word they want in their place. That's how you come worthy, convincing your unworthiness convention. His whole worthiness. If one comes to the supper, supposing that the supper is some sort of work are our ritual that somehow pleases God and helps us achieve a worthiness or even our salvation. That's just pride that's coming in an unworthy manner would come to the supper humble and thankful that though we are all equally holy unworthy of him and the salvation he's given us yet. This attitude is the only way we come in a worthy manner. As we all take of the supper today as committed. Repentance of what we are and how we perform but come celebrating may be woefully unworthy. I is a statement of God, but I come holding to the one who is holy, worthy, that's my joy that's my celebration. That's about satisfaction. How powerful that is the divine proclamation that would make as we take of the bread and take of the juice and commune together is we proclaim Christ, the worthy lot who in his grace has made us now worthy so we proclaim this to ourselves.

When you take the supper you're telling yourself a fresh were sinners but he's our Savior. We proclaim it to God. We say appraisal Lord used the word they want and it's all about him, and he saved us a week. We were fraction place again our faith and trust in your son Jesus Christ.

We proclaim it to each other. We say friend brother in Christ Sr. in Christ.

This partake together and encourage one another. French though we are all the unworthy ones he the one represented here is the worthy one and can specifically in his death for our sins. We proclaim the supper to the world say to the world. Trust in what you want to trust in, hold what you want hold to. We will cling to Christ.

We proclaim it to sinners who are not yet forgiven.

Some of you can't take of the supper because you haven't come to a settled faith in Jesus Christ. You have been bad times and added to a local congregation. So it's not for you yet that mean you're less than you the rest of us. You just have to become one of his so we proclaim to you, look fellow, unworthy one take the free gift represented in these elements and know the forgiveness he will distribute it to you and distribute to you eternal life.

Leslie, it's divine termination. It wasn't meant to last forever. Verse 26 the Lord said were to do these things until he comes in the sense that it will go to do today. This is just the appetizer. This is a foreshadowing of what's to come if I can say this in the proper way.

I guess at the famously anthropomorphic Lee just from a human perspective Jesus and is in heaven. And Jesus is even now woefully unhappy in the way it's being done right now that's not true. Theologically, just for for for purposes of illustration because she didn't save us to leave us in our sinful bodies to save us to leave us today. Ms. Woelfel sinful judge condemned world peace. Save desk to be with him pleases the supper you take right now.

Holy and wonderful and special and got David is raised is wondrous, but it's not the main thing. This suffers only in one day. By divine edict. This supper is to be practiced in local churches until he returns. And then it will be terminated is terminated as the blood terminates to the full bloom for and that day we will no longer need the symbol because we will have him oh my goodness, I pray that there's a longing in your heart that is you touch that bread wafer as you drink that juice juice at all for the day when I don't need the symbol any longer as I will be with him. Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 26, 29 but I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on into the day when I drink it new with you in my father's kingdom not made by my knowing picture the Lord sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high and there's a little table beside the Lord and there's a goblet there on that table only changes which I Lord, why do you sit here with that vessel beside you. That's just remind me every day that soon I'm going to like this new glorious supper with my children when I gather them all together to myself. I just kept saying this, are you listening, he will not lose one every single one of his will be there to get in on that supper. He spoke of that day. He prays for that day.

Here he leaves he has prayed for that date. In John 1724 is praying to the father. Father, I desire that they also he knew have given me, be with me where I am.

That's what this is all pointing this is not just something we go through this pleases the Lord and maybe this gives me a check box or two checked off in heaven that I get closer to getting help. This is just a reminder, a stimulant tip you will of the greater communion that is to come. The Lord's supper. The Lord's table.

We take today will one day terminate and the marriage supper of the Lamb will commence. Revelation 19 639.

Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters, and the sound of mighty peals of thunder sing hallelujah for the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to him for the marriage of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready. He was given her to clothe herself in fine linen bride and clean for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me right. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb, not to the Lord's table, the sooner supper will never take this up again. Revelation 21, 134 saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first Arthur passed away and there's no longer any sea.

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, I think that's a picture of the church, coming down out of heaven from God, made as a bride adorned for her husband and heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, here's the key to the tabernacle of God is among men, and he dwells among them. That's the difference you see, not symbolically more peace they are and were there with him and they shall be his people, and God himself will be among them and their some wonderful reciprocal byproducts of this verse four he will wipe every tear from their eyes. You have tears in your eyes this morning. You have tears in your heart this morning.

Temporary there will be terminated to if we have in Christ. For one moment, if you think I'm just a little down to use a timeout.

Not here.

That's all that's of the old order figure speech because it can't happen once were glorified. You can't be saved anymore. Not another tear you wipe every tear from their eyes.

And the longer bikini death, no more funerals normal funeral homes. Though no longer be any mourning or crying or pain. The first things have passed away the Lord's table. We take this morning is a part of the first things is not part of the final things when there's a wedding rehearsal here at the church is quite common during the wedding rehearsal for one of the bridesmaids to stand in for the broad that went abroad during the rehearsal can sit back there and watching to see how it all looks make sure she's happy with everything, but I've never one time in over 40 years of doing weddings saw the bridesmaids stand-in effectuating none. I know that symbol is okay during the rehearsal. But when the real thing happens. She's nobody there will the symbols we glory in the Lord's table are important now divinely ordained. They don't matter when the real thing happens in that day. We will no longer symbolize the glorious truth of our salvation.

We will realize them. Justification, sanctification, glorification, all complete.

We will no longer look for them by faith, we will walk in them forever and together we will walk with him forever. Glorious termination of the Lord's table