How Do You Look At The Lord's Table?

3/5/95 Lk. 22:19-20

How Do You Look At The Lord’s Table?

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The eastern large cities have elevated

trains. One of the stations is near a great

burying ground, Calvary Cemetery. For many

years, because in that part of the town there

were many more dead than living folk, the

trains did not stop at the cementery except on

request. Just after leaving the nearest

station, the intercom would say, "Next station

is Calvary. Train stops on signal only.

Anybody for Calvary?"

It is a parable of life’s train. At all the

other stations every train stops. At Market

Street, At School Street, at University

Avenue, At Main Street, at Vanity Fair, at

Broadway, at Church Street, at Home Avenue.

No special notice is needed, but to get off at

Calvary -- that means a choice and an

expressed desire.

- On the night before he was crucified He

instituted the Lord’s Table

- It crystallizes the Gospel into tangible

symbols

- Of his substitutionary & redemptive death

- Substitutionary - His body - The Bread

- Redemptive - His blood - The Cup

- We prepare ourselves as we look in different

ways at the ordinance.

1. We Should Look Backwards

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- Meditate on the God that was slain & sacrificed

- His shame & suffering

- Man says there it’s done

- Christ cries IT IS FINISHED

2. We Should Look Upward

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- Upward to the Christ who has been exalted to

Lordship over all

- Phip. 2:5-11

- The Christ who died for all sits on a throne

- Appoint Him to occupy the throne of our heart

- He alone is worthy to have complete

sovereignty of our heart

- To properly prepare for this table we

should seek to make Him Lord of our lives.

3. We Should Look Inward

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- For Him to occupy our lives there needs to

be holiness & righteousness

- None have the beauty of holiness

- Until we request Him to purge out every

attitude & ambition that is contrary to the

mind & spirit of our Lord there is no peace

- Recall His work on the cross for that very

life I live

- He became poor that I might become rich

4. We Should Look Forward

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- I Cor. 11:26 - For as often as ye eat this

bread

- Our Savior came 1st - Our Savior came

------- He comes again as Prince of Glory

- Our Savior came 1st in Great Humility

------- He comes again in Great Glory

- Our Savior came 1st in Sorrow and Shame

------- He comes again in Joy & Power

- Our Savior came 1st as Son of man Conceived

------- He comes again as Son Of God Received

- Our Savior came 1st to Occupy a Cross

------- He comes again to Occupy a Throne

- Our Savior came 1st to die for me

------- He comes again to come for me

5. CONCLUSION

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Think for a moment what were the first

recorded words of Christ?

".... Wist ye not that I must be about My

Father’s business. --- Lk. 2:49

How about His last words He spoken?

"It is finished --- Jn. 20:30

- A Backward Look is a Remembering look

- A Upwards Look is a Submissive look

- A Inward Look is a Cleansing look

- A Forward look is a Aspiring look