THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, THE LORD'S SUPPER HAS BEEN THE MOST COMMON FORM OF PUBLIC WORSHIP. THE HOLY SUPPER TAKEN TOGETHER IN THE FORM OF WORSHIP BECOMES THE MEANS BY WHICH WE ARE EMPOWERED TO FULLY GIVE OF OURSELVES.
CHRISTIANS CAN ONLY MINISTER ON THE BASIS OF WHAT THEY HAVE INITIALLY RECEIVED. A CHRISTIAN CAN ONLY GIVE OF THEMSELF INDIVIDUALLY IF THEY HAVE FIRST RECEIVED JOINTLY IN THE CONTEXT OF WORSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS.
THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS IS BY TAKING OF THE LORD'S SUPPER TOGETHER. WE FEAST UPON THIS BLESSED SACRAMENT BECAUSE IT IS A SOURCE OF IMMENSE POWER FOR BUILDING UP AND SUSTAINING US AS THE BODY OF CHRIST.
BY COMMUNING TOGETHER UPON THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST, WE ARE BUILT UP IN FAITH AND LOVE, HEALED IN MIND AND BODY, ENABLED TO OVERCOME ALIENATION AND TO BECOME EQUIPPED TO SERVE OTHERS IN OUR CHURCH, COMMUNITIES, AND EVERY ENCOUNTER GOD ARRANGES FOR US TO ENGAGE.
THE WHOLE POINT AND MEANING BEHIND EATING THE BREAD AND DRINKING FROM THE CUP IN UNITY IS TO SIGNIFY THAT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US AND WILLINGLY SHED HIS BLOOD TO COVER ALL OF OUR SINS.
BY EATING THE BREAD, WE ARE PROCLAIMING CHRIST'S DEATH TO SHOW THAT JESUS GAVE UP HIS BODY FREELY FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS. BY EATING THE BREAD, TOGETHER, WE DECLARE THAT WE ARE WILLING TO GIVE UP OUR LIFE FOR THE JESUS.
BY DRINKING FROM THE CUP, WE PROCLAIM THAT CHRIST'S BLOOD HAS BEEN POURED OUT IN AN ATONING SACRIFICE TO NOT ONLY OFFER US FORGIVENESS AND SALVATION, BUT TO ESTABLISH THE NEW COVENANT OF HAVING A RESTORED RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD HIMSELF NOW AND FOREVER MORE.
BY DRINKING FROM THE CUP, TOGETHER, WE REAFFIRM TO RENDER GRACE AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, TO UPHOLD THE WORTH OF ALL PERSONS AS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, AND TO FORGIVE AS WE HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN.
THIS IS WHY PAUL STRESSED SUCH AN IMPORTANCE UPON THE LORD'S SUPPER. THAT IS WHY WE MUST BE IN AN ATTITUDE OF “SACREDNESS” WHEN COMING TO THE TABLE TO EAT AND DRINK OF THE ELEMENTS THAT REPRESENT TO US ALL THAT THE LORD HAS SACRIFICED, ACCOMPLISHED, AND COMMANDED.
THE LAST THING THAT THE LAST SUPPER SHOULD BE IS “JUST ANOTHER PART OF THE SERVICE.” THIS SACRAMENT IS A SOLEMN RITE, INSTITUTED BY OUR LORD HIMSELF AND CHARGED TO US TO ALWAYS REMEMBER ITS DEEP SIGNIFICANCE AND MEANING.
IN ORDER TO KEEP IT IN THIS CONTEXT, THE BEST THING WE CAN DO BEFORE COMING TO THE TABLE IS TO CONDUCT A RIGOROUS INNER SELF-EXAMINATION OF HEART AND SOUL.
IT IS OUR SOLUMN DUTY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE INNER CLEANSING SO THAT WE CAN APPROACH THE HOLY TABLE IN REMEMBRANCE WITH THANKSGIVING AND WITH A CHRIST-LIKE ATTITUDE. BY TAKING A SPIRITUAL INVENTORY OF OUR HEART, IT WILL GIVE US ASSURANCE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TO FEAR OR THINK OURSELVES AS “UNWORTHY” TO COME FORWARD.
FOR FAR TOO LONG, MANY HAVE TALKED THEMSELVES OUT OF PARTAKING OF THE LORD’S SUPPER SIMPLY DUE TO MISGUIDED THOUGHTS THAT “NO ONE CAN EVER BE FULLY WORTHY.”
DEALING WITH AND CONFESSING OUR UNWORTHINESS IS THE GOOD NEWS AND REASON FOR THIS PASSAGE. PAUL CHOSE HIS WORDS CAREFULLY AND INTENTIONALLY. PAUL USES THE ADVERB THAT MEANS "UNWORTHILY" INSTEAD OF PICKING THE ADJECTIVE THAT MEANS "UNWORTHY."
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? THE ADJECTIVE "UNWORTHY" REFERS TO PERSONAL CHARACTER WHERE THE ADVERB USED HERE FOR "UNWORTHILY" REFERS TO THE NATURE OF OUR ACTIONS. THIS WORD “UNWORTHILY” CAN MEAN “OF UNEQUAL WEIGHT” MUCH LIKE A WEIGHT-SCALE BEING IMPROPERLY BALANCED.
THE WARNING, HERE, IS NOT FOCUSED ON THOSE WHO WERE STRUGGLING IN SIN AND LONGING FOR FORGIVENESS, BUT TO ANYONE “OFF BALANCE” IN THEIR ATTITUDE BY NOT BEING SERIOUS AND BLINDLY TAKING THE SACRAMENTS WITH NO REGARD FOR THE SIN IN THEIR LIFE NOR FOR REMEMBERING THE MEANING BEHIND THE SACREDNESS OR HOLINESS OF THE SACRAMENT.
THIS IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERGO THE SELF-EXAMINATION EACH TIME WE APPROACH THE LORD'S TABLE. THE GREEK WORD USED HERE FOR "EXAMINE" MEANS "TO PUT TO THE TEST," OR "TEST TO APPROVE."
WE ARE TO PUT OURSELVES TO THE TEST AS TO OUR POSITION WITH JESUS. WE TEST THE ATTITUDES OF OUR HEARTS. WE TEST OUR RELATIONSHIPS TOWARD OTHERS AND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRUE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
FOR EXAMPLE, A SELF-EXAMINATION COULD REVEAL SUCH QUESTIONS SUCH AS, "AM I REALLY A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN? HAVE I WRONGED SOMEONE? HAVE I OFFENDED OR MISTREATED ANOTHER? HAVE I CHEATED OR BEEN STINGY TOWARDS THE CHURCH AND THE NEEDY? HAVE I ARROGANTLY PLACED MYSELF ABOVE SOMEONE ELSE? DO I HAVE UNCONFESSED SIN OR HAVE I BEEN INDIFFERENT TOWARDS MY SINS?"
YES, THOSE ARE SOME CONVICTING QUESTIONS TO ASK THAT ARE SOON FOLLOWED BY SOME VERY HARD ANSWERS. WHEN WE ALL APPROACH THE TABLE IT WILL BE JUST AS MUCH ABOUT OUR ATTITUDES AS IT WILL BE ABOUT THE BREAD AND THE JUICE.
LET US PUT OUR ATTITUDES, OUR MOTIVES, OUR INTENT, THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, AND DESIRES UNDER THE DIVINE JUDGMENT OF GOD AND COME CLEAN, COME RECONCILED, AND ABOVE ALL, COME ABLE TO EAT OF THE LORD'S TABLE TODAY.
AND AS YOU COME, KEEP ALIVE WITHIN YOU, THAT EVEN BEYOND THE REMEMBRANCE OF WHAT HE HAS DONE AND SUFFERED, WILL COME THE REALIZATION THAT WE ARE CELEBRATING HIS GRACE IN OUR REDEMPTION.
LET US DECLARE THAT HIS DEATH IS OUR LIFE, THE WELLSPRING OF ALL OUR COMFORTS AND HOPE. AS THE LORD INSTRUCTED US: COME! REMEMBER! TAKE OF THE BREAD AND RECEIVE FROM THE CUP, EAT, DRINK, AND BE THANKFUL.
