09.16.07
The Lords Supper - A Time of Examination
Christ has said in John 14:15 that if we love Him then we WILL keep His commandments. This brings me to a particular commandment, recorded by Paul, which is also echoed by the gospel writers.
1 Cor 11:24-25
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 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.”
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Partaking of the “Lord’s Supper” is not optional. It is a commandment and if we truly love Him, we will partake in this supper.
The modern day doctrine of partaking of the Lord’s Supper is 100 miles wide and just as high and that is proof enough of how far we, as a people, have drifted from the clear, unadulterated teachings of our God. His doctrine is clear and concise on this subject. We are to add no more to it and we are to take nothing from it.
Deut 4:2
2 You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
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And also:
Prov 30:6
Do not add to His words lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar.
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I encourage you to study the doctrine or teaching of the “Lords Supper”. Don’t ask your pastor, or your spouse, or your mom, or your dad, or even your friend. I very much doubt they will be with you on judgment day when you are giving your account. No, we must read and study for ourselves and work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.
However, I wanted to focus on one portion of the teaching that was left for us regarding the “Lords Supper”. It is also found in 1 Corinthians:
1 Cor 11:26-29
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the 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, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly.
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God has set this supper to be a time of self-examination. Too often this is forgotten but nonetheless it is written verse 28:
“let a man examine himself.”
So let me ask you; who judges himself “worthy” of the Lord. Who can say “I deserve the blessings of God?” If any man has done this, he has not judged the “body rightly” and he knows nothing of “grace” and certainly nothing of “mercy”.
Rom 3:10-12
10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”
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It is also written:
Gal 3:22
22 But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
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When will we learn that the Bible does not testify that we are good?
Luke 18:19
19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.”
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To the contrary, we are a fallen race. Without Christ as our righteousness, we have no hope. The “Lord’s Supper” was designed to bring this into “remembrance”.
For if we were good and worthy by ourselves we would not need a Savior. But as it stands, any examination of ourselves can only reveal that we have fallen short of the glory of God.
We must eat of His body and drink of His blood to be partakers with Christ.
John 6:53
53 Jesus therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.”
NASB
The “Lord’s Supper” is a time to deny ourselves any hope in self-righteousness and re-affirm our hope in the righteousness of Christ. Christ is our righteousness, we are not our own!
For the Truth of my King
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