The challenge for us as Christians are to keep things "fresh" and spiritual as we are creatures of habit. This includes sermons, our prayers, and even in our reciting of creeds like the Apostle creed. A challenge to be spiritual alive and engaged in our practice. We have this to as we partake of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. What kind of damnation do we receive if we partake unprepared? or in a manner unworthily? It cannot mean eternal damnation! It is chastening from the Lord even as the Lord chastened His church in the old testament.
Meaning: Paul gives this admonition with the problems at Corinth and is talking about the abuse of the Lord's table (love feasts.) They have divisions but thought they could come together and partake of the table. They did NOT discern our Lord Jesus Christ and the difference between just a meal and the Lord's table...a sacrament!
Manner: How are we going to discern the body and blood of Christ in this sacrament? We need to do this in a manner in which we do not fall into the trap of the Corinthians. Make our sins, think about the body of Christ and what He did for us, the depth and spiritual realm as it was a challenge for the Corinthians and for us as well! We MUST examine ourselves! If we properly discern the body of Christ and ourselves and partake properly with the full understanding of our sins...then we will not be judged. The Corinthians did not do this and if we do it PROPERLY and fully endeavor, then God would not have to judge us! If we do not, the Lord will chasten us as the children of God as we are not properly partaking so we are not condemned as He condemns the world. We pray the same thing in our prayers as we pray "lead us not into temptation..." in the Lord's prayer. Do we put the FULL weight into our examining of ourselves? That is partaking unworthily where we do not see the full depth of our sins, our forgiveness, or speak to those we have problems with. We MUST judge ourselves!!!
The steps of doing this?
1. How great our sins are and the curse that is due to us for them. How do we understand the depth of Christ if we do not understand the depth of our sins?
2. The atoning blood of Christ who removes our sins as far as east if from west.
Result" We grow in grace more and more in a sanctified and holy life! If we do not God will chasten us...but if we do, we will experience forgiveness FULL and FREE and eat and drink of this sacrament to life everlasting. To live eternal having assurance of forgiveness!
"The Lord's Supper" John 6 & LD 28&29 We move from the general to the particulars in these Lord's days. Baptism is INCORPORATION. We are made righteous by the washing of regeneration and engraphted into Christ. Now we move on to continual...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"Partaking Properly" LD 30b & I Corinthians 10 The 2nd of the sacraments that we have already looked at the meaning of the table. Now we ask who may partake and sit at the table. The first has to do with my personal view (what we feel in our...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"The Testimony of the Supper" LD 31a & Hebrews 9 This confession puts an emphasis on our salvation without doubt. This confession lays out the difference between the Lord's Supper and the mass. Not between the ceremonies themselves. We have...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"The Lord's Supper" LD 28&29, John 6 We need to know the distinction between the sacraments. Baptism is a sign of incorporation into Christ and the Holy Spirit engraphting us into the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord's Supper however...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"A Significant Distinction" Romans 7:24-25 We know the 8th chapter of Romans very well, with many able to recite it. But this week we deal with our sins. We need to have a peace as we wrestle with our sin so we can come to the Lord's table in good...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
