Means of Grace: The Lord's Table

Luke 22:14–20 NKJV

14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

Passover and The Lord’s Table

In Exodus 12, we find information concerning the Passover. Now, the Passover was a meal that recalled the mighty acts of God as He delivered Israel from the slavery that they endured in Egypt for over 400 years. So, this meal was established so the people of Israel would be reminded that God is the God who delivered His people from bondage. It would also go on to be connected to sacrifice, in Deuteronomy 16:5-7 we find where the head of the household was to slaughter a pure lamb and this was to symbolize perfection and purity. Keith Mathison said, “The blood of the Passover lamb distinguished the people of God from the unbelieving Egyptians, and observation of the Passover was a sign of faith in God. The Passover also marked Israel’s redemption from slavery in Egypt. It commemorated her birth as a nation. Throughout all of Israel’s generations, the Passover was to be a memorial of God’s great redemptive act. It was also to be a teaching opportunity for Israelite parents, who were to explain its significance to their children.”

So, as we look here in Luke 22:14-16, we see the Lord Jesus is going to institute His Supper on the night of Passover. Why is this? It’s because He is the one the Passover spoke of. He is the God who provides deliverance of sinners and He is the Lamb of God who is pure and spotless and He is the one that redeems us from our sin. So, as He sets up this Supper, He is stating that something great is about to happen and He sets up this Supper so that we may remember it forever, and that’s just a little bit of the purpose of the Supper. Let’s go to our next point where we’ll see what the rest of it’s purpose is.

The Purpose of the Lord’s Table

Illustration: I am a fairly sentimental person. I will keep old hats and items that remind me of people that I love who have passed away. And every now and again I’ll pull out some of those old things just to think about that person that I loved so much. And this is one way that the Lord’s Supper works, but that’s not the only way. There are three main things I want us to know about the Lord’s Table.

It Is For Commemoration

In 1 Corinthians 11:24 , we read,

1 Corinthians 11:24 NKJV

24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Like I just said a moment ago, the Lord’s Table was put in place as a time where we come to remember the Lord. But remember what exactly? Well, a few things are:

We are to remember His suffering on our behalf and the New Covenant in His Blood

Notice how He uses the word, “broken” to describe His body, and in Matthew 26:28 we read,

Matthew 26:28 NKJV

28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

As we take the Lord’s table, we should consider the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ, but not only His suffering, but that His suffering was as our substitute. He said His body was broke for you, and that His blood was shed for many. The work of Jesus that we remember in the Lord’s table wasn’t some cold, disconnected work that we remember as a hobby. No, He actually suffered for me and for you!

He said that in His blood, would come the New Covenant. Through the blood of Christ would come a Covenant people that would be held by the love of God, a people who would truly know their Lord, through His blood would come a heavenly people, a kingdom that can not be stopped. As we partake of the Table, we remember these things.

It Is For Contemplation

Matthew 26:29 NKJV

29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Jesus would never again partake of the Passover on Earth, but here He is giving us a hint of that future day where we will be together forever to enjoy that feast with Him in Heaven.

At the Lord’s Table, Samuel Renihan writes, “Is the rehearsal dinner of the great marriage feast of Christ and His bride. Partaking in the one is an anticipation and foretaste of the other.” The Lord’s Table looks forward to that final day where we will enjoy that feast with the Lord and enjoy Him forever.

It Is For Communion

Now, it isn’t uncommon for us to call the Lord’s Supper, a Communion Service, and I think that terminology is perfectly fine and the reason is that in this Supper we actually enjoy the presence of Christ with us in a very special way. When it comes to the Local Church and our need to discipline a rebellious brother, Jesus said, “Where two or more are gathered in my name there am I in the midst of you.” And if Christ is present in a difficult time as this, He is also sure to be present with us in this ordinance of the Lord’s Table. Now this isn’t just wishful thinking. Jesus said that the bread is His body and that the wine is His blood. Now, He is speaking in a Spiritual sense here. The Lord isn’t teaching us that we are literally eating His actually flesh and drinking His blood, rather what He is promising to us in both communion and nourishment.

When we gather together to take the Lord’s Table, it is Christ who reaches forth His hand and it is Christ who invites us to come and fellowship with Him around what He has done for us. When we take the Lord’s Table, Jesus is spiritually present in a unique manner to fellowship with us and encourage us.

At this time of Communion, the Lord gives us this time as a means of grace where He strengthens us up for battle as our faith is strengthened by the Spirit through faith. This is a means of grace for us as believers. This doesn’t make you more saved, the Lord uses it to work in our lives to sanctify us as His people.

Third, It is a time of Examination (1 Corinthians 11)

17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 2

8 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 in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

Purpose of the Examination

First Corinthians is a corrective and instructive letter from Paul to the church in Corinth. One of the issues Paul addresses is the manner in which the people were taking communion. Often a fellowship meal, would accompany communion, meaning communion was more of an “event” than it is in many churches today. First Corinthians 11:17–34 indicates that some were gorging themselves at the feast while others were left hungry. Some were even getting drunk. The people were not waiting for one another, nor were they appropriately sharing provisions—they ate the food they brought themselves, and, if someone couldn’t bring much, he did without. Separation between rich and poor was evident. As a result of the unfairness and gluttony surrounding communion, Paul says they were not really even eating the Lord’s Supper (verse 20). The people were not treating communion as a sacred ordinance instituted by Jesus. Instead of reminding people of Jesus’ sacrifice, communion became a means of self-gratification, furthering the divisions among the Corinthian Christians.

Paul is essentially asking the people to do a “heart check” before communion. Are their hearts in the right spot? Are they eating the meal to remember Christ’s sacrifice and to engage in community? Are they divided among themselves or unified in Christ?

Those Not Permitted to Partake

The Conditions for participating in the Lord’s Supper are being saved and being obedient to the Lord, but here in 1 Corinthians, Paul calls us to each inspect our hearts to see whether we are qualified to partake of Communion. A few dis-qualifiers seen throughout the Bible are:

Being in rebellion against the Lord since, in 1 Cor. 5 and 2 Thes. 3, we find that those in sin are to be removed from the Church.

Another is teaching false doctrine (Titus 3 and 2 John)

Also, if you are promoting division in the Church (Romans 16:17)

And, most seriously, not being a true believer. For, if you are saved yet you are judged the worst case is that you “make it by the skin of your teeth”. But if you partake and are judged with sickness or even death then there is no hope for your salvation for Scripture tells us clearly that after death there is judgment.

A few thing that we enjoy in the Lord’s Table is:

We Remember Christ’s Death. When we participate in the Lord’s Supper we symbolize the death of Christ because our actions give a picture of His death for us. When the bread is broken it symbolizes the breaking of Christ’s body, and when the cup is poured out it symbolizes the shedding of His blood for us. Partaking of this table is a proclamation. 1 Corinthians 11:26 “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.”

Christ affirms His Love For Me. The fact that you individually are able to participate in this Supper- the very fact that Christ Himself invites you to come- is a beautiful reminder and reassurance that Christ loves me, individually and personally. When you partake of the Lord’s Supper you can find reassurance again and again that Christ personally loves you.

You affirm your faith in Christ. As you take the bread and cup for yourself your actions are proclaiming, “I need you and trust you, Lord, to forgive my sins and to give life and health to my soul, only by your broken body and shed blood can I be saved.” In fact when we partake of the bread and cup we are proclaiming that my sins were part of the cause for our Lord’s death. By this there is sorrow, joy, thanksgiving, and deep love for Christ intermingled at the Lord’s Supper.

The Unity of Believers. When we partake of the Lord’s Supper together we are giving a clear sign of our unity with one another. 1 Corinthians 10:17 says, “For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.”