Come to the LORD’s Table

Everyone who has surrendered their lives to Jesus has a personal invitation to join Him at His Passover Table. This is our reminder of the sacrifice that ended the Old Testament sacrificial system. However, the invitation is not just a “come as you are” party. It requires Preparation, Examination and Participation & Prayer.

Explanation: (What?)

1. Preparation: (Ex. 12:1-12; Mk. 14:12-16)

In Exodus 12 God gave through Moses the details for preparation for the the first Passover. This became the norm for Passover Celebrations throughout the OT.

In v 3 instructions were given regarding the sacrificial lamb. “Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they must each select an animal of the flock according to their fathers’ families, one animal per family.” Although the celebration of Passover would not be held until the 14th day of the month, they were to select the lamb earlier so that they might carefully examine it for any defects. Vv 5-6 explains, “You must have an unblemished animal, a year old male; you are to take it from either the sheep or the goats. You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight.”

In Mk 14: 12ff Jesus responded to a question from the disciples regarding Passover. “On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrifice the Passover Lamb, his disciples asked Him, ‘Where do You want us to to and prepare the Passover so that You may eat it?’” The key word here is “prepare”. The disciples knew well the preparation process, having grown up in the Jewish culture. They would need to go to an approved shepherd, select a lamb, take it to the temple to be approved and slaughtered, find a location for the Supper and prepare the meal.

In vv 13-16 Jesus gave them specific instructions. “So He sent two of His disciples (Luke said it was Peter and John, perhaps the oldest and the youngest of the disciples) and told them, ‘Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water (unusual because this was a task normally performed by female servants) will meet you. Follow him. Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’ So the disciples went out, entered the city and found it just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.”

As we approach the LORD’s table today, it is necessary that we make preparations BEFORE we participate.

2. Examination:(1 Cor 11;27-32; Ps 139:23-24)

Just as the sacrificial animal had to be without spot or blemish, so must we be as we participate in the supper. Paul issued a warning to the Corinthian Church, where proper preparation had not always taken place. In 11:27-32 he said, “So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the LORD in an unworthy manner ( ritualistically, indifferently, with an unrepentant heart or a spirit of bitterness) will be guilty of sin against the body and the blood of the LORD. Let a person examine himself, in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.”

The person who partakes of the LORD’s Supper who has never surrendered to Christ, or the one who comes to the table stained by unconfessed sin, puts themselves in danger. Two questions must be asked. 1. Do I have any sin in my life that I have not confessed to God? John McArthur mentions that “for one to come to the LORD’s Table clinging to one’s sin does not only dishonor the ceremony, but it also dishonors His body and blood, treating lightly the gracious sacrifice of Christ for us.” 2. Is there anyone that I hold something against, or who has something against me that has not been resolved? An unforgiving spirit is sin. Severed relationships, which leads to bitterness, must be restored through forgiving the one who has offended you. Also, if you have offended another, this must be dealt with as well. If you are not sure about this, pray Ps. 139:23-24 right now. Then pause and wait for God to either bring to mind your unconfessed sin or broken relationship or to assure you that you are right with Him. “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.”

3. Participation: (Mk 14:22-26)

Having examined yourself and determined your fitness to participate, I invite you, as Jesus did, to now participate in Communion. In Mk 14:22 we find, “As they were eating, He took bread, blessed it (prayer) and broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take it; this is My body.’”

V 23-24 “Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks (prayer) He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.’”

4. Prayer: (Mk 14:32-42)

After the Passover feast and the singing of the traditional Psalms; (155-118) Jesus led His disciples out of the upper room, out through the East Gate, and across the Kidron Valley and up to the Mt. of Olives. Picking it up in v 32 we find, “Then they came to a place named Gethsemane (Olive Press) and He told His disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and troubled. He said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.’ He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, ‘Abba, Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.’” The intensity of the prayer of Jesus is something that your nor I have experienced. Luke, the physician, noted that Jesus was in such anguish that “His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.”

Three times Jesus prayed the same gut wrenching prayer. After each time He went to where He had left Peter, James and John, only to find them sleeping. The last time He said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The time has come. See, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up; let’s go. See, My betrayer is near.”

The 3 disciples did not recognize the impending trouble that was coming their way. For them, a nap was more necessary than earnest prayer. Even though they were admonished 2 times by Jesus, they still didn’t get it. In much the same way, we, the body of Christ today, are indifferent to what is ahead. Instead of agonizing in prayer with the Day of the LORD looming, we are idling away the hours. Instead of dealing openly with our sin as David did as he cried out to God in Psa 51:10-13 “Create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit. Then I will teach the rebellious your ways, and sinners will return to you.”

America is like a giant Jenga game. A tower of individual blocks that are being taken away one by one. We have removed the block of the Word of God from the public forum. We have removed the block of prayer from our schools, homes and even churches. We have removed the block of sexual purity from our private lives ignoring the admonitions of scripture to be holy as God is holy. We have removed the block of Godly marriage and replaced it with tandem polygamy. We have removed the block of care and protection of the unborn because having a child interferes with our personal freedom. Just when is the tower of America going to fall? No where in prophecy is America found. Don’t kid yourself. America WILL fall. The only thing that will grant us more years as a nation and more time for more people to turn to Christ is the kind of gut wrenching prayer that Jesus prayed in the garden. We must CONFESS our sins. We must RETURN to God or we will be the generation that experiences the fall of our nation.

Application: (How should I respond to this message?)

The prophet Joel recorded God’s only solution for our situation. “Even now---this is the LORD’s declaration--- turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him, so you can offer grain and wine to the LORD you God.” Joel 2:12-14