God's Good Gifts: Communion

Introduction

Sin divides, Christ draws us together in him. Ron Prosise shares the story of the coronation of King George III of Great Britain. After the crown was put upon his head, the two archbishops came to administer the Lord’s supper. Here was a gathering of royalty and men of high prestige. But King George told them he would not take the Lord’s supper with the crown upon his head, desiring to appear before the King of kings in no other character than in that of a humble Christian. Being a nearly minted king, he set aside the crown to take Communion as simply another man in need of a Savior. (Consider a better opening)

The spiritual life throws many snares in our way. For King George, the temptation was pride, viewing himself as far more important than everyone else. For us, we can be tempted with pride, laziness, overworking, greed, the list goes on. But God has provided for us gifts that nurture our spiritual lives. These are called the sacraments, which our current series has been discussing. The Westminster Confession of Faith help us understand how scripture teach about sacraments when it says that “sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace. They were instituted by God along with that covenant to represent Christ and his benefits, to confirm our position with and in him, to demonstrate a visible difference between those who belong to the church and the rest of the world, and solemnly to engage believers in the service of God in Christ according to his word.” Rather than viewing them as sins and seals of the covenant engaging believers in the service of God, we often times simply view the sacraments as optional extras that that are a nice touch to the real Christian life. Which is we are looking at their importance for believers and how they nurture the Christian life. Three weeks ago, we learned about the New Covenant. Last week we looked at baptism. This week we look at the other sacrament, the Lord’s Supper.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul is writing to possibly the most dysfunctional and time consuming of all the churches that he planted or simply worked with. If you lived in Corinth when this letter was written and you were church shopping, this probably was not going to be the church you’d want to attend. Some people claimed to be spirituality superior to others. Others claimed to be believers, yet lived lives that were anything but pious. The church was surrounded by a culture that insisted on individual rights, self-gratification, and self-fulfilment above all else. In other words, what was going on in Corinth was a lot like what is going on in many churches today. The church at Corinth was a deeply divided church which was also lax about the Lord’s Supper. I remember when I was younger I viewed the Sunday that we had communion as the time that we got to eat in the worship service. To which, my parents, of course, were not too happy about. Paul teaches us 1 Corinthians 1 that celebrating the Lord Supper is an act of remembering Christ’s work on the Cross and our unity found in him. Therefore, partaking of the Lord’s Supper proclaims the death of Christ and nurtures believers in faith. How does the Lord’s Supper nourish our souls? The Lord’s Supper nourishes our souls by having us look back at what Christ did, look forward to what is ahead of us, and to look within ourselves.

Looking Back

Part of this passage might be fairly familiar to us. Verses 23-25 say, “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 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.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” Christ did this and said this on the verge of his betrayal, arrest, torture, and death. As the disciples sat around the table, they likely did not know exactly what he meant. But within a short amount of time, they would understand what he was referring to.

Philip Yancey once noted that “of the biographies I have read—including biographies of men like Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, who died violent and politically significant deaths— few devote more than 10 percent of their pages to the subject’s death. The Gospels, though, devote nearly a third of their length to the climactic last week of Jesus’ life. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John saw death as the central mystery of Jesus.” The story of the Bible has its center, the death of Christ. When we receive the bread and juice, we remember what Christ did for us. But more than simply a remembrance, the body and blood proclaim the death of Christ. Therefore, even though we do it in remembrance of him, we don’t do it solely in remembrance of Christ. Rather, we receive grace and spiritual nourishment from Christ through the elements. This doesn’t mean that the elements are anything other than normal bread and juice. What we receive is done because of the presence and work of the Holy Spirit.

Bill Plaschke shares the story of Lou Johnson, a 1965 World Series hero for the Los Angeles Dodgers. For 30 years Johnson had tried to recover the championship ring he lost to drug dealers in 1971. Drug and alcohol abuse cost him everything from that magical season, including his uniform, his glove, and the bat he used to hit the winning home run in the deciding game. When Dodger president, Bob Graziano, learned that Johnson’s World Series ring was about to be auctioned on the Internet, he immediately wrote a check for $3,457 and bought the ring before any bids were posted. He did for Johnson what the former Dodger outfielder had been unable to do for himself. Johnson, 66, who has been drug-free for years and a Dodger community relations employee, wept when given the gold ring. He said, “It felt like a piece of me had been reborn.” On the Cross, Jesus paid the price for our sin. Today, once a month, we remember and we proclaim what Christ has done for us. Therefore, the first way that The Lord’s Supper nourishes our hungry souls is by looking back to what Christ did for us.

Looking Forward

Paul says in verse 26, “for as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” Communion is an ongoing mark of the church and mark of believers that look back at what he has done for us as it points towards the day when we will feast with Christ in glory. This also reminds us to live in light of the end. The Rule of Benedict says in chapter 4, “day by day remind yourself that you are going to die.” Each time we partake in the Lord’s Supper, we point forward, we look forward to Christ’s return. This reminds us that one day we will stand before Christ to give an account of how we have stewarded the time, the talents, and the resources he has blessed us with.

Last week at the ordination and installation of new elders, we heard from one of the most well known verses that address this concept. In 2 Timothy, Paul is reflecting back on his life and ministry as he knows that he will soon be seeing his Savior face to face. As he reflects, he writes to the young pastor whom he has entrusted the church at Ephesus that he had planted. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” As we celebrate what Christ made possible for us through his death, we should reflect on how one day each one of us will also die. And when we die, 2 Corinthians chapter 5 tells us that we will go before Christ to give an account for how we used what Christ has entrusted to us. Therefore, let us live each day as good stewards in light of our death. The second way that the Lord’s Supper nourishes our hungry souls is by proclaiming his death until he comes again in glory.

Looking Within

Question 97 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, “what is required for the worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper?” The answer is that “it is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's Supper, that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord's body, of their faith to feed upon him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience; lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves.” A week before we partake in communion, we announce it in the bulletin. This is because that we need to prepare to partake. Matthew 5:23-24 says, “if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” That’s how important it is to reconcile with others. The announcement of communion provides the opportunity to reconcile before receiving the Lord’s Supper. In the week leading up to communion, Christ calls us to discern the Lord’s body, reconciling with those whom we have wronged, repenting of sin, and growing in obedience to God. And Paul adds, “lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgement upon themselves.” Have you ever done that?

Ron Prosise shares a story of the Duke of Wellington as he was worshipping at his church and had remained to take the Lord’s Supper. The Duke of Wellington was the great victor over Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo. A very poor old man came up and knelt down close by the side of the Duke. Someone came and touched the poor man on his shoulder, and whispered to him to move further away, or to wait until the Duke had received the bread and the wine. But the keen eye and quick ear of the great commander caught the meaning of the touch and whisper. He took hold of the poor man’s hand, and held him, to prevent him moving, and, in a reverential but distinct voice, said to him, “Do not move; we are all equal here.” That is exactly what the Lord’s Supper should inspire within each one of us.

Michael Hodgin says that, “history repeats itself, which is good, because most people don’t listen the first time.” Communion is similar. We don’t become a believer and suddenly every sin in our life is gone. The Christian life is a lifelong journey of growing in grace. This is why the regular receiving of God’s grace in communion is a vital, yet an ordinary means of grace. Communion leads us to prompt us to repent of unconfessed sin in our life. Communion leads us into deeper obedience. The third way that the Lord’s Supper nourishes our hungry souls is by pointing within ourselves.

Conclusion

Far more than an optional extra for our spiritual journey, Paul teaches us three ways that the Lord’s Supper nourishes our hungry and tired souls. First, the Lord’s Supper reminds us of what Christ has done. Second, the Lord’s Supper proclaims his death until he comes again. Finally, the Lord’s Supper points inward helping us to repent our sin, growing in obedience to Christ, and reconciling us with fellow believers.

Our Daily Bread once shared the story of Brethren churches who were persecuted during World War II. When Hitler ruled Germany, he commanded all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Among the Brethren assemblies, half complied and half refused. Those who went along with the order had a much easier time. Those who did not, faced harsh persecution. In almost every family of those who resisted, someone died in a concentration camp. When the war was over, feelings of bitterness ran deep between the groups and there was much tension. Finally they decided that the situation had to be healed. Leaders from each group met at a quiet retreat. For several days, each person spent time in prayer, examining his own heart in the light of Christ's commands, just as we should examine our heart before partaking in Communion. Then they came together. Francis Schaeffer, who told of the incident, asked a friend who was there, "What did you do then?" "We were just one," he replied. As they confessed their hostility and bitterness to God and yielded to His control, the Holy Spirit created a spirit of unity among them. Love filled their hearts and dissolved their hatred. When love prevails among believers, especially in times of strong disagreement, it presents to the world an indisputable mark of a true follower of Jesus Christ. At the Lord’s Supper, we are one in Christ, we are all beggars with hearts and souls hungry for what only Christ can give. After all, the Lord’s Supper draws us to Christ and provides spiritual nourishment.