Taking Communion
20 Nov 2024
I gave an extended introduction to the Lord’s Supper a couple of weeks ago. This is what I said -
As we come to the Lord’s table, I or whoever is leading usually says a few words. Its important to recognise what’s happening when we do that - we are not going through the motions. I am, as the Minister, “fencing the table”, that is, making clear who should and should not be taking communion.
What gives me the right to do that? I don’t take this right on myself. This is the Lord’s Table. He says who should come and eat, and who should not. This is a serious business - it’s a wonderful blessing to receive the bread and cup and come in faith being built up by the risen Lord Jesus Christ. But just as with baptism, and especially with the preaching of the word of God, the same means of grace that strengthen us can bring judgement on us if we reject their meaning and don’t respond in true faith.
We are served the bread and cup, but ultimately the responsibility for taking communion rightly lies with each of us personally. Paul says in 1 Corinthians -
“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup”.
So how do we come in a worthy manner to eat and drink? Not because we have made ourselves worthy. Peter preached in Jerusalem at Pentecost to thousands who were cut to their heart at the extent of their sin against the Lord. But listen to what Peter says to them about what they should do next -
“Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”. And many did - and the next few verses we see them sharing in this meal as the church.
To come in a worthy manner is to come recognising our sin, to turn to Christ in faith - not just generally believing he exists, but believing the promises of the gospel are true for us personally. This coming in faith is also coming in repentance - turning to him as Saviour and Lord - having him rule our life.
To those - Christians, the church he died for - he says - eat and drink. You have a place at my table. Be built up. You are sinners, but you are forgiven and welcome, and united to me.
But if we do not trust him for our forgiveness, if we do not believe his words of the gospel, if we will not turn from our sin to him, he says “do not take”. We are so glad you are here. Take this time to think over all you have heard. But this meal is not for you.
What if we don’t know? There are two different kinds of doubt we can bring to the table.
The first is a doubt that comes when we examine ourselves and we see sin. We know we fall short. We wonder if Jesus could really love us this much. But we dare to trust. And we seek to obey. If that’s you - then know your place at the table does not depend on the strength of your faith. It depends on Jesus. Come, examine yourself, confess your sin, and eat.
But we may have a different kind of doubt. A doubt which comes because we perhaps don’t understand the gospel. We don’t know what sin is or how it can be forgiven. Or we have a nagging doubt which comes because we understand but we know we wont obey Jesus in some clear area of our life - we have a broken relationship with another Christian we don’t want to fix, or we won’t do what Jesus clearly says in areas of our life like sex or money. At that point Jesus would say to us do not take. Don't add to that sin the danger of a hardening judgement.
But I don’t mean to say all that to take away from the glorious blessing the Lord’s Table is. As we come just listen to these words from the Heidelberg Catechism which express this so beautifully.
Q. How does the Lord’s Supper show you and assure you that you share in Christ’s one sacrifice on the cross and in all his gifts?
A. In this way: That Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat this bread and drink this cup, and joined to his command these promises:
First, as surely as I see with my eyes the bread of the Lord broken for me and the cup given for me, so surely was his body offered for me, and his blood shed for me on the cross.
Second, as surely as I receive from the hand of the one who serves, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, given to me as sure signs of Christ’s body and blood, so surely does he himself nourish and refresh my soul for eternal life with his crucified body and shed blood.
Q. What does it mean to eat the crucified body of Christ and to drink his shed blood?
A. It means to accept with a believing heart all the sufferings and the death of Christ, and by believing to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
But it also means to be so united more and more to Christ’s blessed body through the Holy Spirit, who lives both in Christ and in us, that, although he is in heaven and we are on earth, nevertheless we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone, and live and are governed forever by the one Spirit, as members of our body are by one soul.