THOUGHTS ABOUT THE LORD’S SUPPER

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE LORD’S SUPPER

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out.” (Romans 11:33)

There is an old joke about the elderly woman from Kansas who saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time. When someone asked what she thought of it, she replied: “I just thought it would be bigger than that.”

It is her ignorance, of course, that makes the joke funny!

• Because of the curvature of the earth she could only see 12 miles of the ocean. This is why International Waters are set to 12 miles offshore. In reality the Pacific Ocean is 20,000 km wide (12,427 miles). The moon, by comparison is only 3,400 km wide.
• The Pacific Ocean is our largest ocean covering approximately 63 million square miles and containing more than half of the free water on earth. All of the continents on earth can easily fit into the Pacific Ocean.
• This poor woman could only see the surface of the ocean but in reality the Pacific Oceans is 35,797 feet deep. The Clarion-Clipperton Zone is a vast region located between Mexico and Hawaii and recently 5,000 new species of life have been discovered in this area of the ocean.
• The Pacific Ocean still baffles marine biologists when it comes to what lies beneath the surface. The Marianna Trench, for example, is the deepest part of the ocean and constantly reveals new forms and life and strange creatures we have never seen or heard of before.
• According to NASA and other industry experts, we know more about the Moon than the deepest recesses of the Earth. While 12 individuals have set foot on the lunar surface, only three have visited the deepest part of the ocean.
• The Pacific Ocean is a treasure trove of gold, silver, manganese, cobalt, copper, nickel, and other valuable elements. A typical area of 75,000 sq km could produce as much as 54 tons of metals valued between $21-42 billion.
• And this poor woman naively assumed the Pacific Ocean should be “bigger than that”!
• As we have said, it is the woman’s ignorance that makes the joke funny!
• Ignorance about the Lord’s Supper, however, is not funny!

WHAT IS THE LORD’S SUPPER?

One first time visitor observed the Lord’s Supper being served and considered the church to be a little stingy with their refreshments. Sadly, he didn’t know what he was talking about and for those who love Jesus it isn’t funny. As you know, the Lord’s Supper proclaims the death of Jesus until He comes again. Even this causes some ignorant people to shrug their shoulders as if the death of Christ was just like thousands of others who also died by crucifixion. Nobody ever suffered like Jesus suffered! Even Pilate himself was ignorant of the significance of the cross and was surprised to hear that Jesus was dead in “only” six hours! (Mark 15:44). It was, of course, much easier for Pilate to spend six hours on a couch than it was for Jesus to spend six hours on a cross. More important, however, was that Pilate was blissfully “ignorant” that the sufferings of Christ were totally unique and never experience by any other man. Many pastors are also apparently ignorant of the eternal significance of Christ’s suffering represented by the Lord’s Supper. Some consider it an “option” to be observed at our convenience. Other choose to not to observe it at all as if it were merely a “throw away”

commandment Jesus gave just before he died. What else could Jesus have said to make us feel that it was important to remember his death? Others, to please the crowd, focus on getting it over with as quickly as possible. Thus the profound significance of the Lord’s Supper is still to many, hidden in the category of “undiscovered truths” of Scripture. When faced with the evidence, both from the Scriptures and the early church fathers, that the apostolic church gathered every week for the primary purpose of “breaking bread” (Acts 20:7) many are amazed that such a fuss would be made over something they consider to be so insignificant.

As offensive as it may be, their problem is same as the fictitious woman from Kansas. She was ignorant, and they are ignorant too!

Ignorance can lead us to do some dangerous and irrational things:

• The Jewish leaders crucified Jesus because of their ignorance (Acts 3:17).
• The philosophers on Mar’s Hill worshiped idols because of their ignorance (Acts 17:30).
• The Gentiles were separated from God because if their ignorance (Ephesians 4:18).
• Peter wrote to people who had evil desires because of ignorance (1 Peter 1:14).
• By doing good, however, we can silence the ignorant talk of foolish men (1 Peter 2:15).
• Sadly, as we have said, many are also ignorant of the profound significance of the Lord’s Supper.
• May God deal gently to those of us who are ignorant (Hebrews 5:2).

ON THE SURFACE

While the majority of the ocean is beneath the surface, the surface of the ocean can still be impressive. The disciples, as you know, were terrified by a storm on the surface of the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:23-27). So also with the death of Christ. Many things happened when Jesus died that are “on the surface” and can easily be seen by those with no interest in theology. For example:

• What happened to Jesus at Calvary happened in public and could easily be seen and verified.
• For example, on the day that Jesus died the sun stopped shining from the sixth hour until the ninth hour (Luke 23:44-45). It was hard for Pilate or anyone else not to notice that!
• “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guardingJesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:50-54) This too would be impossible not to notice. The warning Pilate received about Jesus from his wife pales into insignificance by the magnitude of this earthquake that shook all of Jerusalem (Matthew 27:19).
• When Jesus was resurrected there was another earthquake: “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning,
• and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.” (Matthew 28:1-4) Nothing to see here?
• Not long after this the whole city of Jerusalem was filled with the news of Jesus and His resurrection. The high priest complained to the apostles: “We have you strict orders not to teach in this name, he said, yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” (Acts 5:28) Yes! Not only did the High Priest note this but Pilate obviously noticed this too! So did everyone else in Jerusalem! So should we!

BENEATH THE SURFACE

• Other facts about the Lord’s Supper are beneath the surface and not so well known. Sadly, for example, Pilate probably never was aware of the profound spiritual significance of what Christ accomplished by his death on the cross.
• First, remember that the “death, burial, and resurrection” of Jesus were “according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Virtually every aspect of his ministry was predicted in the Scriptures, and preached in the synagogues, centuries before it came to pass.
• Though death Jesus destroyed him who holds the power if death, that is the devil, and set free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15).
• On the cross, through the eternal Spirit, Jesus offered himself unblemished to God and thus cleanses our consciences from acts that lead to death (Hebrews 9:14).
• Against all human wisdom the death of Jesus was a ransom that set people free from all the sins committed under the first covenant (Hebrews 9:15).
• Further, the blood of Jesus purified things that could not be purified by the blood of bulls and goats: “It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:23-26)
• Even more incredible, the precious blood of Jesus cleanses all sins, both in the past and in the future: “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (Hebrews 10:10-14)
• Because of Calvary our risen Savior fills the universe: “What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.” (Ephesians 4:9-10)
• Please consider: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have
• a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
• “Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” (1 Timothty3:16)
• Moreover, what we read about in the Bible is not the whole story: “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)
• Yes! The Lord’s Supper reflects many things invisible to the human eye.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR MOUTH

Little children instinctively put things in their mouth. Good parents teach them to be careful what they put in their mouths. We all also need to think carefully about what we put in our mouth. The Radium Girls, for example, were female factory workers who contracted radiation poisoning from painting radium dials and putting their paint brushes in their mouths. Beginning around 1917 an estimated 4,000 women were hired in the U.S. and Canada to do this work. The brushes they used would lose shape after a few strokes, so the USRC supervisors encouraged these workers to point the brushes with their lips. After being told that the paint was harmless, the women in each facility did as they were told and consequently ingested deadly amounts of radium.

Dentists were among the first to see numerous problems among the dial painters. They encountered patients with dental pain, loose teeth, lesions, and ulcers, etc. Many women developed anemia, bone fractures, and necrosis of the jaw. In 1923, the first dial painter died, and before her death, her jaw fell away from her skull. By 1924, 50 women who had worked at the plant were ill, and a dozen had died. These poor women were obviously ignorant of the danger they faced by putting these poison paint brushes in their mouth.

Sadly, this illustration has relevance to the Lord’s Supper. Please prayerfully consider again this warning given by Paul to the Corinthians: “So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 11:27-30) The blood of Jesus is not poison, but it is far more powerful and potent than anything man can produce. The point is, it is dangerous to disrespect the blood of Jesus and to eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord Jesus without “discerning the body of Christ.”

The radium girls died because of ignorance. No one warned them! We need to warn those who take communion be that “many” in Corinth got sick because of the way they took the Lord’s Supper, and “a number” of others even died! If the watchman knows of a danger and fails to warn the victims, they will die in their iniquity, but their blood will be upon his head (Ezekiel 33:1-6).

Those who serve the Lord’s Supper, therefore have an obligation to warn those who take communion to “examine themselves” before doing so!

THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

In the age of Moses the ark of the covenant represented the presence of God. Since both involve approaching God a study of the ark will help prepare us to appreciate the Lord’s Supper. The ark of the covenant was perhaps the most important piece of furniture in the Tabernacle, and later in the Temple. It was at the ark, as you know, that God promised to meet with His people: “There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.” (Exodus 25:22)

Only one man, however, was permitted this privilege. Aaron, the high priest, could worship at the ark on one day of the year. That day was called the Day of Atonement. The many requirements and restrictions for Aaron on the Day of Atonement are listed in Leviticus 16:1-34. Among many other things he approached the ark with blood: “Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain. He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die.” (Leviticus 16:11-13)

It was so dangerous to be in the presence of God that Aaron had to have golden bells sewn on the hem of his garment so that people outside of the veil could hear him moving and know that he was still alive. If he did not do this he would die! A plate of pure gold was also to suspended from the front of his turban by blue cords (Exodus 28:34-38). Since God dwells in unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16) the smoke of the incense and the golden shield perhaps were used to protect Aaron from this “unapproachable light” and keep him alive. Furthermore, “When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the ark of the covenant law. Then they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather, spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.” (Numbers 4:5-6) Please note that the ark was covered with three different coverings before it was safe to be moved!

The men of Beth Shemesh were apparently “ignorant” of this danger and died because of it: “But God struck down some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they looked into the ark of the Lord. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the Lord had dealt them.” (1 Samuel 6:19)

Christians, however, can enter boldly into the presence of God by the blood of Jesus: “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:19-23) As we have said, the “blood of Jesus” is the reason for our boldness.

The early church did not only experience the reality of Christ once a year, but they experienced it every day: “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46-47)

Those in the family of God who seek to honor Christ have nothing to fear from the Lord’s Supper. By the blood of Jesus but can boldly and safely approach God with glad and sincere hearts.

THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT

Those who are not sincere, however, should examine themselves and choose not to partake of the Lord’s Supper until they repent. All of us are sinners and are not worthy to approach God. We can safely approach God, however, in a “worthy manner”. Like the prodical son we can confess our unworthiness and be welcomed by our Heavenly Father. Let us now continue the above quotation from Hebrews 10. After admonishing everyone to hold firmly to the faith we possess, we are commanded to attend the gatherings of the church: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:24-31)

It is difficult to not make a connection between not attending church, with not taking the Lord’s Supper. Treating the “blood of the covenant” as an unholy thing also reminds us of the Lord’s Supper. Notice that when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper he consistently made reference to his blood which was in fact the “blood of the covenant.”

• “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:26-29)
• “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:22-25)
• “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:19-20)
• “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night 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, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-32)
• PLEASE DON’T TREAT THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT AS SOMETHING UNHOLY!

COMMUNION

Another word associated with the Lord’s Supper is “communion”. Note: “I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.” (1 Corinthians 10:15-17)

The Bible word translated as “communion” is “koinonia”. It is used 20 times in the New Testament Scriptures and means “communion, fellowship, partnership, and joint participation.” When we eat the bread we proclaim our “communion” or “partnership” with every other member of the Body of Christ. When we drink the cup we proclaim our “communion” or “partnership with the blood of Christ.

The members of your body have “communion” with one another. If you drop a big rock on your toe, for example, your whole body reacts and you might even scream because of the pain. The same is true of the Body of Christ. “God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body. But that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If you part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:24-27)

John wrote: “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

This “sharing” or “participation” even includes Christians in different countries. The Jewish brethren in Judea, for example, were starving and their Gentile brethren in Macedonia pleaded for the

opportunity of sending money and “participating” in their suffering (2 Corinthians 8:4). They did this even though the churches in Macedonia were themselves undergoing a severe trial in their own country.

As you know, the church in Jerusalem “devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching, and to the fellowship, and to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)

Communion time should be one of the most memorable and happiest times of the week.

COME HOME, IT’S SUPPERTIME

Ira Stanphill was born February 14, 1914 and passed away December 30, 1993. He was a well known Christian composer who wrote more then 500 gospel songs. He composed a song about Supper Time in 1950. It was first recorded by Jimmie Davis with the Anita Kerr Singers in July 1953. Since that time at least 29 other artists have recorded this beautiful song.

The lyrics of the song say in part:

Many years ago in days of childhood I used to play till evenin' shadows come Then windin' down that old familiar pathway

I'd hear my mother call at set of sun.

Come home, come home it's suppertime

The shadows lengthen fast Come home, come home it's suppertime

We're going home at last.

Paul explained the contrast between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant with an allegory (Galatians 4:21-31). The Old Covenant was like slavery illustrated by Hagar and Ishmael. The New Covenant was like freedom illustrated by the miraculous birth of Isaac to Sarah. In this context Paul wrote: “Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.” (Galatians 4:25-26)

Every mother can relate to the sadness of setting a plate for a beloved child who does not come home for supper. When Zion feared that they would be forgotten by God, the Lord replied: “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” (Isaiah 49:15-16)

Dear friend, you are more important to God than a nursing child is to it’s mother! You may forget God, but God will not forget you! Isaiah began this chapter by reminding his readers: “Before I was born the Lord called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name.” (Isaiah 49:1)

God had not forgotten his promises to Jacob and called Isaiah to bring them back to him: “And now the Lord says—he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength” (Isaiah 49:5) God is on your side! He loves you and wants you to be saved! He has

designed His Body, the church, to help you arrive safely at the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven (Revelation 19:9) “All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.” (1 Corinthians 3:21-23

The very idea that the Sovereign of the Universe would come to earth as a helpless infant was something no one ever dreamed. Even the angels were surprised.

The fact that our sinless God would deliberately suffer the punishment for the sins of all mankind is beyond our comprehension.

Thus we gather each week on the day of His blessed resurrection to celebrate what He did by doing what He commanded us to do. He gave us the loaf and the cup and said: “Do this in remembrance of me!”

LET’S DO IT!