Means of Grace: The Lord’s Supper

The Lord's supper is positive chunks life that we are so familiar with those who are ministers and teachers would feel a little embarrassed about saying to you. You do understand what this means, don't you I would you respond to that question is the meaning of the Lord's supper this week on Renewing Your Mind, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson is been helping us think through some of the basics of the Christian life.

We looked at the means of grace. God's word prayer, baptism, and today we consider the great privilege we have coming to the Lord's table, the welcome to study number seven in RC it is when wet thinking together about what it means to become a Christian can be a Christian to belong to God's people to enjoy the means of grace that God gives to us on to run the Christian life right to the Valley and we said right to the beginning that this kind of study is truly for all kinds of people. For people who are wondering, what does it mean to be on the inside of believing the gospel for people who may be thinking about becoming a member of the church. I'm far older than why Christians because it's always so refreshing to us to go back to the fundamentals until floors fundamentals in place in order that the building of our Christian lives may be on a solid foundation on we've divided our sealer use basically into three blocks. We thought about some very basic things, and now we've moved on to what are often called the means of grace and I've emphasized already, but we don't mean by violent but so long as we use these means we will get grace. What we mean by the means of grace is that God has given us gifts send through those gifts, he draws near to us and blesses us through the Bible is #3 prayer as we thought in our last session through the gift of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper and we especially thought about the meaning of baptism, I would want to tell him not to the meaning and the blessing of the Lord's supper. The website Park in Scotland can mean two different things. If your upper-class sometime means dinner. So if an upper-class person invites you for supper. You know not to eat in advance for Adonai class people in that category I include myself. Supper means something that you eat that night before you go to bed and as I look back, I marvel at my mother's patients because I don't know how many hundreds of times she must've heard me say mom is that I nothing special for something to note.

I'm really surprised that she didn't actually say cuff my ears for saying that kind of thing. And what I meant was is not cake. On one of our Havelock childhood memories flooding back into my mind.

I think about the Lord's supper and I feel it's a great question to ask when you come to the Lord's table is not, and nothing special for something.

Why do we celebrate the Lord's supper. The place in the New Testament where we get the most condensed teaching on the Lord's supper is of course in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians in first Corinthians chapters 10 and 11.

It's a very interesting illustration. Actually, of how much great teaching is given to us in the New Testament because things were going wrong in the church and in the Corinthian church, things were going very badly wrong in all kinds of areas I'm not included. The way they were celebrating the Lord's supper and so Paul comes in with this marvelous latch on and he gives them instruction in first Corinthians chapter 10 verses 14 to 22, and then in chapter 11 from verse 23 to 32 about what it really means to come to the Lord's table and come to the Lord's supper is important for us to understand that both baptism and the Lord's supper are sacraments signs and seals of the gospel and therefore they are both weighted with enormous theological and Christological significance. And we need to avoid trying to narrow down to just one of two things.

The significance of both of these signs because they point to Jesus Christ on that front. They point to her so much of what Jesus Christ has done for us on so much of what it means for us to enjoy fellowship with him on that becomes very evident in connection with the Lord's supper in the teaching that Paul Gibson first Corinthians 10 and 11.

I sometimes wondered in my more whimsical moments that I wonder if I could get some 3 x 5 cards and then instead of shaking hands with people at the door at the end of the soundness, especially of Salamis where we could enjoy the Lord's supper identified 3 x 5 cards with a question printed on the top. What just happened in church this moment. I have a vague suspicion. That's an understatement. Have a pretty serious suspicion that in some of the most Orthodox churches. You might get very poor answers. The Lord's supper is positive chunks life that we are so familiar with that, but perhaps those who are ministers and teachers would feel a little embarrassed about saying to you. You do understand what this means, don't you bless exactly what I want is to try and do in the next few minutes to two catechized Paul's teaching here to ask him some questions and especially to ask the question. So Paul, what is the meaning what's the significance was the benediction of the Lord's supper. I want to try and summarize that in a very few minutes in. I think eight words so that 3 x 5 card. If you're looking for an AA. I would be looking for the presence either of these words are words that said the same thing. So this is going to be from one point of view that a superficial from another point of view, it should fee does with how that will enable us to see how much there is for us to understand about the Lord's supper. The first, why does the wild commemoration uncontrolled points us to this in first Corinthians chapter 11, when Jesus had given thanks, this is verse 24 he broke the bread and said this is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me and similarly in verse 25 with the cop do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me was very important for us to understand the dire direction in which that remembrance takes place.

Paul is not saying I want you to sit there and close your eyes and trying remember he is saying the Lord's supper will cause you to remember the Lord's supper is the remembrance of what Jesus Christ has done for us may seem a very simple point, but it's a very important one. For this reason, but the blessings of coming to the Lord's supper do not reside in anything but to send me the blessings of coming to the Lord's supper resides in timely and what the Lord's supper is saying to me about the Lord Jesus Christ. So I'm not coming to the supper, thinking how can I how can I what Faith how can I feel differently I'm to come to the Lord's supper.

Looking at these signs of bread and wine that are visible descriptions and statements about what Jesus Christ has done for me and as I see them significance faith in the Lord Jesus is drawn out of me. And so the direction is not how can I what Pious feelings about Jesus, the direction is more like the direction you're a member of the bronze serpent that Moses through a stop Luke.

He said, and live don't look and she and think how can I live but look how each of yourself to Jesus Christ. So the fact that the supper is a commemoration really underlines photos with all the resources of our salvation are not to be found in ourselves. They are not to be found even in our faith. We have to be found on the way in Jesus Christ BB Warfield, the Great American theologian is a wonderful way of putting this is as you know, it's not faith that saves. Indeed, it's not faith in Jesus Christ that saves its Jesus Christ who saves through faith. And so the commemoration is God reminding us of what he has done for us in Jesus Christ. The second word, but I think is helpful and you'll notice all of these words writing for some reason or another is the language that Paul uses in Chapter 11 the first Corinthians verse 26 for land. He says when we do this as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes, you proclaim so it's a commemoration on this also proclamation. Remember when I was a young Christian that people just to argue.

Does this mean that always needs to be a soundman when government is the celebration of the Lord's supper is not really good, and nothing to do with the sermons that are preached in the pool put the salmon is in the Lord's supper.

It's as we celebrate the Lord's supper to notice what he says we proclaim it doesn't say as you celebrate Lord's supper truly important and the minister proclaims Christ definitely comes what he saying is that what we are doing in the Lord's supper is that we are preaching the gospel in the tradition of fair communion to which I belong. What happens at the Lord's supper is that the bread on the wind will be brought to the members of the congregation and they will solve each other that will go from hand to hand to hand. No, you know, Paul gives us no directions about the liturgy of the Lord's supper, but that tradition is that he deliberately seeking to capture what policy here, but this is sometimes you you feel that people view the Lord's supper is a kind of fatty individualistic experience of what the Lord's supper is meant to be is the congregation preaching the gospel to one another on one of the ways in which, in my tradition was expressed as the cure of the symbols of the gospel and they've come to me and I pass on the symbols of the gospel to you and I proclaim to you and back action, the death of Christ. So if a little boy said, what were you doing there when you pass the grant on the wine we would say we were proclaiming the gospel to one another without warrants, but we understood what the bloodless signs meant they pointed to all that Jesus has done for us sometimes wondered actually if this is what Paul means when he says the Galatians, you foolish Galatians who has bewitched you before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly accounted as crucified.

And that's the wonder of the supper. Listen to it but we not only hear the gospel through EOD but we see the gospel through a gate so it's commemoration is proclamation, and then suddenly it's benediction. Look at what Paul says in first Corinthians chapter 10 in chapter 10. He speaks in verse 16 about the cup of blessing that we blasts that's the English standard version and it is the best translation. The cup of blessing that we blasts. It's the one benediction. It is the word of God speaking well offers in Jesus Christ and actually blessing the one that Paul uses here is very big wind in the Bible. Listen to it.

It's a hugely significant wind in the Bible, but in our modern times lately only time you ever hear is when somebody sneezes and on people say blushing but you know that gets you vetting Nero to the real significance in the Bible of the web blessing reluctantly say when some new sneezes. What we say. Blushing that goes right back to the days of the plague in Europe. One of the signs of having the plague was sneezing on the children's nursery rhyme and no play the game do not outing analysis pocketful of posies tissue a tissue, we all fall down. Remember seeing generals playwright gave Madonna why the mothers taught them out because they all falling down and was being dead.

The voices work to keep the smell of the plague away so in a world free of the plague was seen as evidence of the cups of God.

The prayer may God bless you with the kind of gospel prayer and that's that's what the supper sets before us the broken bread that poured out wine is saying to us this couplet we receive is the cup of blessing because in the garden of Gethsemane, the Lord Jesus was willing to take the cup of divine cussing but I listen for smart and it is the wired twitch at least again in my tradition.

We most associate with the Lord supplements the web communion and Paul uses list Tatum in various translations. Of course, but chapter 10 of first Corinthians 416 the cup of blessing that we blasts is not a participation calling no knee communion in the body of Christ undoes the cup, not a communion in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ's unreturned. I think we need to understand that that's what's happening of the Lord's supper. I don't know that we can do anything about this but I actually have a personal regret that we no longer speak about the host at the Lord's supper on the reason we don't speak about the holsters because of course in the medieval Roman Catholic theology. The horse is the bread and the wine that has been transformed into the body and blood of Jesus so that Jesus is kind of localized in the bread and the Wyman because that was known as the host Protestants kind of well you know what it's like do you start using those words, but it's very important to understand that the Lord's supper is communion on the notice a horse under the holsters the Lord Jesus himself, and this is what Paul seems to be saying here that at the Lord's supper. We are not being thrown back in our own resources to think good thoughts about Jesus, but Jesus has come as the host is not the truck.

She was the hostess, not a pastor who is the host the past of the elders are just like the hands and feet to software the message going slip the mailman but the truck she uses to bring these gifts to you from the wholeness.

The not big gifts only when open little bits of bread little cups of wine what thou forgives them so much significance and I wonder if you've got a keepsake somewhere somebody somebody who's been important to you and let you of love is given you something almost insignificant. But it's really important to you why not because of the inherent value of the gift, but because of the great significance of the person and that's what it means for us to come to the Lord's table. That's why it seems to me, in our churches need to try and do something about making the celebration of the Lord's supper more leisure like because the Lord's supper isn't something we are doing so much as a person. We are enjoying because he has come as the horse than he has invited us to his table and he is saying I am yours and we are saying to him and I am also yours leads us to the fifth one commemoration proclamation benediction communion and consecration on Paul speaks about this back in first Corinthians 10 verses 20 to 21 because he is concerned about the fact that the Corinthian Christians are not only coming to the Lord's supper, but they're not going to all kinds of other feasts that were taken in which pagan idols were being recognized and he says you cannot do this.

It's exactly what Jesus says in the Gospels, you can't starve to masters and so either you must turn your back on that paganism and idolatry.

But if you continue you are turning your back upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Because to share in the mule is to share in the person and so when we come to the Lord's table. We are actually re-consecrating ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ in Ohio and some chapters that have locations at the end of third mercy seat John Reed consecration on ask people to come forward. I sometimes think about why would you replace the sacrament that God is given to us with a new sacrament, but he hasn't given to us and is often a real sign in the church but they don't have a very good understanding of what the Lord supplements without the Lord's supper. Jesus is giving himself.

And you are giving your self and return to the Lord Jesus, here's another one gets the sixth worked on.

I can deal with it, just in a sentence or two is the word repetition mound where the regret not. We get back from Chapter 11 verses 25 and 26 he says as often as you drink it as often as you eat this bread, but here's a question, especially for those of you who are interested in language, how often is often if you know the answer to that question, you will know the answer to the question, how often should we have the Lord's supper. I know the answer to that question.

I can see it with great confidence. It may seem arrogant biofuel confidence. I know the answer to the question, how often is often often often why because we need the fellowship of Jesus so much I dislike out on relationships wasn't imagine you're at a wedding on the minister addresses the bride and the groom and the associate is my room for a happy marriage Chris one another.

Once again, I would be a very strange expectation wouldn't.

When we love. We want about love to be expressed often in the same is true of the Lord's supper, but then that is 1/7 book, but I think we really do need to catch hold off and that's the one. Anticipation. We remember the Lord's death until he come this soul in a sense, these little bits of bread on these tiny sips of wine.

It's almost as though God is deliberately designed them to teach. As this wasn't the full meal before meal is coming in the United States you've was traditional for the celebration of a marriage the evening before the marriage takes place. The rehearsal dinner, and I've noticed in the American culture. It's the father who pays the bill for the rehearsal dinner, and that's like a picture of the Lord's supper is. This is the rehearsal dinner on the father house. The bill on this because it's all of these things commemoration proclamation benediction communion consecration repetition and anticipation. But it will naturally lead to self-examination.

It will lead us to say Lord, that is, nothing in me that makes me wildly of communion with you. But notice everything in your grace that calls the house communion with you to know your presence to ensure value and to trust you not to unvaccinated Jesus instituted the Lord's supper before his death, and even though we've taken communion many times how deeply have we really understood its meaning were glad you joined us all week.

Dr. Sinclair Ferguson has helped us think about several aspects of Christian living. The basics like prayer, Bible study and our involvement in the local church is complete series has 12 messages onto DVDs and would be glad to send them to you when you contact us today with a donation of any amount there a couple of ways you can make your request one is online@renewingyourmind.org or if you prefer you can call us at 800-435-4343, perhaps in listening to Dr. Ferguson's message about baptism today, you have more questions, let me encourage you to take advantage of our interactive question and answer service questions about the basics of Christianity, theology, and the Bible can be answered in real time when you go to ask.Windermere.org.

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The web address again is ask.Ligonier.org we study God's word, we see that our redemption leads to a glorious finale next week, Dr. Robert Godfrey will help us look ahead to that time in his series blessed hope. The book of Revelation. So I hope you make plans to join us again Monday for Renewing Your Mind