I Corinthians 11:23–32
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 testament in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
~Prayer~
Dear Heavenly Father,
Human reason, though it ponder,
Cannot fathom this great wonder,
That Christ’s body e’er remaineth
Though it countless souls sustaineth,
And that He His blood is giving
With the wine we are receiving.
These great mysteries unsounded
Are by God alone expounded.
Let me be a fit partaker
Of this blessed food from heaven
For our good, Thy glory, given.
Amen.
These Great Mysteries
Dear Friends in Christ,
Earlier in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he says, “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (I Corinthians 4:1). With these words, Paul provides a description for all pastors, “stewards of the mysteries of God.” They are to be faithful stewards and overseers of the mysteries of God. Now what are these mysteries? A mystery is not something that is unknowable. Rather, it is something that can only be known because God reveals it.
In our lesson the Lord reveals to us through the Apostle Paul the great mystery that is found in the Lord’s Supper. According to our senses all we see, feel, smell, and taste is bread and wine, and nothing more. But God reveals what our senses cannot sense. He explains the great miracle that stands before us in the Lord’s Supper. Jesus said, “This is My body which is for you… This cup is the new testament in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Luther writes, “From these words we learn that this Sacrament was in no wise instituted or introduced by men, but by Christ Himself. In the night in which He was betrayed He instituted it for His disciples, yea for all Christians, that it might be unto them His Testament, His parting gift, full of great comfort and blessing… We Christians should therefore cherish this Testament as a treasure of the highest value, should love it dearly, and should make use of it cheerfully and frequently, deriving from it much joy and consolation, thus fulfilling the will of our dying Lord and Saviour.His command in this regard is plain; He enjoins upon us the use of this Sacrament.”
Paul writes, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” In this sacred meal, we proclaim the sacrifice Jesus made for us with his death on the cross and receive the victory that he won for us there—the forgiveness of sins. We should go to the Lord’s Supper with joy, knowing that in this meal, Jesus gives us his body and blood, under the bread and wine, for us to eat and to drink for our strength and blessing.
I. A Warning
The Lord’s Supper is one of God’s greatest gifts to the Christian. However, Paul instructs us that this great blessing can also be abused and bring judgement. Just as a lifesaving and beneficial medicine can be taken to someone’s harm if they do not follow its instructions, so too can the Lord’s Supper when we receive it without regarding the Lord’s instruction.
This teaching can be somewhat troublesome to American Christianity which likes to approach God in whatever way they want. Americans want religion on their terms, in a way that’s convenient for them, and one which benefits and supports their way of life. Popular Christianity’s slogan has been similar to Burger King’s, “Have it your way,” and so, people take offense at the thought that they can’t approach God any way they want.
But this is nothing new. In the Old Testament, we learn of the account when Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, ignored God’s instructions and offered a profane fire before the Lord. Because they disobeyed God and wanted to worship him their way, the Lord sent fire from the altar and devoured them, “And they died before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:2). What’s sad, is that God wanted his altar to be a blessing. Right before this terrible event, the Lord blessed Israel when Aaron offered sacrifices according to his command. He was merciful and kind. But when Nadab and Abihu decided to approach God on their terms, they received God’s judgement.
So, how do we honor God so that his altar blesses us? Paul says, “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” The first part of worthy reception is examining yourself—do you believe that you are a sinner? Do you see how you have failed to keep God’s commandments and realize that your sins truly deserve death and hell? Do you also want to be saved? Do you trust in Christ alone for your salvation? If you can answer, “Yes,” then you have rightly examined yourself. The second part is to also acknowledge what we receive in the Sacrament and for what end. It is Jesus’ body and blood under the bread and wine given and shed for you for the remission of sins as he said. He gives me this meal so that my sins which are great, might be forgiven and that I, a poor sinner, might be given the strength to continue in the good fight of faith until I see God face to face.
Finally, proper reception of the Lord’s Supper means that you agree with those you are going to the table with. Every time you approach the altar, you are saying that you agree with those to the right and to the left of you. You are making a public confession that you believe what this church teaches. This is in keeping with Paul’s directive that we are to be of “one mind.” This unity is not based on compromise, but on agreement on all the teachings of Scripture. This is why we do not go to communion at churches outside of our fellowship and also why we practice closed or close communion at our congregation. It’s not because we believe a person isn’t saved or isn’t a Christian, but we want to ensure that communicants understand the teachings of our congregation.
A pastor is to serve as a steward of the mysteries of God. This doesn’t always make him popular. In fact, by remaining faithful to our Lord’s teaching on closed communion, a pastor often receives rebuke. Even members of a church sometimes can feel bad or awkward about this practice. And that is why it is important to remember why we do what we do. It’s because we love God and our neighbor. We want this special meal to bless a person—not bring them condemnation. Churches that practice open communion are unloving and unfaithful to Scripture, because they are bringing judgement upon people without any warning. They are ignoring Paul’s words, “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.”
II. A Promise
Paul gives us these warnings because he wants us to receive what the Lord’s Supper promises. He wants us to receive the main purpose and comfort of the sacrament—the forgiveness of sins. And where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.
Our Lord Jesus Christ offered up his holy and perfect life on the cross to pay for our sins. Jesus achieved and won our salvation on the cross. However, that salvation doesn’t do you any good, unless it is given to you. And that is why Jesus distributes this salvation to us through his Word, and wherever the Gospel is preached. This is why he gives you his body and blood in the Supper and urges Christians to commune from the beginning to the end of time. He wants us to have his forgiveness. Because then we have life and salvation. We have a foretaste of the feast of heaven and join in worshiping God with his mighty angels.
Yet, sometimes, we fail to see this great reality! Now, you and I don’t have to be convinced that the devil is powerful and causes trouble everywhere. But it would seem, that sometimes, we forget that God can do far more could with his tiny finger than all the evil the devil can muster. God performs miracles greater and mightier and truer than anything thing the devil could ever cause. And the Lord does it right before our very eyes.
Christians often search for the peace that only God can give. They try to find him in prayer, in the woods, in the city, in Jerusalem, you name it. But here, in this Holy Supper, God comes to you. He opens the screen of heaven, bringing himself to you, under the humble means of bread and wine, so that you might get a taste of his victory! And it is sweet! In the old Norwegian churches, there were often communion rails which were semi-circular with a cemetery outside. It was a picture for how the communion rail, the circle, is completed by those rejoicing in heaven.
I don’t know all the things you might be going through in your life right now, but God knows all things. And he has chosen the mysteries of his word and sacrament to be your strength and life. So come and eat the medicine of immortality. Hear his Gospel. And be on your way until next time you come to the Lord’s house, to be strengthened again, until we see our dear Lord Jesus in heaven. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” Amen.