Prayer
I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord (Psalm 116:13).
Father in heaven we are reminded by the simple symbols that You have given us of your infinite glory. We confess the weakness of our faith and the strength of our flesh and ask that You might draw our hearts closer to Thee!
Today’s Hymn
Words: Isaac Watts, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707-1709. Music: St. Cross, John B. Dykes, in Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1861.
’TWAS ON THAT DARK, DOLEFUL NIGHT
Click here for tune.
‘Twas on that dark, that doleful night
When powers of earth and hell arose
Against the Son of God’s delight,
And friends betrayed Him to His foes:
Before the mournful scene began,
He took the bread, and blessed, and brake:
What love through all His actions ran!
What wondrous words of grace He spake!
“This is My body, broke for sin;
Receive and eat the living food:”
Then took the cup, and blessed the wine;
“‘Tis the new cov’nant in My blood.”
For us His flesh with nails was torn,
He bore the scourge, He felt the thorn;
And justice poured upon His head
Its heavy vengeance in our stead.
For us His vital blood was spilt,
To buy the pardon of our guilt,
When, for black crimes of biggest size,
He gave His soul a sacrifice.
“Do this,” He cried, “till time shall end,
In memory of your dying Friend;
Meet at My table, and record
The love of your departed Lord.”
Jesus, Thy feast we celebrate,
We show Thy death, we sing Thy Name,
Till Thou return, and we shall eat
The marriage supper of the Lamb.
Thought Provoker
Yesterday was a glorious Lord’s day here in Wyoming as we observed together the two ordinances of our Lord’s church. The morning worship included the breaking of bread in remembrance of our Lord’s death. Sunday evening we gathered for preaching, singing, and hearing the testimony of a young lady who God wonderfully saved from a sinful life of drinking and drugs. We waded out together in the middle of the river where she was baptized. These two ordinances, the Lord’s supper and baptism, were wonderfully given by Christ to His church. What was given to the church to edify and unite has become a source of much division and strife. The church at Corinth had already perverted the Lord’s supper. As Paul corrects their abuse of the Lord’s supper he brings to each of our families today a clear teaching on this ordinance.
Dad’s Study
The life of the early New Testament church included the daily preaching of the Word, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. That’s it! Those were the only programs of the church! The church soon began to gather for a “love feast” (Jude 12), followed by the observance of the Lord’s Supper.
Read 1 Cor. 11:18-22 and discuss together the heart problem of the Corinthian church.
The church was divided, due to their self-centered pride. At their regular “pot-luck” dinners, those who could afford fine food brought it and ate it before those who were poor. The observance of the Lord’s supper had degenerated into drunkenness.
Read verses 23-26 and discuss together the meaning of the Lord’s Supper.
Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.
Truth in Practice
Our Lord instituted the ordinance of baptism the night that He was betrayed. It was well into the Passover meal that our Lord introduced this new meal. The Passover looked forward and pointed to Christ, the one sacrifice Who would appease the wrath of God against sinners. The focus of the new meal was to look back in remembrance of our Lord’s death. Before the eating of the Passover lamb, Jesus broke the unleavened bread, gave thanks, declaring the bread to be His body and invited His disciples to eat. When it was time to drink the third cup of diluted wine during the meal, our Lord held up the cup and declared that it was the new covenant in His blood. Today, Paul reminds us of the who, what, and when of the Lord’s Supper.
Who should partake of this meal? This was a meal that Christ reserved for His disciples. This was not a meal for the mixed multitude. Some churches more strictly regulate this ordinance than others do. However, ultimately you should regulate it within your own family. Do not let your unbelieving children receive the communion elements. Let this be a reminder to them that God does not save you as a family, but individually by His grace.
What is the meaning behind this ordinance? The Lord’s Supper has no power to save or impart grace. This is a meal of remembrance. The Lord knew that our faith was weak so He gave us a tangible meal to aid in our remembrance of Him. The church of Rome falsely teaches that the bread and cup literally are transformed into the physical body and blood of Jesus (transubstantiation). When you receive the meal you are eating Christ! The Lutherans also falsely teach that Jesus Christ’s physical body and blood are mystically around the meal so that when you eat the bread and drink the cup you are eating Christ (consubstantiation)! The bread and cup were meant to be symbols for remembrance. However, Christ is spiritually present when Christians gather to partake of this meal together. Those who come humbly in faith will receive a spiritual blessing. They will find their faith strengthened and their lives drawn closer to the Lord!
When is the meal to be observed? The Bible does not give any schedule for the observance of the Lord’s Supper. Here Paul simply says, for as often as you eat. The early church gathered daily and ate the meal of remembrance (Acts 2:46). The church at Troas gathered on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7-11). Clearly, the church should observe this precious ordinance regularly and frequently. When God was directing our elders in the formation of Trinity Bible Church, we were impressed from Scripture to observe the Lord’s Supper each Lord’s Day. As a parent be sure that you are present when your church observes the Lord’s Supper. Prepare your hearts ahead of time for a glorious time of remembering the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ!
*Teach your believing children reverence as they partake of the Lord’s Supper. Remind them that this isn’t a snack in the middle of the church service. The bread and the cup are holy symbols given to us by God as a reminder of the Lord Jesus Christ and His death. Therefore, a heart of reverence is important. Your country’s flag is a symbol of all your country stands for. There is respect and honour in handling it. Yes, it is just a piece of cloth, but it is a piece of cloth that symbolizes all that your nation stands for!
*Teach your believing children to examine themselves before partaking. Your family members should quietly bow before God and examine their motives and attitudes towards God and others. Remind them that this is a special place for the purifying of the church through personal repentance.
*Teach your believing children that if they approach the Lord’s Supper with a wrong spirit they eat judgment to themselves. Some at Corinth were sick; others had died as a result of their abuse of this sacred meal. Warn your children of God’s chastisement for eating in an unworthy manner.
*Teach your believing children to delight in this precious meal because in so doing they are delighting in the Lord Jesus Christ!
Catechism
Question 75
Q. What is Baptism?
A. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ (Mat. 28:19) to be to the person baptised a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death, and burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:3; Col. 2:12), of his being ingrafted into him (Gal. 3:27), of remission of sins (Mark 1:4; Acts 22:16), and of his giving up himself to God through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4, 5).
Popularity: 1% [?]
