TEXT:

SUBJECT: Lord's Supper

In His dealings with man, God is balanced. He knows that to induce good behavior, He must "pull" us with His love and "push" us with His fear. And this is not wrong or unreasonable. Good parents, after all, do the same. We beseech our children to do well and promise a reward. But we also warn against its opposite and catalogue the grim results of disobedience. We would do well, then, to "behold the goodness and severity of the Lord".

The Lord's Supper gives this opportunity. For it promises fair and threatens foul. To those who take it "worthily", it is "the body and blood of Christ"--a reminder of what Christ has done for us and a support to our faith. But to those who take it "unworthily", it is a curse, causing some "to become weak...others "sick"...and still others, "dead".

But what is the "worthy" partaking of the ordinance? Must one make himself "good enough" to eat the sacred feast? No, for that is impossible. "Who can say, `I have made my heart clean, I am pure of my sin?'" The holiest men have confessed much indwelling sin. Paul thought of himself as "not yet perfect" and worse, "a wretched man". Yet he took the Lord's Supper, of that we are certain. It is not a matter then, of entire sanctification.

But the "worthy partaking" of the Lord's Supper is explained in the words, "discerning the Lord's body". But what does this mean? Does it mean "thinking about the broken body of Christ" during the ordinance? Of course, in a general sense. But this is not the real significance of that "eating with discernment".

The "Lord's body"--in context--means "the church". The Christians in Corinth were "weak, sick, and dead" because they came to the Lord's Supper with bitter enmity against one another--divided in heart, rallying to some in the church, while withdrawing from others. This made their eating "unworthy". For in taking the Supper they were expressing their spiritual oneness--their communion--which they attitudes and actions belied.

Thus, the curse fell on them. Therefore, in approaching this holy ordinance, I must ask: "Are there people in the church with whom you are bitter, estranged, resentful?" If so, there is grave danger in the Supper. Hypocrisy is a dread sin, often bringing with it a deadly punishment. Thus you ought to beware.

But "beware" of what? Of taking the Lord's Supper? Is this the answer? If bitterness makes the Lord's Supper a deadly ordinance, better not take it at all!" Of course not. We must beware of--not of the Suppper--but of the malice it exposes to judgment.

Thus, you would do well to examine yourself, forgive those who have trespassed against you, and resolve to make things right. For in this way, only you become a "worthy communicant".

Let the Lord's Supper, then, melt your heart with the love of a dying Savior, and quicken you to holiness by the fear of an all consuming God. Amen.