The Significance and Unity of the Lord's Supper

 

Summary

In our exploration of the Lord's Supper, we delve into its profound significance and the theological debates surrounding it. The Lord's Supper, or Communion, is one of the two sacraments recognized in the Protestant Church, alongside baptism. Historically, it has been a subject of great debate, particularly since the Protestant Reformation. The controversy often stems not from biblical teachings but from additional doctrines, such as transubstantiation, introduced by the Roman Catholic Church. This doctrine suggests that the bread and wine become the literal body and blood of Christ, a belief that even the Catholic Church admits cannot be directly proven from Scripture.

Instead, we focus on the biblical theology of the Lord's Supper, which signifies and seals the believer's participation in the death and resurrection of Christ. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 11, emphasizes that the act of Communion is a proclamation of the Lord's death until He comes again. It is a reminder of our union with Christ and our participation in the benefits of the New Covenant. This sacrament is not merely a memorial but a means by which God assures us of His promises, much like a seal on a document.

Furthermore, the Lord's Supper symbolizes the unity of believers. As we partake of the bread and wine, we are reminded of our communion not only with Christ but also with one another. This unity is essential, as divisions and heresies contradict the very essence of what Communion represents.

Participation in the Lord's Supper requires faith. It is not an automatic means of grace but one that depends on the believer's faith. It is meant for believers, including those who are weak or struggling, as long as they are repentant. The sacrament serves as a powerful reminder of God's love and the assurance of His promises, encouraging us to live by faith in Christ.

Key Takeaways:

- The Lord's Supper is a profound proclamation of Christ's death and a reminder of our union with Him. It signifies our participation in His death and resurrection, sealing the promises of the New Covenant to us. [12:49]

- The doctrine of transubstantiation, which suggests the bread and wine become the literal body and blood of Christ, is not supported by Scripture. Instead, the Lord's Supper is a spiritual act that signifies our communion with Christ. [08:48]

- Communion is a reminder of the unity among believers. As we partake of the bread and wine, we are reminded that we are one body in Christ, sharing in His life and love. This unity is essential to the Christian faith. [24:07]

- Participation in the Lord's Supper requires faith. It is not an automatic means of grace but one that depends on the believer's faith and repentance. It is meant for believers, including those who are weak or struggling. [31:44]

- The Lord's Supper does not provide any new or additional grace beyond what is offered through the Word. It intensifies and makes the grace of God more effective in our lives, serving as a powerful reminder of His love and promises. [37:39]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to Sacraments
- [00:40] - Historical Controversies
- [01:41] - Biblical vs. Systematic Theology
- [03:13] - Catholic and Protestant Views
- [04:22] - Doctrine of Transubstantiation
- [06:48] - Substance and Accidents
- [08:48] - Scriptural Arguments
- [10:21] - Lutheran View of Consubstantiation
- [12:05] - Reformed Doctrine
- [12:49] - Significance of the Lord's Death
- [15:33] - Benefits of the New Covenant
- [19:07] - Spiritual Nourishment
- [23:18] - Unity Among Believers
- [26:26] - Sealing of Promises
- [31:03] - Faith and Participation
- [37:23] - No Additional Grace Beyond the Word

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Lord's Supper

Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
2. John 6:56-57
3. Hebrews 8:8-12

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Observation Questions:

1. According to 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, what does the Apostle Paul say is proclaimed each time we partake in the Lord's Supper? How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on the proclamation of the Lord's death? [12:49]

2. In John 6:56-57, Jesus speaks about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. How does the sermon interpret this passage in relation to the Lord's Supper? [20:26]

3. Hebrews 8:8-12 describes the New Covenant. How does the sermon explain the relationship between the Lord's Supper and the New Covenant? [16:57]

4. What are the key differences between the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation and the Protestant understanding of the Lord's Supper as discussed in the sermon? [08:48]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon suggest that the Lord's Supper serves as a seal of the New Covenant promises? What implications does this have for believers? [26:26]

2. The sermon mentions that the Lord's Supper symbolizes unity among believers. How does this unity manifest in the context of a church community? [23:18]

3. In what ways does the sermon argue that faith is essential for participation in the Lord's Supper? How does this requirement impact who should partake in the sacrament? [31:03]

4. The sermon discusses the potential consequences of partaking in the Lord's Supper unworthily. What are these consequences, and how should they influence a believer's approach to Communion? [35:06]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your personal experience with the Lord's Supper. How does understanding it as a proclamation of Christ's death change your perspective on participating in Communion? [12:49]

2. The sermon emphasizes the unity of believers through the Lord's Supper. How can you actively promote unity within your church community, especially during Communion? [23:18]

3. Consider the role of faith in participating in the Lord's Supper. Are there areas in your spiritual life where you struggle with faith? How can you address these struggles before partaking in Communion? [31:03]

4. The sermon warns against taking the Lord's Supper unworthily. How do you prepare your heart and mind before participating in Communion to ensure you are doing so worthily? [35:06]

5. The Lord's Supper is a reminder of the New Covenant. How can you live out the promises of the New Covenant in your daily life, particularly in your relationships with others? [16:57]

6. Reflect on the sermon’s teaching that the Lord's Supper does not provide new grace but intensifies the grace already given. How can this understanding deepen your appreciation for the sacrament? [37:39]

7. The sermon discusses the importance of repentance for those who partake in the Lord's Supper. Is there an area in your life where you need to seek repentance before participating in Communion? [33:31]

Devotional

Day 1: Proclaiming Christ's Death and Our Union with Him
The Lord's Supper is a profound proclamation of Christ's death and a reminder of our union with Him. It signifies our participation in His death and resurrection, sealing the promises of the New Covenant to us. This sacrament is not merely a memorial but a means by which God assures us of His promises, much like a seal on a document. As believers partake in the Lord's Supper, they are reminded of the sacrifice of Christ and the hope of His return. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 11, emphasizes that the act of Communion is a proclamation of the Lord's death until He comes again. This act of remembrance is a powerful reminder of the believer's identity in Christ and the transformative power of His sacrifice. [12:49]

"For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11:26, ESV)

Reflection: How does participating in the Lord's Supper deepen your understanding of Christ's sacrifice and your identity in Him?


Day 2: Spiritual Communion, Not Transubstantiation
The doctrine of transubstantiation, which suggests the bread and wine become the literal body and blood of Christ, is not supported by Scripture. Instead, the Lord's Supper is a spiritual act that signifies our communion with Christ. This understanding emphasizes the spiritual nourishment and unity that believers experience through the sacrament. The focus is on the spiritual reality of Christ's presence and the believer's participation in His life and love. This perspective encourages believers to approach the Lord's Supper with faith, recognizing it as a means of grace that strengthens their relationship with Christ and the community of faith. [08:48]

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." (John 6:63, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you prepare your heart to experience the spiritual reality of Christ's presence during Communion?


Day 3: Unity Among Believers
Communion is a reminder of the unity among believers. As we partake of the bread and wine, we are reminded that we are one body in Christ, sharing in His life and love. This unity is essential to the Christian faith, as divisions and heresies contradict the very essence of what Communion represents. The Lord's Supper serves as a powerful symbol of the interconnectedness of the body of Christ, encouraging believers to live in harmony and love with one another. This unity is not only a reflection of our relationship with Christ but also a testimony to the world of the transformative power of the Gospel. [24:07]

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." (1 Corinthians 12:12, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively promote unity and love within your church community this week?


Day 4: Faith and Participation in the Lord's Supper
Participation in the Lord's Supper requires faith. It is not an automatic means of grace but one that depends on the believer's faith and repentance. It is meant for believers, including those who are weak or struggling, as long as they are repentant. The sacrament serves as a powerful reminder of God's love and the assurance of His promises, encouraging believers to live by faith in Christ. This act of faith is a declaration of trust in God's promises and a commitment to live in accordance with His will. [31:44]

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?" (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take to ensure that your participation in the Lord's Supper is a genuine act of faith and repentance?


Day 5: The Lord's Supper as a Reminder of God's Love
The Lord's Supper does not provide any new or additional grace beyond what is offered through the Word. It intensifies and makes the grace of God more effective in our lives, serving as a powerful reminder of His love and promises. This sacrament is a tangible expression of God's grace, inviting believers to reflect on the depth of His love and the assurance of His promises. As believers partake in the Lord's Supper, they are reminded of the transformative power of God's grace and the call to live in response to His love. [37:39]

"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, ESV)

Reflection: How can the Lord's Supper serve as a reminder of God's love and grace in your daily life?

Quotes



The first thing that is signified is the Lord's death now Paul states that explicitly in that paragraph in that statement in 1 Corinthians 11 he says as often as he eat this bread and drink this cup you do show proclaim the Lord's death till he come the breaking of the the of the bread and the drinking of the pouring and the drinking of the wine are a representation of our Lord's death his broken body his shed blood. [00:12:49]

It also is a declaration of and a sign of the believer's participation in the crucified Christ we are in communion with him it reminds us of that and of of our Union with him and therefore our participation in his death you remember the rich teaching of about that in the sixth chapter of the epistle to the Romans that we are in Christ and that because we are in Christ we have died with him and we've been buried with him and we've risen again with him. [00:14:07]

It is a reminder to us and a declaration that we participate in all the benefits of the New Covenant you notice how that again came out in these words which are written by the Apostle in verse 25 in that 11th chapter of First Corinthians after the same manner also he took the cup when he had St saying this cup is the New Testament yes the New Covenant in my blood this do ye as of as you drink it in remembrance of me. [00:15:33]

The communion service is a reminder to us of all that that in and through our Lord Jesus Christ God has made a new Covenant with Believers he is the mediator of the New Covenant he is the head and representative of men in this new covenant this new agreement this marvelous New Covenant that God makes with men and you remember that in that eth of Hebrews you get that striking contrast drawn between these two covenants. [00:16:26]

We as Believers also receive life and strength to live this Christian Life from the Lord Jesus Christ himself now let me take you to the statement the verses which tell us that there to be found in the sixth chapter of The Gospel According to St John but before I read them let me say this this section in the sixth chapter of The Gospel According to St John has been a matter of con considerable dispute in this way. [00:19:07]

He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him as the living father have sent me and I live by the father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me now our Lord himself goes on to explain that this was just a picture because he says this when Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it he said unto them does this offend you what in the eesal see the son of men Ascend up where he was before it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life. [00:20:22]

The bread and the wine remind us of that they represent that they're a picture of that they're a portrayal of that as we actually take the bread and eat it as we drink the wine and swallow it we should say yes I must feed on the Lord as he told me I must live on him I must take of him as he took of the father so I will Feast on him as our himym has just been putting it not in a physical sense but in a spiritual sense. [00:23:18]

There is one other thing that is represented by this communion by the bread and the wine and it is this it is the union of the Believers with one another they're not only all joined to Christ they are all joined to one another now the Apostle Paul has taught this in chapter 10 of his first epistle to the Corinthians and it's a chapter that we should always pay careful attention to the chapter before this chapter in which he gives the instructions. [00:24:07]

The term communion represents not only our communion with the Lord but also our communion with one another we are bound together in him because we are all in him we become one loaf one bread and that you see is why the Apostle goes on to give that teaching that came out in my reading at the beginning he says look here you're denying the very principle of communion he says some of you are eating too much others are not having enough to eat you're selfish you're divided you must all be one you must wait for one another. [00:25:26]

This action this communion this Sacrament if you like to so call it not only signifies but it seals things to us and what does it seal well it seals this it seals all the benefits about which I've just been speaking so that when you and I take the communion we're not only reminding ourselves of something we are not only indulging in a memorial or commemorative action neither are we merely putting on our Badge of church membership as it were because it is that also but more than that something is being done to us as we receive that bread and as we receive that wine God is telling us that we are participators in the benefits of this New Covenant. [00:26:26]

It seals them all to us it seals all these promises of God to which I've been referring it assures me that he died for me that I'm join to him that I've died with him and have risen with him it does indeed assure to me all the benefits of the New Covenant it's like handing me a document with a seal on it there there it is this is all yours the New Covenant of God with men belongs to me he's made it with me he's handing it over to me he's giving it me as the ring put on is an assurance to the person who wears it of the love of that man so the bread and the wine are a special Assurance given to us by God in his love and condescension in order that as we take them we may know that he's giving all these benefits to us. [00:31:03]

There is no new or additional Grace given in the Lord's Supper well what is it then well it's what I've been saying what it does is to add to the effectiveness of the word it adds to our receiving of the grace there is no special Grace there is nothing there which you can't have anywhere else now again you see there is a temptation to a digression but my time is gone there are those who say that the Supreme service in the church is the communion service I find no scriptural evidence for that at all no the Supreme Sacrament if you like to call it such the Supreme means of Grace in the church is the word the word preached and taught this is just another means of doing it it's a remarkable one it's a special one it's a peculiar one but it doesn't give us any peculiar Grace any extra special Grace what it does is to intensify the grace to make it more effective to us. [00:37:23]

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