Making the Most 04 The Lord's Supper 032714

Making the Most
of the means of grace
04

4.  The Lord's Supper

I won't even try to get into the issues surrounding the exact nature of the Lord's Supper.  Not only are they too broad for this brief devotion but they are pretty much too deep for me.

Let us lean on Paul for our understanding:

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ESV
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, [24] 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." [25] In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." [26] For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

For me the key to the grace of the Lord's Supper is found in with phrase, "in rememberance of me."

This rememberance is not just about His death though Paul focuses us on that in verse 26.  Rather I think that it is a broader rememberance which encompasses all of what it means to be the Christ, the Promised One, the Redeemer.

This would take us all the way back to Genesis and the promise to Eve.  It would include the Exodus, David's reign, the Prophets, John the Baptist and so very much more.  The rememberance should overwhelm us as it stems all of the history of redemption and not just three years of ministry.

This rememberance is created by the Word, understood better through prayer and is indeed an act of Worship.  Now we see how the "means of grace" work together supporting and enhancing one another.  They are five pillars if you will upon which we build and which build one another.

But back to our "rememberance."  It is a shame that we have so little time in worship for remembernance.  The plate and cup are passed and it's over in just a few moments.  Hardly time to remember anything.

That is why I suggest strongly that we prepare prior to even getting to the worship meeting.  We all usually know when we will celebrate supper and so we can all prepare for partaking as we prepare for worship.
Now I'm going to get wierd.  The Jews counted days from sunset to sunset and this was certainly critical in their preparation for their Sabbath rest and worship.  Let me suggest that we consider emmulating them at least one day a week.  Let our "Sabbath" or Lord's Day begin at sunset on Saturday and run till sunset on Sunday.

My rational is simple.  Let us prepare for worship the night before, especially when we know we will be partaking of the Lord's Supper.  I know we are used to Saturday being "our" day but maybe we can plan it better and use the evening more productively.

*NO - I'm not trying to create a new "law" just a new and beneficial habit.

The Lord's Supper, the rememberance of His redeeming us, the proclamation of His death with the promise of His return should never be a common endeavor.  It is not a "magical" moment but it is in a sense a mystical moment.  It is, at least for me, the moment when I desire all of me to be focused on Him, what he accomplished and what He has promised.  I can't really do that in the typically all too brief "communion service," but I can do that ahead of time so that in those few moments whenI am actually partaking I am truly remembering Him.

Let us take very seriously Pau's admonition:

1 Corinthians 11:27-29 ESV
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. [28] Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. [29] For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

Prepare, oh dearest brothers and sisters, prepare your minds and hearts for those moments when you are partaking.  Do not allow your partaking to be just an act in the moment but make good use of the time before - the night before - to set yoour mind and heart on Him and all there is to remember.

Trusting God - Trouble (a) 021714

When we read Matthew 5 and 6 we are so blessed by the promises and assurances Jesus gives us.  There is so very much in these chapters that perhaps it is easy to miss some of it.  I've been thinking particularly of:

Matthew 6:34 ESV
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

I noticed first that "tomorrow will be anxious for itself."  I am comforted that Jesus understands our anxieties.  And I am encouraged that He counsels me to accept that there will be "anxiety" in each day.

And what would I count as "anxieties?"  Well, I would consider that the word translated anxiety means to be troubled with cares so what I am anxious about is what I have both legitimate concern for and illegitimate concern for.

I'm anxious about sin.  The day is full of temptations.  Gossip, lust, lack of trust, making "my" plans, poor stewardship are all potential concerns of mine.  But I can't let their potential comsume my mind.

I do however need to responsible for these temptations.  So in order to not be anxious about sin I need to prepare my mind and heart every morning for the coming day.  My days being pretty much a regular routine, I know when and how I'll be tempted for the most part.  I know where to divert my mind and my eyes.  I know when I need to pray and pretty much what I need to pray for.  But all of that is adressed early in the day before I leave home.

We, I think, are anxious in direct proportion to our lack of knowledge of our hearts and our failure to prepare ourselves for the day's trials and temptations.  I know that if I just rush into a day and fly on auto-pilot I not only miss the opportunity to avoid sin but I miss His blessings that come throughout the day.

Are you anxious about sin?  I think most of us are more anxious after the fact than before it.  But we can and need to get ahead of it by preparing ourselves for what we know is coming.  We must prepare our selves for that battle we fight every minute of every day and we need to prepare in His presense.

Lord, I go forth today in Your name and by Your power.  I enter the battle once more calling upon You to strengthen me and guide me; protect me and preserve me.  Make me more sensitive to temptations Lord.  It's so easy to get caught up in sinful things when I am insensitive to them.  Make my heart sensitive and my mind aware of what may come and what does come in the way of temptation and Lord grant that I might resist and where I fail to resist bring me to repentance  Amen