Preparing and Partaking
We meet tonight in anticipation of meeting tomorrow evening at the Lord’s Table. Our preparation for that gathering includes spending time alone with the Lord. It is also appropriate for us to listen again to what the Bible says about the Lord’s Supper and we can do so by reflecting briefly on two passages, one which can help us prepare and one which can help us participate.
Preparing for the Lord’s Supper (John 13:1-17)
The Gospel of John does not mention the Lord’s Supper, although John tells us what took place before and after the Supper on that special evening. His account of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples gives us some insights into how we should prepare for the Supper. So what are some of those insights?
First, we do it in the midst of the devil’s activity. His actions there were connected to Judas, and there were special reasons for that temptation and trial of faith for the disciples. Yet it is legitimate for us to remind ourselves that the devil will be active in trying to prevent spiritual benefit coming to us at the Lord’s Supper.
Second, we do it aware of the full extent of the love of Jesus. In a sense, we can have greater awareness of what his love led him to do because, unlike his disciples in the upper room, we know what took place at the cross when he suffered there in the place of his people. So preparation for the Supper includes reflecting on and meditating on the love of Jesus. What can we say about his love? It is eternal, without beginning. It is atoning, paying the penalty for our sins. It is cleansing, enabling his sinful people to be sanctified. Thinking about those aspects helps us to prepare for participating in the Lord’s Supper.
Third, we prepare by reminding ourselves that genuine disciples can commit real clangers in the spiritual life. The obvious example of this in the incident is Simon Peter when he objected strongly to Jesus washing his feet. No doubt, Peter later would have squirmed as he recalled his sinful response to the actions of Jesus. But every Christian has and will commit clangers in their post-conversion relationship with the Lord. None of us can participate imagining we cannot commit the same wrong activities as others have done. As Rabbi Duncan once told a hesitating communicant who was showing reluctance to take the bread or the cup, ‘Take it, woman, because it is for sinners.’
Fourth, we prepare for participation by reminding ourselves of the importance of humility. Humble activities reveal that we are like the Master. Moreover, it is humble activities that the Master wanted from his disciples in the upper room. But they failed to do so. It was not a lack of opportunity, because any of them could have started washing feet at the onset of the evening. They did not, and they missed an unrepeatable opportunity. It was a little thing for any of them to do, and it would have pleased Jesus. But they preferred just to sit there and do nothing. And he rebuked them for not showing humility. It is not enough for us to serve, it must be humble service in motive and action.
Participating in the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:24-26)
How should one participate in the Lord’s Supper? No doubt, we all know how, so what I mention will not be surprising. Yet I hope that the comments will be helpful.
The first detail is that we should participate gratefully. Jesus, as we know, gave special thanks for this meal. It occurred during the Passover service, but on this occasion he was not giving thanks for the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. Instead he was giving thanks for what this new meal signified, which was that he would die in the place of his people. It is hard for us to appreciate the willingness that Jesus had in his calling. He really wanted to do this on behalf of his people. And while he knew that there were terrors unknown ahead of him he took time to express his gratitude. If that was his attitude as he introduced the first Lord’s Supper, surely it should be ours as we enjoy the blessings that he has purchased for us.
The second detail connected to participating is that we should recall the humanity of Jesus. I wonder how he said the words, ‘This is my body,’ as he looked at the broken bread and asked his disciples to look at it as well. We can imagine that the bread looked quite attractive before he broke it. The art of the baker would be seen in it. In the humanity of Jesus we see the art of the Creator because there is nothing so beautiful as the person of Jesus. He is both God and man. As he holds the broken bread that signifies his broken body, he tells the disciples to remember him.
Of course, he is looking ahead to future occasions when they would take part in the meal without his physical presence. But on each occasion, he wants them to think about what happened to his body. I don’t think he meant that we should only focus on what happened to his body at Calvary, but in addition we can also think about him adding a human nature to his divine person, about how in developed in his earthly life, about how it suffered, and about how it has been glorified in heaven.
The third detail to consider as we participate is the significance of the new covenant. This new covenant was predicted by the prophet Jeremiah and contains four amazing features. First, the Lord promises to give a new heart to his people on which is written the law of God. In other words, those who have this new heart love to obey the commandments of God. Of course, the promise does not suggest that the outward lifestyle is not changed. One evidence that we have a new heart is that we love to sit at the Lord’s table.
Second, those enjoying the blessings of the new covenant will belong to a new community – the people of God. The community are in touch with God, the one who has given to them such great promises. In a sense, the promises are God’s way of revealing to his people his great secrets.
Third, those within the new community, living under the blessings of the new covenant, are the most incredible people in existence because they all know truths about the great and gracious God. This prediction does not mean that they do not need to be taught. Instead, it means that they are aware of certain basic realities about God. They know that he is gracious, forgiving, and faithful. They know that God is the Trinity, and that each of the divine persons has done amazing things for them, is doing such things for them, and will yet do great things for them.
Fourth, those under the blessings of the new covenant enjoy the assurance of having all their sins forgiven. Each of us sits at the Lord’s table as a forgiven sinner. Apart from Jesus, the only people that sit appropriately at the Lord’s Supper are those who are aware of forgiveness. The saints in heaven will never again sit at the Lord’s Supper. It is not a suitable meal for those there. We come to it conscious of our sin, but those who know most about their sins are the one who know that they have been forgiven.
The fourth matter to be conscious of as we sit at the Lord’s Table is that we are witnessing in a clear and loud manner to the purpose of the death of Jesus. After all, ‘proclaim’ means clear and loud. There have been different suggestions made as to what is meant by ‘proclaim’. One suggestion is that those at the table sing suitable songs; another suggestion is that one or more of the participants read relevant biblical passages. I suppose the answer can come from considering to whom we are making the proclamation. Paul had already told the Corinthians that in their services angels were present and we can be sure that participating in the Supper speaks clear and loud to them. Also, Paul had mentioned in this letter that if an unbeliever comes into their service and grasps what they are doing he or she would fall down and worship God. The problem in Corinth was that their actions at the Lord’s Supper were not speaking loud and clear.
The fifth detail to remind ourselves of at the Lord’s Supper is that it is a temporary gathering that will occur only until Jesus comes again. Every occasion reminds us that we are moving closer to the wonderful day when he shall return.then we will remember him in his immediate presence. And that will be a glorious experience, far above what we can imagine at present. Still, sitting at his table now can be wonderful as well.