While I find Church history interesting, and the writings of early Church leaders insightful about the beliefs and practices of Christians hundreds of years ago, my mind and heart are persuaded to Truth through Scripture alone. Our Lord and His Apostles warned us on many occasions that there would come after them false teachers and wolves whose only desire would be to divide and devour the flock of God. I must not allow any “man” to persuade me against the clear Teaching of God’s Word on any subject of importance to our Lord. So, as I look at the Lord’s Supper – as I consider its Purpose, Power and Promise – I must put aside the arguments of men and listen to the Voice of the Spirit Who brings Truth to bear on the hearts of all who will hear Him.
Purpose, Power, Promise
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Remember – a simple idea … “remember, don’t forget.” If Christians did that one thing – if we remembered the Holy Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross every day – we would “really” understand who we are and what we have in Christ.
Honestly, how many of us remember to remember the Lord’s Death every day? When we remember, what do we remember? Do we think of how nice it was of God to send His Son to die on the Cross to save us from our sins? Do we give God a quick nod, wink and a smile as we move on to the next thing in our life? Or do we REMEMBER what Jesus did for us on the Cross? Does His Sacrifice take hold of our heart and mind and shake us at the core of our very existence? Do we remember that Jesus was despised and rejected by men – that He was a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief – that He was despised, and we did not esteem Him – that He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows – that He was stricken and smitten by God, and afflicted – that He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities – that the chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed – that we like sheep have gone astray and turned to our own way and that God laid on Christ the iniquity of us all – that He was oppressed and afflicted, yet did not open His mouth – that He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers was silent, and He opened not His mouth – that He was cut off from the land of the living – that for His people He was stricken – that He made His grave with the wicked – that He had done no violence and no deceit was in His mouth, yet it pleased God to bruise Him, put Him to grief, and make His Soul an offering for sin – that He poured out His Soul unto death and was numbered with the transgressors – that He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors? Is that what we remember? It should be, because THAT is what Jesus did for us on the Cross. That is what we should remember every day, every day, every day, every day, every day, every day, and every day!
Proclaim – the second purpose of the Lord’s Supper is to “proclaim” the Lord’s Death until He comes again. The Lord’s Supper is not a nice little quick spiritual thing we do at the end of a worship service. It is the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which God calls “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16) The Death of Jesus Christ is THE MESSAGE that all people need to hear because it is the POWER OF GOD to salvation for everyone who believes. Think about that – we have something everyone else needs. They need it to be saved from the most deadly disease known in the world – SIN. Sin steals -it kills – it destroys. Sin is worse than cancer, worse than heart disease, worse than the worst of all human diseases. Sin is the cancer of the soul. It eats and eats and eats until it is full and has emptied the soul of any hope. What will wash away my sin? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.
The Blood of Jesus Christ is the Heavenly Medicine that brings life from death, light from darkness, hope from fear. The Blood of Jesus Christ shed on the Cross is the Holy Antidote to sin. There is no other hope for humanity. There is nothing else that will save the eternal soul. There is only the Blood of Jesus. That is our Gospel. That is our confession. That is our proclamation.
Promise – the Death of Jesus has two great promises for those who believe its message. (1) Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. (2) Jesus is COMING! Paul says loudly and clearly to all who will hear him – “proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” Jesus is coming again. The prophets said He would come to die for our sins. Jesus did come and did die for our sins. The Apostle Paul said He will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first, then those who were alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and they will be with Him forever. Jesus is coming for you and for me. He is coming. The prophet Daniel said the Son of Man will come to earth with dominion and glory and a kingdom, and that all peoples, nations, and languages will serve Him, and that His dominion will be an everlasting dominion which will not pass away and not be destroyed. Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, is coming again – to establish His Kingdom on earth. He will Rule and all people will serve Him. That is our Promise and will be the Promise of all who believe in the Name of Jesus.
Every time we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we are to do two things: Remember and Proclaim. The Promise is from God. Jesus will return.
In Christ’s Love and Grace,
Mark McGee
GraceLife Ministries
“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
GraceLife Blog 