Take a]lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
For it is out of the Last Passover that the first Lord’s Supper arouses, and there is obviously a relationship between the Passover and the Lord’s Supper in a spiritual way.
The roots of the supper extend back into the Old Testament to its parallel account, the Passover. The Passover, was a memorial of physical deliverance through a blood sacrifice. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of spiritual deliverance from sin »Wordy Phrase: by means of by means of a blood sacrifice. The Passover is an anticipation of the future fulfillment the Lord’ Supper.
Scriptures declares, Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year, you shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and apply it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, and and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it and unleavened bread, and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. In Exodus12;12-13 it states 12 “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
When Stephen preached, in Acts chapter 7, he draws a very distinct parallel between Moses and the Lord Jesus, commenting on the fact that they were both deliverers. They both came. They both were rejected by their own people.
So when we look at the story of Moses, we’re looking at something that is designed to represent the Lord Jesus Christ.
For it is out of the Last Passover that the first Lord’s Supper arouses, and there is obviously a relationship between the Passover and the Lord’s Supper in a spiritual way.
For example, in 1 Corinthians 5; 7 it states, For Christ, I s our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed for our sins. It is a beautiful picture of the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
God gave Moses instructions concerning the Passover account, and the told them they were to take a lamb. Now, he says they were to take a lamb without blemish. That is important because,, the lamb is illustrative of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter says in the first chapter of his epistle that we were redeemed, not with flesh and blood, not with gold, silver, and precious stones, but we were redeemed with a lamb, without spot, and without blemish. In other words, the Lord Jesus Christ, is a lamb without blemish. The Apostle Peter also wrote sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ.
God said, “On tonight, I’m going to pass through the land of Egypt and I’m going to smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.” Notice the words “pass through” in verse 13. In v 13 when I see the blood I will pass over you.” I will pass through the land, but when I see the blood I will pass over you. The Hebrew word for Passover is pacach, is a verb that means “to hover over.” Has the idea of protection not omission?
So that what God is saying is that when I see the blood I will hover over you and when the destroying angel comes, I will protect you from the destroying angel.
IN fact, there was death in every household not only death in the houses of the Egyptians, but death also in the houses of the Israelites. In the case of Egyptians who did not have the blood on The two side posts nor on the lentil above, it meant the death of the firstborn, for the angel entered the house and slew the firstborn. As they said later, we are all dead men.
In the case of the Israelites, there was death on the doorpost. The blood of the slain lamb, sprinkled on the side of the door and above it. So, there was death on every house, judgment everywhere. Some were delivered by the judgment upon the lamb; while others were lost because they refused to put blood on the door post lamb.
In 1 Peter 1; 5 You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. He also declared sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ.
We believe the good news, when we apply the blood. Someone has said, “It wasn’t the lamb that saved, it wasn’t the shed blood that saved, it was the shed blood of the lamb sprinkled on the doorpost that saved.” The fact that there is a Lamb of God does not save anyone.
One thing you can be sure of is that safety resides in the blood of Christ when He shed His blood on Calvary’s cross for our sins. And the person whose has faith in Him. Where He took our sin. Where He has taken the blood of that sacrifice and put it on the upper door post of his heart, that person is safe by the blood of Christ. He is safe as an apostle or as a prophet if the death of the Lord Jesus Christ is his ground of their hope.
For it is out of the Last Passover that the first Lord’s Supper arouses, and there is obviously a relationship between the Passover and the Lord’s Supper in a spiritual way.
When dealing with mankind sin all humanity is guilty as charged whether for 10 days, guilty for 30 days, guilty for 60 days, guilty for one year, guilty for life guilty. Damnation means absolute and everlasting damnation. All suffering in the next life; therefore, of which the sufficient and justifying reason is guilt, must continue as long as the reason continues. And the reason is everlasting. The man who is guilty today is guilty tomorrow. The man who is guilty today is guilty ten years from now. And the man who is guilty ten years from now is guilty throughout eternity. Time does not convert guilty into innocence. If it were possible for a man to come into the presence of an eternal God after having sinned, except for divine redemption.
We are sinners and lost, and it is only when the divine spirit works in our hearts, causes us to see our condition and causes us to flee to the cross where He shed His blood that we receive a new heart and a new life and the forgiveness of sins.
The Last Passover The First Lord Supper
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is My body.” Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will. Matthew 26:26-28,39
Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them, and so they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many. 25 I assure you: I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new wayin the kingdom of God.” After singing psalms, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Mark 14:23-26
And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; it is shed for you. 21 But look, the hand of the one betraying Me is at the table with Me! 22 For the Son of Man will go away as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed! Luke 22:19-22
Now we turn to the last Passover. And remember, the preliminary lessons we went over last week in the First Passover. The Lord has given us two ordinances:
BBaptism and the Lord’s Supper., we celebrate our entrance into our Christian life. In the second, we celebrate our continuance in the Christian life. Baptism is experienced once. The Lord’s Supper we observe constantly. It is the only act for which the Lord Jesus gave special direction. It is also sometimes. We overlooked that the very name, “Lord’s Supper,” tends to emphasize the importance of it.
It is a very fitting one because the Lord is the host and we are the guests at this meal. The importance of the Lord’s Supper is highlighted by the fact that in the New Testament as well as in the writings of the early church fathers, it seems to have been the highlight of the corporate worship of the church. In Acts 20;7 it states And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread. Also state In Acts 2:42 “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
The highlights of the Lord’s Supper, we said, go back to the Passover. The Passover is a memorial of Israel’s deliverance from physical bondage in Egypt. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of our spiritual deliverance from bondage to sin. The Passover was observed in anticipation of the future, when the Lamb of God would come.
When the Lord Jesus had come, and this was the final Passover. The Lord Supper took it placed; the Passover service lost its validity thereafter. No valid Passovers have ever been enjoyed since that one, for the age changed, the fulfillment had come, the Lamb had come, the Lamb had been sacrificed; no further need for the offering of animals – lambs – in sacrifice.
When we sit at the Lord’s table, the apostle tells us, we observe the Lord’s Supper until he should come, so that it, too, is observed in the view of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is the beautiful relationship between the Passover service and the Lord’s Supper. They is extremely important.
When John the Baptist said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world,” he was, no doubt, relying upon that teaching of the lamb that goes back to Exodus 12, and Isaiah 53.
Now that’s an amazing thing because, remember, Israel was told to observe this ceremony forever, but here is the Lord Jesus saying don’t remember the Passover account any longer, remember me! In other words, it is an expression of the sense of sovereignty over all things that he possessed by virtue of what he would do. He was able, in a sense, to do away with the Passover service and install in its place the observance of the Lord’s Supper. And the amazing thing is that these godly, devoted Jewish men – true believers – believed him and followed him. And the remainder of the church has been following him. In short, Jesus became Passover lamb and replace Passover to the Lord Supper
In Mark14;22-25 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread and thanked God for it and broke it. Then, he gave it to his followers and said, “Take it; this is my body.”
23 Then Jesus took a cup and thanked God for it and gave it to the followers, and they all drank from the cup.
24 Then Jesus said, “This is my blood that is the new agreement that God makes with his people. This blood is poured out for many. 25 I tell you the truth; I will not drink of this fruit of the vine again until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
This was known as the first Lord Supper that took place of the Passover. The word atonement is the most important word in Christian theology. In the Christian context, atonement refers to what Christ did in his death, restoring the shattered relationship between sinners and a holy God. And the price of his death is the means of the atonement. For example Jesus stated, For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45. Jesus wilily went to the cross and sacrifice Himself on it to atone mankind for their sins
For Jesus take our place He needed to keep the moral and the Jewish ceremonial laws. Jesus declares “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. In John 17; 4 I have glorified You on the earth by completing the work You gave Me to do. Dr Lewis Johnson wrote the Lord Jesus lived perfectly under the law. He had to carry out that Passover service with immaculate perfection. Not one thing could be out of line with the Old Testament teaching. Probably no one observed the Passover more perfectly than as our Lord did with the apostles, carrying out all of Moses’ injunctions absolutely perfectly, he fulfilled the law.
V 22 Jesus took some bread and thanked God for it and broke it. Then he gave it to his followers and said, “Take it; this is my body.”
John Gil commentary wrote, “in Luke ’tis added, which is given for you; that is, unto death, as a sacrifice for sin; and by the Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. 11:24 which is broken for you; as that bread then was, and so expressive of his wounds, bruises, sufferings, and death, for them? This is the bread of affliction, which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt.” Not that they thought that was the selfsame bread, but that it resembled it, and was a representation of the affliction and distress their fathers were in at that time: to which some think our Lord here alludes: though rather, the reference is to the Passover lamb, which is frequently, in Jewish writings, called the body of the lamb; thus, mention being made of the bringing of the herbs, the unleavened bread, and the sauce Charoseth, with other things to the master of the house, ’tis addeds: “and in the sanctuary (whilst that stood) they bring unto him, the body of the lamb.” Again, elsewheret ’tis said, “They bring a table furnished, and on it the bitter herbs and other greens, and the unleavened bread, and the sauce, , and the body of the paschal lamb.” And a little furthermore, “He recites the blessing, blessed art thou O Lord, &c. for the eating of the Passover, and he eats, of the body of the Passover.”
And now it is, as if Christ had said, you have had the body of the lamb set before you, and have eaten of it, in commemoration of the deliverance out of Egypt, and as a type of me the true Passover, quickly to be sacrificed; and this rite of eating the body of the paschal lamb is now to cease; and I do here by this bread, in an emblematical way, set before you my body, which is to be given to obtain spiritual deliverance, and eternal redemption for you; in remembrance of which, you, and all my followers in successive generations, are to take and eat of it, till I come. The words, take, eat, shew that Christ did not put the bread into the mouths of the disciples, but they took it in their hands and ate it; expressive of taking and receiving Christ by the hand of faith, and feeding on him in a spiritual manner. S Lewis Johnson wrote, Now the bread is taken first because the bread suggests the means to the atoning death, the incarnation. The bread is taken; he is himself the bread of life, and that bread is broken. He took the bread, and he broke it. Bread was normally broken, but it was a beautiful figure, and our Lord used it of the death that he would die. And so he took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it. That of course, is intended to stress the fact that he must die.
Now I want you to notice that he not only took the bread, and he not only broke it, but he gave it to the disciples. So, the Lord Jesus Christ took the bread, he broke the bread, he gave it to the disciples in a visible picture of what God does in the salvation of men. He takes the initiative. He carries out the work. He conveys it to us. He gives us the responsiveness in order that we may respond to the divine initiative. So, the Lord Jesus Christ took the bread, he broke the bread, he gave it to the disciples in a visible picture of what God does in the salvation of men. He takes the initiative. He carries out the work. He conveys it to us. He gives us the responsiveness in order that we may respond to the divine initiative. As scriptures declares, There is none that doth good, no not one. There is none righteous, no not one seek after God.
I am prepared to believe that there is a communication of great blessing to us as we sit and reflect under the Spirit’s guidance upon the saving work of Jesus Christ in those elements.
V 23-24 Then Jesus took a cup and thanked God for it and gave it to the followers, and they all drank from the cup. Then Jesus said, “This is my blood which is the new agreement that God makes with his people. This blood is poured out for many.
J Gil wrote, “For this is my blood of the New Testament. That is, the red wine in the cup, was an emblem and representation of his precious blood, whereby was exhibited a new dispensation, or administration of the covenant of grace; and by which it was ratified and confirmed; and whereby all the blessings of it, such as peace, pardon, righteousness, and eternal life, come to the people of God: the allusion is to the first covenant, and the book of it being sprinkled with the blood of bulls, and therefore called the blood of the covenant, Exodus 24:8. But the second covenant, or the new administration of the covenant of grace, for which reason it is called the New Testament, is exhibited and established in the blood of Christ the testator. It was usual, even among the Heathens, to make and confirm their covenants by drinking human blood, and that sometimes mixed with wine. Which is shed for many, for the remission of sins; that is, was very shortly to be shed, and since has been, for all the elect of God; for the many that were ordained to eternal life, and the many that were given to Christ, the many that are justified by him, and the many sons he’ll bring to glory: whereby the full forgiveness of all their sins was procured, in a way consistent with, and honourable to the justice of God; full satisfaction being made to the law of God. for all their transgressions or sins.
Note This blood is poured out for many, or In Matthew 26;28 it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. Dr Johnson wrote, “We believe the good news, when we apply the blood. Someone has said, “It wasn’t the lamb that saved, it wasn’t the shed blood that saved, it was the shed blood of the lamb sprinkled on the doorpost that saved.” The fact that there is a Lamb of God does not save anyone.”
We are sinners and lost, and it is only when the divine spirit works in our hearts, causes us to see our condition and causes us to flee to Christ who shed His blood on Calvary’s cross that we will receive a new heart and a new life and the forgiveness of sins.
Note Luke 22;19 Do this in remembrance of Me, Zondervan Commentary wrote, Christ’s command would be a remembrance and a proclamation of the deliverance of believers from the bondage of sin through Christ’s atoning work on the cross.
Matthew Henry wrote, And this we do in remembrance of what he did for us, when he died for us, and for a memorial of what we do, in making ourselves partakers of him, and joining ourselves to him in an everlasting covenant; like the stone, Joshua set up for a witness, Josh. 24:27.
Dr Johnson wrote, “Have you not noticed this? The Lord Jesus Christ does not ask us to remember his life. He hasn’t asked us to remember the miracles that he performed. He doesn’t even ask us – at least this case, in this fundamental place – to remember his ethical system, but this is one of those preeminent things that he has said. Our Lord’s desire is that his death would be remembered, and remembered in this sense that he’s the true Passover lamb under whose blood there is safety, and our duty, suggested by the duty of those Israelites, is to put our fingers into the blood of that cross on Calvary’s sacrifice, spiritually, and sprinkle that blood of that cross on Calvary’s sacrifice, spiritually, and sprinkle that blood upon the doorposts of our hearts, that we may have a relationship with him.
There is one thing that pleases Him To sit at the Lord’s table and reflect under the Spirit’s guidance for the things that he has accomplished for me – that pleases him. In fact, the whole realm of salvation seems to be comprehended in the bread and the wine,Jesus that I AM the true Passover lamb redeemed Mankind from Adam curse.
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior, the sacrifice has been offered. You may flee to the cross and receive the gift of eternal life.
The Apostle Paul On The Lord Supper
Verse 24-25 states This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.
Note in remembrance of me it state twice
Dr Johnson wrote“Take and eat.” And he said, “Drink ye all of this.” In other words, we’re simply to look back and remember, but we’re actually to enter into the experience of appropriation.
John MacArthur wrote Commemorating the Lord’s Supper was a regular and cherished practice in the early church, by which believers remembered their Savior’s death and celebrated their common salvation and eternal life which reflected their perfect spiritual oneness. the blood of Christ.
John Gill wrote this do ye as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me; of his soul’s being poured out unto death; of his blood being shed for the remission of sins; and of his great love in giving himself an atoning sacrifice to divine justice, and laying such a foundation for solid peace and joy in the hearts of his people.
27-30 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep..
Verse 27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
In the Corinthian assembly, eating and drinking in an unworthy manner meant eating and drinking excessively at the communal meal, so that other brothers went hungry. Other unworthily forms of partaking could be imagined, but it is only a sin in the manner of partaking communion that is spoken of.
In 1 Corinthians 11 20-21 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. Therefore, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk.
One of the disorderly things that were taking place in Corinth was the disorder at the Lord’s table. It was the custom in those days, to observe a meal which was called the Love Feast.
The Corinthian people in the Apostle Paul celebrate the Love feast. Where a shared or communal meal somewhat like a potluck in present-day churches. Paul’s rebuke of the love feasts of Corinth concerns the gluttony, drunkenness, and selfishness exhibited by some in the church: “For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry; while another gets drunk.Paul stated Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing?” 1 Corinthians 11:21–22. These love feasts were without love, and Paul says their holding of the feasts were “not for the better but for the worse. One in the Corinthian church was not sharing their food but enjoying their own private feasts while others had nothing to eat; some were even getting drunk.
The Lord’s Supper is an opportunity to worship the Savior, remember His sacrifice, and “proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes “
1 Corinthians 11:26. Some of the Corinthians were using the occasion of the Lord’s Supper and the love feasts to satisfy their fleshly desires, turning what was spiritual and holy into something carnal and corrupted. The aim of agape love is benefit others; the misbehavior at the early church’s love feasts worked strongly against that purpose.
Dr Johnson wrote the apostles; however, speak very strongly against getting drunk, and the fact that they used wine for the Lord’s Supper was a reflection of their own practice. They usually drank wine with their meals.
Inside itself there I isn’t any wrong enjoying a meal with other fellow believers or drinking little bit wine with your meal. However, the Lord Supper was to be observed, and was solemn an event. Where you would come to the table to remember what Christ accomplishes on the cross. Where He took mankind sins, and replace with His Righteousness, we reflect on His sacrifice, and atoning work because of our sins. So, it was a very serious and solemn thing. In our struggle, we judge sin to be sin and war against it. It is precisely this struggle that is a vindication of our position with Christ and a manifestation of our need for communion as an act of dependence upon His work and grace. When you sit, and the bread is passed to you and the wine is passed to you, you reflect upon the fact that you are the recipient of the work that is done for you.
In fact, when our Lord said, as he took the bread and gave it to him and said, “Take, eat, this is my body,” and when he said, “This cup (when he took the wine) is the new covenant in my blood, this do as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me” he was saying to them as plainly as it could be said, I must die sacrificially. I must die sacrificially, I am the Lamb of God to which Israel has looked forward for all of these centuries.
The Lord Supper was to be observed for all who believe in Christ since there isn’t no distinction. The poor, the rich the least, and the greatest are invite to the Lord table. But, in the case of some of these meetings, the wealthier people who also had better food would observe the common meal before the common people came.
The result being that by the time the people gathered for the observance of the Lord’s Supper, the richer ones and the wealthier ones had already eaten their meals and had eaten the better food as well. And the result was that some who were very poor came and did not have anything. In addition, some of those that had drunk the wine were drunken, and so the disorders at the Lord’s table had caused discipline to be exercised by the Lord God.
For example in Jude 12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead.
Nadab and Abihu sons of Aaron the oldest son offered a strange fire meaning a unauthorized, foreign, or profane.” God not only rejected their sacrifice; He found it so offensive that He consumed the two men with fire.That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. Remember you have homes to eat and to drink, is not the sleep of snoring; it is the sleep of death).
It could be that those taking the communion elements needed to be fully aware that they represent the sacrifice of Christ by which we are redeemed from sin. Therefore, to participate in communion while not understanding this would be to take it in an unworthy manner.
Another possibility is that taking the supper with willful, unconfessed sin would be in an unworthy manner.
1. The earlier context of 1 Cor. 11 seems to suggest that taking communion in an unworthy manner means to do so while you have a problem with another Christian with whom you are not reconciled.
2. Another view is that some Corinthians were using the communion supper as an opportunity for self-indulgence, which is why Paul mentioned about how some got drunk in verse 21.
3. The fifth view is that both elements (bread and wine) must be taken, not just one (bread or wine) since Christ commanded that both be taken. This would, incidentally, invalidate the Roman Catholic practice of taking the wafer only.
4. The final view is that the person taking communion must be worthy in order to take it. But this view, however, is dangerous because no one is worthy to take communion supper. Our worthiness comes from Christ, not ourselves.
As Jesus declares,For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you gather together you will not come under judgment.
28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.
It seems most probable that Paul is telling people to examine their motives, make sure there is no dissension with other believers, to take the supper solemnly, and they were to rightly understand that it represents the sacrifice of Christ.
We should examine our hearts and repent of our sins. And if we find unrepentant sin, we should bring it to Jesus, receive forgiveness, and then take communion. If you’re afraid you’ve sinned, but can’t remember what you did, confess your general sinfulness and partake. We should not let fear of unknown sins keep us from the table. That kind of fear drives us away from Christ, not to him.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV®)
Remember, at the end of the day, none of us are worthy in ourselves. We only find our worthiness in Christ, and empowered and enabled by the Holy Spirit, we can take communion in a worthy manner. So if you know Christ, you are worthy and may partake.
After I pray, and we begin to serve, please use this time to examine yourself but also as a time to remember your worthiness is found in Jesus Christ.
In 1964 CRC liturgical form it state However, the Lord admonishes those who do not believe or have not repented to abstain from the holy supper so as not to eat and drink judgment on themselves. Therefore we also charge those who willfully continue in their sins to keep themselves from the table of the Lord *(such as all who trust in any form of superstition; all who honor images or pray to saints; all who despise God’s Word or the holy sacraments; all who take God’s name in vain; all who violate the sanctity of the Lord’s Day; all who are disobedient to those in authority over them; all drunkards, gamblers, murderers, thieves, adulterers, liars, and unchaste persons). To all such we say in the name of the Lord that as long as they remain unrepentant and unbelieving, they have no part in the kingdom of God.
However, this solemn warning is not intended, beloved in the Lord, to discourage the contrite believer, for we do not come to this supper claiming any merit in ourselves. On the contrary, we come testifying that we seek our salvation apart from ourselves in Jesus Christ. By this testimony we humbly confess that we are full of sin and worthy of death. By this testimony we also confess that we believe the sure promise of God: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” 1John 1:9. This promise assures us that no sin or weakness which still remains in us against our will can hinder us from being received by God in grace at his table as worthy partakers of this holy food and drink.
*Thus assured, let us at the appointed hour come with quiet conscience and fullness of faith to keep this sacramental feast which our Lord appointed to be a continual memorial of his atoning death until he comes again.
https://carm.org/what-does-it-mean-take-communion-unworthy-manner
https://cornerstonewestford.com/2017/11/30/taking-the-lords-supper-in-an-unworthy-manner/
Verse 24-25 Do this 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. Also in Verse 28 So a man should examine himself; in this way he should eat the bread and drink from the cup
Matthew Henry wrote It was to show forth Christ’s death, to declare and publish it. It is not barely in remembrance of Christ, of what he has done and suffered, that this ordinance was instituted; but to commemorate, to celebrate, his glorious condescension and grace in our redemption. We declare his death to be our life, the spring of all our comforts and hopes. And we glory in such a declaration; we show forth his death, and spread it before God, as our accepted sacrifice and ransom. We set it in view of our own faith, for our own comfort and quickening; and we own before the world, by this very service, that we are the disciples of Christ, who trust in him alone for salvation and acceptance with God.
(4.) It is moreover hinted here, concerning this ordinance, That it should be frequent: As often as you eat this bread, etc. Our bodily meals return often; we cannot maintain life and health without this. And it is fit that this spiritual diet should be taken often tool The ancient churches celebrated this ordinance every Lord’s day, if not every day when they assembled for worship. [2.] That it must be perpetual. It is to be celebrated till the Lord shall come; till he shall come the second time, without sin, for the salvation of those that believe, and to judge the world. This is our warrant for keeping this feast. It was our Lord’s will that we should thus celebrate the memorials of his death and passion, till he come in his own glory, and the Father’s glory, with his holy angels, and put an end to the present state of things, and his own mediatorial administration, by passing the final sentence. Note, The Lord’s supper is not a temporary, but a standing and perpetual ordinance.
He points out the duty of those who would come to the Lord’s table. 1. In general: Let a man examine himself (Rom. 11:28), try and approve himself. Let him consider the sacred intention of this holy ordinance, its nature, and use, and compare his own views in attending on it and his disposition of mind for it; and, when he has approved himself to his own conscience in the sight of God, then let him attend. Such self-examination is necessary to a right attendance at this holy ordinance.
Note, Those who, through weakness of understanding, cannot try themselves, are by no means fit to eat of this bread and drink of this cup; nor those who, upon a fair trial, have just ground to charge themselves with impenitency, unbelief, and alienation from the life of God. Those should have the wedding-garment on who would be welcome at this marriage-feast—grace in habit, and grace in exercise.
2. The duty of those who were yet unpunished for their profanation of this ordinance: If we would judge ourselves, we should not be considered, Rom. 11:31. If we would thoroughly search and explore ourselves, and condemn and correct what we find amiss, we should prevent divine judgments.
Note, To be exact and severe on ourselves and our own conduct is the most proper way in the world not to fall under the just severity of our heavenly Father. We must not judge others, lest we be judged (Matt. 7:1); but we must judge ourselves, to prevent our being judged and condemned by God. We may be critical as to ourselves, but should be very candid in judging others.
Note The ancient churches celebrated this ordinance every Lord’s day in Acts 20;7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread.
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Calvin commentary ( Luke 24:1; John 20:1,) it shall very well agree, that on the morrow after the Sabbath they came together. Furthermore he wrote, To break bread. Though breaking of bread doth sometimes signify among the Hebrews a domestically banquet, yet do I expound the same of the Holy Supper in this place, being moved with two reasons. For seeing we may easily gather by that which followe that there was no small multitude gathered together there, it is unlikely that there could any supper be prepared in a private house. Again, Luke will afterward declare that Paul took bread not at supper time, but after midnight.
J Gil wrote when the disciples came together to break bread; not to eat a common meal, or to make a feast, or grand entertainment for the apostle and his company, before they departed; but, as the Syriac version renders it, to break the eucharist, by which the Lord’s supper. The body of Christ, which is symbolically and emblematically held forth in the bread at the Lord’s table.
Gangel, K.O wrote .The break bread” (klasai arton means to have meal) as the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
Dr Lewis Johnson, wrote The Lord’s table was the other thing that characterized the early church. They had a Spirit-led flexible meeting, and they observed the Lord’s table every Sunday. In the didache,{i a Christian manual} an ancient document which contains two parts: Concerning breaking of thebread. “On the Lord’s day, come together, break bread and give thanks, having first confessed your sins, so that your sacrifice may be pure. Anyone who has a dispute with another, must not join your assembly until they have been reconciled, so that your sacrifice may not be defiled, for this is the sacrifice spoken of by the Lord: “
Acts 20;7 Note On the first day of the week also in Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Along in
In Acts 2;46 they broke bread from house to house.
It not stating every Sunday even thou I believe we should observe the Lord Supper every Sunday
While some churches observe it ¼, and need to be member of church participate in the Lord Supper.
The current church I am attending observe once a month and allow all who believe in Christ, participate in the Lord Supper. They strongly urge you to abstain from the Lord Supper if you have any unresolved issue with anyone.
While the Roman Catholic celebrate Eucharist they have every time they have Mass you need to be Catholic to part of the Eucharist
Most of our evangelical churches observe the Lord’s supper either quarterly or monthly.
My personal view I’ll take the Lord Supper at the church I attend which is Phipott Memorial where I am member if I am attending another church I’ll refrain from taking of the bread, and cup however I still will reflect on what Jesus accomplished on the cross
https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/calvin-institutes-christianity/book4/chapter-17.html
https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/study/module/didache/
The Lord Jesus did not partake of the bread. He did not drink the wine. He didn’t eat the bread; he did not drink the wine. The reason is obvious. He had no sins for which to receive forgiveness. So, it is he who divides to them. He takes the elements and gives to them and says divide among yourselves. It is your responsibility, for we are the sinners. He is the sinless, sovereign Savior. He does not partake, because he does not need forgiveness of sins. He is the one dispensing the forgiveness of sins. So, he gave it to them. He gave it to them to drink.
Now, we do not believe that the forgiveness of sins comes through the partaking of the elements any more than that the forgiveness of sins comes from the waters of baptism, which we shall see tonight in our meeting. But, those things are expressive of the things that have happened to us, and so every time we take the bread.
I close with this story told by Dr H A Ironside. Well, at this meeting, there was a Japanese who had come, a friend of one of the members. His name was Yataro Yamaguchi. And since he was with him, he asked whether he might come and sit at the Lord’s table, too. And he was given permission to come. He was told, Dr. Ironside said, that only those who know and love the Lord could participate at the table; that is, could take the elements. Well, the meeting was an open meeting in which the men stood on their feet and expressed their praise and Thanksgiving, and they sang hymns together and they prayed, and they ministered the word. And in the midst of the service, Mr. Yamaguchi arose on his feet and he said, “I like to pray.”
He said, “O God, I all broke up. One whole year I fight you. I fight you hard against your Holy Spirit. O God, I cannot fight any more. I see your people eat the bread, drink the wine, tell how Jesus dies for sinner like me. O God, I give up. I take him now for my Savior. Forgive all my sin. Save me now for Jesus’ sake. Amen.”
Well, Dr. Ironside said, “Naturally, it didn’t spoil our meeting.” As a matter of fact, when the meeting concluded, there was not a dry eye in the place. As scripture declares, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” Now, every body is unworthy. He’s not saying that there are some who are worthy to eat the supper, and some are unworthy, because all believers are unworthy. We are all sinners.
The late John Stott wrote Who am I? What is I?The answer is that I am Jekyll and Hyde a mix up kids, having both dignities because I was created had been re-created in the image of God, and depravity because I have fallen and rebellious nature. I am both noble, ignoble beautiful, ugly good, bad, upright, and twisted image and child of God yes sometimes yielding obsequious homage to the devil from whose clutches Christ has rescue me. My true self is what I am by creation which Christ came to redeem, by calling I what I am I am by the fall, which Christ came destroy.
The Lord supper is a reminder that it was Jesus shed blood that redeemed me from Adam curse, and that why partakes in the Lord Supper. As Jesus declares do this in remembrance of me?
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