THE LORD’S
SUPPER - Part 3
Preparing
to Participate (cont’d)
Recently I have been meditating on the Lord Jesus as
the Balm of Gilead, Jeremiah 8:22.
Truly, the Lord Jesus is unsearchable and His riches
unlimited, Ephesians 3:8. There is still much more we could say of prophecies,
predictions, pictures, parables and miracles! Quite clearly, there is no excuse
for not being prepared with “precious ointment’ to pour at His feet.
Prepare to
Partake
Finally and most solemnly, we must all prepare to partake of the
emblems at the Lord’s Supper. When I use the expression the emblems I am
referring to the symbols of the bread and the cup as they are symbolic emblems.
1 Corinthians 11:27-29 states that before we partake of the emblems we must
“examine (test or scrutinize) ourselves. It is an extremely serious matter to
merely turn up at the Lord’s Supper with unconfessed
sin in our lives or disagreements and divisions with other believers damaging
our fellowship and unity.
If this is the case then we are taking the emblems
unworthily or in the wrong condition. To put it another way, we are treating
the emblems and the Person they represent with dishonor and indifference by
pretending we are holy in life and in harmony with each other. Such a person
would be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and has not discerned His
body.
Praise God, grace is available! Before we come to the
Lord’s Supper we are to self examine our lives, confess any hidden sins to God
and put any quarrels with fellow believers right with
a view to partaking. Only then we can truly participate with a clear
conscience. Please note, it is not an excuse to stay
away but rather the standard which God desires at the Lord’s Supper.
May God continue to encourage and challenge us with
regard to how we prepare to remember the Lord Jesus.
It is one of the greatest privileges afforded to believers to gather together
with Him and consider His glorious Person until He comes. This is stated in 1
Corinthians 11:26 “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you
proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes”.
By: Pastor David Jones
Excerpts from
D.R.