50 lines
6.8 KiB
HTML
50 lines
6.8 KiB
HTML
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<h2>416. THE LORD'S SUPPER</h2>
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<p>There are three ways to which the Lord's Supper points. It bids us <i>look back</i> to the <i>Cross</i>, and reminds us of what Christ <i>has done</i>; it beckons us to <i>look up</i> to the <i>Throne</i>, and tells us of what Christ <i>is doing</i>; and it beseeches us to <i>look on</i> to the <i>coming</i> Christ, and proclaims what He is yet <i>going to do</i>. Let us look at these three looks.</p>
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<p>I. <b>The backward look of Faith.</b> There are seven things in <a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Mar',14,22,23);">Mark 14:22-23</a>, that we note in relation to Christ's action with the bread and cup.<p>
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<ul>
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<li>He "<i>took</i>" the bread and cup. The bread represents the body, and the cup the blood of Christ. As Christ takes the bread and cup we are reminded of the fact that He took upon Him human nature (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Hbr',2,16);">Hbr 2:16</a>), that He might suffer for us in His divinely prepared body (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Hbr',10,5,10);">Hbr 10:5, 10</a>).</li>
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<li>Christ "<i>blessed</i>" the bread, and gave "<i>thanks</i>" for the cup. In this we are reminded of the Lord Jesus as He acquiesced in the Divine plan, although it meant so much suffering to Him, for we must never forget that it pleased God to bruise Christ (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',53,10);">Isa 53:10</a>), and to give Him the bitter cup He drank (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Mar',14,36);">Mar 14:36</a>; <a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Jhn',18,11);">Jhn 18:11</a>).</li>
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<li>Christ "<i>brake</i>" the bread. In the broken bread we see symbolized the sufferings that Christ endured in His body (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Isa',53,5);">Isa 53:5</a>).</li>
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<li>Christ "<i>said</i>," in explaining what the bread and wine represented, that they signified His body and blood. Not, as Rome teaches, that the bread and wine are actually the body and blood of Christ, but that they are symbolized by them.</li>
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<li>Christ "<i>gave</i>" the bread and wine to His disciples. In like manner He has given Himself <i>for</i> us, and given Himself <i>to</i> us (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Gal',2,20);">Gal 2:20</a>; <a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Sgs',2,16);">Sgs 2:16</a>).</li>
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<li>Christ told His disciples to "<i>take</i>" the bread and wine. We take Christ by an act of faith (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Jhn',1,12);">Jhn 1:12</a>), and make all He <i>has</i> and <i>is</i>, ours by so doing.</li>
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<li>Christ bade His disciples, not only to take the bread, but to "<i>eat</i>" it. It is an essential that those who believe in Christ should feed upon Him, as He Himself says in <a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Jhn',6,54);">John 6:54</a>.</li>
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</ul>
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<p>As we look to the Cross and remember the Christ who suffered there, we gladly say, "His death is…</p>
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<li>the <i>price</i> of our salvation" (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('1Cr',6,20);">1Cr 6:20</a>),</li>
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<li>the <i>pass</i> into God's presence (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Hbr',10,19);">Hbr 10:19</a>),</li>
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<li>the <i>propitiation</i> for our guilt (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Rom',3,25);">Rom 3:25</a>),</li>
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<li>the <i>peacemaker</i> for our reconciliation (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Col',1,20);">Col 1:20</a>),</li>
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<li>the <i>power</i> of our Christian life (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Hbr',13,12);">Hbr 13:12</a>),</li>
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<li>the <i>provider</i> of our blessing (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Eph',1,276);">Eph 1:7</a>),
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<br><br>and </li>
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<li><i>the plea</i> of our testimony (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('1Cr',15,1);">1Cr 15:1</a>).</li>
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</ul>
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<p>II. <b>The upward look of Love.</b> "This do in remembrance of Me" (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('1Cr',11,25);">1Cr 11:25</a>). The Lord's Supper not only reminds us of what Christ has done for us, but of the great Worker who accomplished the task. Faith leads us to rest on the work of atonement, but love leads us to praise the Atoner, and causes our heart's affection to twine around Him, even as the ivy clings round the oak. Love leads us to appreciate Christ for what He <i>is</i>, as well as for what He has done, even as Mephibosheth thought more of the king than he did of his gifts (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('2Sa',19,30);">2Sa 19:30</a>). It is the Person of Christ which gives value to the work, and, while we must never under-estimate the work of Christ on the cross, we must ever remember the Person who died (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('2Ti',2,8);">2Ti 2:8</a>), and call to mind that Christ is the living, loving Saviour, who bids us remember Him in the breaking of bread (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Act',20,7);">Act 20:7</a>), and says, "It is I, Myself" (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Luk',24,39);">Luk 24:39</a>), and as we thus consider Him (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Hbr',3,1);">Hbr 3:1</a>), our heart's affection will be drawn to Him, even as the needle is attracted to the magnet, and we in turn shall influence others (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Sgs',1,4);">Sgs 1:4</a>).</p>
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<p>III. <b>The outward look of Hope.</b> "Till He come" (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('1Cr',11,26);">1Cr 11:26</a>). We are bidden to remember Christ in the simple and yet speaking ordinance of the Lord's Supper. Thus hope goes up the stairs of faith, and looks out of the window which love has opened, and views the coming of the Lord Jesus in His grace and glory (<a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('1Th',4,16,17);">1Th 4:16-17</a>; <a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Col',3,4);">Col 3:4</a>; <a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('1Jo',3,2);">1Jo 3:2</a>).</p>
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<p>The whole triangle or trinity of Christ's work is brought before us in the Lord's Supper. What He has done, what He is doing, and what He is yet going to do, are pressed upon our attention as we gather around the Lord and sit with Him at His table. The three appearings of <a id="fem416-si" onclick="return mV('Hbr',9,'24-28');">Hebrews 9:24-28</a>, are thus illustrated in remembering the Lord's death.</p>
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