Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 05 – November 1976

 

Covenant-Living Highlighted

 

A sermon by Rev. John Goris on Lord’s Day 29

Scripture readings: Psalm 25:1-15; Matthew 26:26-30

Psalter Hymnal: 112; 49:1,2 (law); 425 (creed); 43:4-7; 138; 310

 

Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

What do you think of the Lord’s Supper?

Should we celebrate it more often?

We confess that it strengthens our faith: well then, why not seek this strengthen0ing more often?  But then we say quickly: Alright, but not too often, otherwise it becomes too common.

Is it something so holy and special that we must almost isolate it from our “common worship services”?  To what extent is there “communion with the Lord” in those services which we have twice each Sunday?

All of us tend to have our own particular way of experiencing the Lord’s Supper, and that often depends on how we look at it.  But we must make sure that we are led by the Scriptures.  It is not hard for wrong notions to slip in.

That is what this particular Lord’s Day division warns against.  Chiefly it deals with errors in teaching which go either too far in speaking of the presence of Christ, or not far enough.

It is necessary first of all to remind ourselves of the basic character of the Lord’s Supper.  And then we shall see where and why the wrong ideas creep in.

What IS the Lord’s Supper really?

A well-known Dutch preacher tells us that we shall best understand it in the light and context of the COVENANT.  (His thoughts are particularly helpful and we shall make good use of them!)

What, then, IS the Lord’s Supper?

It is a fellowship-meal of the Lord with His people.

There the Lord expresses symbolically what is the essence of the Covenant: the Lord GIVING HIMSELF to His people, and His people in response GIVING THEMSELVES to Him.

At the basis of that Covenant relationship lies the sacrifice of the Mediator on the cross.  Jesus speaks of the blood that sealed the Covenant.  (Matt.26) That sacrifice was necessary.

Man had separated himself from God by his sin.

In order to bring God and man together again, so that they could have fellowship with each other, Jesus died for our sin.

And so, in the Lord’s Supper that togetherness or communion is celebrated in remembering the Lord who died for us.

Hence for those who have a living covenant-relationship with their Lord,
  the Lord’s Supper is a visible reminder of that Covenant tie;
  it is a wonderful assurance of our belonging to Him
            Who gave Himself so completely;
  it is not a sudden communion experience that stands on its own,
            but a high- light in a living relationship.

Again, it is not an extraordinary event, but a visible expression of the ordinary!

Let us reverently use an illustration based on the Bible’s usual picture of the Lord’s covenant relationship with His people, namely that of marriage (e.g.Eph.5:22ff):

Just as in a good marriage there is always the consciousness of the tie that binds,
  of the belonging,
  the sharing,
  the one mind,
  the responsibility,
  the love,
  so it is also in terms of the Covenant.

There is a living relationship.

Now just as in marriage that relationship is at particular times physically expressed, as a kind of highlight, so in the Lord’s Supper that relationship is also visibly experienced.

Now in the light of that living Covenant-relationship we are to see the Lord’s Supper celebration as

            COVENANT-LIVING HIGHLIGHTED!

And as we consider that, we are to watch for two errors:

            1.  Seeing the Lord’s Supper as too special (Q.78)

            2.  Seeing it as not special enough (Q.  79).

1.  The Lord’s Supper too special

Question 78 deals with the error which sees the presence of the Lord in a special form: a physical presence.  The words, “This IS My body….I” are taken literally.  This is the view of the church of Rome, which believes that bread and wine are changed into the real body and blood of Christ.   A similar ‘realistic’ view is held about baptism (see Q.78 and 72).

The reality of Christ’s presence is sought in a VISIBLE form.  This error is an old one, and yet it still is very popular.  Man is always grappling with the intangible, the things that cannot be seen or touched.  The unseen seems so unreal!

We can all wish at times some sign from heaven, some distinct indication, some visible proof.

It is the old problem of idolatry, a god that can be seen or handled, and ultimately “controlled”.

That was Israel’s mistake in the wilderness when they made the Golden Calf.  Believing, just believing is so hard!

It is typical of Rome to bring the “distant God” nearer; we see this for instance, in the prayers to the saints, to the Virgin Mary.  We see this also in the Lord’s Supper where the grace of God in Christ is as it were ‘reduced’ to solid or liquid form.  But God’s grace is not received BY MOUTH, but BY HEART through faith.

And if by faith we cannot experience the reality of God’s presence with His people, in a DAILY, LIVING, Covenant-relationship, then for us too there is the danger to look for God’s presence in a SPECIAL form.

However, let us not just think of a special form.  Are we not easily inclined to see that 0fellowship with God on SPECIAL OCCASIONS?  We make ourselves especially ready to meet with the Lord at His table.  And if we are not properly prepared, we don’t go.

When that is our approach, the Lord’s Supper has “to do it”.  We pin everything on the occasion.  What if we don’t feel what we expect to feel?  We are let down.  But is that right?

If the Lord’s Supper is SO HOLY that I hardly dare participate, there must be something seriously wrong with my NORMAL relationship with the Lord.  Yet, that is usually of less concern to me than the Lord’s Supper.

You see, we ourselves can fall into the error of Rome, and regard God’s grace as “locked up” in a special form for a special occasion.

Hence the Covenant-table becomes an isolated, mysterious event that takes place every so often.  Let us be careful then, not to turn the sacrament into something “super-real”.  It is meant as a highlight in the normal loving relationship that exists between a Covenant-child and his heavenly Father.

IS THAT TIE A REALITY IN YOUR LIFE?

Then, what a feast the Lord’s Supper will be!

What assurance… what blessed assurance that Jesus is yours!

Then the well-known “communion-hymn” will not be merely a communion hymn, but a daily reality:

            “In sweet communion, Lord, with Thee
              I CONSTANTLY abide;
            My hand Thou holdest in Thine own
              To keep my near Thy side.”

Then we shall long for the Lord’s Supper in the right way, with a spiritual hunger, and thus also avoid the opposite error which the Catechism discusses in Q.79.

2.  THE LORD’S SUPPER NOT SPECIAL ENOUGH:

This question deals with the view of Zwingli, who saw the Lord’s Supper chiefly as a “remembrance meal”.

What Zwingli did was concentrating on the SIGN and underestimating the SEAL, but this does no justice to the sacrament.

The Lord did not merely “act out” what He was about to do for us.  With the eye of faith we can do that too: we can picture Him before our mind’s eye, giving Himself on the cross.

The sacrament is more than just a pictorial presentation.  In the Lord’s Supper our Lord goes beyond John 6, otherwise that chapter would have sufficed.

In John 6 the Lord does not particularly speak about the sacrament, although it will help us to understand it.  When Jesus says that we must “eat his flesh and drink his blood” (John 6:53-56) He is referring to the importance of the food for eternal life over against the food for this present life (see vs.27).  The source and sustenance of that spiritual life is found in his atoning death.

The words of the institution of the Lord’s Supper tell us more: Jesus Himself reminds us of the Covenant that was sealed by His blood, Matthew 26:28.  And further, the apostle Paul, in speaking of the Lord’s Supper, speaks of the “REMEMBRANCE-MEAL” in 1Cor.11:23-26, as well as of PARTICIPATION in the sacrifice of Christ in 1Cor.10:16-17.  (see also Q 77).

Thus in the remembrance of our Lord’s death, God gives us a sign that is charged with meaning:
            it seals to us “that we are really partakers of his true body and blood”.

Here the Lord gives us a gracious ASSURANCE by confirming the Covenant tie that we have with Him.

This calls for loving obedience: to do as He says:
            “TAKE, eat, this is MY BODY…..!” and…
            “DRINK from it, all of you…..!”

You see, the Lord’s Supper is not optional!  In His wisdom and love He provided it.  How foolish for us to say, “I don’t need it!”

Would we know better than the Lord?
Would we not, by so speaking show our misunderstanding His Covenant with us?
Keeping away from the Lord’s Supper is a serious thing!
Here is a pledge of God’s self-sacrificing love, and WE refuse it?
Oh yes, we like to put the emphasis on OUR NEED:
            “When I feel like it!”

We like to control this ‘application’ of the sacrament.  That’s what we tend to do in regard to baptism as well, and so we say, “I did not ask for it!”  Isn’t that so, young people? …Fathers and mothers?

The fact is that we would never really ask for God’s grace if God had not come to us first.  We would never have been in Covenant with Him, if God had not made the effort in gracious, stooping love!

WHAT A MIRACLE!

The strength of our faith is therefore not to be looked for in ourselves or our willingness to remember Him.  Much rather, it is God having COMMUNION with us on the basis of Christ’s death.

So the Lord’s Supper is also a pledge of ONENESS (=communion) as Paul puts it so pointedly in 1Cor.10:16,17, and even more so in Col.1:24.

– In ONENESS WITH HIM we know ourselves to have been ACCEPTED “in the Beloved”, as if we had done what HE did for us.

– In ONENESS WITH HIM we also realise that the sin which grieved Him so sorely, now also grieves us sorely, and makes us turn away from it.

– In ONENESS with Him we know that we have His Spirit to enable us to please God.

SO MUCH have we become part of Him, that the abuse that was once hurled at Him, is now hurled at us (Acts 5:41; Col.1:24).

Thus the wonder of the Lord’s Supper is this visible highlight of the Covenant-tie that binds us to our Lord.  It is, as it were, a spiritual ’embrace’ in which the Lord GIVES HIMSELF, and we respond by GIVING OURSELVES to Him!

Seeing these love tokens and pledges of the Greater Party in the Covenant (=the Lord), the lesser party (=we) is truly humbled, — and moved, — and stirred to greater love!

For He so embraces us in the forgiving and renewing power of Christ’s blood at His table as to ASSURE us ALL THE MORE of our ACCEPTANCE.

Realising this, we shall say with the apostle,
            “For I am CONVINCED that….. NOTHING shall be able
              to separate me from the love of God,
              which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom.8:38,39).

And becoming “one flesh” with Him (this is indeed a “great mystery”, says Paul in Eph.05:29-32)…
            so we shall will His will,
            and desire His desire,
            and think His thoughts,
            0and work His work!

You see… the more conscious we become of that Covenant-tie, the more that relationship is highlighted in the Lord’s Supper.

And here we must address a few words to the young people:

Do you realise that God has sought you first?
            that He has ‘marked’ you as His in your baptism?
            shown you that HE wants YOU to be in partnership with HIM?
            DO YOU REALISE THAT?

And do you realise that He is waiting to embrace you even more assuringly at His table?

The psalmist of old knew it:
            “The secret (or, intimacy) of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
            And He will make them know His covenant”
            (that is, the reality of His’ covenant)
Read that 25th psalm! and DISCOVER again
            HOW WONDERFUL A GOD YOU HAVE!

Amen.