Fr. Charlie

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

This morning I want to ask three questions

• What is the Lord’s Supper?
• How does it work?
• What benefits are we to receive by partaking of it?

I.  What is the Lord’s Supper?

A.  It is not magic.  The bread and wine do not become the body and blood of Jesus.  Nor do they contain grace like a pill, which works on its own just because you take it. 

B.  Instead the Lord’s Supper is a Sacrament.  A Sacrament is a means ordained by God to portray the very essence of the Gospel that Scripture proclaims.  Therefore, the message of the Gospel and the message of the Lord’s Supper are exactly the same.  In both cases, your faith is directed to Christ and His saving work on the cross. 

II.  How does the Lord’s Supper work?

A.  Just as it is vital for us to remember that the Lord’s Supper is not magic, so too is it vital that we remember that it is not simply a bare memorial service.  Instead, God assures you that when you receive the Sacrament by faith (just as when you receive what God says in Scripture by faith), that Christ and all His benefits are yours personally.

B.  But that’s not all: it is also vital to remember that the Sacrament is not just a divinely sanctioned worship service.  Rather, it is a sign and seal of the covenant itself.  As such, it rests at the very heart of God’s relationship with His people and His people with each other.  It would be silly to suppose that at the very meal that celebrates our unending fellowship with God, that God would be absent.  Instead, Christ is spiritually present at the Lord’s Table.  That is, Christ has uniquely and covenantally associated Himself with the meal.

Bottom line: At the Lord’s Supper, the grace signified is actually given and the fellowship with Christ promised is truly and actually enjoyed.  In other words, the grace is real and Christ’s spiritual presence is real.

How does the Sacrament work? How do we receive this grace? How do we enjoy this fellowship with Christ?  The grace is received and the fellowship is entered into by faith.

III.  What benefits do I receive from the Eucharist?  (The Eucharist as a meal)

A.  The Lord’s Supper is recurrent.  Jesus instructs His people to partake of it often, throughout their lives, until He returns.  Why? Because God knows you need to be reminded over and over again of your dependence on His grace and to be assured of His power and presence in your life.

-Notice then, as you approach the Lord’s Table, you come with current needs, new situations, and specific sins.  As you come, you confess your sins and renew your dependence on Christ and His grace for the particulars of your life. 

B.  The Lord’s Supper is a meal.  As such it is provided to nourish us. 

-You come in the very midst of life and as you partake of the table by faith, God assures you that Christ is with you in the very midst of your present circumstance and that His grace applies to the very details of life. 

Bottom line:  The Eucharist is not a service that simply ends with the close of worship.  Rather, it is a meal that is given to strengthen you throughout the week.  As such, the Eucharist assures you of Christ’s ongoing presence with you and His ongoing grace at work in the very details of your life.