The Supper Of Our Lord

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Matthew 26; Lord's Day 28
Psalters: 49, 309, 112, 363
Preparatory to the Lord's Supper
  1. Its institution.
    1. Though the elements of bread and wine are signs in themselves, they do not constitute the sacrament.
    2. Jesus used the occasion of the Passover Feast.
  2. The sacrament is rich in symbolism.
    1. Christ chose food to be the symbolic elements.
      1. As food is necessary for continued physical life, so we need sustenance for our continued spiritual life.
      2. The bread (staff of life) and wine (color and stimulant) remind us of Christ’s body and blood.
      3. There are five specific aspects to the outward signs.
    2. What is symbolized in the signs?
      1. The Supper of our Lord teaches us:
      2. The symbolic parts of the Supper show what Christ has done and is doing.
  3. What is the essence or spiritual meaning of the Supper? It is a spiritual eating and drinking of Christ.
    1. We are to feed on Christ by faith (“embrace Him with a believing heart”).
      1. The Bible and Reformed faith speak of a spiritual feeding on Christ.
      2. The blessing in the Supper and the grace given through it are always in connection with faith.
      3. Only by the exercise of faith in Christ’s Word and work do we receive know that the truth portrayed is real for me.
    2. Our eating and drinking at the Table is a believing embrace of Christ’s finished work, which strengthens our faith.
      1. It is a confession about ourselves and about what Jesus did.
      2. In addition to receiving, the believer grows more and more united to Christ.
      3. Thus our faith is strengthened at the Lord’s Supper.
    3. And we, through the Supper, are more and more united to Christ’s sacred body, i.e., the Church.