The Supper Of Our Lord
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 5/1/2011 PM |
Text: | Matthew 26; Lord's Day 28 |
Psalters: | 49, 309, 112, 363 |
Preparatory to the Lord's Supper |
- Its institution.
- Though the elements of bread and wine are signs in themselves, they do not constitute the sacrament.
- Jesus used the occasion of the Passover Feast.
- The sacrament is rich in symbolism.
- Christ chose food to be the symbolic elements.
- As food is necessary for continued physical life, so we need sustenance for our continued spiritual life.
- The bread (staff of life) and wine (color and stimulant) remind us of Christ’s body and blood.
- There are five specific aspects to the outward signs.
- What is symbolized in the signs?
- The Supper of our Lord teaches us:
- The symbolic parts of the Supper show what Christ has done and is doing.
- What is the essence or spiritual meaning of the Supper? It is a spiritual eating and drinking of Christ.
- We are to feed on Christ by faith (“embrace Him with a believing heart”).
- The Bible and Reformed faith speak of a spiritual feeding on Christ.
- The blessing in the Supper and the grace given through it are always in connection with faith.
- Only by the exercise of faith in Christ’s Word and work do we receive know that the truth portrayed is real for me.
- Our eating and drinking at the Table is a believing embrace of Christ’s finished work, which strengthens our faith.
- It is a confession about ourselves and about what Jesus did.
- In addition to receiving, the believer grows more and more united to Christ.
- Thus our faith is strengthened at the Lord’s Supper.
- And we, through the Supper, are more and more united to Christ’s sacred body, i.e., the Church.