Proper Partaking and Proper Partakers

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: John 6:47ff; Lord's Day 29,30
Psalters: 317, 284, 365, 311
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
  1. Proper partaking.
    1. The Reformed churches reject any concept of Christ’s presence than spiritually.
      1. The church of Rome (transubstantiation) believes that Christ is physically present in the elements.
      2. Martin Luther taught consubstantiation, i.e., that Christ is present by being “in, with, and under” the elements.
    2. Our Reformed fathers rejected these positions.
      1. In Jesus statement of Luke 22:19,20, the word “is” is figurative (“signifies”) instead of identity (“equal to”).
      2. Re. John 6:48,51,53-58 Jesus is speaking about a spiritual partaking of Him.
      3. There are other objections against Rome’s transubstantiation.
    3. The Reformed position: the presence of the body and blood of Christ is only spiritual, and partaken only by faith.
      1. Jesus died once, by which He accomplished complete salvation (Heb. 7:27).
      2. The physical activity of receiving nourishment pictures our spiritually receiving spiritual nourishment.
      3. In the sacrament we receive visible evidence that Jesus completey earned salvation.
  2. Proper partakers.
    1. Improper partakers
    2. Proper partakers examine themselves (I Cor. 11:28) for three things.
      1. Sincere sorrow for sins and sinfulness.
      2. Trust in the suffering and death of Christ to have fully covered all of our sins and sinfulness.
      3. The sincere desire to thank God with the constant resolution to live to His glory and in love with our neighbors.