Proper Partaking and Proper Partakers
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 5/8/2011 AM |
Text: | John 6:47ff; Lord's Day 29,30 |
Psalters: | 317, 284, 365, 311 |
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper |
- Proper partaking.
- The Reformed churches reject any concept of Christ’s presence than spiritually.
- The church of Rome (transubstantiation) believes that Christ is physically present in the elements.
- Martin Luther taught consubstantiation, i.e., that Christ is present by being “in, with, and under” the elements.
- Our Reformed fathers rejected these positions.
- In Jesus statement of Luke 22:19,20, the word “is” is figurative (“signifies”) instead of identity (“equal to”).
- Re. John 6:48,51,53-58 Jesus is speaking about a spiritual partaking of Him.
- There are other objections against Rome’s transubstantiation.
- The Reformed position: the presence of the body and blood of Christ is only spiritual, and partaken only by faith.
- Jesus died once, by which He accomplished complete salvation (Heb. 7:27).
- The physical activity of receiving nourishment pictures our spiritually receiving spiritual nourishment.
- In the sacrament we receive visible evidence that Jesus completey earned salvation.
- Proper partakers.
- Improper partakers
- Proper partakers examine themselves (I Cor. 11:28) for three things.
- Sincere sorrow for sins and sinfulness.
- Trust in the suffering and death of Christ to have fully covered all of our sins and sinfulness.
- The sincere desire to thank God with the constant resolution to live to His glory and in love with our neighbors.