Proper Partaking Of The Supper
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 10/7/2012 AM |
Text: | II Corinthians 13; Lord's Day 30 |
Psalters: | 400, 324, 299, 384 |
- Proper partaking requires that we correctly see our Lord?s death in the Supper.
- It is incorrect to say that Christ?s body and blood are present physically.
- The Reformed churches declare that Christ is present in the Supper in a spiritual sense.
- Spiritual partaking also requires that the sacrament be spiritually administered.
- First, spiritual administration means that Jesus is seen as the Host through His representatives, the elders.
- The elders? supervision of the Table is seen in their distributing the elements.
- The elders administer the supper by determining who may partake.
- Second, spiritual administration is an act of obedience to the Lord?s command.
- Third, spiritual administration requires that the Lord?s Table be guarded properly.
- Not ?open,? but close.
- The sacrament is not a gospel call to the unconverted.
- And spiritual administration requires the preaching which displays the Jesus and the death He died.
- First, spiritual administration means that Jesus is seen as the Host through His representatives, the elders.
- Spiritual partaking requires something of those who partake.
- Three groups are not proper partakers.
- Those who by confession and life declare themselves to be unbelieving and ungodly.
- Hypocrites are members who know they are false, but they keep up a pious front.
- Insincere believers, i.e., those who do not turn to God with sincere hearts.
- A spiritual partaker exercises faith i.e., a spiritual disposition.
- They have sincere sorrow for sin.
- They trust in Jesus Christ for forgiveness, full and free, that I am forgiven for Christ?s sake.
- They have a grateful desire that our faith be stronger and our lives more holy.
- When believers do it SO, then blessings result for the believers and for the church.
- Three groups are not proper partakers.