Worthy Partaking of the Supper

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: II Corinthians 13:5; Lord's Day 30
Psalters: 401, 325, 81, 284
  1. Proper partaking requires that we correctly see our Lord?s death in the Supper.
    1. It is incorrect to say that Christ?s body and blood are present physically.
      1. Rome holds to a physical presence of Jesus at the Table, resulting in the priest repeatedly sacrificing Jesus
      2. To worship something on the earth is idolatry.
    2. The Reformed churches declare that Christ is only present in the Supper in a spiritual sense.
      1. The only sacrifice of Christ was once done and it accomplished all (Heb. 7:27).
      2. Second, Jesus is in heaven, where He is to be worshiped.
  2. Proper partaking also requires that the sacrament be properly administered.
    1. First, proper administration is an act of obedience to the Lord?s command.
    2. Second, proper administration means that the Lord?s Table is to be hosted and guarded properly.
      1. Not ?open.?
      2. Proper administration requires the preaching which displays the Jesus and the death He died.
    3. Third, proper administration means that Jesus is seen as the Host through His representatives, the elders.
      1. The elders? supervision of the Table is seen in their distributing the elements.
      2. The elders administer it supper by determining who may partake.
  3. Proper partaking requires something of those who partake.
    1. Three groups are identified as not proper partakers.
      1. Those who by confession and life declare themselves to be unbelieving and ungodly.
      2. Hypocrites are warned to keep themselves from the Table, lest they eat to their condemnation.
      3. Believers who do not turn to God with sincere hearts, i.e., believers who are insincere at that moment.
    2. A proper partaker exercises faith by seeing, not whether I am a believer, but whether I am living and walking in faith.
    3. When believers do it SO, then blessings result for the believers and for the church.