The Importance Of The Lord’s Table
“As
often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death
till he come.” I Cor. 11:26
It causes me
great concern that so many of the Lord’s people absent themselves from the
ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. I think that some remarks concerning this
sacred privilege might be helpful to us all.
The
Purpose For Observing The Lord’s Supper IS That We Might Show The Lord’s Death.
The Lord Jesus Christ instituted the ordinance of Communion just before his
death. It is a symbolic representation of the sufferings and death of our
Redeemer in our place. By breaking the bread and drinking the wine, we are
reminded of our need of a Substitute, by reason of sin. And we are reminded of
God’s great love to us in sacrificing his Son in our stead.
The Lord’s
Supper Is a Means Of Sanctification Which Every True Believer Should Observe.
Regrettably many of God’s children have been taught to fear coming to the
Lord’s table. You do not show your reverence for the ordinance by not taking
it. Our worthiness to take the supper is not in ourselves, but in Christ.
We come, not with perfection, but with faith. By eating and drinking, we show
our confidence in the Savior’s finished work to make us accepted in the sight
of God. There is no time when a believer is more fully made aware of his sin
and his utter dependence upon the redeeming work of Christ than at the Lord’s
table. No unbeliever, who fails to discern the value of our Lord’s incarnation
and death should come to the Lord’s table, but every true believer should.
The Lord’s
Supper Is To Be Observed Often. We need to be frequently reminded of our
Savior’s loving sacrifice for such wretched sinners as we are “till He come.”
Don Fortner