Next Part 2 1The Lord's Supper

What are the ends of the Lord's supper?

(1) It is an ordinance appointed to confirm our faith. "Except you see signs, you will not believe." John 4:48. Christ sets the elements before us, that by these signs our faith may be strengthened. As faith comes by hearing, so it is confirmed by seeing Christ crucified. The sacrament is not only a sign to represent Christ—but a seal to confirm our interest in him.

(2) The end of the sacrament is to keep up the "memory of Christ's death." "This do you in remembrance of me." 1 Cor 11:25. If a friend gives us a ring at his death, we wear it to keep up the memory of our friend; much more ought we to keep the memorial of Christ's death in the sacrament. His death lays a foundation for all the magnificent blessings which we receive from him. The covenant of grace was agreed on in heaven—but sealed upon the cross. Christ has sealed all the articles of peace in his blood. Remission of sin flows from Christ's death. "This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins." Matt 26:28. Consecration, or making us holy, is the fruit of Christ's death. "How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience?" Heb 9:14. Christ's intercession is made available to us by virtue of his death. He could not have been admitted an advocate, if he had not been first a sacrifice. Our entering into heaven is the fruit of his blood. Heb 10:19. He could not have prepared mansions for us, if he had not first purchased them by his death: so that we have great cause to commemorate his death in the sacrament.

In what manner are we to remember the Lord's death in the sacrament?

It is not only a historical remembrance of Christ's death and passion. Judas remembered his death and betrayed him; and Pilate remembered his death and crucified him. Our remembering his death in the sacrament must be:

[1] A mournful remembrance. We should not be able to look on Christ crucified, with dry eyes. "They shall look on him whom they have pierced, and mourn over him." Zech 12:10. O Christian, when you look on Christ in the sacrament, remember how often you have crucified him! The Jews did it but once, you often. Every oath is a nail with which you pierce his hands; every unjust sinful action is a spear with which you wound his heart. Oh, remember Christ with sorrow—to think you should make his wounds bleed afresh!

[2] It must be a joyful remembrance. "Abraham rejoiced to see my day." John 8:56. When a Christian sees a sacrament-day approaching, he should rejoice. This ordinance of the supper is a pledge of heaven; it is the looking-glass in which we see him whom our souls love; it is the chariot by which we are carried up to Christ. When Jacob saw the wagons and the chariots which were to carry him to his son Joseph, his spirit revived. Gen 45:27. God has appointed the sacrament on purpose—to cheer and revive a sad heart. When we look on our sins we have cause to mourn; but when we see Christ's bloodshed for our sins we rejoice. In the sacrament our needs are supplied, our strength is renewed; there we meet with Christ—and does not this call for joy? A woman who has been long debarred from the society of her husband, is glad of his presence. At the sacrament the believing spouse meets with Christ; he says to her, "All I have is yours; my love is yours, to pity you; my mercy is yours, to save you." How can we think in the sacrament on Christ's blood shed, and not rejoice? Christ's blood is the key which opens heaven—else we had been all shut out.

(3) The end of the sacrament is to work in us an endeared love to Christ. When Christ bleeds for us, well may we say, "Behold how he loved us!" Who can see Christ die and not be "love-sick?" That is a heart of stone—which Christ's love will not melt!

(4) The end of the sacrament is the mortifying of corruption. To see Christ crucified for us—is a means to crucify sin in us. His death, like the water of jealousy, makes the thigh of sin to rot. Numb 5:27. How can a wife endure to see the knife which killed her husband? How can we endure those sins—which made Christ veil his glory and shed his blood? When the people of Rome saw Caesar's bloody robe, they were incensed against those who slew him. Sin has rent the white robe of Christ's flesh and dyed it of a crimson colour. The thoughts of this should make us seek to be avenged on our sins.

(5) Another end is the nourishment and increase of all the graces, hope, zeal, and patience. The Word preached begets grace, the Lord's supper nourishes it. The body by feeding increases strength, so the soul by feeding on Christ sacramentally. "When my spiritual strength begins to fail, I know a remedy," says Bernard, "I will go to the table of the Lord; there will I drink and recover my decayed strength." There is a difference between dead stones and living plants. The wicked, who are stones, receive no spiritual increase; but the godly, who are plants of righteousness, being watered with Christ's blood, grow more fruitful in grace.

Next Part 3 1The Lord's Supper

Back to 1The Lord's Supper