Title: WHEN JESUS INVITES….

Focus: Invited to the Lord’s Table, Christians participate in and discern the body of the Lord.

Function: To encourage the people to participate in the Lord’s Supper, drawing upon God’s love in Christ and living a life of faith and love.

Text: I Corinthians 11:17-34

Heidelberg Catechism: L.D. 30, Q.A 81,82

INTRODUCTION

When you do a study of the history of communion celebrations in Reformed, Christian communities during the last 400 years in Europe and on this continent, you will find a shocking variety of practices.

Some churches have practiced “closed” communion—only their own professing members were allowed at the Lord’s Table. Some practice “close” communion—where elders guard the table by watching their own membership and by screening guests and visitors, requiring them to ask permission from elders.

Some Reformed, Christian communities require certain religious conversion experiences. Only when you have some dramatic encounter in your soul with Christ, will you be welcomed at the table. The majority in such a church community can only hope for an emotional and religious experience. As a result they do not participate in the Lord’s Supper on communion Sundays, and they tend to frown upon anyone who presumes to have the right to participate in the Eucharist.

And then you will find a slew of Reformed Christians who participate in the Lord’s Supper sporadically, because they feel so “unworthy.” Others are afraid to go to the Lord’s Table because they fear drinking judgment on themselves. Am I ringing bells?

Imagine that you are a close friend of the queen of England. You interact regularly with her, visit her for tea, and periodically you wine and dine with her at a private banquet together with the rest of her close friends. Surely it would be correct for me to conclude that you are a personal friend of the queen.

Since you are such a friend of the queen of England, you must also have at heart the interests, the reign of queen Elizabeth. That is, you would support her in her work as head of state. Surely, our loyalty would go to queen and country. And we would speak well of the queen and promote her status and reign in the country.

Well, so it is also with Christ Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Christians, set apart by their baptism in the triune name of Jesus—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—are friends of the ascended King. Whenever he invites us to his royal banquet called the Eucharist, or the Lord’s Supper, we come and participate and discern together God’s love in Jesus. And in response to all that Jesus stands for, we, as his royal guests at his banquet table, go back into the world and live a life of love.

THE PASSAGE: I COR. 11:17-34

The apostle Paul is trying to communicate this very truth in his letter to the church in Corinth when he writes: “For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself” (vs.29). The key phrase in this text is the phrase: “recognizing the body of the Lord.” When invited to the Lord’s Table, what does it mean to participate in and discern the body of the Lord? To answer that question, we must observe a number of things from the passage:

· Paul’s Concern: First of all, we note Paul’s concern. He expresses his displeasure with the members of the Corinthian church, because of their behavior displayed in their meetings. It’s behavior that divides the church. Listen: “I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you and to some extent I believe it…. When you come together it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!”

It appears that the Lord’s Supper in Corinth is celebrated in the larger context of a meal (sometimes called the Agape meal or Love feast). It also appears that many, especially those who are wealthy, are able to come earlier than others, bringing with them food and wine. And it’s clear that they start their love feast without waiting for the others.

As a result, most of the food is gone before the rest of the members can have a share, and some of the people even get drunk.

Paul considers that kind of behavior an “unworthy manner” of participation in the Lord’s Supper. And such behavior is nothing else but a “sinning against the body and blood of the Lord” (v.27). Such behavior fails to “discern” or “recognize” the body of the Lord. And such boorish, uncharitable, unchristian behavior leads to judgment on oneself. That’s Paul’s concern in the passage. (By the way, have you ever seen or been in a church setting where that kind of behavior took place?).

· Paul’s Teaching: Secondly, Paul draws our attention back to the heart of the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist. Paul wants us to discern the central teaching of the sacrament. And so he says: “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.’” Why does Paul set before us this central teaching of the Lord’s Supper?

Because it is in the elements of the bread and the cup, and in Jesus’ words spoken just before his death and resurrection that we recognize or discern the body of the Lord. That is, it is through the elements (bread that is broken, wine that is poured) and the words of Jesus spoken in the Upper Room on the night that he was betrayed, that we gain insights into Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. These spiritual insights come to us as we see and taste and swallow and digest the love of God in Christ. And wonders of wonders, through the Lord’s Supper we experience the presence of the ascended Lord Jesus Christ in our midst today.

· Paul’s Solution: And that leads us to the third observation from this passage. We must respond with love toward Christ’s body, the church. How? By recognizing the body of Christ in our participation of the Lord’s Supper. For when we eat the bread and drink the cup, we participate (spiritually) in Christ’s death and resurrection and ascension, and thus in his presence as our ascended Lord Jesus. For when we partake of the bread and wine, Christ lifts up our hearts to himself in heaven, and thus we are being united more and more with Christ’s glorified, resurrection body.

This is Paul’s solution or response to the Corinthian church’s problem of boorish behavior during the Lord’s Supper. Listen: “ So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment” (that is, in judgment for not sharing with those who belong to the church but are poor or who are hungry).

We recognize and experience the love of God in Christ in the Eucharist, so that we may live and have life. And the Eucharist calls us to live a life of love toward our neighbors, especially our neighbors in the body or church of Christ. Not only locally, here in Edina, but also nationally and internationally. After all, the body of Christ (the church) is universal as well as local.

So, then, invited to the Lord’s Table, we participate in and discern the body of the Lord

LORD’S DAY 30, Q+A 81-82

In Q.A. 81 the Heidelberg Catechism asks the question “Who are to come to the Lord’s Table?” For too long, Reformed Christians (I believe) have mistakenly applied Paul’s words to the Corinthian church. Historically, in the Reformed tradition, many Christians have stayed away from the Lord’s Supper because they believe(d) that they are “unworthy” of participation. Others have set themselves over others as judges, deciding who can and who cannot participate in the sacrament. Again, others feel a strong need to put all kinds of fences around the Lord’s Table, to keep certain people from participation.

The question is very simple: “Who are to come to the Lord’s Table?” The answer should also be very simple: Christians! Those who belong to the Lord Jesus; those who are set apart, marked by their baptism in the name of the triune God; those who are Jesus’ friends; those who embrace and promote Jesus’ work and kingdom in the world.

The Catechism says the same thing; however, it approaches the answer from a different angle. The Catechism holds before us certain dispositions or attitudes in people. Consider:

• The Disposition of Displeasure: “Those who are displeased with themselves because of their sins.” Some people take that to mean that participation in the Lord’s Supper calls for a sour and dour spirit, for a somber mood bordering on “unhappiness” with oneself. But the Lord Jesus does not invite us to his table to express a miserable attitude. Rather, we are to celebrate Jesus’ works, discern his body, appropriate and welcome his grace and love and presence in our lives. The Lord’s Supper is a feast of thanksgiving—a Eucharist. To be displeased with ourselves because of our sins is the attitude needed to turn to Jesus. Such an attitude recognizes the need for Jesus’ work. We cannot save ourselves. Therefore, we flee to Christ; and we hasten to the Lord’s Table to draw upon his gifts of forgiveness and life. The Catechism also looks for

• A Disposition of Trust: Listen: (Who are to come to the Lord’s Table?) “Those who are displeased with themselves because of their sins, but who nevertheless trust that their sins are pardoned and that their continuing weakness is covered by the suffering and death of Christ.” In other words, come to the Lord’s Table,

trusting fully in Jesus to save you and to strengthen you in your journey of life. The Catechism also looks for a

• Disposition of Desire or Yearning: “…and who also desire more and more to strengthen their faith and to lead a better life.” Do you want to be strong in faith? Then come to the Lord’s Table? Do you wish to live a better life, a more godly life? Then come to the Lord’s Table.

These dispositions or attitudes of displeasure of oneself, of trust in Christ, and of desiring to live a godly life of faith are found in the heart of any Christian, born again and touched by the Holy Spirit. You don’t find such attitudes in “phonies” and in “blatant, rebellious sinners.” That’s why the Catechism adds to its answer: “Hypocrites and those who are unrepentant, however, eat and drink judgment on themselves.” Why?

Because their hearts and dispositions are not right with God. Though they may claim to be part of Christ’s body, the church, by their behavior and disposition they show that they are like unbelievers, outside the body of Christ.

That’s why the Catechism follows through with Q&A 82: “Are those to be admitted to the Lord’s Supper who show by what they say and do that they are unbelieving and ungodly.” In her answer, the Catechism rightly says, in essence, “If you are going to act and live willfully, decisively, stubbornly, persistently like a pagan, then you have no place at the Lord’s Table.” Then the rest of the members of the church are “…duty-bound to exclude such people by the official use of the keys of the kingdom, until they reform their lives.”

Over the last 23 years or so, I have known a number of such people as being on the membership list of the church, but you hardly ever see them at worship. They have excluded themselves from the fellowship of believers. Their hearts are unwilling to bow before Jesus. They need conversion. They need our prayers, our love, our patience, our encouragement and compassion. And they should not participate in the Lord’s Supper until they embrace the Lord Jesus and his rule in their lives.

I know, however, a lot more people, who in the brokenness and messiness of their lives should come to the table to “strengthen their faith,” to embrace Christ’s forgiveness, to experience the grace and hospitality of Christ in their lives, but do not because they think that they are “unworthy” or “too sinful,” or “too whatever.”

I think of those who struggle in their marriages, who have gone through a divorce. I think of those who struggle with addictions, alcohol, illegal drugs, and many other addictions. I think of those who struggle with their sexual identity, trying to remain pure, monogamous, heterosexual, or single, trying so hard to fight the “demons” in their lives.

If you are one of those who struggles, let me say it clearly: Flee to the Lord’s Table! None of us is “worthy” of God’s grace and salvation. All of us need God’s grace.

So, come to the Lord’s Table! Come with a broken spirit, a contrite heart, a trusting disposition that Jesus will sustain you in the journey of life and faith. Come! Be strengthened! Be nourished in faith! Be refreshed in love and fellowship! And yes, celebrate the presence of the ascended Lord Jesus Christ!

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.