Lord’s Supper
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helpless, the ignorant, are on every hand. Those who have communed
with Christ in the upper chamber will go forth to minister as He did.
Jesus, the served of all, came to be the servant of all. And because
He ministered to all, He will again be served and honored by all. And
those who would partake of His divine attributes, and share with Him
the joy of seeing souls redeemed, must follow His example of unselfish
ministry.
A Reminder of Christ’s Second Coming
As they were gathered about the table, He said in tones of touching
sadness, “With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you
before I suffer: for I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until
it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And He took the cup, and gave
thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: for I say
unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of
God shall come.”
Luke 22:15-18
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But the Communion service was not to be a season of sorrowing.
This was not its purpose. As the Lord’s disciples gather about His
table, they are not to remember and lament their shortcomings. They
are not to dwell upon their past religious experience, whether that
experience has been elevating or depressing. They are not to recall the
differences between them and their brethren. The preparatory service
has embraced all this. The self-examination, the confession of sin, the
reconciling of differences, has all been done.
Now they come to meet with Christ. They are not to stand in the
shadow of the cross, but in its saving light. They are to open the soul
to the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. With hearts cleansed
by Christ’s most precious blood, in full consciousness of His presence,
although unseen, they are to hear His words, “Peace I leave with you,
My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.”
John 14:27
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As we receive the bread and wine symbolizing Christ’s broken
body and spilled blood, we in imagination join in the scene of Com-
munion in the upper chamber. We seem to be passing through the
garden consecrated by the agony of Him who bore the sins of the
world. We witness the struggle by which our reconciliation with God
was obtained. Christ is set forth crucified among us.
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