Why the Lord's Supper? (1 Corinthians 11:17-34; LD 30)
The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament that nourishes us in Christ’s one-time sacrifice on the cross. This sacrifice is not repeated, but a sacrifice that continues to give life. The reason is that we do not serve a dead Lord, but a living Lord.
The Lord’s supper does not just call us to Christ’s sacrifice, but to the life-giving nature of his work. Christ is seated in heaven, but he is very much present with his people. If Christ needs to be sacrificed again, then we are a people who need to be pitied because we have a savior who is caught in a loop of continually dying. It would mean that this work is never finished because the heavenly courts never raised him from the dead.
We need to realize that this sacrament is not a repeated sacrifice. It is a sacrament that represents and holds out the one-time sacrifice. However, it also holds out the picture of Christ continually giving us life. The elements feed our mouths, so the Spirit feeds the mouth of our souls. How does this work? When does this work? I have no idea, but we know that Christ nourishes us spiritually through the Holy Spirit. This is why we do this in a memorial of Christ (This do in remembrance of me). The memorials were mostly stones set up to remind Israel of the Lord’s care. So, the Lord’s supper is that one-time event grounding us in the Lord’s care as we are a people united to our victorious savior.
The Lord’s Supper is a call for introspection and discernment, not just a superficial ritual. It requires us to examine our faith and motivation, ensuring our lives are rooted in Christ. This examination is not about self-loathing or self-exaltation. It is about evaluating where our lives are fundamentally rooted as we walk through this age.
The people of Corinth dying and getting sick testify that Christ is present with his people. Yes, this is a sacrament that pictures the gospel. It has the two-fold truth of the gospel. If one embraces Christ, then they have no fear. However, if one does not embrace Christ, then they experience the Lord’s wrath. Christ died for sin, but his victory is not ours then we have no life. Our identity in Christ’s kingdom is only being identified in Christ.
Christ’s finished work provides nourishment and life, empowering us through this age. Ultimately, it testifies that the Lord will preserve his people until the end. It is the assurance that we will arrive at the feast of the lamb. The God who stood over his people at the passover is the same God who stands over his church. Let us be part of it as we walk in the Spirit, pursuing our Savior as his living sacrifices.