How Does One Partake ...

1
How Does One Partake ...

• ...worthily?

2
Introduction

• There is no inherent spiritual value in the mere
  partaking of the elements of the Lords Supper as
  such.
• There is no magical quality in them to
  spiritually bless the Christian.
• The idea that all the Christian needs to do is
  attend services Sunday morning or Sunday night,
  take the bread and fruit of the vine into his
  stomach, and all will be well with his soul, is
  not only unscriptural but anti-scriptural.

3
Introduction

• Unless the Christians manner of partaking is
  correct, the fact of his partaking is sheer
  mockery and an insult to the Lord Jesus Christ.
• And so the Christian is duly warned,
• Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this
  cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be
  guilty of the body and blood of the Lord (1 Cor.
  1127).

4
One's Manner of Life Is Important

• Ones manner of partaking will be determined by
  the attitudes and activities that characterize
  his entire manner of life.
• An incorrect life cannot produce a correct manner
  of partaking.

5
One's Manner of Life Is Important

• The person who hates and mistreats his fellowmen,
  who is impenitent in reference to his sins, or
  who manifests a lack of reverence toward God in
  his daily conduct, will hardly approach the
  Lords Table in an acceptable manner.
• How can anyone possibly remember, in the right
  manner, the Lords sacrifice for the sins of the
  world and at the same time harbor resentment,
  hatred, and impenitence in his heart?

6
One's Manner of Life Is Important

• Indeed, the Lord refuses to accept any phase of
  our worship unless our manner of life is
  essentially correct.

7
Matthew 523-24

• Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar,
  and there remember that your brother has
  something against you, leave your gift there
  before the altar, and go your way. First be
  reconciled to your brother, and then come and
  offer your gift.

8
One's Manner of Life Is Important

• Indeed, the Lord refuses to accept any phase of
  our worship unless our manner of life is
  essentially correct.
• The members of the church in Corinth were eating
  the elements of the Lord's Supper as an ordinary
  meal to satisfy the physical appetite.

9
1 Corinthians 1120-22

• Therefore when you come together in one place, it
  is not to eat the Lord's Supper. For in eating,
  each one takes his own supper ahead of others
  and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do
  you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do
  you despise the church of God and shame those who
  have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I
  praise you in this? I do not praise you.

10
1 Corinthians 1130

• For this reason many are weak and sick among you,
  and many sleep.

11
One's Manner of Life Is Important

• Indeed, the Lord refuses to accept any phase of
  our worship unless our manner of life is
  essentially correct.
• The members of the church in Corinth were eating
  the elements of the Lord's Supper as an ordinary
  meal to satisfy the physical appetite.
• Just as their disrespectful manner of partaking
  contributed to their degraded spiritual
  condition, so their degraded spiritual condition
  contributed to their disrespectful manner of
  partaking.

12
One's Manner of Life Is Important

• An ugly party spirit was prevalent among them,
  fornication was being practiced, and brethren
  were going to law against brethren.

13
1 Corinthians 110-13

• Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of
  our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the
  same thing, and that there be no divisions among
  you, but that you be perfectly joined together in
  the same mind and in the same judgment. For it
  has been declared to me concerning you, my
  brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that
  there are contentions among you. Now I say this,
  that each of you says, I am of Paul, or I am
  of Apollos, or I am of Cephas, or I am of
  Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified
  for you? Or were you baptized in the name of
  Paul?

14
1 Corinthians 31-4

• And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to
  spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in
  Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid
  food for until now you were not able to receive
  it, and even now you are still not able for you
  are still carnal. For where there are envy,
  strife, and divisions among you, are you not
  carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one
  says, I am of Paul, and another, I am of
  Apollos, are you not carnal?

15
1 Corinthians 51-2

• It is actually reported that there is sexual
  immorality among you, and such sexual immorality
  as is not even named among the Gentiles--that a
  man has his father's wife! And you are puffed up,
  and have not rather mourned, that he who has done
  this deed might be taken away from among you.

16
1 Corinthians 53-5

• For I indeed, as absent in body but present in
  spirit, have already judged (as though I were
  present) him who has so done this deed. In the
  name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are
  gathered together, along with my spirit, with the
  power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a
  one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,
  that his spirit may be saved in the day of the
  Lord Jesus.

17
1 Corinthians 61-3

• Dare any of you, having a matter against another,
  go to law before the unrighteous, and not before
  the saints? Do you not know that the saints will
  judge the world? And if the world will be judged
  by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest
  matters? Do you not know that we shall judge
  angels? How much more, things that pertain to
  this life?

18
1 Corinthians 64-6

• If then you have judgments concerning things
  pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who
  are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say
  this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a
  wise man among you, not even one, who will be
  able to judge between his brethren? But brother
  goes to law against brother, and that before
  unbelievers!

19
One's Manner of Life Is Important

• An ugly party spirit was prevalent among them,
  fornication was being practiced, and brethren
  were going to law against brethren.
• It was impossible for them to have a correct
  manner of partaking when their manner of living
  was so wrong.
• We must not conclude, however, that God demands
  perfection of life as the necessary qualification
  for proper participation in the communion meal,
  for then no one would be qualified.

20
Romans 323

• for all have sinned and fall short of the glory
  of God

21
1 John 18, 10

• If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
  ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
• If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a
  liar, and His word is not in us.

22
One's Manner of Life Is Important

• Those whose manner of life is as it should be are
  those who wrestle with their bad spirit and
  tendencies, and who pant to be worthier men and
  true children of God.
• It is this constant diligence to serve the Lord
  and to be holy in life that qualifies the child
  of God to commune at the Lords Table, and that
  prepares him to partake in the right manner.
• But what is the right manner?
• How must one partake in order to partake worthily?

23
One Must Partake Discerningly

• Paul speaks of the person who eats and drinks in
  an unworthy manner as not discerning the body
  that is, he does not see in the elements of the
  Lord's Supper what they represent.

24
1 Corinthians 1129

• For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner
  eats and drinks judgment to himself, not
  discerning the Lord's body.

25
One Must Partake Discerningly

• Paul speaks of the person who eats and drinks in
  an unworthy manner as not discerning the body
  that is, one who does not see in the elements of
  the Lord's Supper what they represent.
• But the person who partakes in the right manner
  will concentrate his mind on the cross of
  Calvary.

26
One Must Partake Discerningly

• By faith he will stand beneath the cross, looking
  up into the agonized face of Jesus with the head
  marked by the crown of thorns, seeing the nails
  that were driven into His hands and feet, and
  seeing the blood that flowed from the precious
  body given for the world.
• His heart will overflow with reverence as he
  beholds in the elements of the Lord's Supper the
  wonderful gift of God's love in the sacrifice of
  His only begotten Son.

27
One Must Partake Trustingly

• As the Christian concentrates on what is
  represented by the elements, partaking in the
  right manner, he will believe that Christ is
  spiritually present with him in this act of
  communion.

28
Matthew 1820

• ...for where two or three are gathered together
  in My name, I am there in the midst of them.

29
Matthew 2629

• But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit
  of the vine from now on until that day when I
  drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom.

30
One Must Partake Trustingly

• As the Christian concentrates on what is
  represented by the elements, partaking in the
  right manner, he will trust Christ to be
  spiritually present with him in this act of
  communion.
• He will trust in the Lord to bless him so that
  his partaking will lift him up spiritually and
  incite him to greater service in the divine
  kingdom, so that he will truly commune, have
  fellowship, with the body and blood of his
  Savior, and so that he will truly partake in
  remembrance of Him.

31
One Must Partake Humbly

• As he considers his weakness and tendency to err
  in contrast to the greatness of God's love and
  mercy in sending His Son to this world to bless
  mankind, the Christian will partake of the Lord's
  Supper with a deep sense of humility and
  unworthiness.

32
Luke 1710

• So likewise, when you have done all those things
  which you are commanded, say, we are
  unprofitable servants. We have done what was our
  duty to do.

33
One Must Partake Penitently

• With his deep sense of humility in partaking of
  the Lord's Supper in the right manner, the
  Christian will feel such strong remorse, shame,
  and sorrow for the sins he has recently committed
  that he will repent, change his mind concerning
  them, confessing them to God, and resolve to quit
  them and to do better with the help of divine
  grace.
• Such penitence will be a powerful motivating
  force for him to renew his entire commitment to
  Christ as he remembers in the blessed meal the
  commitment of Christ on his behalf in dying for
  his sins.

34
One Must Partake Gratefully

• Having given thanks for the bread and the fruit
  of the vine, the Christian who partakes of these
  emblems in the right manner will seriously
  meditate on the salvation he has received through
  Christ's death.

35
One Must Partake Gratefully

• Recognizing that because of his sins he deserves
  eternal death, but because of the wondrous grace
  of God through the sin-offering of Christ his
  past sins have been forgiven and he has been
  granted citizenship in the divine kingdom, the
  entire act of his partaking of the Lord's supper
  will be a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to God
  for the great blessings he has received through
  His only begotten Son, such praise and
  thanksgiving that can only flow from a heart that
  is truly loving and grateful.

36
One Must Partake Prayerfully

• As the faithful, loving Christian desires to
  partake of the Lord's supper in a worthy manner,
  to truly remember the death of Christ and to
  commune with Him, he will partake with a prayer
  in his heart to God that his attitude will indeed
  be discerning, trusting, humble, penitent, and
  grateful, so that he will reverently and
  sincerely worship God in this blessed meal.

37
We Must Partake Reverentially

• The proper worship environment, to which those
  who serve at the Lords Table can contribute, is
  not without significance in encouraging a
  reverential attitude on the part of those
  partaking of the Lords Supper.
• Those who lead the congregation in the giving of
  thanks for the bread and fruit of the vine have a
  weighty responsibility to pray in such a way that
  they will help lead those present to the throne
  of Gods grace with a profound sense of the
  sanctity and seriousness of the occasion.

38
We Must Partake Reverentially

• This can be done only as they speak audibly and
  clearly, avoiding unnecessary repetitions.
• The mode of dress of those who serve at the
  Lords Table also has significance in
  contributing to a reverential, worshipful
  environment.

39
We Must Partake Reverentially

• Not that they must necessarily wear suits and
  ties, but there is something sadly lacking in the
  attitude of those who wait on the Lords Table
  dressed as if they were going to some kind of
  sporting event, who would not think of going to a
  wedding or a funeral dressed in anything but what
  is considered appropriate for such important
  occasions.

40
We Must Partake Reverentially

• Consider the parable of the wedding feast.

41
Matthew 221-14

• And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by
  parables and said The kingdom of heaven is like
  a certain king who arranged a marriage for his
  son, and sent out his servants to call those who
  were invited to the wedding and they were not
  willing to come.

42
Matthew 221-14

• Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell
  those who are invited, See, I have prepared my
  dinner my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and
  all things are ready. Come to the wedding. ' But
  they made light of it and went their ways, one to
  his own farm, another to his business. And the
  rest seized his servants, treated them
  spitefully, and killed them. But when the king
  heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out
  his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned
  up their city.

43
Matthew 221-14

• Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is
  ready, but those who were invited were not
  worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as
  many as you find, invite to the wedding.' So
  those servants went out into the highways and
  gathered together all whom they found, both bad
  and good. And the wedding hall was filled with
  guests. But when the king came in to see the
  guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a
  wedding garment. So he said to him, 'Friend, how
  did you come in here without a wedding garment?'

44
Matthew 221-14

• And he was speechless. Then the king said to the
  servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away,
  and cast him into outer darkness there will be
  weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are
  called, but few are chosen.

45
We Must Partake Reverentially

• Consider the parable of the wedding feast.
• While the wedding garment probably is
  figurative for the righteousness that God bestows
  on the condition of faith, the parable itself is
  based upon the concept that attire should be
  appropriate to the occasion.
• Though many of us might check the mail or bring
  in the morning newspaper wearing little more than
  a nightgown, pajamas or bathrobe, none of us
  would go to the store so clothed.

46
We Must Partake Reverentially

• In a sense, those who wait at the Lords Table
  are pallbearers, carrying the emblems that
  represent the body and blood of the crucified
  Savior to the others who are present.
• Should they not treat the service they render
  here with respect and seriousness, thus
  contributing to a reverential, worshipful
  environment for such a solemn, significant
  occasion?

47
We Must Partake Reverentially

• Indeed, when the entire congregation is assembled
  around the Lords Table, they are, in a sense,
  attending a funeral service, in memory of the
  crucified Savior.
• If their attitude is correct and they treat this
  occasion as being of very special significance,
  they will certainly show it in their manner of
  dress and in whatever else is pertinent to the
  occasion.

48
We Must Partake Reverentially

• Our demeanor in the place of worship prior to, as
  well as during services is revealing with regard
  to our attitudes toward the Lords Supper and
  toward a worshipful, reverential environment.
• The boisterous noise that habitually prevails in
  some congregations prior to the beginning of
  services is anything but expressive of a desire
  to create a worshipful environment and to partake
  of the Lords Supper in the proper manner.
• How many funeral services have you attended that
  were preceded by such rowdiness?

49
We Must Partake Reverentially

• Every Christian who attends services should be
  granted the right by his fellow Christians to
  have an atmosphere of quietude in which he can
  reverently meditate in preparation for partaking
  of the Lords Supper.
• Are you reverent in your preparation for and the
  partaking of the Lords Supper, thus contributing
  to an atmosphere that will help others to be
  reverent in their preparation for and partaking
  of the Lords Supper?

50
1 Corinthians 1127

• Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this
  cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be
  guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

51
We Must Partake Reverentially

• To treat irreverently the bread and fruit of the
  vine, the emblems of the Lords body and blood,
  is to treat irreverently the actual body and
  blood, and to be united in attitude with those
  who put Him to death, implicitly approving that
  unholy deed.

52
Hebrews 1028-29

• Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without
  mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
  Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose,
  will he be thought worthy who has trampled the
  Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the
  covenant by which he was sanctified a common
  thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

53
We Must Partake Reverentially

• To treat irreverently the bread and fruit of the
  vine, the emblems of the Lords body and blood,
  is to treat irreverently the actual body and
  blood, and to be united in attitude with those
  who put Him to death, implicitly approving that
  unholy deed.
• It is indeed a serious matter to partake of the
  Lords Supper in an unworthy manner.

54
1 Corinthians 1129

• For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner
  eats and drinks judgment to himself, not
  discerning the Lords body.

55
We Must Partake Reverentially

• He who fails to see the body of Christ, and does
  not devoutly, humbly, and prayerfully consider
  that God gave that precious body as a sacrifice
  for his sins, will bring upon himself a certain
  kind of judgment.
• The judgment referred to in this passage is not
  that of eternal condemnation, as is implied by
  the rendering of the word damnation in the KJV.

56
We Must Partake Reverentially

• In fact, Paul states that this judgment is
  visited upon those who partake of the Lords
  supper in an unworthy manner in order to keep
  them from being condemned.

57
1 Corinthians 1132

• But when we are judged, we are chastened by the
  Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world

58
We Must Partake Reverentially

• In fact, Paul states that this judgment is
  visited upon those who partake of the Lords
  supper in an unworthy manner in order to keep
  them from being condemned.
• This is a temporal judgment, described in verse
  30.

59
1 Corinthians 1130

• For this reason many are weak and sick among you,
  and many sleep.

60
We Must Partake Reverentially

• In fact, Paul states that this judgment is
  visited upon those who partake of the Lords
  supper in an unworthy manner in order to keep
  them from being condemned
• This is a temporal judgment, described in verse
  30.
• This refers, of course, to their spiritual
  condition.

61
We Must Partake Reverentially

• However, we must not conclude that there is no
  danger of eternal condemnation for those who
  treat the Lords Supper profanely.
• Whenever any child of God irreverently partakes
  of the Lords Supper he is placing his soul in
  jeopardy of being eternally lost, having
  implicitly treated with contempt the sacrifice of
  Christ by treating with irreverence the symbols
  of that sacrifice.

62
Hebrews 1031

• It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of
  the living God.

63
We Must Partake Reverentially

• Self-examination, prior to partaking, will
  prevent one from partaking unworthily and
  suffering the consequences thereof.

64
1 Corinthians 1127-31

• Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this
  cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be
  guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let
  a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the
  bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and
  drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks
  judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's
  body. For this reason many are weak and sick
  among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge
  ourselves, we would not be judged.

65
We Must Partake Reverentially

• Timeliness is another important consideration, in
  connection with a proper observation of the
  Lords death and resurrection.

66
Galatians 44

• But when the fullness of the time had come, God
  sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under
  the law,

67
We Must Partake Reverentially

• Timeliness is another important consideration, in
  connection with a proper observation of the
  Lords death and resurrection.
• This implies that the Eternal Word of God did not
  dally or procrastinate, when it came time
• to redeem those who were under the law, that we
  might receive the adoption of sons (verse 5).

68
We Must Partake Reverentially

• Neither should we procrastinate, when it comes
  time to commemorate the redemptive act!
• There is something wrong with the attitude of one
  who habitually arrives at the place of worship
  too late to participate in the singing and
  praying which often precede the Lords Supper.

69
Do you partake worthily?
Do you partake discerningly, trustingly, humbly,
penitently, gratefully, prayerfully
and reverentially?