The Role of The Lord's Supper in the Church
The primary nature of revelation is God's speaking His Word, which culminates in the word becoming flesh. When the Bible speaks of “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” (John 1:14) like wise, the practice of Word and Sacrament, meaning, the preaching of God's Word followed by the faithful observance of the Lord's Supper in a worship service, leads to the believer hearing God's Word and then that same Word, which is Christ, (John 1:1) becomes flesh in the form of Communion and dwells among the believers, where they then “Eat the body of Christ and drink the blood of Christ.” (John 6:53-5) Thus, a worship service with the preaching of His Word but lacking the observance of the Lord's Supper is then only half of a worship service. Worship is “Word and Sacrament” the preaching of the Word is mandatory and the Sacrament, in this case, “the Sacraments of Sacraments” the Lord's Supper must also be observed and always after the preaching of His Word.
By neglecting to feast on Christ we rob the sheep of their complete nourishment for the week. If we observe this sacrament monthly, or even bi-weekly, we are wasting the worship in between. Each week that Communion is not faithfully observed then becomes a mere practice of worship, a dress rehearsal if you will, an incomplete offering to God, a wasted effort that is only realized as authentic and edifying on the day of the Sacrament.
This practice realizes the Scriptures meaning in hearing the Word (Christ) and then making the Word (Christ) a reality by consuming the Word (Christ) in flesh and blood, so now Christ dwells inside the believer. This gives new meaning to the phrase “You are what you eat,” by feeding on Christ, we do not become Christ, but rather we inherit His divine grace, His blessings and His righteousness, giving us the means to resist temptation and remain Christ-like in spirit, heart and mind. This feeding, is meant to get us through the week, from Lord's Day to Lord's Day unscathed by the world. To enter the week without the spiritual nourishment of the Word (preaching) and the spiritual nourishment of Christ's body (Lord's Supper), a means of grace, we will surely struggle throughout the week. This being said, “Word and Sacrament” is more than a saying in the Reformed Church, it is more than a catch phrase battered about, it is a practice that must be lived out weekly in the Church, in order that the offering up to God is complete and the believer and the entire congregation as a whole can make it through the week, armed sufficiently to endure to the next Lord's Day and the next visit to the Lord's Table to feed upon Christ once again. We would not attempt to enter the week without consuming physical food to sustain our bodies, no one ever claims of eating three square meals a day, and the idea of making it through the week without the nourishment from food would be foolish and unthinkable, so why do we think we can make it without Spiritual nourishment”
“He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.” John 6:56
I ask that you do not confuse what I am saying with the Roman Catholic view known as “Transubstantiation.” The Reformed view is unique and the idea of which may of course differ between believers, most see this Sacrament as merely a “sign or symbol” and not a true means of grace. If the Lord allows, I would like to go a bit further in detail on this at a later date, picking up at John 6:60 where many of His disciples say, “this is a hard saying, who can hear it?” and of course the disciples on the road from Emmaus who do not recognize the risen Savior until they break bread with Him. This should be a hint for us on the importance of this Sacrament.
Be Holy!
Shane C. Montgomery
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