THE TABLE OF THE LORD -- Tomorrow:
"Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils" -- 1 Corinthians 10:21
A record of the institution of this table is a provided by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Paul, to whom a special revelation was given of this event. Concerning the bread, it is written, "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; THIS IS MY BODY" (Matt 26:26). "And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: THIS IS MY BODY" (Mark 14:22). "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, THIS IS MY BODY which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19). "And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: THIS IS MY BODY, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me" (1 Cor 11:24).
Concerning the cup, it is written, "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; FOR THIS IS MY BLOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom" (Matt 26:27). "And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God" (Mark 14:23-24). "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 . . . Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, THIS CUP IS THE NEW TESTAMENT IN MY BLOOD, which is shed for you" (Luke 22:17-18,20). "After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, THIS CUP IS THE NEW TESTAMENT IN MY BLOOD: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me" (1 Cor 11:25).
The very term--"emblems"-- detracts from the intent of this ordinance. God's people must learn to combine "spiritual thoughts with spiritual words" (1 Cor 2:13, NASB). This table is no place to theorize or philosophize! Say what the Lord said--that is the truth, whatever your personal view may be. "This is My body . . . This is my blood . . . This cup is the New Covenant in My blood . . . " These words, spoken by our Lord, will assist a proper remembrance of Him. They are addressed to our faith, not our intellect. They are not intended to describe what we are eating and drinking, but who we are remembering.
We do not merely recall His body, but that it was given for us, and broken for us. It was a special body, prepared for Him by God, in order that He might die for us (Heb 10:5). It was subjected to the ravages of men (Isa 50:6; 52:14), and the cursing of God (Gal 3:13). He "bore our sins in His body on the tree" (1 Pet 1:24). Faith reaches backward, bringing the body of Christ into the present.
Likewise we do not merely recall Christ's blood, but that it ratified the New Covenant, and that it was shed for the remission of our sins. What we see with our eyes is a "cup" and "the fruit of the vine." What our faith appropriates is His own blood, thereby participating in its effectiveness.
It is never right to replace the words of the Spirit with those concocted by men. God has counted the wisdom of the world as foolishness. This is rarely as evident as when we gather about the table of the Lord. While these words are not to be taken up as a sort of formula, they are to be regarded as Divinely appointed containers of truth.
Some have taken these words and constructed special theologies that have themselves overshadowed Christ's words. Some aggressively teach that the bread and the cup are themselves actually the body and blood of the Lord, and that when we take them we are eating His flesh and drinking His blood in a fleshly sense. Others modify this view by saying the bread and cup are mysteriously transformed into the body and blood of the Lord. In both cases, the act of eating and drinking is said to procure the remission of sins. It also is affirmed that this is the appointed means of partaking of Christ. These views have even divided the body of Christ, which sharply conflicts with the nature and power of the ordinance.
The four inspired records of this event fail to approach the table in the above manner. Jesus said nothing of this table being the place where we receive the remission of sins. He did not say we were eating His flesh and drinking His blood. He did not say His power would transform the bread and the cup into His body and blood. He did not say they were His "presence." These are all the explanations of men, not the revelation of God.
The point of this table is REMEMBRANCE! Paul also revealed to Paul that a PROCLAMATION takes place here -- one that comes from us. we proclaim the Lord's death until He comes! If what we were eating was the miraculous body and blood of the Lord, remembrance and proclamation would not be the point, but the eating and drinking itself.
If we expect the Lord to be at this table with us, our words should be in accord with His. In that manner, Christ's body and blood will be better remembered.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You for the manner in which Your Son spoke on that memorable evening. I rejoice that His body and blood have procured for me what human wisdom could not do. In His name, and because of His death, I offer myself to You as a thank offering.