Introduction:It is only appropriate that we come today in our studies of the Biblical Distinctives of Baptists to a study of the Lord’s Table. After hearing this message on the Lord’s Table we will partake of the Lord’s Table.

Like the first ordinances that we studied last week, Believer’s Baptism, the ordinances of the Lord’s Table is also misunderstood and misused. It is the purpose of this message to help each believer here either understand what God’s Word says about this very important ordinance, or to glory in what you already know.

I. The Account Of The Lord’s Table
1. The Lord’s Table was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself at the conclusion of His last supper with the disciples the night He was betrayed. The account of this event is recorded in Matthew 26:26-29: "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.’ 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.’"

2. We find that the Lord’s Table was observed by the churches of the New Testament.
Acts 2:42 says, And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 20:7 says, And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
1 Corinthians 10:16,17 says, The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

3. Because it is found in all the Gospels, was practiced in the book of Acts and instruction for its observance was given in the epistles, Baptists believe that it, along with baptism are the two ordinances of the New Testament church. As such, both are to be understood Biblically and then practiced Biblically.

II. The Aims Of The Lord’s Table

The meaning or purpose of the Lord’s Table is contained in all the records of its inception, but it is more fully explained by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11. In verses 23-24, he writes, For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 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. Verse 26 ties this observance with the Lord’s coming, For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

These words suggest four aims or purposes for the Lord’s Table.

A. It is a reflection
When the believer partakes of the bread and cup at the Lord’s Table, there is to be reflection upon what Christ did at Calvary when He gave His body and shed His blood to take away sin.

B. It is a recognition
When the believer partake of the Lord’s Table, they recognize that Christ’s giving of His body and shedding His blood was absolutely necessary because of sin. It is a recognition of personal sinfulness and unworthiness. Sinners are so helpless and hopeless that only the intervention of Christ’s body and blood could save them. I Timothy 1:15 says, This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

C. It is a celebration
Another aim of the Lord’s Table is to celebrate the love of Christ in giving His body and blood. This love is at the heart of Christ’s death on the cross, and this is commemorated in the Lord’s Table. Romans 5:8 says, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

D. It is an anticipation
The Lord’s Table is to remind the believer that Christ is coming again. Perhaps when we gather again as a church to remember the Lord’s Table, it will not be with the symbols of Christ’s body and blood, but with the literal reality of the risen, glorified Christ.

Application: As we partake of the Lord’s Supper in just a little while, let me encourage you to use this time to reflect, recognize, celebrate, and anticipate all that is behind this special ordinance that the Lord left to us.

II. The Analogies Of The Lord’s Supper
Baptists believe that the elements of the Lord’s Table - the bread and the cup - are symbolic of Christ’s body and blood. This is different from Catholics, who believe these elements are somehow transformed into the literal body and blood of Christ. The term that is used to describe this belief is "transubstantiation" meaning that the bread and juice actually "go across" (trans) or become the substance of the body and blood of Christ. This is also different from Lutherans who believe that somehow the presence of Christ’s body and blood are contained in the consecrated elements. The term that is used to describe this belief is called "consubstantiation" meaning that the "substance" of Christ’s body and blood are mystically present with (con) the bread and juice, although the elements remain unchanged. Baptists see no Scriptural justification for either view. We believe the Bible teaches that the bread and juice remain just that all the time. They are simply objects in a divine lesson taught by Christ.

When Jesus said "this is my body" and "this is my blood", He was using figurative language. He wasn’t referring to His physical body and blood, just symbolically. His comments are similar to such symbolic statements as "I am the door" and "I am the vine." Obviously, Jesus isn’t a door with hinges or a plant with roots, branches and leaves. The disciples understood what He was saying.

A. The Bread
1. Bread is a fitting symbol for the body of Christ. In His earthly ministry He had spoken of Himself as the Bread of Life who came down from Heaven to give life to the world (John 6). Based on this, Jesus established bread as a visual reminder of His once-for-all sacrifice for sin. His body was to be given or broken at Calvary.

2. Although Jesus’ bones were not broken when He died, His body was broken. The whipping broke the flesh on His back, the crown of thorns broke the flesh on His head, the nails broke the flesh on his hands and feet and the spear broke the flesh in His side. It is true that not a bone was broken in Jesus’ body at Calvary, but that does not mean that He was not accurate when He told the disciples that the bread which he broke apart represented His body.

B. The Cup
1. Paul quoted Jesus in 1 Cor. 11:25 with these familiar words, "This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." Again, when our Lord was speaking of His blood, He was speaking symbolically. He did not mean that the cup contained His actual blood, for that was still flowing through His veins. The juice in the cup that they partook of that night and that we partake of each time we celebrate the Lord’s Table is symbolic of Christ’s blood that was shed to secure for us the New Covenant.

2. This connection between Christ’s blood and the New Covenant is very important. A Covenant is an arrangement or agreement that God made with men. The Mosaic Covenant called for animal blood for the purpose of covering the sins of the sinner, and countless numbers of animals gave their blood for this divine purpose. But with the Lamb of God shedding His blood, He secured a far better way to have sins dealt with - He died for them once and for all. This provides complete forgiveness, and a wonderful relationship with God.

III. The Authority For The Lord’s Table

Baptists believe that the authority for the administration of the Lord’s Table resides in the local church. This position differs from some who believe that the Lord’s Table can be celebrated at any time, by any who so desire to celebrate it. The reasons for believing this is its practice and instruction in the New Testament.

A. It was instituted by the Lord with those He first placed in the Church
Of course, those people were the Apostles. These are also the people who first constituted the New Testament church and served as it’s foundation. Notice what Paul writes in 1 Cor. 12:28 "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, ..."

B. It was practiced by local New Testament churches
It was conducted by the church in Jerusalem--Acts 2:41-42,47
It was part of the services of the church at Troas--Acts 20:7
It was practiced by the church of Corinth--1 Cor. 10:16,17

We have no New Testament record that the Lord’s Table was celebrated outside the realm of the local church.

IV. The Admission To the Lord’s Table
The instructions given regarding the celebration of this ordinance of the church suggests a few requirements for a person to partake of the Lord’s Supper.

A. A person must be a believer
The Lord’s Table was instituted by Christ and celebrated only after Judas had left. Only believers participated in the supper then and in each record of its celebration in the New Testament. One who has never placed their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive them and save them cannot "remember" Christ’s death for him/her, for they have never "known" Him. It would also be a lie for an unbeliever to eat and drink, symbolizing a past, personal taking in of Christ by faith. Of course, that is what does take place in many churches when people believe that when they partake they are also being saved! This is false, of course, but has caused true believers to sometimes resist what the Scriptures teach in this area.

B. A person must examine themselves
The apostle Paul advised the members of the church at Corinth in these words "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." This examination should include his present walk with Christ, his relationship with other believers, his attitude about the Lord’s Table and his manner of participation in the Lord’s Table. After self-examination, sins should be confessed, attitudes put right, and corrections made. After this is done, the believer is ready to participate in the wonderful and holy ordinance that Christ gave to us.

C. A person must be baptized scripturally
Acts 2:41-42 specifically shows that baptism preceded the "breaking of bread" or the celebration of the Lord’s Table. It stands to reason, that since Christ commanded believers to be baptized scripturally after they were saved, those people who participated in the Lord’s Table in the early church were also people who had been scripturally baptized by immersion.

Conclusion:

1. Are you here today and you are basing your salvation upon the fact that you have partaken of the Lord’s Table and believed it provided some saving power to you? Based on what I find the scriptures teaching, that is a false and wrong way to believe. Salvation is by faith alone plus nothing. True, the Lord’s Table is a precious and holy time, but it does not save you.

2. Paul made it clear to the Corinthian believers, that it is a very dangerous thing to partake of the Lord’s Table with the wrong heart attitude. The command is to get things right with God and others and then partake. I have known believers that went months and maybe years not partaking of the Lord’s Table because they knew there was something not right in their life. That is commendable but wrong. The Bible is not teaching that we are to remain in that state of not being able to partake of the Lord’s Table; it is not a mark of maturity that a believer continues long periods of time refusing to partake of the Lord’s Table. Rather, it is complete and utter disobedience on their part to not get their life straightened out with God and start partaking of the Lord’s Table. Is that you, brother or sister in Christ? Get is right today!

3. Based on the Word of God, I believe a Christian who is unwilling to obey the Lord in the waters of believer’s baptism ought to obey the Lord in this first area of their walk with Him before they partake of the Lord’s Table. Don’t bristle at that, simple submit to what the Word of God teaches us.