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Good morning, everyone. You can 
turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 11. 1 Corinthians 11. As you're turning there, tonight 
we'll be observing the Lord's Supper. And in so doing, we'll 
be coming together as a church, Lord willing, for the better 
and not for the worse. and observing an ordinance that 
finds the end of its observation not in the study of or the glorying 
in bread and wine, but rather the study of and the glorying 
in of Jesus Christ and the glorious gospel of our blessed God. You 
see, the bread is broken in remembrance of Christ in the giving of himself 
upon Calvary's tree, his body broken for us, and the wine, 
it is drank. And it is that symbol, that emblem 
of the shed blood of the Savior. And so this morning we want to 
look at the importance of the Lord's Supper as we look to observe 
it this evening. You may have asked yourself this, 
maybe you haven't, but maybe at some point you have asked 
yourself this in the past and coming to our church, and we've 
said this before at The Lord's Supper, why there are no images, 
why there are no icons, why there are no crosses bedecked with 
silver and gold or however persons decorate crosses upon the walls 
and that hang from ceilings. Why are there no such thing in 
this church? Remember that the Lord's Supper 
is a picture of the gospel and the preaching of the word. By 
so doing, we set forth Christ to the eyes of faith as crucified 
before us. Calvin says, just to introduce 
before we read, Paul declares that by the true preaching of 
the gospel, Christ is portrayed and in a manner crucified before 
our eyes. Of what use then were the erection 
in churches of so many crosses of wood and stone, silver and 
gold, if this doctrine were faithfully and honestly preached? Christ 
died. that he might bear our curse 
upon the tree, that he might expiate our sins by the sacrifice 
of his body, wash them in his blood, and in short, reconcile 
us to God the Father. From this one doctrine, the people 
would learn more than from a thousand crosses of wood and stone. As 
for crosses of gold and silver, it may be true that the avaricious 
give their eyes and minds to them more eagerly than to any 
heavenly instructor. And then he goes on to speak 
about the Lord's Supper. In fact, baptism and that other 
ordinance with regards to crosses of silver and gold. Even were 
the danger less imminent still, when I consider the proper end 
for which churches are erected, it appears to me more unbecoming 
their sacredness than I well can tell. To admit any other 
images than those living symbols which the Lord has consecrated 
by his own word, I mean baptism in the Lord's Supper. So hopefully 
you see the importance of these ordinances. And as we move now 
to a reading of 1 Corinthians 11, 23 to 25, you see the importance 
of the Lord's Supper in the life of Christ's church. Well, let's 
go to our Bibles then. 1 Corinthians chapter 11, beginning 
in verse 23. For I received from the Lord. that which I also delivered to 
you, that the Lord Jesus, on the same night in which he was 
betrayed, took bread. And when he had given thanks, 
he broke it and said, Take, eat. This is my body which is broken 
for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same manner, he also took 
the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant 
in my blood. This do, as often as you drink 
it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this 
bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till 
he comes. Amen. Well, let us go again to 
the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, we rejoice in 
this new day given to us. We rejoice in the Lord's day. 
We pray that you would help us now in this act of worship, the 
preaching of your word, that you would be glorified in our 
midst. We do pray, Lord, that you would 
help preacher in the pulpit to open up accurately the things 
of your word. speaking rightly the things of your revealed truth. 
We do pray that you would bring him much aid, and we would ask 
that you would bring aid to those in the pulpit, that as we engage 
in this act of worship, they would be strengthened, your saints, 
the Christians gathered in these pews this morning, would be strengthened 
in their Christ, and for your glory's sake, that we'd be able 
to leave this place having heard from our God, having heard from 
our Christ, and seeking to live in light of such a glorious gospel. 
And we pray again that you would come upon the wings of victorious 
grace, that you would make dead sinners alive, that by your grace 
and for your glory, you would put new hearts within those who 
entered in these doors outside of Christ, that you would remove 
hearts of stone, replace them with hearts of flesh, that praise 
our Savior, that sing the praises of amazing grace, and that seek 
to glorify their precious God. And we do pray now in the name 
of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Well, in 1 Corinthians 
11, as you well know, the Apostle Paul is dealing with improper 
conduct at the Lord's Supper. Here he deals with the horizontal 
aspect of the Lord's Supper. 1 Corinthians 10, he deals with 
the vertical aspect of the Lord's Supper. The Corinthians were 
not to engage in idolatry. They were not to participate 
in meals where the meat has been sacrificed to idols because in 
the Lord's Supper, they have a feast set before them where 
they participate in the body and in the blood of our Lord 
Jesus Christ and where our exalted Savior, by His Spirit, spiritually 
nourishes His people. Here in 1 Corinthians 11, he's 
correcting the conduct of the Corinthian church where they 
had gluttons and drunkards putting themselves sinfully and selfishly 
before those others in the congregation. And they were not gathering together 
as a church for the better, but much rather for the worse, engaging 
in sinful conduct. And they were not in that then 
observing the Lord's Supper. And we have here the Apostle 
Paul rehearsing the institution of the Lord's Supper. And we 
want to note a number of things with regards to the importance 
of the Lord's Supper, the importance of that precious ordinance this 
morning. First off, by way of introduction, 
notice that we see it first in verse 23. For I received from 
the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, 
on the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. You 
see, The observance of the Lord's Supper or the importance of the 
Lord's Supper is rarely considered here, but there is a significance 
to the importance of the Lord's Supper scene in the fact that 
it's instituted on the very night in which he was betrayed. You 
see, he knew the road that he was about to travel. He knew 
that He was about to go to that cursed tree. The Lord Jesus Christ 
knew that the crown did not come without the cross. He knew that 
there was no glory without hammer and nails and the piercing of 
flesh. And it's very glorious, it's amazing that on the very 
night in which He was betrayed, you see, He knew that He was 
about to be delivered up into wicked hands. He knew that the 
next day he was to be brought before a trial of blasphemy and 
murderous rage. He knew that he was going to 
be delivered up upon that cursed implement of Roman execution. 
And yet he takes the time in calm and resolute diligence to 
institute this supper, which is a remembrance of that which 
he was about to undergo. Hopefully you see the importance 
here. You see, our Savior was not anxious. He was not marked 
by this sinful anxiety, but rather he is marked by a resolute diligence, 
his march unto the cross. And he takes the time with his 
friends, with his disciples to institute this feast of remembrance 
and this feast of spiritual nourishment. But we want to notice the importance 
of the Lord's Supper under four headings, simply from a verse, 
simply from language that is repeated in this text, do this 
in remembrance of me. The four things we want to notice 
this morning. First is the importance of the 
Lord's Supper is seen in its nature as a divine command. Secondly, 
the importance of the Lord's Supper is seen in its character 
as a remembrance. Thirdly, the importance of the 
Lord's Supper is seen in its character as a remembrance of 
Christ. And then lastly, the importance of the Lord's Supper 
is seen in its quality as a means of grace. I may be pausing to take many 
drinks this morning because it's a hot day in Chilliwack, so please 
bear with me. And the fan is pointed away from 
me because it flips the pages of the Bible, and that isn't 
conducive to preaching from a Bible. So just bear with me as we move 
through and move now first to then. The importance of the Lord's 
Supper is seen in its nature as a divine command. Notice in 
the text the language that we have here, first in verse 24 
and then in verse 25. Take, eat. This is my body which 
is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. This cup is the new covenant 
in my blood. This do as often as you drink 
it in remembrance of me. The Lord's Supper is given by 
divine commandment. You see, when we gather tonight 
to observe the Lord's Supper, again, Lord willing for the better 
and not for the worse, we gather together and we observe something 
that is not given in the flavor of a divine recommendation. It's not given in the tenor of 
a divine suggestion. But rather it comes to us by 
the divine commandment of our incarnate Lord who gives it by 
a positive and sovereign institution. And you see, we are not as Christians 
under the heavy arm of a despot or a tyrant who's commanding 
this imposition heavy to bear and hard to handle. No. What 
is the command? Come, take, eat. This is my body. What is the 
command? Come, take, drink. This is my blood. The glorious 
commandment. You see, we are not under the 
heavy-handed impositions of men. We are not under the heavy-handed 
impositions of our own wicked hearts, self-imposed religion 
and false humility, but rather we come to the Lord's Supper 
and we have a gracious requirement given to us, don't we? A delightful 
and a favorable command given from on high for the good of 
the people. Do this in remembrance of me. 
Oh, the heavy burden of God. No, of course not. Oh, the gracious 
requirement of our God, the delightful and favorable ordinance given 
by his commandment. Turn with me to Matthew for a 
moment. And as you're turning there, 
the preacher does not come with a knife pointed at those who 
are unable to join us for the Lord's Supper. For some, God 
has found his hand of providence upon you, and it has come in 
the flavor of sickness, disease, whatever it may be. So the preacher 
does not come with knife to cut you. But rather, there can be 
those within the context of the Christian church who slight or 
neglect or think the Lord's Supper a light thing. And it is heavy. 
It is a glorious and weighty thing. given to us that we might 
as Christians joyfully observe. Notice in Matthew 11, notice 
in Matthew chapter 11 in verse 19 and what we're doing or verse 
29, what we're doing right now is hopefully you see the connection, 
the gracious commands given by our sovereign and glorious Christ. Notice in Matthew 11, these 29, 
this language ought to be close and dear to your heart. Take 
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly 
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is 
easy and my burden is light. Doesn't that speak to the fact 
that our God, our Christ, is not a tyrant, not a despot, but 
a loving Lord, gracious master? a sovereign king who brings delightful 
and favorable things to his people, I am gentle and lowly in heart. 
You will find rest for your souls." You know, and this shouldn't 
come as weird to your ears, but you see, there should be this 
sense in which we approach the Lord's Supper, well, even before 
that, the Lord's Day. But for our topic this morning, 
the Lord's Supper, as something we look forward to, you've worked 
long in this week You're out in the workplace, mothers, maybe 
you're in the home, that's hard work. Children, all the labors 
that come with working in the household, wherever you find 
God has placed you in the world, you've worked a hard week. Is 
there anything greater than availing of the rest that the sovereign 
Christ sets before us in the feast? The old boys would talk 
about God setting it before us for our entertainment. Our entertainment. Not the fiddling or the playing 
of banjos and the banging of tambourines and light shows and 
those sorts of things, but entertainment in the sense that it is to grab 
our attention and thrust the eyes of our faith, gazing upon 
an exalted Savior who 2,000 years ago gave himself for guilty sinners. He had descended from the majesty 
on high, came into our lower world of shame and ignominy, 
given himself for guilty sinners, was crucified upon Calvary's 
tree, rose again by power and in great victory in the third 
day, ascended to the right hand of the majesty on high where 
he ever lives to make intercession for his people, And in that He 
sets before us a feast wherein we remember His death till He 
comes again, wherein we're fed by the exalted Christ, by His 
Spirit, growing in the grace and in the faith of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. It is for our entertainment and for our rest. Let nothing 
else catch your fancy as glorious and as high and as special as 
the rest that we have on the Lord's Supper. After a hard week, 
look forward to gathering together with your fellow saints to take, 
to eat, to remember, to proclaim, to be nourished by the risen 
and exalted Christ. Gil says on Matthew 11, 29 to 
30, they are good and amiable and lovely. Speaking of the yoke 
and the burden, the yoke and the burden of Christ. They are 
good and amiable and lovely in their own nature and are cheerfully 
complied with. An abundance of spiritual pleasure 
and delight is enjoyed in them by believers when they have the 
presence of God, the assistance of his spirit and the discoveries 
of his love. You see, commandments, precepts, 
statutes, laws, these things may come to the ears of unbelievers 
and find unwelcome and unfriendly ears to receive them. But these 
things come from on high to the ears of believers. And what is 
the case? They are cheerfully complied 
with. They are joyfully received. We embrace them as those saints 
of Christ who were once dead in our trespasses and in our 
sins, wholly in opposition to his law, wholly in opposition 
to the exalted Christ. Yet he deemed God well to, in 
his appointed and accepted time, to make us alive in Christ. By 
grace we have been saved. And by the supplies of the Spirit, 
having the presence of God, knowing the discoveries of His love, 
we cheerfully comply with His light yoke and His light burden. Come, take, eat. This is my body. This is my blood. London Baptist 
Confession of Faith speaking with regards to the commandment 
nature of this ordinance. Again, not a divine requirement. 
not a cosmic suggestion. Baptism and the Lord's Supper 
are ordinances of positive and sovereign institution appointed 
by the Lord Jesus, the only law giver, to be continued in his 
church to the end of the world. It would later say, or previously 
in fact, on the doctrine of worship and the Sabbath day, the reading 
of the scriptures, preaching, and hearing the word of God, 
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and 
spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord, 
as also the administration of baptism and the Lord's Supper 
are all parts of religious worship of God. Now note to be performed 
in obedience to him with understanding, faith, reverence and godly fear. We see its command nature, the 
nature of it as a divine command. Back in our text of 1 Corinthians 
11, if you'll turn back there with me, it's of course in the 
language, do this, and we should see that, shouldn't we? Christ 
says, do this, and as those who are follower of the Lamb, we 
do that. We also see it in the language 
of verse 23, where Paul writes, 1 Corinthians 11, 23, For I received 
from the Lord that which I also delivered to you. Where do we 
see the divine command nature in this? Well, it's twofold. 
First off, Paul received it from the Lord. Paul was given by the 
resurrected and glorious Christ this ordinance to be observed 
in the churches till he comes again. He did not receive it 
from men. He did not conjure it up in his 
own heart, of course. We have previous revelation of 
Christ himself ordaining it, instituting it prior to his death 
on the night in which he was betrayed. But he received it 
from the Lord and he also delivered it to the Corinthians. It comes 
by apostolic mandate, by the authority of Christ to the Corinthian 
church and by extension to ministers and saints since then and unto 
the end of the world. a divine commandment. And we 
ought to note, we ought to note that the Great Commission, you 
see, what do we read in the Great Commission? Matthew 28. Christ 
has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. It's 
been given to the Savior. This one, who who only days ago 
was a bloody massacre on Calvary Street, who was the recipient 
of spittings and mockings and bruisings and whippings. He had 
the Roman nails hammered into his hands and his feet. He endured 
the hot sun, the sweat, he endured beyond that. The crushing, the 
bruising of his father. But what victoriously and by 
divine power, he's raised again the third day. And he appears 
to his disciples and he says, all authority in heaven and on 
earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and disciple the 
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the 
Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that 
I have commanded to you. And so we move along in revelation. And what do we find? We find 
that going on. The Christians are by the apostles, 
by those authorized by God, instructed concerning the observance of 
the Lord's Supper, and they comply, not as as in a heavy handed ordinance, 
but cheerfully, joyfully, with the abundance of spiritual pleasure 
and delight. Hansard Nullus, there's a name 
for you. He, in the 17th century, wrote these words with regards 
to the Lord's Supper, its importance as a divine command. Oh, dear 
friends. Be not wanting to your precious 
souls, either in slighting or neglecting the ordinances of 
God. Why should you cry, Oh, my leanness, my barrenness, et 
cetera? How unkindly do ye deal with 
Christ to slight and neglect or refuse his gracious invitations 
to heavenly banquets at his table? Now, this may come to your heart 
and it may cut you, but I want to console you if you are those 
who are providentially hindered from joining. And I believe you 
know who you are. There are those who are unable 
to join us. And God in his kind providence 
is loving and merciful. You can remember, you can observe, 
you can contemplate the Savior and his dying work being hindered 
from joining us. But hopefully this comes. These 
words come and they Do cut to the heart in a wholesome manner 
and you say in your soul as a Christian. Yes. My Lord has given us this 
feast. Not as a heavy handed despot, 
but as one who is lowly in heart, gentle. He's given this to us. It's an emblem of his body broken. It's symbolic of his blood shed. Why am I not there? Secondly, 
the importance of the Lord's Supper is seen in its character 
as a remembrance. The importance of the Lord's 
Supper is seen in its character as a remembrance. Notice the 
text, and it is repeated, take, eat, this is my body, which is 
broken for you, do this in remembrance of me. In the same manner, he 
also took the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant 
in my blood, this do as often as you drink it in remembrance 
of me. What are the first motions of 
the Christian soul? Some of the first motions of 
the Christian soul, but a solemn and a joyful reflection upon 
things done by his God for him. You see this in the Psalms, don't 
you? Time and again in the Psalms, what do we have but the psalmist 
rehearsing the glorious conquering acts of the one and only, the 
living and true God. Turn with me to Psalm 107. In 
gathering together for the Lord's Supper, Christians do what they 
ought to do best. And that is reflect upon the 
grace and the mercy of God. Reflect upon the redeeming glory 
of their Christ. upon the mighty deeds of God. 
Notice in Psalm 107. In Psalm 107, verse one. Oh, give thanks to the Lord, 
for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed 
of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the 
enemy. You see, there is a commandment 
by the psalmist given. What are we to be marked by as 
Christians? But remembrance. Let the redeemed 
of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the 
enemy. Not only are we to be retrospective 
as Christians, that simply means those who look back upon a past 
event, a past thing. But we are to say so. We are to speak. We are to proclaim. Let the redeemed of the Lord 
say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy. What 
are we doing at the Lord's Supper, but doing what the psalmist does 
time and again, doing what the saints in the Old Testament did 
time and again in their songs, doing what the New Testament 
saints did time and again, reflecting with a wholesome retrospect upon 
the glorious redeeming activity of our blessed God, his glorious 
Christ. What does the what does the apostle 
do in Ephesians chapter one? That is a doxological retrospective, 
that means words of praise in looking back upon the work of 
God. What does he do? He brings before 
us the triune God in his glory, the triune God, praise to the 
father for the work of father, son, Holy Ghost. Christians are 
retrospective. They remember do this in remembrance 
of me. And you see, we need to have 
this. We need to have remembrance generally 
and the Lord's Supper specifically because we're so prone to wander, 
so prone to leave the God that we love. If I can commend any 
if I can commend any sermon to you on the Lord's Supper, many 
good ones. Many good ones. To read the Spurgeon's 
Sermon on 1 Corinthians 11, 23 to 26, specifically on the language 
of remembrance. The remembrance of Christ is 
the name of the sermon. We are Christians, and in that, 
by the very identification and nature of being a Christian, 
we are those who remember, who look back with great joy upon 
the saving and conquering and redeeming activity. of the triune 
God for his own glory and for our own good. The Confession, 
chapter 30, verse 1 of verse 1, chapter 30 and paragraph 1, 
says that the Lord's Supper is a perpetual remembrance and showing 
forth of the sacrifice of himself in his death. It is, later in 
paragraph 2, a memorial of that one offering up of himself by 
himself upon the cross. You see, the Lord's Supper helps 
us because we can be wayward, because in the week prior to 
the Lord's Supper, we can be such who bring everything else 
before our memory, save for a bloody Christ upon Calvary's tree, save 
for that glorious one resurrected, that one ascended, that one whoever 
lives to make intercession for his people. Spurgeon himself 
said that he often found his heart cold and in languor. And 
it was stuff like the Lord's Supper. Stuff, no doubt, opening 
up his Bible, where his mind is pricked by a sovereign God 
to reflect upon Christ and Him crucified, Him and His redeeming 
activity. Its character as remembrance 
brings to the fore the importance of the Lord's Supper, because 
Christians are to be those who remember the redeeming activity 
of their God. And brethren, hopefully, you 
know, there are a lot of things that we can remember. Our memories 
are there, they're functioning, they're operating. There are 
things that can bring smiles to our faces, aren't there? Remember, 
the children were young. Those who have older children, 
those who have teenage children right now, you can remember fondly 
when they were younger. The smile crescents on your face. 
Oh, the days when they were three and a half. You can remember 
things, family, friends, whatever it is. You have fond memories, 
and that's a wholesome thing. God gives us our memories to 
stir and arouse us unto a lawful contemplation on those things 
that He has blessed us with in our lives. But you see, if there 
is anything that casts a shadow darkening every other memory, 
if there is anything that casts a darkening shadow so that our 
contemplations are focused solely upon that which casts that shadow, 
it is the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Lord's Supper 
is set before us. as that, as a remembrance, which 
brings us then to the next in the text, to the next point with 
regards to the importance of the Lord's Supper. Thirdly, the 
importance of the Lord's Supper is seen in its character as a 
remembrance of Christ. So if we are to be marked as 
Christians by remembrance, what is the chief object of our retrospection? Should it not be then that one 
who is the namesake of our high and holy religion? Yes, the importance 
of the Lord's Supper is seen in its character as a remembrance 
of Christ. The text itself is explicit. 
Take, eat. This is my body which is broken 
for you. Do this in remembrance of me, 
Christ said. In the same manner, he also took 
the cup after supper saying this cup is the new covenant In my 
blood, this do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. We're remembering the Savior. 
We're remembering our Christ. First off, remember Christ in 
his person. Do you take the Lord's Supper 
tonight whenever you take the Lord's Supper? Remember Christ 
in his person. Have your have your thoughts 
cast back, if you will, to the year that King Uzziah died. The prophet Isaiah saw the Lord 
high and lifted up the train of his robe filling the temple. 
Isn't that a glorious thing to dwell upon with the minds God 
gave us? Our pre-incarnate Christ. in 
that pre-incarnate glory. Do you know, brothers and sisters, 
that our Christ had to be, the glory of our Christ had to be 
hid by the wings of the seraphim who flew. Remember, with two 
they covered their eyes. With two they covered their feet. 
This place is holy ground. With two they flew. They cried 
out day and night, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. Whole 
earth is filled with his glory. You know that our pre-incarnate 
Christ. Has the essence undivided, same as God, the father, we are 
not not such who entertain some Christological heresy where the 
son of God, the second of the blessed triune is somehow less 
than the father, but rather he is the brightness of his father's 
glory, the express image of his person. He is infinite, eternal 
and unchangeable in all of those perfections that we ascribe to 
God. rightly in accordance with his 
word. He is immutable. He is impassable. And yet this 
Christ comes. That one who is in the form of 
God, who is in the form of God, eternally existing in the very 
form of God. That one who had equality, has 
equality with God the Father. What did he do in time and in 
history? He humbled himself. He came in 
the form of a bondservant. taking upon the likeness of men. Brethren, hopefully your mouth's 
present when you think about your child drawing you a picture 
of you holding their hand in the park and you have three arms. Hopefully your mouth presents 
with a smile. But you see, with a solemn and 
joyful reflection upon the pre-incarnate glory of Christ and then His 
incarnate ignominy and humility, hopefully your smile presents. Hopefully joy fills your heart. 
Hopefully you are filled with a glorious remembrance of your 
Savior, your condescending God who came in the fullness of the 
times, took upon Himself man's nature with all the essential 
properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin. Remember the person of Christ. Now, remember Christ in his life, 
you see the confession that Christ is altogether lovely and chief 
among 10,000 is not solely confined to reflections upon Christ in 
his now exalted glory. He's altogether lovely to us 
and chief among 10,000, isn't he? When he's in a feed truck. I apologize that you had to see 
that. He's in a feed trough. Altogether, lovely chief among 
10,000, you see the very one who made the animals, the very 
animals who feed in that feed trough is found himself laid 
there in. A glorious condescension of our 
Christ. In his birth, the very one who 
hung the stars in place, is hanged upon a nursing breast. In his 
baptism, the very one who by his sovereign power carved the 
riverbed of the Jordan out of dirt that he made out of nothing. The very one who put the water 
that flowed in that Jordan is found contained within, fulfilling 
all righteousness. He's in the wilderness. And as 
Spurgeon says, I love what he says with regards to Christ. 
in the wilderness. He says this, when the champion 
lion of the pit and the mighty lion of the tribe of Judah fought 
together. Do you remember your Christ on 
this day where we observe the Lord's Supper tonight when we 
are observing it? Think upon your Savior going 
toe to toe in single combat against the evil one, the father of murder 
and lies. What does he do? He exits the 
desert victorious. The devil has nothing on our 
Christ, nothing on our Savior. We fast forward in the life of 
Christ. And what do we find? Well, in fact, throughout the 
life of Christ, he is opposed. Yes, by his foes, but even sometimes 
by his friends. He came into the world and the 
world esteemed him not. He came to his own and his own 
did not revere him. There were times where even his 
friends opposed him. Lord, let it never be that you 
must go to the cross to be crucified and rise again the third day. 
People lopping off ears in his midst, people opposing his messianic 
charge to that cross. He's the recipient of opposition. 
We move forward to not yet his death, but we move forward to 
that time just before his death. What do we see? An intimate friend 
betraying him. What do we see but Him on His 
hands and His knees in the garden, crying out, Father, if it is 
possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, 
but Thine, be done. When you take the Lord's Supper 
tonight, think about this. You taste bread because He tasted 
death for you. Christian, you take that bread 
and you taste it because He tasted death for you. You drink that 
wine. And you drink that back because 
he drank the cup of the wrath of God to its dregs for you, 
Christian. Remembering Christ specifically 
in his work, culminating in his death is the central focus of 
the Lord's Supper, isn't it? You see, when we consider the 
death of Christ and Remembering him. You can think, if you will, of 
of with eyes of faith. Casting your eyes upon the crucified 
savior, you see, we're not to have vain imaginings, not to 
have vain imaginings as Christians, but with eyes of faith, considering 
Christ crucified, hanging upon that Roman gibbet of execution. 
and thinking about the Lord's Supper as that commanded observance. 
Christian, are you going to walk by your Christ with eyes of faith, 
glance for a moment, throw the double guns and say thanks and 
walk on? Are you going to stay in the 
presence now of the exalted Christ and come and observe, take and 
eat, take and drink while he feeds you in his sovereign power 
by his spirit for your growth as a Christian? in this lower 
world. Brethren, I feel that we must 
to put away the demons, to exercise the demons of a lack of remembrance, 
to exercise the demons of bringing so many things before the eyes 
of memory and casting off that one that is holy to be remembered 
without exclusion. Lord's Supper is an absolute 
help. It's an absolute help. Because remember, we're not remembering 
ourselves, are we? That can be the temptation. That 
can be something that rises up in our hearts, is that the do 
this in remembrance of me, you read your eyes, you cast your 
eyes upon that part of the text and, okay, yeah, I need to engage 
in some introspection now. I need to remember if I have 
done, if I have done. If I have done, if I have put 
off, if I have put off, if I have put off, yes, examine yourselves. Yes, examine yourselves. But 
the remembrance is targeted upon the one who is holy to be remembered. Christ Jesus, the Lord. You know, 
yes, you are to peruse memories for there the witness. have faithfully 
recorded their names, but quickly flies, Spurgeon says to the Lamb 
of God, who takes away the sins of the world because he is the 
one who has taken away those sins. He's died for you. He's 
risen again. And he has given you this feast 
so that you might remember not yourself and your previous week, 
but that you might remember him and his saving and in his redeeming 
glory. Gil writes, it may be observed 
that the Lord's Supper, which is a feast, is a commemoration 
of the ratification of the covenant of grace by the blood of Christ 
and wherein and whereby the faith of God's people is strengthened 
and confirmed as to their interest in it. The importance of the 
Lord's Supper, brethren, is seen in that it is a remembrance of 
Christ. Do not put off a remembrance 
of your Savior. Put on that remembrance. Gather 
as you are able with the saints of Christ to observe such a one 
and such a death. Lastly, then, and finally, the 
importance of the Lord's Supper is seen in its quality as a means 
of grace. In its quality as a means of 
grace. And we need to back up for a 
moment to 1 Corinthians 10. As we jet, yes, out of our immediate 
text, but to something of context there where Paul is dealing with 
another issue. He's dealing not now with improper 
conduct at the Lord's Supper, one to each other, but rather 
improper conduct in the world, engaging in participation in 
pagan ritualistic meals, which is idolatry. Notice what we read 
in 1 Corinthians 10, beginning in verse 14. Therefore, my beloved, 
Flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men. Judge 
for yourselves what I say. 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 though many are one bread and one body, for we all partake 
of that one bread." Now, you see, when we gather together 
for the better and not for the worse this evening, we're gathering 
together as a communion of believers engaging in a horizontal aspect 
of fellowship, to be sure. The church is commanded to gather 
together within the context of the church. to remember the Lord's 
death till he comes again. But you see, the communion in 
view here is a fellowship, a communion, a participation, a sharing in 
the body and blood of Christ, vertically speaking. We are communing, 
we are fellowshipping, we are sharing, we are participating 
with the risen and exalted Christ and celebrating his death till 
he comes again. How do we know this? Because 
it's set in opposition to fellowship with demons. Notice in verse 
18, observe Israel after the flesh. Are not those who eat 
of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What am I saying then? 
That an idol is anything or what is offered to idols is anything? 
Rather that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they 
sacrifice to demons and not to God. And I do not want you to 
have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the 
Lord in the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the Lord's 
table in the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord? To 
jealousy, are we stronger than he? You see what Paul wanted 
them to understand is that why would you want to participate 
in a meal where there is fellowship with demons when at the Lord's 
table you have fellowship with your God and with his Christ? Flee from idolatry and embrace 
with a Christian vigor and a joy the celebration that he has set 
before you. He set before you a feast, so 
don't forsake it. but rather come, take, eat, take, 
drink, and in so doing, you have fellowship with your God, with 
His Christ, and by supplies of the Spirit, you're spiritually 
nourished, growing in the grace and in the knowledge of Christ 
Jesus the Lord. Weaver writes, believers receive 
spiritual nourishment and assurance of Christ's presence through 
their remembrance and faith of the once for all work of Christ 
on the cross. Bromley writes, in the supper 
we do inwardly that which we represent outwardly. You see, 
as clear and as simple and as obvious That as the bread and 
the wine are to the outward senses, so the shed body or the broken 
body and the shed blood of our Lord are present to our souls 
as we feast upon Christ and him crucified. That's the language 
of our confession. That we feast upon Christ and 
him crucified, not physically, not in that papal abomination 
of the mass. But rather, He feeds us in His 
exalted and ascended state by His Spirit, these being emblematic. The bread and the wine do not 
change. The bread and the wine remain bread and wine. But we 
take in inwardly, or we take in externally, outwardly, that 
which we are being fed, that which represents what we are 
being fed spiritually. We're being nourished by the 
risen and exalted Christ. As we move towards a close, Barcelos 
writes, the Lord's Supper is a means of grace at which Christ 
is present by his divine nature and during which the Holy Spirit 
nourishes the souls of believers with the benefits wrought for 
us in Christ's humanity, which is now glorified in heaven and 
at the right hand of the Father. And so in closing. Brothers and 
sisters, three things. Three things, obey Christ. Sometimes 
the applications of a text come very simply. Two words, obey 
Christ. Why? Because we're confronted 
in the text with that language, do this. Do this. This, do. Remember, these are 
not the words that come from a heavy-handed despot or a tyrant 
imposing upon us things that we cannot bear. Bread and wine, 
come. Take, eat, obey your Christ. You see, I believe that we can 
very often take the pot. I don't mean we, but I mean we 
as as as Christian people, those who profess faith in the Lord 
Jesus Christ, we can heap before us all matter of self-imposed 
religious things whereby we'll remember Christ and all the while 
forsaking the thing that he himself has instituted by himself, the 
Lord's table. Oh, but you see, I do such and 
such and I do such and such and I do this and you know, I don't 
come because I remember him in another way. Again, you're providentially 
hindered. This night does not cut to your 
heart. But in obedience to God. That 
is disobedience to forsake this blessed feast that he sets before 
us. Come take and eat. The words 
are not wrapped in a riddle hidden in a conundrum. Having to be 
deciphered after you complete a Rubik's Cube. Do this in remembrance 
of me. Come and take and eat. Don't 
let my eyebrows fool you. If I look angry, I'm not angry. I want to stress and impose upon 
you wholesomely this delightful and favorable ordinance of our 
Lord. There's no bread and wine here. I keep pointing there because 
tonight it'll be there and I'm used to doing that. Obey your 
Christ. joyful compliance, cheerful compliance. Come take and eat. Remember your Christ. Remember 
your Christ. You see, we were not there when 
our Christ was crucified. We were not there. And yet. Brothers and sisters, he is as 
if crucified before our eyes when he is by faith partaken 
of at the Lord's table. It's a picture, the gospel, it's 
a picture of our Christ crucified, shedding his blood for guilty 
sinners. Remember him. Remember him. Come take and eat. 
Oh, but the heat. Oh, but the cold. Oh, but the 
rain. Oh, but the snow. Oh, but the 
beach. Oh, but my dinner. Oh, but the game. Oh, but your Christ stricken, 
smitten and afflicted. See him dying on the tree. We 
come and we observe and we remember and we do so with Christian hearts, 
joyful, cheerfully. Casting our contemplations on 
one so glorious, so worthy of adoration, so worthy of not sliding 
and neglecting. so worthy of cheerful compliance 
unto his lowly and gentle heart in instituting a meal for us, 
a feast for Christians. And lastly, be nourished by Christ. 
Be nourished by Christ. Again, this quote from Hansard 
Nollis. Oh, dear friends, be not wanting 
to your precious souls, either in slighting or neglecting the 
ordinances of God. Remember what God is doing at 
the Lord's Supper. He's feeding His weary people. Just as the hungry and the thirsty 
need bread and wine, just as the hungry and thirsty need solid 
food and drink, so too the hungry and the thirsty Christian, weary 
in this lower world, beset by all manner of evils, beset by 
the world, attacked by the devil, dwelling with that that that 
heart in their bosom just as they need spiritual nourishment 
or they do need spiritual nourishment. And so, brothers and sisters, 
why should you cry? Oh, my leanness. Why should you 
cry? Oh, my barrenness. How unkindly 
do you deal with Christ to slight and neglect or refuse his gracious 
invitations to heavenly banquets at his table? He sets before 
us that feast. And in that act of cheerful remembrance 
and cheerful obedience, He feeds His people. He comes to the weary 
soul. He strengthens. He feeds. Avail 
of that, my brothers and sisters. Cry nothing of leanness and cry 
nothing of barrenness, but cry in thanks to your God. Praise 
Christ. Hallelujah, what a Savior. You 
came and you gave and you give us this ordinance that you might 
be obeyed and remembered and availed of. And very finally, 
very finally, You know what this Lord's Supper does? It points 
us and it shows us a God who says, I, even I, am he who blotteth 
out thine own transgressions for my namesake. You know what 
he says after that? He says, put me in remembrance, 
if you will. What he's saying is, he's not 
saying remember me. He's saying, put in my remembrance 
anything that I am still remembering concerning your sin. Am I actually 
remembering and imputing iniquity to you? Or have I truly forgotten? You see, in the Lord's Supper, 
what are we remembering? We're remembering the non-remembrance 
of our God. I, even I, am He who blots out 
your own transgressions for my namesake, and I will remember 
them no more. If you're here today and you're 
beset by the guilt of sin, you're an unbeliever, you come in these 
two doors this morning, it's good that you're here. It's good 
that you're here. If you've heard anything this 
morning, know that there is a God in high heaven who cannot look 
upon sin with favor. He cannot look away from it without 
punishing it. He does not wink upon it and 
say, go your merry way. But he must punish. All have 
sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. That means 
you have sinned day after day, time after time, opposed this 
sovereign majesty, opposed our God and trampled on his law, 
rejected his Christ. There is blessed remedy. There 
is blessed salvation. There is blessed everlasting 
life to be found in the one, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was 
the praise of angels, who condescended to live a life of obedience for 
all those who believe in him, who could not obey, who died 
a death wherein God punished him for those sins they have 
committed. All those who believe he bore 
in his own body. The believer sins upon that tree. Believe on him and you will have 
everlasting life and you can come to the feast. and obey with 
cheerful compliance. Come to the feast and you can 
remember with precious remembrance. Come to the feast and you will 
be nourished by this Christ who died for sinners and rose again. Brethren, come. Take, eat. That is His body. Take, eat. That is His blood. Come and rejoice 
in a Savior crucified for guilty sinners and find blessed solace 
in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let us pray. Heavenly 
Father, we rejoice in your word. We thank you for what it proclaims 
to us with regards to our Lord Jesus Christ. We rejoice in such 
a Savior. We thank you so much that you 
did send him in the fullness of the times, born of a woman 
and born under the law, that he might redeem those who are 
under the law. that we might receive adoption as sons. We 
rejoice in His body broken for us, His blood shed for us. We 
pray, Lord God, that you would give us hearts that are always 
in remembrance of our Savior, such a Christ. We pray that you 
would give us hearts that are always reflecting upon His perfect 
and saving work. We do pray, Lord God, that you 
would give us hearts that seek to cheerfully comply with such 
a blessed and gentle commandment. Take, eat, take, drink, and do 
this in remembrance of me. We pray that you would bring 
us back together, that we would tonight come together for the 
better and not for the worse. That we might obey, that we might 
remember, and that we might be nourished by such a Savior and 
by such a God. And we pray in Christ's precious 
name, amen.