AN EXHORTATION (THE THIRD) ON HOW TO PARTAKE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER IN A WORTHY MANNER
Dear Friends,
How do you partake of the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion in a worthy manner? What should you be thinking and praying? This third and final exhortation gives wise and practical direction.
Once again, I am not trying to guilt anyone into returning to in person worship. As we emerge from the lockdowns, everyone will have their own pace of being safe and/or feeling safe to return to "common" or "in person" Sunday worship. We, like many churches, will continue to livestream one of our in person services for months to come, maybe even years to come.
Different churches have thought through the Scriptural and Gospel logic of Holy Communion and Zoom and come to different conclusions. At Messiah, we decided early on that Holy Communion should be in person, not by Zoom. For some reading this, you have already returned to in person worship and have partaken of the Lord's Supper. For some, over the next few Sundays, you will partake of Holy Communion for the first time in several months. For others, it might be the first time since March of 2020. For still others, your health and/or concerns about COVID mean that you will wait a while longer before returning to in person worship. For all of us, this is a good season to reflect upon the Lord's Supper.
One of the mature fruits of the English Reformation is the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. It's Communion service is virtually unchanged from 1552. The Communion service in its "official" form contains three different exhortations concerning the importance of partaking of the Lord's Supper in a worthy, and regular manner. These three exhortations are not normally included in the service that people actually attend. As a result, many people are completely unaware of their existence. This is the last of three blogs where I give you the exhortation. In each case I have gently updated the language.
This exhortation is unlike the previous two. Each of the previous two exhortations were meant to "stir you up" to participate in Holy Communion. This exhortation is for everyone who has now come to the Lord's Supper. It addresses important matters on how to receive Holy Communion in a worthy manner. I will add some comments at the end.
Dearly beloved in the Lord, you that intend to come to the holy communion of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ must consider how Saint Paul exhorts all persons diligently to search and examine themselves, before they presume to eat of the bread and drink of that cup. For as the benefit is great, if with a true penitent heart and lively faith we receive that holy sacrament - for then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ and drink His blood; then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us; we are one with Christ and Christ with us - so is the danger great, if we receive the same unworthily. For we are guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour; we eat and drink our own condemnation, not considering the Lord's body. We kindle God's wrath against us. We provoke Him to plague us with diverse diseases and various kinds of death. Judge therefore yourselves, brothers and sisters, that you be not judged by the Lord. Repent you truly for your sins past. Have a lively and steadfast faith in Christ our Saviour. Amend your lives, and be in perfect charity with all people. So shall you be right partakers of those holy mysteries.
And above all things, you must give most humble and hearty thanks to God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, for the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ, both God and man, who did humble Himself - even to death upon the cross - for us miserable sinners, who lay in darkness and the shadow of death, that He might make us the children of God and exalt us to everlasting life. And to the end that we should always remember that exceeding great love of our Master and only Saviour, Jesus Christ, thus dying for us, and the innumerable benefits which by His precious blood-shedding He has obtained for us, He has instituted and ordained holy mysteries as pledges of His love, and for a continual remembrance of His death, to our great and endless comfort.
To Him therefore, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, let us give (as we are most obligated) continual thanks, submitting ourselves wholly to His holy will and pleasure, and studying to serve Him in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. AMEN.
First, it is shocking to be told that sickness and death might be a result of receiving Communion unworthily. We are children of our culture and tend to think in "romantic," "feel good," "sunny-days," and "positive therapeutic" terms when it comes to drawing close to God. This is compounded by the fact that few of us read and meditate upon First Corinthians 11: 27-32. We read the four verses before (23-26) but gloss over vs. 27-32. This exhortation is basically a quoting of that Scripture. Brothers and sisters, this is what the Bible says, and you need to take it to heart. I need to take it to heart. Once again you see one of the benefits of reading old Christian writings, they often confront you with your blind spots.
Second, you are directed to partake of the Lord's Supper mindful of the beauty and power of the Gospel. The fact of the matter is, you cannot receive Holy Communion in a worthy manner. You need the Gospel to be worthy. You need to think about your supposed worthiness and real unworthiness in light of the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ who alone has made you worthy. The word "miserable" in the exhortation is not referring to your feelings, but your objective state before the Triune God without the Gospel.
Third, you are called to gratitude. One problem we "moderns" (post-moderns?) have with Holy Communion is that we often think we need to "feel" a certain way, a "holy" way. So you unconsciously focus on your feelings. This exhortation wisely does not directly address the emotions. It directs you to think, remember, and acknowledge. Regardless of how you are feeling during the Lord's Supper, it is a good and fitting time to acknowledge the truths of the human condition, the Gospel, and the Triune God.
Fourth, you are called to connect receiving Communion with growing in discipleship. A key part of "worthy reception" is a renewed commitment to follow Jesus in your day-to-day life as your Saviour and Lord. So the exhortation calls you to use the Lord's Supper as a time to renew your submission to Jesus; renew your desire to be holy as He is holy; renew your desire to serve Him; and renew your commitment to Him every day until your days on this side of death are over.
Please pray that you will receive the Lord's Supper in a worthy manner. Please pray for me as well.
George+
