1 Corinthians 11:23

Observe here, 1. How the apostle, for reforming those abuses which were crept into the church amongst them, relating to the holy sacrament, reduces them to the first institution of that sacred ordinance; I have delivered unto you what. have received of the Lord.

Mark, the apostle, did receive and deliver, but not institute and appoint, this venerable ordinance. Had he not received, he had wanted authority; and had he not delivered what he received, he had wanted integrity.

Observe, 2. The author of this institution, the Lord Jesus. To institute sacraments is an act of Christ's regal power and royal authority. The church has no power to appoint, but only to execute and administer what Christ appoints.

Observe, 3. The time of the institution: the same night in which he was betrayed. It is. night much to be remembered, in which he settles an ordinance in the church for the confirmation and consolation of his people to the end of the world.

Lord! what an evidence was here of thy tender care and affectionate concern for thy church and people, in spending so much of that little, very little time thou hadst left, upon their account!

Observe, 4. The sacramental elements, or the commemorative, significative, and instructive signs: and they are bread and wine, shadowing forth the body and blood of the crucified Jesus.

Where note, St. Paul calls it bread five times over, which Christ calls his own body, because it was. sign and representation of his body; not his real body, for then Christ ate his own body whilst he was alive, his disciples devouring that body over night which hung upon the cross next morning, with. thousand such absurdities which the doctrine of transubstantiation carries along with it.

Observe, 5. The ministerial actions: the breaking of the bread, and blessing of the cup.

The bread must be broken, to represent the breaking of Christ's body upon the cross, which comprehended all the sufferings of his human nature, all which were consummated in his crucifixion; and this broken bread must be taken and eaten by us, to intimate that all his breakings, bruisings, and woundings, both in soul and body, were for our sins, and for our benefits, and that the sole intention of all his sufferings was for us.

Wine also is poured forth, because as no liquor like wine doth cheer. sad and drooping spirit, in like manner nothing doth so glad and cheer the soul as faith in. crucified Saviour.

That spiritual life which. soul is raised to, by the death of Christ, is. life of the greatest delight and joy which we can conceive.

Observe, 6. The great design and end of this institution: Do it in remembrance of me, or for. memorial of me. Christ knew how apt our base hearts would be to forget him, amidst such. throng of sensible objects as we here converse with: and how much our forgetfulness of him and his sufferings would tend to our prejudice and disadvantage; and therefore doth he appoint this ordinance to bring him to remembrance.

Observe, 7. The strict mandate or charge given for the frequent celebration of this ordinance; Do this as oft as ye drink it; that is, do it often. We can no more live and thrive without our spiritual, than we can without our corporal food; as the body must be often fed, so the soul must have its frequent repast.

Observe, 8. The reason assigned for the frequent celebration of this ordinance: For as oft as ye do this, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come: that is, by frequenting this ordinance we commemorate the death of Christ during his absence from us. As the end of the ordinance was to be. standing memorial, so the obligation that lies upon all Christians to observe it is perpetual. Christians are, by this ordinance, to represent the sacrificing of Christ for their sins, till he come again in glory.

Learn from the whole, 1. That the sacrament of the Lord's supper was instituted by Christ as. standing memorial of his death and sufferings for us.

Here we ought to remember the painfulness of his death, the meritoriousness of his death, the voluntariness of his death to ourselves. And the manner how we should remember Christ and his death in the sacrament is various; with judgment and understanding, with reverence and humility, with sorrow and grief of heart for our sins; yet with joy and thankfulness for the sufferings of. Saviour, with faith and affiance, with live and affection, with resolutions for. new and better obedience.

Learn, 2. That the command of Christ lays it as. law upon, and makes it the standing duty of, all Christians, to commemorate his death at his holy table. Do this in remembrance of me.

Here it deserves our notice what kind of command this is; it is. sovereign and supreme command: it is. positive and express command: it is. permanent and lasting command; it is the command of. Saviour, yea, of. dying Saviour; it is. command of love; it is such. command as, if we duly observe, will be. blessed means to enable us to observe all the commands of God better.

Lastly, It is such. command, as whoever lives in the wilful neglect of it, cannot be called. Christian, but will be treated by Christ at the great day as an enemy and despiser of his dying love.

Learn, 3. That it is. Christian's duty not barely to do this, but to do it often: frequent communicating is. great duty. The primitive Christians received every Lord's day, yea, it is believed oftener than every Lord's day.

This is agreeable to the nature of the ordinance, which is. spiritual repast, banquet, and feast, and therefore to be received frequently. It is also agreeable to the Author of the ordinance; it is. feast of God's own providing, therefore to neglect it is to fly in the face of God: it is agreeable to the end of the ordinance, which is to renew our covenant, and that cannot be done too often.