Proclaim the Lord's Death Till He Comes

How are you reminded and assured in the holy supper that you participate in the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross and in all His benefits?

In this way: Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat of this broken bread, and to drink of this cup in remembrance of Him. He has thereby promised that His body was offered and broken on the cross for me, and His blood was shed for me, as surely as I see with my eyes that the bread of the Lord is broken for me, and that the cup is shared with me. Also, He has promised that He Himself as certainly feeds and nourishes my soul to everlasting life with His crucified body and shed blood as I receive from the hand of the minister and actually taste the bread and the cup of the Lord which are given to me as sure signs of the body and blood of Christ.

What does it mean to eat the crucified body of Christ and to drink His shed blood?

It is not only to embrace with a trusting heart the whole passion and death of Christ, and by it to receive the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. In addition, it is to be so united more and more to His blessed body by the Holy Spirit dwelling both in Christ and in us that, although He is in heaven and we are on earth, we are nevertheless flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone, always living and being governed by one Spirit, as the members of our bodies are governed by one soul.

Where has Christ promised that He will feed and nourish believers with His body and blood just as surely as the eat of this broken bread and drink of this cup?

In the institution of the holy supper which reads: 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. 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. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) This promise is also repeated by the apostle Paul: 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. (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)

1. Jesus Identified Communion with Grace

A. Communion takes its identification with grace from Jesus Himself. 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. (Matthew 26:26-28)

B. The form of communion comes directly from Jesus. 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. 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 my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. (Mark 14:22-24)

C. The focus in all the accounts is on the gracious Savior. 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)

D. Ultimately Jesus is the arbiter of all that is genuine in the doctrine of communion. 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 (I Corinthians 10:16-17)

II. The Elements Don't Operate by Magic

A. Those who suggest magic in communion inconsistently do not apply the same logic to baptism. 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. (Matthew 26:26-29)

B. Converting the obvious meaning of Jesus' words is evasion, not genuine interpretation. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (I Corinthians 11:26-28)

III. Use the Known To Interpret the Unknown

A. Paul identified the New Testament sacraments with the Old Testament sacraments without giving place to magic in either practice - THE MAGIC INSERTED BY SOME INTO THE NEW TESTAMENT HAS No FOUNDATION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were aft baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink.- for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (I Corinthians 10: 1-4)