339 – The Ordinances of the Church – The Lord’s Table

SEMESTER 3

339 – The Ordinances of the Church – The Lord’s Table

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: ECCLESIOLOGY III LESSON # 39
THE ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH (THE LORD’S TABLE)

Read Mat. 26:26-30, Mk. 14:22-26, Lk. 22:19-20. I Cor. 11:17-34.

INTRODUCTION:

The considerations surrounding the ordinance, referred to as the Lord’s Supper, the Lord’s Table, or Communion, are many and varied. They range from the idea that it completes or maintains salvation, to an inference of little or no importance at all.

I. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ORDINANCE

1. The Lord said except you eat my flesh and drink my blood (which is symbolized by this ordinance) you have no life in you. (Jn. 6:53)
2. On the other side, Paul said, if ye eat and drink unworthily, ye eat and drink damnation to yourself.
3. We thus see that no Christian may either abstain safely or partake carelessly.
4. We must approach the ordinance and must do so solemnly, and execute it earnestly and humbly.
5. We must also seek to be as precise and accurate in its pursuit as possible.

II. THE ERROR OF LITERALISM

This thought is somewhat repetitious as I covered it in a previous lesson, but I feel the need to retouch it briefly.

1. The Roman Catholic idea of transubstantiation slanders the or­dinance. (Hear on tape.)
2. The Lutheran idea of consubstantiation is essentially no different. (Hear on tape.)
3. There are sacerdotal notions in other Protestant groups which are no less unbiblical. (Hear on tape.)

III. THE PURPOSE OF THE ORDINANCE

1. It is to force a periodic remembrance of the redemptive work of Christ upon us. (I Cor. 11:24-26)
2. It is to remind us of the pre-eminence of His return. (I Cor. 11:26)
3. It is to force self-examination upon us.

IV. THE PROPER ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ORDINANCE

1. In the Old Testament, the Passover was a family ordinance. (Ex. 12:3-5, Ex. 12:22)
2. In the New Testament it is a church ordinance.
3. It was instituted in the exclusive presence of the eleven true apostles (His church).
4. Everywhere you see New Testament instruction concerning it, it is in the church.
5. It is tied fast to self-discipline then church discipline.
6. The church may administer it only to those whom it can rightly discipline.

V. THE TIME INTERVAL OF THE ORDINANCE

1. Scripture does not tell us how often we are to observe this or­dinance.
2. Some feel that Acts 20:7 teaches us that it is done upon the first day of every week. This is questionable for these reasons:

i. The term “break bread” often means only to eat together.
ii. If this case must mean the Lord’s Table, they did it the next day, not in the evening.
iii. The fact that they did it upon the first day at one time, would not even hint that they did it the first day of every week.

3. It must not be done frequently enough to become common, that is, to be taken lightly or unworthily.
4. In light of the Passover and the implications of supersession, I rather favor annually.

VI. THE ANTI-TYPES OF THE ELEMENTS

1. The elements are unleavened bread and the cup, or the fruit of the vine. (We shall deal with the cup's contents in another lesson.)
2. The unleavened bread is the figure of the Lord's body, which was sacrificed upon Calvary's altar for us. (Mat. 26:26)
3. The cup is the figure of the blood of the new covenant or New Testament shed for many (Mat. 26:28), by which the sins of those for whom it is shed are remitted

CONCLUSION: The very purpose of these figures should hold us in awe and holy fear, preventing careless participation.