LORD’S DAY, NOVEMBER 11
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
1 Corinthians 10:14-22

“This do in remembrance of me.”

THE MESSAGE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

To counter the abuse of the Lord’s Supper, Paul directed the Corinthian Christians back to the central message of the Lord’s Supper. As mentioned earlier in the October 21 to 23 devotions, the Lord’s Supper is a sacrament instituted by Christ just before His death. When we partake of the Lord’s Supper by faith, we are identifying with Christ’s work on the cross. We acknowledge and confess that He is our Substitute and propitiation of our sins. We also praise the Lord for His blood that was shed on the cross of Calvary, for “without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb 9:22).

The Lord’s Table is an important means of grace for Christians because we are forgetful people, and often take our salvation for granted. Distracted by the many challenges of life, we forget what Christ has done for us to purchase our salvation. Our salvation is freely given unto us, but it cost Christ His life and His blood. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet 1:18-19).

A proper partaking of the Lord’s Supper will lead us to re-consecrate our lives unto Christ who so loved us by giving us His all. How can we therefore not love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength? Paul added in 1 Corinthians 11:26 that when we eat of the elements, we are proclaiming (katangellete) the Lord’s death till He returns. It is an outward witness to believers and the world of the salvific work of Christ at Calvary. Therefore, we must make sure never to corrupt the message of the Lord’s Supper by a flippant partaking of the bread and the cup.

THOUGHT: “… without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Heb 9:22)
PRAYER: Father, keep me near the cross.