Observing and celebrating the Lord’s Supper has great significance and benefits if we understand what it means to come before the table.
1 Corinthians 11:27-32 (NKJV) Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgement to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
Jesus came to die for the ungodly, so everyone qualifies to be saved. However, nobody is worthy to come before the Lord’s Table based on their own strength even after they have been saved. Although we are seen as righteous before God, we are not perfect. In fact, the very reason for us to come before the Lord as we partake of the Holy Communion is to remind us of the grace of God. God sent Jesus to be the propitiation of our sins. His work of atonement and redemption caused us to have a right standing before God because we are hidden in Christ. We celebrate the Lord’s achievement for us when we remember what He has done for us through the atonement and redemption of the Lord. Jesus would have died in vain if the law or the works of men were able give us a right standing before God.
Therefore, the “unworthy manner” in the opening passage is referring to the need to examine ourselves and prepare our hearts to worship and celebrate the finished work of Christ. We must not come before the Lord’s Table in a careless and improper manner. 1 Corinthians 11:20-22 records that feasting and drunkenness happened before they partook of the Holy Communion. Coming to the Lord’s Table drunk was an absolute disregard to the Holy Communion and the presence of God, and an unruly and inappropriate behaviour before the Lord’s Table.
However, it pleases God when we come to the Holy Communion table by faith. We can believe in the covenant relationship with God to help us face any tribulation in life. We can remind ourselves that we are coming as a body of believers regardless of race, class and background. We have faith that God has given us a new way of life through the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus which has set us free from the law of sin and death. It is an appropriation and a remembrance of what we have since the Holy Communion is a reminder of Christ and His work.
Sermon Series: The Holy Communion
如何接近圣餐前
如果我们明白来到圣餐台前意味着什么，那么遵守和庆祝主的晚餐就具有重大的意义和益处。
哥林多前书 11:27-32 27 所以，无论何人，不按理吃主的饼、喝主的杯，就是干犯主的身、主的血了。 28 人应当自己省察，然后吃这饼、喝这杯。 29 因为人吃喝，若不分辨是主的身体，就是吃喝自己的罪了。 30 因此，在你们中间有好些软弱的与患病的，死的也不少。 31 我们若是先分辨自己，就不至于受审。 32 我们受审的时候，乃是被主惩治，免得我们和世人一同定罪。
耶稣到来为不敬虔的人而死，所以每个人都有资格得救。 然而，即使是在得救之后，也没有人凭着自己的力量，就能配得起到主的圣餐台前去。 虽然我们在神面前被视为义人，但我们并不完美。 事实上，我们来到主面前领受圣餐的目的就是为了提醒我们神的恩典。 神差遣耶稣为我们的罪作了挽回祭。 祂赎罪和救赎的工作使我们在神面前有正确的地位，因为我们隐藏在基督里。 当我们记念主通过赎罪和救赎为我们所做的一切时，我们就庆祝主为我们所取得的成就。 如果律法或人的行为能够使我们在神面前有正确的地位，耶稣就白白死了。
因此，开头段落中的“不配的方式”是指需要省察自己并准备好我们的心来敬拜和庆祝基督所完成的工作。 我们不可以不在意和不当的方式来到主的圣餐台前。 哥林多前书 11:20-22 记载了他们在领受圣餐之前，有宴乐和醉酒的情况。 醉酒来到圣餐台前是对圣餐和神的同在的绝对漠视，也是在圣餐台前不守规矩和不恰当的行为。
然而，当我们凭信心来到圣餐台前时，神会喜悦我们。 我们可以相信与神的盟约关系可以帮助我们面对生活中的任何磨难。 我们可以提醒自己，我们是作为一个信徒团体而来，不分种族、阶级和背景。 我们相信神通过基督耶稣里生命圣灵的律赐给我们新的生活方式，使我们脱离罪和死亡的律。 这是对我们所拥有的一种宣告和纪念，因为圣餐是对基督和祂的工作的提醒。
讲章系列：圣餐
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