Table Preppers
“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 11:27, ESV)
Coming to the Lord’s Table is a serious business. Underestimating this little piece of bread and thimble-full of wine can cost a man a lot of life. Yet, God wants us to come and not draw back. The key is to come safely, in a worthy manner. But what does that look like?
As communicants come to the Table, I like to encourage them to look four ways.
We look back to the cross.
What are we doing, after all, but proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes. How does the Table proclaim the Lord’s Death? Outside of Christ, the table would be a table where Covenant breakers eat and drink judgment upon themselves. The broken body and spilt blood would speak loudly, pointing forward to a blow yet to be received-- Break Covenant with God and your body will be broken, and your blood will be shed. This is what will happen to you!
But for those in union with Christ, the elements proclaim a very different message. They point backwards to a body already broken and to blood already shed: You have broken covenant with God and this is what has happened to you. “You have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer you who live but Christ who lives in you!” (Galatians 2:20). With His death as his death, the Christian no longer needs to die. Death has been done for you; death is now dead!
With that in mind, as I place the bread between my teeth, I like to crush it slowly and purposefully. As I do, I hear a promise from God: “What you are doing to this bread,” God says, “I will never do to your body.” Likewise with the wine, as I drink it, I hear the Father whisper-- “For your sins, I shed my Son’s blood so yours will never be shed. My Son’s blood is enough. Enough now. Enough Always. Enough forever.”
As the bread and wine enter my belly, I remind myself of the sacramental union joining Christ to the elements, the elements to me, and me to Christ. I am part of Him and He is part of me. What is His is mine as surely and by the same logic that made my sins all become His.
We look into our hearts.
The Apostle says, “Let a man examine Himself….” Examine himself for what, you might ask? We examine ourselves for unconfessed sins. Are there any sins in my life that I am living in, or living for? Are there any sins from which I will not, or have yet to repent? If so, I need to look to Christ and relinquish them deliberately.
We look forward to the second coming.
“We proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” In doing so, I ask myself, in terms of positive Christian virtues, am I living now the way I will wish I had lived when I come to die? Are there any duties I am positively neglecting? Are there any obvious gaps in my dedication to the Lord? I pray, ‘Let each month’s Supper find me better, wiser, stronger in Christ and for the Lord!”
We look out to the Church.
And as we do, we are to discern the Lord’s body. This is much more than merely understanding the significance of the elements at hand. It means, are we to test our fellowship with the Lord’s body, the Church. Are any of our relationships broken to our fault? Is there anyone who could justly claim we have wronged them without repentance and restitution healing the breach? If so, we should leave our gift at the altar and go and seek reconciliation with our offended brother or sister. Of course some folk are simply irreconcilable, and the Lord has a verse for that kind too, “As much as lies with you, be at peace with all men!” As I tell the congregation each month. At the Lord’s Table there is only room for one broken body and it is on the Table, not around it!
Look these four ways before you come, and you should be on the right track to come in a “worthy manner” and sit around a Table none are worthy to touch at all.