Lord's Supper Meditation

God's favor due to the righteousness of Christ, by faith alone

John 19:28-30 28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.


It is finished…. Jesus did not say, “it has started…” He did not say, “I did my part, now you do yours….”

It is finished…. His life, His death, ---for Him at that point, His coming resurrection…. It is finished… that means favor, that means blessing, that means hope…. The Lord's Supper seals hope… confirms God’s favor…. He eats and drinks with you!

Who is admitted to the Lord's Table? It is my privilege as a minister of Christ to invite all Christians—those in Christ, who are in good and regular standing with His people, the church, to come to the Lord’s Table.

This means two things. First, it means you have been baptized and are a professing member of His church, under the care of elders or a church’s leadership, either here or in another Christ preaching church—for that to be the case, you and they have spoken together and there’s knowledge of your credible profession of faith in Christ Jesus alone. Second, as you have confessed Christ, you are trusting in Him, that is, you are living humbly before God—to be sure, you are not free from sin, but you are seeking to do His will. If so, come today and receive nourishment.

It is my solemn duty as a minister of Christ to warn those who are not trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation, who are not baptized, who are not members under the care of the local church, or who are living in unrepentant sin; such are not to come to the table and partake unworthily, not discerning the Lord’s body, and so eat and drink condemnation to themselves. The Bible tells us we are to examine ourselves. In summary, let us come, as we’ve been taught just now-----to receive nourishment for our faith and our daily life together. We know that apart from Christ we are without hope; we come resting and trusting in Him for His life, death and resurrection. We partake to grow in the grace of Christ.

G. Mark Sumpter