Christ’s Presence in His Supper

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: John 6; Lord's Day 29
Psalters: 349, 284, 109, 311
  1. Errant views.
    1. The church of Rome believes that Christ is physically present in the elements (transubstantiation).
    2. Martin Luther taught consubstantiation, i.e., that Christ is present by being “in, with, and around” the elements.
    3. Zwingli taught that the Lord’s Supper is only a feast of remembrance, nothing spiritual, so no presence of Christ in it.
  2. The Biblical and Reformed position is that Christ is present in the bread and wine spiritually.
    1. The physical pictures the spiritual. The real and right eating and drinking in the Lord’s Supper is spiritual.
      1. The spiritual life of the believer requires an outside supply of nourishment - it cannot sustain itself.
      2. The spiritual longing for Jesus is a hungering and thirsting after righteousness.
      3. The spiritual food is Jesus Christ, Who is the true meat and drink to life eternal.
    2. As a believer partakes by faith, he actually receives Jesus Christ; he lays hold on and receives Jesus to himself.
    3. The reasons for this view.
  3. The blessedness spiritual nourishment given.
    1. The believer is a spiritually weary pilgrim when comes to the Table; he is not thinking that he is good enough.
      1. The normal way the Lord gives spiritual rest is through the lively preaching of God’s Word about Christ and His death.
      2. Sometimes our faith needs more: a visible demonstration of how we can be and can remain believers.
    2. The spiritual life of Christ’s people, needs spiritual nourishment (Jesus the Bread and Water of life) to satisfy hungry and thirsty souls (faith which sees Jesus’ life and death).
    3. By the operation of His Spirit Jesus imparts Himself to the consciousness of the believer exercising faith.
    4. This is the blessing for every believer who partakes by faith.