Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar? Sermons
I. THE HOLY COMMUNION IS A DISTINCTIVE BADGE OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. It is only by recognizing this fact that we understand the introduction of a reference to it in this place. St. Paul was anxious to dissuade the Corinthian Christians from participating in the idolatrous festivals of the heathen. And he brings forward, with this end in view, the distinction between heathenism and Christianity in their characteristic festivals and observances. The Jews had their Passover, the Greeks their eranoi, the early Christians their agapae. The peculiar and distinctive observance of the Christians was, however, the Eucharist. The Corinthians were justly reminded that they must take their stand, that they could not be upon both sides, that they must not at the same time frequent the idol feasts and sit down at the table of the Lord Christ. And this distinction still substantially holds good. And young people especially may justly be urged to take their stand upon the Lord's side and pledge themselves to Christian fidelity in the ordinance distinctive of the Church of Christ. II. THE HOLY COMMUNION IS A MEANS BY WHICH CHRISTIANS COMMEMORATE THE DEATH OF CHRIST AND PARTAKE OF ITS SPIRITUAL BENEFITS. 1. Prominence is given to our Lord's death by the mention of his body and his blood. In the following chapter St. Paul expressly reminds his readers that in the sacrament they show (proclaim) his death - until he come. 2. But for his purpose the apostle, in this place, lays special stress upon communion in the Lord's body and blood. Amidst all the diversities of opinion and controversies which have arisen with regard to this sacrament, it may, perhaps, be affirmed that to spiritually minded Christians of all Churches, the observance of the Lord's Supper has been an act of obedience to Christ, and the means of spiritual union and fellowship with him. The true participation in the Lord's death is the privilege of the lowly, believing, reverent communicant. Necessary as are food and drink for the sustenance of the bodily life with its functions and activities, equally necessary is it for the spiritual health of the Christian that he should receive Divine nourishment - that he should feed by faith upon the Son of God. III. THE HOLY COMMUNION IS A SIGN AND A MEANS OF CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. This passage casts light, not only upon the work of Christ and upon the individual appropriation of the benefits of that work, but also upon the character, constitution, and purposes of the Church. It is observable that great stress is laid upon communion, i.e. upon the common interest in the one Saviour and the one salvation, and the mutual regard of interest, confidence, and brotherly love, which is the proper consequence of union to Jesus. The one cup, the one bread, of which all partake, are the symbol of a spiritual unity, Nay, Christians are actually denominated, in virtue of their unity with their Lord and with one another, "one bread, one body." The language must have been startling when first employed; it sounds very strong, even to us who are familiar with it. Yet it expresses the simple and literal truth. A unity which no power on earth could effect, and which no thinker could have conceived, is in course of realization, through the one Saviour and the one Spirit; and of this the Holy Communion is a divinely appointed and effectual witness. - T.
Are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? In the Levitical sacrifices there was communion between Jehovah on the one hand and the priests and worshippers on the other. The communion was effected by means of the slain bullock, e.g., in the peace-offering. This bullock in the burning of the fat furnished —1. Food of firing for Jehovah, who by fire consumed His portion of the sacrifice. 2. Food of flesh hallowed by the altar to the priests and worshippers, who in this feast common to all were fellow guests with one another and with God. This common feast was a sacrificial meal after the sacrificial offering. In like manner the blood, after its effusion from the body of the bullock in the slaughtering (cf. Luke 22:20), was affused or poured against the altar (1) (2) (Canon Evans.) 1. The devil's cup is full to the brim of selfish gratification. They who drink of it are absorbed with their own personal interests and pleasures. Christ's cup is that of self-denial. "He that taketh not his cross," etc. 2. The devil's cup is full of fictions, phantasies, and vanities. False theories of religion, happiness, greatness, life. Hence the millions who drink of it "walk in a vain show." Christ's cup is full of realities. "I am come to bear witness of the truth." Those who drink of this cup are real men, real in thought, conviction, purpose, and life. They "quit themselves like men." 3. In the cup of the devil everything is material — material pleasures, pursuits, dignities. The men who drink of it live after and for the flesh. Their grand question is, "What shall we eat, what shall we drink?" In Christ's cup there is spirituality, and the men who drink of it feel that the spirit is everything, they are "born of the spirit, are spirit," and live spiritually. 4. In the cup of the devil there is no God, nothing but nature. The men who drink of it are without God in the world. God is not in all their thoughts. In Christ's cup God is the essence and spirit of its contents. They who drink of this cup come under the consciousness of the fact that God is everything; hence, like Enoch, they "walk with God." II. THE STRONGEST TEMPTATION IN LIFE — to participate of both cups. 1. All men begin and most continue with the devil's cup. We "were by nature the children of wrath even as others." The cup is put into the hand of the child at the very dawn of moral agency, he takes a liking to it until it gets the mastery over him. 2. Some — and their number is ever increasing — renounce the devil's cup and adopt the cup of Christ. The apostle is referring to these when he says, "Such were some of you: but ye are washed," etc. 3. In both classes there is a desire to participate of both cups at the same time. Those who drink of the devil's cup are not morally satisfied, and hence they often desire if possible to participate of the other. On the other hand, many of those who drink of Christ's cup have frequently a strong desire to participate of the devil's cup. Hence the desire for self-indulgence, worldly pleasures and pursuits, etc. Like the Jews in the wilderness, they have a hankering after the fleshpots of Egypt; like Lot's wife, they cast a lingering look upon the old scenes of Sodom. III. THE ATTEMPTED IMPOSSIBILITY IN LIFE. "Ye cannot," etc. "No man can serve two masters," etc. Ye cannot be selfish and benevolent, materialistic and spiritual, false and true, atheistic and godly, good and bad at the same time. Every man must be one or the other. Conclusion: 1. My unregenerate brother, drink no more of the devil's cup. It may be pleasant, but it is sapping your spiritual constitution, and stealing away your health. It may be delicious, but it still and must turn to poison. Thrust it from you. Thousands have done so: not one who has done it has ever regretted the sacrifice. 2. To you, my Christly friends, I say, cherish no lingerings after the old cup; crush every rising desire for another sip of it. The cup you have in your hand has all and more than you want to satisfy your conscience, to strengthen your faculties, to ennoble your existence, and beautify your being. (D. Thomas, D.D.) (Prof. Godet.) I. WHAT THIS SACRAMENT IS. "The cup of the Lord" — "the table of the Lord." 1. We have many observances which, however profitable, are of man's appointment only. But this owes its origin to our Divine Lord. And this circumstance ought to make us view it with the greatest reverence. Christ spreads this table and presides at it. 2. The Lord who instituted it commanded it as a memorial of Himself. And the fact in our Lord's history of which we are to be put peculiarly in mind is His love for lost sinners as displayed in His sufferings and death upon the Cross (1 Corinthians 11:26). Apart from Him this sacrament has no meaning whatsoever. II. THE SPIRITUAL PRIVILEGES ENJOYED BY THOSE WHO PROPERLY RECEIVE THIS SACRAMENT. It is not bread and wine alone which true communicants receive, but that which is signified by the bread and wine — even the benefits of Christ's body crucified, the merits of His dying blood (ver. 16). III. WHAT IS IT WHICH WILL HINDER A MAN FROM ENJOYING SUCH PRIVILEGES? 1. Paul is evidently referring to festivals in honour of heathen gods (Daniel 5:4). The Christians, it appears, were often asked to join these; and, believing that an idol was nothing in the world, they drew from thence the inference that such a course was harmless. Now St. Paul reminds them that though in truth "an idol was nothing in the world," yet what the heathens offered to their idols they offered in fact to evil spirits (ver. 20). "And I would not," says he, "that ye should have fellowship with devils." Then, by way of giving them a weighty reason against continuing to attend those ungodly celebrations, he tells them how impossible it was that they could get any benefit from the Lord's Supper whilst they did so. 2. Satan has a wide temple, has spread a large table and has provided deep cups overflowing with deadly wine. At this table every man sits who lives in the practice of sin. The brutish drunkard — is it not the devil's cup which bereaves him of his reason and fills his mouth with riot and with blasphemy? The gluttonous man — is it not at the devil's table that he sits when he makes such a besotted use of the bounties of God's providence? The covetous man that is making gain his god, the lover of worldly pleasure and praise, the selfish, the proud, the passionate, the liar, the hypocrite — all are Satan's guests. Now, can such drink the Lord's cup, eat the Lord's bread, i.e., receive the spiritual blessings of this sacrament? IV. HOW WE TO COME TO THIS SACRAMENT SO AS TO ENJOY ITS PRIVILEGES? If we cannot drink the Lord's cup or partake of the Lord's table whilst we partake of Satan's, then the right way of coming to this ordinance is by dashing Satan's cup away from us — by rising from his table with an intention, under grace, of sitting down to it no more. (A. Roberts. M.A.) (Principal Edwards.) 1. Mark what real Christianity is. It is a Divine participation, not merely a participation of bread and wine; that were to be partaker of man's table, because man provides them. To constitute it the Lord's table, the Lord must be present, and I must by faith partake of the Lord, as my lips partake of the bread and the wine. 2. Mark how this excludes all Satan's baits.(1) By "the table of devils" I understand carnal objects engaging the affections, vain amusements, etc. A real Christian is not careful to contrive how near he may go to hell and yet not perish; but he is anxious to try how near be can live to God and Christ.(2) But more is intended. The apostle is speaking throughout of idolatry. 3. "Ye cannot be partakers" of both. "No man can serve two masters." It is this which condemns the spirit of compromise. It cannot be expected that, if you have been meeting with His enemies at their table, Christ will meet you at His as a friend. II. THE OBLIGATION WHICH MAKES IT IMPERATIVE. 1. Have you ever attempted to calculate what you are indebted to grace for? Have the infinite obligations under which you are laid by the acts of grace had their due influence upon heart and life? Were an earthly monarch or an earthly friend to do for you or for me a thousandth part of what Jesus has done, all his injunctions and wishes would be sacred with us. And how is it that Christ should have given Himself for us, and yet we should feel such a wretched coldness and indifference to the interests of His kingdom upon earth and His throne in our own hearts? Think of the mighty debt we owe, and then ask whether we can " be partakers of the table of the Lord and the table of devils." 2. The obligation rises still higher if we bear in mind the dignity of the character to which we are exalted. Remember you are not merely pardoned, but adopted; made kings and priests to God, and destined to live and reign with Him. And shall such dignity of character be debased by our "partaking of the table of devils"? 3. What is your expectation? To be like Christ and to see Him as He is, to be entirely and eternally rid of sin, and he a partaker of glory. And shall I forget it all and be "a partaker of the table of devils"? God forbid! (J. Irons.) I. BY A WORLDLY SPIRIT. All through the Bible separation from the world is enjoined. God's Church is a peculiar people. But alas! it has become almost the common practice to aim to get rid of all that could be considered peculiar. II. WHEN THE OPPOSITION TO SIN AND HERESY CEASES TO BE MAINTAINED. "Curse ye Meroz." Why? Not because they had done any mischief, but because they were neutrals. Our Lord has said, "He that is not with Me is against Me." Oh! provoke Him not to jealousy. III. BY UNBELIEF. There are many of you that have had evidences which you could not controvert that you belong to God; but yet you have never owned it — nay, refuse to admit the fact, fear it is not for you. You reject the comforts: and this is "provoking God to jealousy." IV. BY LAXITY IN PRAYER. His kind invitation runs, "Draw nigh to Me, and I will draw nigh to you"; " Pray without ceasing." And what say our closets? V. BY DECLENSION FROM HIS TRUTH. This will follow laxity in prayer. Where the truth of God is undervalued, where the doctrines of God's grace are considered of comparatively little importance, we "provoke the Lord to jealousy." Nothing is more offensive in His sight than when "truth is fallen in the streets" and "cannot enter." (J. Irons.) I. HOW THOUGHTLESSLY MEN PROVOKE GOD. 1. By sin. 2. By impenitence and unbelief. 3. By distrust and murmuring. 4. By giving His glory to another. II. HOW DREADFUL IT IS TO PROVOKE GOD. 1. He is very jealous. 2. His anger is fierce. 3. He will not acquit the guilty. III. HOW FOOLISH. 1. He is stronger than we. 2. We cannot escape. (J. Lyth, D.D.) 7436 sacrifice, NT fulfilment December the Twelfth Relating Everything to God Mental Prayer. Doing Glory to God in Pursuits of the World. The Limits of Liberty Men Often Highly Esteem what God Abhors. God's Glory the Chief End of Man's Being Communion with Christ and his People. 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