|
This Do... It was in the same night that our Lord was betrayed that He said, with deep concern in his soul: "...this do in remembrance of me...this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." (1 Cor.11:24‑25) Paul had not been dependent upon any member of the "twelve" for his knowledge of the order of events, nor for the nature of words and phrases spoken during the institution of the new Memorial. So important was every detail of the little ceremony to the mind of the risen glorified Lord, that it was He himself, and none other, who passed on to Paul the record of the event, and of the actual words used by the suffering Master when addressing the little band. "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you..." (1 Cor.11:23) says Paul. So sacredly and seriously important was all this detail, for the believers of a later day, and in a wider sphere, that the Caretaker and Shepherd of the Christian Church would not allow this detail to be dependent upon the possibly faulty memory of either Peter or John, or any other member of the band. Though there were many incidents of that night which could never fade from the disciples’ memories, and on which their recollections were likely to be trusty guides, there were these special words, and these little actions, that could not be entrusted to such leaky vessels. It is to the sanctified and exalted memory of the Blessed One himself that we owe the possession of this outline which the pen of Paul has placed on record. That fact invests those words with especial authority and accuracy, and gives to the Christian Church a firm foundation for the memorial celebration of the world’s greatest sacrifice. When, therefore, Paul had stated the course and nature of the little ceremony as revealed by his gracious Master, there can be little wonder that he could speak and write with such jealous severity about the condition of those who from year to year met to "do this" in remembrance of the Lord’s dying hours. "...whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the Cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be GUILTY of the body and blood of the Lord." (v.27 RV) Whosoever shall "do this" in an unworthy manner shall be held guilty, along with the actual betrayer, of a gross and wilful attack upon the person of God’s anointed Son. Blind passion actuated the treachery of the unhappy Judas; a similar blind inordinate lust would actuate the conduct of those who "ate" and "drank" such transcendently important morsels without due sense of their important symbolism and worth. Judas professed to desire the establishment of the Lord’s throne among men, yet, in his impetuous haste he had not discerned the need for the breaking of the body, nor of the shedding of the blood of the Lord. Dazzled by the prospect of sharing great honour with the coming King, he wanted to hasten the day of power; but, because Jesus did not move toward the expected goal with the speed Judas desired, his love for Jesus—if it ever existed—and his respect for the Great Teacher evaporated. In his vexation and annoyance at Jesus’ tardy progress towards the Kingship of Israel, he came, at length, to think of him as just a mere common claimant to David’s illustrious throne, so much so, that he hesitated not, nor scrupled, to connive with the scheming opponents of Jesus for his apprehension. Perhaps Judas believed that Jesus would bestir himself when under arrest, and do some great thing, not only to free himself, but to mete out recompense to his enemies. In all the guilt‑worthy aspects of that great tragedy enacted between the Gethsemane agony and the death‑cry of Calvary, one man, and that one man’s vile act, was guilt‑worthy above all else. The compact of betrayal and the false kiss of the once "familiar friend" plumbed the lowest depths of infamy and shame, and to this day, wherever Christian standards are accepted, this base treachery is esteemed the vilest of all the world’s vile acts. Judas was guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, not only in that he connived at his mishandling, but also by reason of his failure with open eyes to esteem the speaker of the kindly word, and the doer of the gracious act for what He was. He dared to challenge both the testimony of his Lord, and the corroboration of his God, as to the object for which Jesus had come into the world. Whatever the full range of his guilt might be, he was guilty of not appreciating the body—the person—and the blood—the spotless life—of Jesus for what it truly was. Judas was the first man to "eat" the "body," and "drink" the "blood" of the Lord in an unworthy manner, and while all later cases may not be so flagrant or so vile, Judas stands as the awful example of all who eat the body and drink the blood of the Lord unworthily. Failure, after enlightenment, to appreciate all that the body and blood of the Lord Jesus means to the Plan and Purpose! Treating with levity or light‑hearted esteem the facts of the life and death of the Man of Sorrows, so that one can present himself at the Table of the Lord as a professed follower of the Lord, with unclean hands and sin‑stained heart! Failure to appreciate all that it means! "Not a very serious indictment, that," the unworthy offender might say! But if the spiritual sensibilities of any have been dulled, through neglect of attention of spiritual things, or through failure to attend at the Throne of Grace, or through the chilling influence of modern life, or the increasing difficulties of present‑day experience, it is very necessary not only to take stock of the situation, but also to pray earnestly for grace to help towards the restoration of spiritual tone in the heart and mind, and in every activity of life, so that attendance at the Table of the Lord may be a blessing of real worth. Surely it can never truthfully be said in these momentous days, after so many years of contact with the Truth and with the Lord, that any child of God would become "guilty" of the body and blood of the Lord! Surely our knowledge of the "deeper" truths would prevent any who have covenanted to follow the Lord by "baptism into his death" from incurring grievous responsibility by failing, even though under stress and strain, to appreciate all that the Saviour’s person and sacrifice mean to the purposes of God! Though persuaded that all who have entered into the secrets of the Lord will ardently desire to take the proper course when appearing before the Lord, yet Paul’s words stand on record as describing a possibility which could occur. Paul’s warning still stands as a red light, telling of what could be, but entreating that it should not be the case. No true child of God would long to be listed with Judas, and bear the onus of being "guilty" in the sight of God! It is a privilege beyond all comparison to have learned the purpose for which the Sinless One assumed human form, and shed his precious blood. To know that the body and blood of the Lord was the one thing—the only thing—absolutely indispensable to the Plan of God, that without it there could be no Plan, no redemption, no restitution, no eternal peace on earth, is to know the quintessence of all earthly knowledge, and of all heavenly revelation. To know that these eternal and absolute facts are represented before us in the simple elements of bread and wine will lift the little ceremony into a sphere all its own. To know that the modest act of "eating the bread" and "drinking the cup" is accounted in the highest heaven as "eating the body and drinking the blood" of the indispensable Lamb of God, will invest the occasion with a sacred seriousness too deep for words. To know that this act of partaking is not only a token of feeding upon the Lamb of God, but also of participating "with him" in the great surrender to the Will of God will create an atmosphere of solemnity as though God himself stood there. Let every child of God scrutinise and judge himself or herself with searching severity, as we draw nearer to the hour for this act of remembrance, scanning every motive of heart and mind, to find, if it be there any morsel of the old leaven of sin. (1 Cor.5:7‑8) By the kindly providence of God we have been brought forward on our way, and through dangers manifold have been kept and preserved through another round of time. Another year of grace and favour has slipped away, and, through it all, his promise has not failed. Another year lies behind—that means one less in front, with all its tokens of Shepherd care. What, then, can we render to him who has blessed our pilgrim way? With the Psalmist we can do none other than say: "What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits towards me? I will take the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people." (Psa.116:12‑14) Bible Study Monthly |
