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A KISS FROM A FRIEND
Matthew 26:47-56 Dr. Charles F. “Chuck” DeVane, Jr., Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas MAY 29, 2016 26:47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled. 27:3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.” — Matthew 26:47-56, 27:3-10, ESV Friendly kissing has fallen out of vogue in American life. It is not uncommon, however, in other cultures or other epochs of time. Even biblical language, including five passages in the New Testament, encourages those in filial relationships to “greet one another with a holy kiss.” On the last night of Jesus’ earthly life He received a kiss from a friend. But there was nothing holy about it. The fake friend was Judas Iscariot, and the kiss was a sign for soldiers to arrest the Lord, bind Him over for fixed trials, and send Him to His execution. This kiss came with a high cost. Even though the sovereignty of God permitted it, the prophecies of Scripture predicted, and the grand plan of the gospel required it, the one who gave it should and does live in infamy. Let us consider the high cost of this counterfeit kiss from a friend. The Cost of the Judas Kiss The Judas kiss was the consummate false profession of faith. Judas was not a true believer, although he portrayed one in real life. Judas did not give to Jesus total commitment and control of his life, but rather sold Him out for selfish reasons and a sinful bribe. The ultimate cost was infinitely more than the going rate of thirty pieces of silver. The Judas kiss cost Jesus His life. Admittedly, Jesus contributed to His own demise by choosing Judas in the first place, for He planned to take up His cross from the beginning. Such things are the prerogatives of the sovereignty of God. Man is still responsible, especially this man, Judas Iscariot. He was a “friend” in a loose sense (Jesus uses the impersonal, somewhat negative “etairos” rather than the more familiar, friendly “philos”), an opportunist, a thief, and most notably, “the betrayer.” His false friendship and kiss signaled the start of the suffering and sacrificial death of the Messiah, and the ends, by no means, justify the means. The Judas kiss cost the disciples some disarray. Often when one member of the group fails, the whole group fails. Judas’ obvious betrayal was not obvious to the other disciples until the very moment it happened. Realizing one of their own had sold out the Lord threw them into discombobulation and error. Peter turned violent and they all turned coward. Again, every person is accountable for their own actions. But, seeing one of your most trusted members turn out to be a fraud is fraught with peril for everyone else in the group. The Judas kiss cost Judas his life and his soul. His was the highest cost, as is always the case with a false profession of faith. Jesus died, but rose again, and now stands as King of kings and Lord of lords. The real disciples overcame their lapses and leapt into church history as the foundational builders of the body of Christ. Judas, however, met with a decidedly different and downward fate. False professors of faith live in the worst of both worlds. Unlike plain old pagans, they cannot fully enjoy their thirty pieces of sin without a twinge or two of old-fashioned guilt. God doesn’t give guilt, He gives conviction that leads to repentance. Hypocrisy is the cause of guilt, and it eats away at the fleshly pleasures of this present life. A false professor cannot really enjoy life in this present world, and they will never see life in the new world to come. They are doubly dead, just like Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Lord with the false kiss of a false profession of faith. Judas paid a cost that others have been purchasing for two thousand years, anytime anyone makes a false profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Sure, no single false profession of faith could seem as significant as Judas’ infamous incident; but, add up all the false professions of faith that have been made in church history and you begin to tally an unimaginable cost to the cause of Christ, the Christian church, and countless souls. The Cost of a False Profession of Faith A profession of faith should be the most sacred moment in a person’s life. Like other special moments, however, it can be stolen by the manipulation of others or by the deceitfulness of one’s own heart. When it is genuine, a soul is saved, the church gains strength, and a reservation in Heaven is made. When a profession of faith is false, for any reason, the earthly and eternal costs are high. A false profession of faith is costly to a world that desperately needs Jesus Christ. Ghandi famously said he would have become a Christian except for the Christians, but the Christians he referred to all had the last name of Iscariot. False professors of faith do keep other people from making true professions of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Hypocrisy, licentiousness, and judgmental moralism on the part of people who claim to know Christ is the number one reason others don’t. It takes a terrible toll on the world, and the church. A false profession of faith is costly to the church. Unregenerate church members, especially those who weasel their way into leadership, weaken our witness, bring in heresies, prey on members instead of pray with members, and otherwise do more damage to the household of faith than a million terminates in an old weathered barn. Sometimes I imagine a church in the world without televangelists, unsaved Baptist deacons, and all of the inactive church members who show up to vote on some controversial issue. Without them the church would be Heaven on earth, but we cannot have it because of the vast multitude of false professions of faith. A false profession of faith can cost a person misery in this life, and rob them of the everlasting life that is gained by real grace through real faith in the real gospel of Jesus Christ. Almost all of the people who I have suspected of being lost church members (I do not mean to judge, just inspect some fruit) are either unhappy or ignorant, neither of which is a very good way to go through life. Those who live double lives in the church and the world cannot find their footing in either one. Those who join the church for personal privilege and power always find themselves in the midst of some disagreement or division. Those who are on the rolls but never attend are blindly going through life expecting to find Jesus at the end with open arms, only to one day to see those sacred arms crossed and hear Him say, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.” By falsifying professions of faith, people have forfeited their own souls. I would suggest to those who have betrayed Jesus with the kiss of a false profession of faith to do one of two things. At the least, resign your church membership and go headlong out into this world and live your life without Christ, church, or any religious affiliation at all. Avoid the guilt and shame of hypocrisy. You’ll wind up in Hell, but at least you can have a hell of a time before you get there. At best, and now I am speaking most sincerely and seriously, let the truth set you free. Confess your falsehood and sin. Repent and believe the gospel of grace. Quit being a false professor of faith and start practicing the Christian faith as a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. The Cost of Not Counting the Cost Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless indeed you fail to meet the test. — 2 Corinthians 13:5 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? — 1 Peter 4:17 It is time for the church, particular the American church, to examine the way in which we have cultivated professions of faith, and even whether or not there should be such a category in the first place. Medieval and modern “crusades” have proven to be exercises in futility that have come back to bite us. “Revivalism” has done nothing but usher in an age of cheap grace and easy believe-ism which has coughed up enough false professions of faith to choke every mule in Texas and cripple a large segment of the evangelical church. But Judgment Day comes not for denominations or churches, but rather each individual soul. Has yours been touched by amazing grace, or something far less? Is your faith a deep, abiding, obedient trust in God? Is Jesus Christ the greatest love of your life, or do you just give Him a kiss on the cheek? At the precise moment the Judas gave Jesus a kiss, among Christ and His disciples, only Jesus and Judas knew what that kiss meant. And at the end of the day, only Jesus and you know the genuine quality of your profession of faith. Make sure it is real. Otherwise, the cost will be too high.
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THE ALL-NIGHTER
Matthew 26:36-46 Dr. Charles F. “Chuck” DeVane, Jr., Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas MAY 22, 2016 36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” — Matthew 26:36-46, ESV Do you remember back in school days when you pulled an all-nighter? It probably revealed some of the priorities in your life. If partying was your purpose in life, you stayed up all night partying. If making a good grade on the final exam was important to you, you stayed up all night studying. If faith was your priority, or if you didn’t understand what you were studying, you stayed up all night praying. Priorities and purposes in life can be revealed by what you are willing to stay up all night to do. On the night before he was betrayed, arrested, and crucified, Jesus pulled an all-nighter. The place was a garden called Gethsemane, named after an oil press in the midst of an olive tree grove. The purpose was neither to party nor to study, but to pray. For hours into the night, Jesus just prayed and prayed. Charles Haddon Spurgeon called it “the holy of holies of our Lord’s life on earth.” Christ’s agonizing prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane tells us a lot about His priorities and purpose in life. It also reveals those of His disciples. And, it offers a concise but complete teaching on prayer. This sacred episode in Scripture serves to remind us of why we love Jesus so much, of how we often fail Him, and what we can do to magnify our love and minimize our failures, even if it takes all night. Jesus stands, or rather kneels, as a perfect man among imperfect men offering a perfect prayer to God. Perfect Man What makes a perfect man? Most young ladies are looking for him, and are destined for disappointment. The perfect man doesn’t exist, does he? Not exactly, but He did exist, and lived on the earth for a little over three decades. We find Him here, on His knees, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. The deity of Christ is a cardinal doctrine of Christianity. Sometimes, however, we get so caught up in the biblical truth of Jesus as Lord, we forget for a moment he was also Jesus the man, a perfect man. Jesus Christ was perfect in His relationship with God and His fellow man. Jesus had a perfect trinitarian and perfectly experiential relationship with God. Of course, Jesus was, is, and always will be “God of very God,” but for a season He divested Himself of the privileges of deity (ref. Philippians 2:5-11). During this time, Jesus experienced God in much the same ways we do, through everyday providence and unceasing prayer. God the Son acknowledged God the Father every millisecond of His earthly life, just as we should do. When Jesus spoke to God, the perfection of their relationship sounded out loud. Jesus called God, “My Father” (Mark’s Gospel uses the very personal term “Abba”). He was absolutely honest and transparent with God in prayer, even admitting a desire not to suffer the terrible fate that stood before Him. At the end of the prayer, Jesus professed a willingness to do whatever the Father’s will dictated Him to do. The perfection of Christ’s life is unattainable to mere mortals, but Christians can grasp this perfect spirit of prayer. We can call God our Father, by grace through faith in Christ. We can be honest with Him, for He already knows everything anyway. And we can surrender our wills to Him in total commitment and trust. Having a perfect relationship with God makes it possible to be perfectly related to others, too. Either you are using other people to serve you, or you are spending your life in service for other people. For the sake of others, Jesus turned away from His feelings, contrary to those who live by the motto, “If it feels good, do it.” Jesus turned down His rights, contrary to those who are demanding theirs on every corner. At the end of this Calvary’s eve prayer, Jesus turned in His life in order to sacrifice for others, including the three fickle friends who were sleeping beside Him in the garden. Imperfect Men While Jesus prayed, Peter and James and John slept. In their defense, the prayer lasted hours, consuming most of the time between the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday and Jesus’ arrest in the early morning hours of Good Friday. They just couldn’t pull an all-nighter. Is sleeping sinful? Not necessarily. But anything is sinful when it refuses an invitation from God, fails to fellowship with God, or contradicts a clear commandment of God. When Jesus crossed over to Gethsemane, His eleven true disciples were with Him. He invited three, His inner circle, Peter and James and John, to pull away from the others for a very special and sacred opportunity. Christ commanded them to “watch” and “pray,” both in the imperative tense. How did they respond? By sleeping on the job. The first sermon I ever preached was on this passage, focusing on these disciples who were sleeping on Jesus. To this day I remain dumfounded by those who profess to be disciples of Christ who would rather sleep in on a Sunday morning than gregariously gather with other believers for worship. Physical sleep on the Lord’s Day usually leads to spiritual sleep the other days of the week, as so many professing Christians are so slow to surrender their time, treasure, and talents to God. Sleeping on Jesus has been going on for two thousand years now, mostly from nominal Christians; but, genuine believers often fall into the same trance. Now is the time for stay awake, all night if necessary, to watch and pray with the Lord Jesus Christ. Perfect Prayer Perfect prayer is intimate communion and two-way communication with God. Jesus entered into it in a most sacred and complete way in this famous episode. Let’s go back and look at His prayer again. Perfect prayer loves, laments, and listens. Jesus expressed love and devotion to God as “My Father.” The greatest love any person can have is a prioritized love for God that calls on Him day and night. Jesus lamented that things in this present world are not as they should be, and even the most joyful Christian should carry sorrow for the ways in which sin has corrupted this present world. Jesus begged the Father to fix it, if possible, in a way that did not include His suffering, which was an honest, noble, and sinless request. Yet at the end of the prayer, Jesus simply listened, and looked for an answer from God. When prayer is perfect it can determine the will of God for out lives. When prayer is perfect it can fortify us with the spiritual determination to do the will of God, no matter what the cost. When prayer is perfect it gives God the final word. Jesus, the perfect man, poured out a perfect prayer before God the Father, then listened and looked for the perfect answer. Perfect Answer I have prayed for healing and many times received an answer from the doctor that it was just a matter of days before death. I have prayed for marriages only to learn that divorce papers were served. I have prayed for financial help and then had to make do with what I already have. Often times God’s perfect answer to our most perfect prayers is “No.” The mark of a mature believer is a willingness to take “no” for an answer. Then, as did the Lord Jesus Christ, we must move into the sometimes painful but always perfect will of God. Since it was Passover, the moon was full that night. The temperature was moderately cool, and visibility at night would have been high. Jesus arose from prayer that third time, listened to God, then looked for His providential answer. There it was. God’s answer cam walking across the ravine between the eastern gates of Jerusalem and the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus arose from prayer and could see a shadowy mob. Their torches were lit, their spears were sharp. Jesus no doubt recognized the outline of the figure walking in front of the lynch mob. It was Judas Iscariot. The traitor, the mob, and the cross were God’s perfect answers to Jesus’ perfect prayer. What was God saying to the Son of God? It is time to sacrifice yourself for the souls of men. This is the same answer He will give to you if your pour out your soul to Him in prayer. Of course, our sacrifices will never be the same as the atoning sacrifice Jesus made for us. But God is calling all of us to arise from our slumber and be more, do more, love more, give more, and reach more for the cause of Christ. Walking with the Lord Jesus Christ, through this all-nighter in the Garden of Gethsemane, is a perfect place to start. Copyright © 2016 Lake Hamilton Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Check out the weekly happenings at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. BACKSLIDDEN INTO BITTER TEARS
Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75 Dr. Charles F. “Chuck” DeVane, Jr., Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas MAY 8, 2016 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. ’ 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same. 69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath:“I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. — Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75, ESV We have all said what Peter said. We have all done what Peter did. We have all stood where Peter stood. Often it is flash of unholy lightning, a feeling of hatred, a look of lust, or some other quiet compromise of our Christian faith. Other times it is more protracted, albeit still subtle, like missing a month of Sundays, failing to share with others, or letting the Bible collect dust. Occasionally, it makes headlines, especially when a confessing Christian is the murderer, adulterer, or thief. It is called backsliding. It backs away from a close walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. It slides away from loving obedience to the word of God. It is a temporary madness that grieves the Holy Spirit, embarrasses the church, and brings out bitter tears from a true believer. Peter, in this Gospel episode told four times, is the poster child of backsliding. He was a true believer, one of the very best. He truly denied the Lord, three times, with the Lord looking at him. And, he was truly broken up inside because of it. Is anyone sick and tired of being sick and tired with a sick and tired walk with God? Then retrace Peter’s steps with me and see where he went wrong. Recognize the pitfalls. Dare not to repeat them. Then let the Master’s hand dry your tears. Listen to the Lord Peter’s first problem is that he did not listen. He was a man, after all. Jesus plainly told Peter and the other disciples what was going to happen. The Messiah would be betrayed and arrested, the disciples would run for cover, but everything would be all right. Jesus would die, Jesus would rise again, and Jesus would meet them in Galilee. This was the gospel plan, this was the word of the Lord, thanks be to God! But Peter did not listen. He tried to argue with the Lord and belittle Scripture. He wound up in a place Jesus never told him to go. There he stood, having not listened to God, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, doing the wrong thing. The one who once proudly proclaimed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” backslid and said, “I do not know the man.” Please, listen to the Lord. All creation calls out His name. Holy Scripture is the Holy Spirit speaking from person to person. The gospel is your personal invitation to follow Christ. Once you hear Him call your name, however, you must cultivate a listening ear. Worship weekly where Elders and Pastors preach and teach the word of God. Get for yourself a literary best friend, a good study Bible. Let God have the first and last word in your life, and even at the pressure points in between your life will not deny the Lord. Put Away Your Pride Like the Proverb says, pride goes before a fall. Before Peter backed off his confession of faith in the Lord, he slid into the oldest sin in the book. As Haddon Robinson said of the proud, praying, Pharisee, Peter had one eye upon himself, one eye looking down on his friends, and no eye left to see God. Jesus began His public ministry with a collection of sayings we call “the Sermon on the Mount.” It encourages true faith and genuine spirituality by launching a scathing attack upon personal pride. We would do well to read it often, and to pray unceasingly for the strength of God to overcome the evil attitudes, which lead to sinful actions, which cause us to belittle our brothers and sisters and deny our Heavenly Father. When Peter’s pride fell him, he felt worse than words can say. He would have given anything to get those self-righteous words back into his mouth. He would have rather been anywhere besides that courtyard where he criticized and denied the Lord. A pagan or a hypocrite believes God wants them to be happy, therefore they can justify any sin. But a true Christian knows God wants us to be holy, and pride that leads to a backslidden fall brings the utmost anguish, embarrassment, and pain. So, put away your pride and embrace grace. Lean on the Lord at all times and you will never fall. Love the World without Loving the World The world is a wonderful and wicked place. It is full of the grace and glory of God. It is full of the greed and graft of men. “For God so loved the world …” that He told us, “Do not love the world.” So which is it, and what does it have to do with backsliding? Peter denied the Lord three times. The first time, it was to get into a place in the world where he did not belong. The second time, it was to enjoy some creature comforts offered by the world. The third time, it was to escape the persecution this world often offers to followers of Jesus Christ. This interpretation is accurate, instructive, but complex. This is our Father’s world, filled with beauty, food, drink, and pleasures God wants you to enjoy, as long as they can be grabbed with one hand while holding the gospel with the other. Otherwise, you are in danger of denying the Lord. This is the devil’s den, and sometimes like Daniel we find the lions asleep; other times, like Peter surrounded by Malchus’ kin, the swords are being drawn. What are you going to do when confessing Christ comes with a cost, and the only way to go free is to deny Him? What if Simon Peter had stood his ground? He could have faced death, something he would bravely do in the years to come. He certainly would have given up the glimpse of worldly comfort he had attained. He might have been beaten up, probably made fun of, but he would not have “went out and wept bitterly.” Backsliding is bitter business. It is best not to do it. Learning from Peter’s mistakes — listening to the Lord, putting away your pride, holding on loosely to this present world — is a good way to avoid backsliding into bitter tears. The Master’s Hand In the time of my confession, in the hour of my deepest need, When the pool of tears beneath my feet flood every newborn seed, There’s a dying voice within me reaching out somewhere, Toiling in the danger and in the morals of despair, Don’t have the inclination to look back on any mistake, Like Cain, I now behold this chain of events that I must break, In the fury of the moment I can see the Master’s hand, In every leaf that trembles, in every grain of sand. — Bob Dylan Let me speak now to all who have made a confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, all who have been baptized into His church, all who expect to find Heaven as their next home. If days turn into years without a hunger and a hearing of the word of God, you are not backslidden. If you feel you are acceptable to God because, after all, you are better than most people and can please God on your own terms, you are not backslidden. If you love the pleasures of this world and take them outside the parameters of Holy Scripture, without a care or a single tear of repentance, you are not backslidden. You are lost and undone and awaiting the wrath of God. Repent and believe the gospel today! If you are truly saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, please know that even when you backslide, you are never alone. You may have been ashamed of Jesus, but He is never ashamed of you. You may have let go of God for a season, but not for a second has God ever let go of you. Reach out and take the Master’s hand. Tell Him three times, like a repentant Simon Peter, that you love Him. Resolve that it would be better to die for Him than to deny Him, which requires great faith. But great faith is a gift from God, a gift that will keep you from backsliding into bitter tears.
THE LORD’S SUPPER Matthew 26:26-30 Dr. Charles F. “Chuck” DeVane, Jr., Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas MAY 1, 2016 26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.” 30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. — Matthew 26:26-30, ESV Our Lord Jesus Christ began His public ministry with baptism and ended it with the Lord’s Supper. Ever since, Christians and Christians’ children have passed through the waters of baptism as an entry rite into the church. But while two baptism traditions consistently mark the beginning of life in the family of God, the church has a myriad of methods of handling the second sacrament, the Lord’s Supper. Furthermore, while baptism is the singular name for the first ordinance, the second goes by different names in different contexts: Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion (koinonia, fellowship), the Eucharist (giving thanks, blessing), the Mass (the end, it is finished), and an uncommon but scriptural term, Breaking Bread. Our oldest Christian tradition claims that the bread and wine turns into the literal body and blood of Jesus Christ (transubstantiation). The oldest Reformed tradition offers bread and wine which is mingled with the real body and blood of Jesus (consubstantiation). Others claim Christ is merely present at, but not in, the elements. Still others stress the bread and wine are totally symbolic, but sometimes change they symbols. So what should we call it, how shall we observe it? Let’s begin at the beginning, with the first mention of it found in the New Testament near the end of Matthew’s Gospel. It was inaugurated by the Lord, and it was offered at a supper, so for consistency’s sake, and with due respect to the other scriptural and historical names, we will refer to it as “the Lord’s Supper.” The Passover Supper Before it was the Lord’s Supper, it was the Passover supper. When Jesus reclined at the upper room in Jerusalem with His disciples, it was for the express purpose of celebrating the sacred Jewish tradition of the Seder, or Passover Supper. The meal made use of several elements, chief among them were lamb, matzah (unleavened bread), and wine. The Passover commemorates Israel’s exodus from the slavery of Egypt to the freedom of the promised land. At the time, the bread was unleavened because of the haste in which the children of God obeyed the word of God to exchange slavery for salvation. The wine, a constant symbol of joy after sorrow and life after death, marked the transformation from slavery to salvation. The lamb was slain to provide the way from slavery to salvation. The blood of the lamb was placed on the top and sides of the doors, foreshadowing a cross. Death had to “pass over” every home and every heart that was covered by the blood of the lamb. In transitioning the Passover Supper to the Lord’s Supper, the Lord only took the bread and the wine. Where was the Lamb? The lamb, or the Lord, was in their midst. For it was the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, who served them the bread and the wine. The Passover Supper was rich in symbolism. So is the Lord’s Supper. The lamb is the sacrifice. Bread and wine mark the safe passage from sin to salvation. Devout Jews, like Jesus of Nazareth, took the Passover to heart. Devout Christians, followers of Jesus, should take the Lord’s Supper to heart. The Last Supper Before it was the Lord’s Supper, it was the last supper. The Old Covenant was being fulfilled and passing away. The New Covenant of the kingdom of God had arrived to take its place. It had come in the virgin birth of the Messiah, in His perfect life and ministry, and it would be sealed by His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection. The gospel of the New Covenant takes followers through the waters of Jordan in baptism and to the upper room for the last supper. This last supper was the last thing Jesus did with His disciples before His betrayal, arrest, trials, and crucifixion. It put His whole life and ministry in perspective. In the beginning, at His baptism, John declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God. At the apex of His popularity, the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus declared Himself to be the Bread of Life. His admonition at that time to eat His flesh and drink His blood turned unbelievers away and caused some confusion among true believers, confusion which lingers even to this present day. Jesus did plainly say, “This is my body” and “This is my blood.” He also said, “I am bread,” “I am water,” and “I am the door” among other metaphors. We do not think Jesus to be a literal piece of wood, so there is no need to think He meant that the bread and wine of the last supper was His literal flesh and blood. Many dietary laws did change from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, but the prohibition against drinking blood did not. So, the last became the first. The last Passover Supper became the first Lord’s Supper. Goodbye, Old Covenant, welcome, New. Goodbye, Israel, welcome, church. Goodbye to Judaism and the annual Seder, hello to the church and the regular serving of the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper Three days after the first Lord’s Supper, Christianity came full circle, on a Sunday. Christ arose from the grave and, among His other activities, traveled along the Emmaus Road with two of His disciples. They did not recognize Him at first. In order to open their eyes, to make them understand who He is and what He has done for His people, this happened: “When He was at table with them, He took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him” (ref. Luke 24:30-31). Throughout Acts, Luke continues to chronicle the work of the Spirit and the sacred activity of the church, noting how they gathered particularly “on the first day of the week” and on these occasions always “broke bread” (ref. Acts 20:7). The Apostle Paul, chief theologian and church planter, taught the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper is of immense importance and should be shared “as often” as we worship, or at least as often as possible. A few things now come into focus. The elements of the Lord’s Supper are easy to see. They should be unleavened bread and genuine wine. This is what Christ offered to His first followers. This is what the Apostles, the church fathers, the Catholics and the early Protestants offered to their adherents. These elements are consistent with the Passover Supper, the Last Supper, and the Lord’s Supper, and clearly represent the sinless sacrifice of Christ, the urgency of accepting Him, the blood He shed for the forgiveness of our sins, and the new life in the Spirit He gives by grace alone through faith alone in Him alone. The best interpretation of this an other key texts is that the bread and wine are symbolic. He suffered once for sins then sat down at the right hand of God the Father. To send Him back again and again into the communion elements seems unnecessary and overly literal. Instead, we should marvel that Christ is always in the midst of His worshiping people, and nothing makes us more aware of this than the presence of Lord’s Supper. This divine presence should be seen “as often” as we worship, which means virtually every Lord’s Day, or Sunday. Charity compels me to concede alternatives to other churches and traditions, but the Lord’s Supper is too meaningful, too beautiful, too filled with the gospel to commemorate less frequently. Christians need it burned into our hearts, and those present in worship who are not yet Christians need to have their hearts burned by the bold image of the sacrificial love of God. Finally, in Scripture and in history, only baptized believers partake of the Lord’s Supper. Remember, Christ was baptized at the beginning of the gospel, then offered the Lord’s Supper to true disciples at the end. Prayers were offered. Hymns were sung. Biblical teaching was given. The Lord’s Supper immediately became a central part of the worship service of believers. Unbelievers are always welcomed to worship, they should never be ostracized nor embarrassed, but the Lord’s Supper is reserved for those who have made and maintain a credible profession of faith, including a walk with the Lord through the waters of baptism. If you attend a Catholic church today, they might give you the bread unless you are non-Catholic or divorced. Only the ordained priests can drink the cup. Though this is weak theology, at least they have a weekly, even daily, observance. If you attend most Protestant churches today, you will not experience the Lord’s Supper. The church of my youth held it so seldom I can recount on one hand the times it was served. It seems too expensive and messy for most churches to put too much emphasis on it. I’m sure Calvary was expensive and messy for Jesus, but He fully paid the cost. If you attend a typical Southern Baptist church today, and if they happen to be holding their rare observance (they have business meetings much more often than the Lord’s Supper), they will not allow you to partake unless you are a member of their particular church, in which you would have had to be re-baptized into if your original baptism was not in a Southern Baptist church. If you are going to hold the sacraments hostage in this way, you might as well be Roman Catholic. But, in our church on Sunday, every Sunday, the Lord’s Supper is in our midst, along with our Lord. God is your judge as to whether or not your should partake. We typically offer it in the middle, not the end, of the service to separate ourselves from Catholics and Anglo-Catholics, to stress that the main part of the service is not the symbols, but the actual preaching, hearing, and obedience to the word of God. But where it is in the service is not the important thing to us, the important thing is that the Lord’s Supper is in the service, and Christ is in the Lord’s Supper, and by partaking of it, you are in Christ. “Come to the table and see in His eyes, The love that the Father has spoken. And know you are welcome, whatever your crime, For every commandment you've broken. For He's come to love you and not to condemn, And He offers a pardon of peace. If you'll come to the table, you'll feel in your heart, The greatest forgiveness, the greatest release.” — Michael Card Copyright © 2016 Lake Hamilton Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Check out the weekly happenings at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. |
AuthorDr. Charles F. "Chuck" DeVane, Jr., is the Pastor of Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. His weekly sermon article, "The Gospel Truth," has been published in newspapers in Arkansas and Georgia. Dr. DeVane is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and has served in the pastorate for over 20 years. Contact Pastor Chuck at PastorChuck@lakehamiltonbaptistchurch.org
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