The Lord's Supper

Well, tomorrow is a Lord's Supper Sunday at Redeemer (first Sunday of the month). On those Sundays I always like to make my morning "Lord Supper themed." So tomorrow I am planning on listening to 2 sermons: one on self-examination and one where Pastor Miller ties the sermon into the Lord's Supper and actually records, as part of the sermon, the sacrament. It's awesome. And then I plan to read an article out of New Horizons on The Sacraments as Visible Words by Dr. John Fesko. And Lord willing, I'll read a a section on the sacraments out of Helps For Worship by Pastor Bill Shishko and a chapter out of Given For You: Reclaiming Calvin's Doctrine of the Lord's Supper. Planning my Lord's Supper morning reminded me of a section out of Calvin that I like to read every first Sunday. I thought I'd share it with you. Whether you feast at the Lord's table tomorrow or not, may this be a blessing to you and a means of "stiring you up to love and good deeds."

"By ["examine himself"], as I understand, [Paul] means that each individual should descend into himself, and consider, first, whether, with inward confidence of heart, [you] lean on the salvation btained by Christ, and with confession of the mouth, acknowledge it; and secondly, whether with zeal for purity and holness [you] aspire to imitate Christ; whether, after His example, [you] are prepared to give [yourself] to [your] brethren, and to hold [yourself] in common with those with whom [you] have Christ in common; whether as [you yourself] are regarded by Christ, [you] in [your] turn regard all [your] brethren as members of [your] body, or, like [your] members, desire to cherish, defend, and assist them, not that the duties of faith and charity can now be perfected in us, but because it behooves us to contend and seek, with all our heart, daily to increase our faith."