Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
William MacDonald observed rightly, “As we come to the Lord’s Supper, we should do so in a judged condition. Sin should be confessed and forsaken; restitution should be made; apologies should be offered to those we have offended. In general ,we should make sure that we are in a proper state of soul.”
Acts 18:18-28 (KJV)
18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians Knowing Your Privilege in Christ “The Making of the Christian (3)” (Ephesians 4:29-32) 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it …
(1) My Faith Looks Up to Thee
-In a Time of Illness and Loneliness
Ray Palmer (1808-87) experienced hardship early in life, having to leave school at the age of thirteen to work in a dry-goods store in Boston. He soon came to faith in Christ. His faith led him to complete school, graduate from Yale, and go on to the ministry.
Following his studies, he was overcome with illness and loneliness. At the age of twenty-one, in the midst of despair, he sought comfort by writing a poem. His composition came as a spontaneous expression of a deeper inner experience of the presence of Christ and a realization of what Christ meant to him and to the world.
Palmer had no idea that his words would be used as a hymn. But the poem was brought to the attention of Lowell Mason, one of America’s great hymn-tune composers. He wedded the words to the now familiar tune Olivet, sending Palmer’s poem around the world to become one of Christendom’s greatest hymns. The hymn is a prayer of faith. It acknowledges Christ as our Saviour and source of grace and inspiration.
William MacDonald observed well, “Having discussed the origin and purpose of the Lord’s Supper, the apostle now turns to the consequences of participating in it wrongly. Whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. We are all unworthy to partake of this solemn Supper. In that sense, we are unworthy of any of the Lord’s mercy or kindness to us. But that is not the subject here.”
The instruction for self-examination preceding the partaking of the Lord’s Supper is clearly taught here in Scripture. It is a solemn feast as we remember Christ’s body broken and blood shed for the remission of our sins. While we have been saved to the uttermost by the finished work of Christ on the cross which we commemorate at the holy feast, in our daily life and living, we may have transgressed the holy commandments of God. We need to confess our sins and ask for the Lord’s forgiveness.
The observance of the Lord’s Supper is as a witness of the Lord’s death, that He indeed died for our sins according to Scriptures, by His broken body and shed blood, we received the remission of sins through repentance and faith toward Jesus Christ.
William MacDonald observed well, “The Lord’s Supper was instituted immediately after the Passover Feast. That is why it says that the Lord Jesus took the cup after supper. In connection with the cup, He said that it was the new covenant (testament) in His blood. This refers to the covenant that God promised to the nation of Israel in Jeremiah 31:31–34.”
Hymns: RHC 345 Be Still, My Soul 344 The Lord is My Shepherd 420 All to Jesus I Surrender
Spiritual Preparation for Hard Times (2)
Psalm 119:25-40 (KJV)
25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word. 26 I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes. 27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works. 28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word. 29 Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously. 30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me. 31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame. 32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.
What is the Lord’s Supper? According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the Lord’s Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ’s appointment, his death is shewed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace.