SOME THOUGHTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE LORD’S SUPPER
These chapters were spoken by the Lord at the Supper table, hence we may gather from them much instruction as to the Lord’s intention in giving us the supper. There are four points I would call attention to.
(1) The absence of Christ during the present period.
(2) The promise of His visits during the period of His absence.
(3) The conditions necessary if He is to visit us.
(4) What His presence brings.
His absence is supposed, we should not need the Supper if He were personally present. The disciples were greatly affected by the thought of losing Him. The more we feel His absence the more we shall value the Supper and what is connected with it, and the greater entrance we shall have into that which it leads on to. If we love Him as the disciples did we shall feel His absence. Peter said, ‘I would go through anything to be with you’. In His words of comfort the Lord addresses their affections. Do we really feel the absence of Christ? That is the test as to our affections.
First of all, He tells them that He is going to prepare a place for them in the Father’s house, and would come again to receive them to Himself, that they might be with Him there. Meantime it is our privilege to know our part with Him in that scene of light and life into which He has now entered, and into which we can now follow Him in spirit.
Their earthly Jewish hopes had all been destroyed by what He had said to them at the end of chapter 13. He opens up to them what was for them entirely new.
The first thing the Spirit would do is to firmly attach our hearts to the Person of Jesus in the place where He is gone. When that is brought about then we are in a state to appreciate the truth.
Now it is an immense comfort and privilege, that during the time of His absence the Lord promises to visit us. “I will not leave you orphans, I am coming to you”. In the early part of the chapter He speaks of coming for them; here He speaks of coming to them. He had spoken previously of sending another Comforter, but now He speaks of coming Himself to them. This is what we should look for, these visits of Christ. No doubt it may be realised individually, but in a special way when we come together. We have an illustration of it in chapter 20. The disciples being together in one place the Lord came to them, He came to the company. This may be realised today in a spiritual way. During the forty days before He ascended He visited them on several occasions. He did not remain with them all the time as previously.
There is a company on earth today to whom Christ comes. He comes where He is wanted. He comes to a sphere which is in sympathy with Him, like those in the beginning of chapter 12. Is it not a great comfort and privilege that we can have these visits from Christ? It gives a very special character to our coming together: it is what we should look for when we come together on the first day of the week. Here the supper helps us so much. The Lord makes Himself present to us in the bread and in the cup. “He was made known to them in the breaking of bread”. There is nothing that gladdens the heart like these visits of Christ. You go away with the sense that you have been near the Lord. If you miss the visit of Christ, you do not have much of a meeting.
The question may be asked why it is that we often miss it? It must be that the conditions are lacking. There is no lack of grace on the part of the Lord, He is ever ready to come to us. We have to remember that there are conditions, and if they are not found with us, we shall not realise the visit.
The conditions are set forth in verses 21-24. The chief underlying condition is the love that appreciates His presence. This love will be manifested in obedience and in the keeping His word. “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me”. And again, “If any one love me, he will keep my word”. “He that loves me not does not keep my words”.
These statements are made in the singular; they could hardly be predicated of any concrete company in the present time. Yet if there are such persons in the company the Lord will come to them, and they will realise His presence, while the rest will not, though they may in measure reap the benefit of His presence, they may enjoy some of the things His presence brings.
Love makes a place for Christ; it cannot be satisfied with anything short of His company. We see this illustrated in the company at Bethany: He resorted there because they valued His company. He went to satisfy their affections. Affection commands His presence.
His chief commandment is, “That ye love one another, as I have loved you”. This is a very comprehensive commandment. This will lead to unity. I do not think the presence of the Lord will be realised where there is not unity. Why do we come together if it is not that we love one another? Our love to one another is the test and measure of our love to Christ. If we love Christ we must love those who are His, those in whom Christ is.
Then love leads to holiness. Divine love is a holy love. If we love Christ, we shall be jealous for His name and glory; we shall be careful not to allow anything which would bring dishonour upon His name. We shall avoid forming links with those who do not love Him. Holiness involves separation from every form of evil outwardly, and the judgment of the inward workings of evil in the flesh. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean”, 2 Cor 6: 17. “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God”, 2 Cor 7: 1. Apart from holiness we could not expect the presence of the Lord. “Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever”, Ps 93: 5.
We see these conditions fulfilled in the company in chapter 20, and the Lord comes to them and manifests Himself to them. He shewed them His hands and His side. This answers to what we have in the supper. There are two ways in which the Lord manifests Himself to us during the period of His absence, namely, by His word and by the Supper.
If we do not see Christ in the bread and cup, we have only the material bread and wine, and the partaking becomes only a piece of formality and is of no value. If we partake rightly, in our minds we pass from the material to the spiritual, so that we have Christ Himself before us. It is not facts or doctrines, but Himself.
It is His death as that in which He has revealed Himself and the love of God. It is the revelation aspect of His death rather than the judicial. It is not so much our relief or blessing, but His love and the love of God. It is a feast of love, and hence leads to thanksgiving and worship. He not only comes to us Himself, He brings us to the Father. How could we be consciously in the presence of divine persons as thus revealed without being worshippers?
Now let us consider what His presence brings. There are three things, peace, gladness and light. The first thing He says is, “Peace be to you”, John 20: 19. The word is used here in a very comprehensive sense: it comprehends everything which could disturb our peace. It is the word of the Victor. The Lord would silence every disturbing thought, so that we may be free to think of Him. What can disturb our peace in the presence of the risen Lord?
His presence brought gladness into their hearts: the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. They realised what He had said to them before, “I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you”, John 16: 22. There must be gladness if we are consciously in the presence of Christ.
Lastly, they had wonderful light: they were in the light of the eternal day. In Him we have the light not only of the Father revealed, but also of our place in relation to the Father in association with His beloved Son. “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God”, John 20: 17. His presence brings the greatest light possible. We shall have no greater light in heaven; for faith, the eternal day has begun. If in any company of saints there is little light, that is proof that they have not the presence of Christ. The presence of light and blessing in a company is a good proof of the Lord being with that company; and we may take it conversely.
But there is another side to consider. He comes to declare the Father’s name and to lead the praises of His brethren to the Father. “I will declare thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the assembly will I sing thy praises”, Heb 2: 12. He creates in our hearts the response which goes up in praise to Himself and to the Father. It is well that we should be exercised, that we may know the reality of these things in ever increasing measure.
From The Believer’s Friend vol 10 (1918)