Holy Thursday (2024)

MALADY — We don’t realize that as we worship at places with differing confessions of faith, we are connecting ourselves to them, which is akin to “fellowship with demons.”

MEANS — The Lord bings blessing to us as we participate in the Lord’s Supper like forgiveness of sin, life, and salvation; and especially true κοινωνία with like-minded individuals.

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In any poll ever taken of the greatest men in history, Jesus has always come at or near the top. Jesus is universally admired as a self-sacrificing human being and a gifted teacher. For Christians, Jesus is far more. He is the Son of God and our beautiful Savior. As such He is surely worthy of all the admiration we have for him.

But we do not just admire Jesus from a distance. We actually approach Him so that we come very near to Him and He to us, which increases our appetite for Him.

We use the word “appetite” to describe a powerful desire for something. So, what is it you crave the most? Where does your mind go in those quiet moments?

What do you want? Power?

What do you dream about? Prestige?

For what do you hunger? Pleasure?

Are our appetites healthy?

A truly healthy Christian appetite is one that addresses our deepest needs: forgiveness, salvation, communion with God, loving relationships with others. The believer, in fact, is ravenous for such things! And all of those blessings are on the menu of the Lord’s Supper.

In the meal of the Lord’s Supper, Christ satisfies our greatest appetites. That is what Paul is saying in our text. He reminds us that HOLY COMMUNION IS A PARTICIPATION IN CHRIST, something which we crave.

It is an Exclusive participation.

The real Christ unites Himself with us in the bread and wine of Holy Communion.

We take into ourselves His very body and blood.

We participate intimately in God Himself.

Such participation in Christ excludes participation in idolatry.

Some indulge their appetites in the worship of the gods of money, prestige, sex, along with the god of leisure; in so doing, we divorce ourselves from Christ (1 Cor. 6:15-20; Jer. 3:19-20).

God says that we will have no other gods before Him.

Zechariah 1:14 ESV

14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.

The exclusive participation in Christ in Holy Communion reminds us that we are to be done with participation in anything that takes the place of Christ place within our lives.

This participation in Christ is also

It is a Satisfying Participation.

Christ satisfies our appetite us with His forgiveness.

We need forgiveness because of our unfaithfulness, because unfaithfulness can never satisfy our appetites (Ezek. 16:28). The devil tempts us to indulge in things our sinful flesh wants.

Ezekiel 16:28 (NASB95)

28 “Moreover, you played the harlot . . . because you were not satisfied; you played the harlot with them and still were not satisfied.

Through our participation in Christ we receive full and free forgiveness, for Christ gave His body and blood to secure that forgiveness. His forgiveness quenches our guilt and calms our conscience (Ps. 65:4; 107:9 Jer. 31:14).

Psalm 107:9 NASB95

9 For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.

So, Christ satisfies our appetite with His forgiveness, and also with abundant life (John 10:10).

We need Christ’s abundant life because we live in bodies that will die.

We receive the life of Jesus, over whose body death no longer has dominion (Rom. 6:9).

The satisfying participation in Christ in Holy Communion results in the life of Jesus being manifested in our mortal bodies (2 Cor. 4:10-11).

PARTICIPATION IN CHRIST is an exclusive participation, it is a satisfying participation, and…

It is a Unifying Participation.

Since we partake of one bread (and one cup) and receive the one and the same Christ, we also are one body.

Our oneness manifests itself in our united affirmation of the real presence of Christ in Holy Communion.

Our oneness manifests itself in our unanimous confession of all that Christ has taught (Matt. 28:20).

Our oneness manifests itself in our sharing tasks, joys, and sorrows (1 Cor. 12:14-26). We are one body made up of many parts, with Christ Jesus as the Head.

As we participate in the one Christ, we have a oneness that enables us to stand against schemes of the devil.

Division, however, is exactly what the devil is trying to create. And if he succeeds that give him a foothold to do further damage.

1 Corinthians 10:21 NKJV

21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.

Taking part in idol worship would connect you to that idol and those who worship it. Likewise, those who worship at places which have a different confession of faith connects you to them.

When we wander off to other practices and traditions, we become connected to that place, whether we realize it or not.

But, we will not be such easy prey for Satan as we remain in fellowship with one another (Hebrews 10:25)

And, we can better escape Satan and resist his temptations as our fellowship is strengthen by partaking of Holy Communion (Acts 2:42 — “They had all things in common.”)

The unifying participation in Christ in Holy Communion enables us to be a body of Christians who together confess Christ, support each other, and stand firm against temptation. This gives us a truly healthy appetite in addressing our deepest needs of forgiveness, salvation, communion with God, and loving relationships with others.

Christians have genuine ravenous appetites for such things! And all of those blessings are on the menu of the Lord’s Supper.

As members of families and as citizens of a country, we all participate in many kinds of activities. But none of them compares with our participation with Christ in Holy Communion, which truly satisfies our appetites.