Faith, Love and Hope at the Lord's Table

Well, a very warm welcome to you all tonight to this pre-communion service.

Good to see you so many of you, and obviously quite a number of you by the look of it have

been enjoying, like myself, something of the good weather, which we're thankful to God

for.

Now, one or two things just to intimate before we begin the service.

At the close of the service, an invitation is given to anybody who wishes to come to

take communion for the first time, if they would make their way down to the hall, please.

The session will be meeting in the hall tonight rather than in the session room to my left

here in the church building.

So if you make your way to the hall, that would include any two who have a certificate to hand

in or have handed in a disjunction certificate from other congregations, because, as you

know, we like, as a session, to formally welcome those who have brought certificates from other

congregations, and that's just a formal welcome, there's no interview, but it's just to welcome

them and meet with them so that we know exactly who they are.

Now, that also includes the session tonight.

Anybody who wishes to come for baptism for their children, the session will be pleased to

meet with any who want to have baptism for their children, and we'll arrange that as well,

if you would kindly also, after the service, make your way down to the hall.

Now, we're following the same process as last time, same procedure as last communion, so

that means we're not giving out tokens, as was the case in the past, just to avoid, again,

too much contact.

So at the end of the service, I won't go to the door.

We'll just make our way through to the hall.

Those who want to go to the hall and the rest can just leave.

So that's really the only intimations I need to make, I think, this evening.

Let's sing to God's praise now from Psalm 105.

Psalm 105.

That's in the Sing Psalms version, and that's on page 138, 138, verses 1 to 11.

Give thanks to the Lord God and call on His name.

His wonderful deeds to the nations proclaim.

Sing praises to Him and His exploits record.

Let all those who seek Him rejoice in the Lord.

You chosen ones, look to the Lord and His might.

Seek ever His face and His wonders recite.

His miracles too and His judgments divine.

You children of Abraham, Jacob's own line.

Through to the end of verse 11.

These verses give thanks to the Lord God.

And we'll stand to sing.

Give thanks to the Lord God and call on His name.

His wonderful deeds to the nations proclaim.

Sing praises to Him and His thanks to the Lord.

Let all those who seek Him rejoice in the Lord.

The chosen ones, move to the Lord and His might.

Seek ever His peace and His wonders recite.

His miracles too and His judgments divine.

New children of Abraham, sing God's own line.

The Lord is our God and He rules all the earth.

Remembering His covenant, the word He set forth.

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His cleave for Christ, the law and HEaret

was made sure,

with Israel

his covenant

would always

endure.

To you

I will give

a secure

portion to stand,

the country

of Canaan,

a beautiful

land.

Let's now join together in prayer.

Let's call upon the Lord in prayer.

O Lord,

our gracious God, we thank you

for the many truths contained

in these words we have been singing.

The promises you gave

that have already been fulfilled.

The promises that you have given

that remain to be fulfilled

in the experience of your people.

But we thank you, O Lord,

that those that remain to be fulfilled

are as certain as those

that have already been completed.

For you are God and you are truth

and your word is truth.

And every word you have spoken

has proved to be reliable

and always will.

We thank you tonight, Lord,

that this is our privilege

when on such a beautiful evening

we could so easily be elsewhere

where our hearts desire that way.

But we thank you

that our heart is here

to worship you

and to meet together

to prepare for the remembrance

of the Lord's death

in the sacrament of the supper.

We give thanks for that desire, O Lord,

a desire that you have planted

in our hearts,

a desire that we have not created ourselves

and yet we recognize, Lord,

the reality of it.

We pray that as we follow that desire

and seek to live by faith

in following the ways of the Lord,

that we would tonight

know your presence with us,

that we would know your blessing

following your word

as we read it

and have it expounded,

as we hear it,

as we sing your praises

and call upon you in prayer.

O Lord, our God,

we ask that you would manifest

yourself to us.

Show us, we pray,

as you showed the disciples long ago

the reality of your suffering

and now of your resurrection too.

We thank you that we address you tonight

as we seek to remember you

in your death tomorrow,

that we address you

as the risen Lord,

as the exalted Lord,

as the King of kings

and Lord of lords

who sits on the throne of heaven

and in whose hand

is the scroll

of the destiny of the world,

the history of the world,

everything that will ever take place

to the end of the age.

We thank you, O Lord,

that you are the one

who is with your people.

We need no less than you

to be with us.

And we have no less

according to your promise

and according to the experience

of your people

down through the ages.

And Lord, we thank you

for the promise

of your presence

with your people

to the end of the world

so that whatever circumstances

may arise

in our personal experience,

in our circumstances,

and the consequences

of our own

or other's actions.

We do thank you, O Lord,

that your word remains true,

that your promise

is ensured to your people.

And we give thanks

that this is especially addressed

to our life

as your people in the world,

to our witness for you,

to our testimony

that you are God,

that we are your people.

We pray tonight

as we gather

in anticipation

and preparation

for the Lord's Supper,

that you would help us

as your word calls us to do,

to examine ourselves

in your presence

and to examine ourselves

in such a way

as would come desiringly

and knowingly

to partake of the elements

of the bread

and of the cup,

symbolizing and representing

and sealing to your people

the benefits of your death.

Lord God,

we ask that

these may be made

very real to us,

not only in our preparation,

but also by your will tomorrow

as we seek

to take them to ourselves

and to thereby find

that we once again

remember the Lord's death

until he come.

We thank you for all

who have come

to your table previously,

for those who have been there

over many years.

We thank you, Lord,

for their continued testimony

and walk with you.

We ask that you would continue

to keep them

and bless them

and help us, Lord,

as a congregation

to value the counsel

of those who have gone

ahead of us

in the way of faith.

And we pray

that as we gather together

tonight,

we may recognize

the value there is

in being together

and in learning

from one another

and looking out

for each other

on the way through life.

We pray for those

who wish to come

for the first time.

Lord, we ask that

they too will be encouraged

and strengthened

and that as they take

the step

as they desire to do,

Lord, help us,

we pray,

to be of benefit to them

and to be that fellowship

of a family

that would indeed welcome

those who want

to progress their lives

spiritually

and grow in grace

and in the knowledge

of the Lord

and Savior Jesus Christ.

Christ.

We give thanks too

for those

who are joining us

from other congregations.

We thank you, Lord,

for their interest,

for their participation

in the work

of the congregation

thus far.

We ask that you

bless them

in their own hearts

and in their families

and pray that even

at this time

they may have

confirmed to them

your own will

and your own purpose

for them.

We pray for those

who are coming

for baptism.

We ask that

your blessing, Lord,

will be with them

and with all

who have recently

baptized their children

in this congregation.

Gracious Lord,

make us thankful

that we have

young families

who wish to follow

in the ways of the Lord,

who wish to bring up

their children

in the knowledge

of the Lord,

in the nurture

of the Lord,

in the discipline

of the Lord.

And we pray

that they may,

Lord,

come and

do dependence

upon your grace,

that they may come

themselves to grow

and to flourish

and to have

their children

established in your ways

and rooted

and grounded

in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And we pray

that your blessing

will be with all tonight

who cannot be with us.

Lord,

we think especially

of those who are ill.

We know that there are

various illnesses

keeping people

we know and love

from being with us tonight.

We pray especially

for those

who are seriously ill.

We pray for those

who have COVID.

We pray for those

who are recovering

from illness,

from surgery.

We pray for those

who cannot be here

because they face

and experience

the difficulties

and the challenges

of old age

and of discomfort.

Lord,

we ask that you

would be pleased

to bless them,

bless them

wherever they are

and give them,

Lord, to know

your presence

and of your being

with them

and those who trust

in you.

And any who do not,

Lord,

bring them,

we pray,

to that position

of faith

and of trust

so that they come

to know the living God

and come to rejoice

in his salvation.

We ask now

that you would continue

to bless us here

and as we turn

to your word

once again

we pray

for the light

that comes

from your Holy Spirit

opening up our minds,

our understanding

and also renewing

our will

and giving us,

O Lord,

that inward appetite

and hunger

for your word

and for your presence

and enable us

as we do so

to know,

Lord,

again

of a thankful heart

as we express

our thanks to you.

Receive us

then we pray

and cleanse us

from all our sins

for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

I'm going to read

tonight

from the Gospel

of Luke

Luke 22 · chapter mention

chapter 22.

We're going to be

looking at some verses

from 1 Corinthians

actually looking

at our warrants

that we usually read

when we come

to administer

the Lord's Supper

but we'll look

at the way

it's rooted

obviously

in the way

in which Jesus

spoke on the night

in which he was betrayed

and spoke in such a way

to the disciples

as we find

in these verses.

So Luke chapter 22

Luke 22 · chapter mention

and from verse 7

and we'll read down

as far as verse 30.

Then came the day

of unleavened bread

on which the Passover lamb

had to be sacrificed.

So Jesus sent Peter

and John saying

go and prepare

the Passover for us

that we may eat it.

They said to him

where would you

have us prepare it?

He said to them

behold

when you have

entered the city

a man carrying

a jar of water

will meet you.

Follow him

into the house

that he enters

and tell the master

of the house

the teacher says

to you

where is the guest room

where I may eat

the Passover

with my disciples?

And he will show you

a large upper room

furnished

prepare it there.

And they went

and found it

just as he had told them

and they prepared

the Passover.

And when the hour came

he reclined at table

and the apostles

with him

and he said to them

I have earnestly

desired to eat

this Passover

with you

before I suffer

for I tell you

I will not eat it

until it is fulfilled

in the kingdom of God.

And he took a cup

and when he had given thanks

he said

take this and divide it

among yourselves

for I tell you

that from now on

I will not drink

of the fruit of the vine

until the kingdom

of God comes.

And he took bread

and when he had given thanks

he broke it

and gave it to them

saying

this is my body

which is given

for you

do this

in remembrance

of me.

Likewise the cup

after they had eaten

saying

this cup

that is poured out

for you

is the new covenant

in my blood

but behold

the hand of him

who betrays me

is with me

on the table

for the son of man

goes as it has

been determined

but woe

to that man

by whom he is

betrayed.

And they began

to question one another

which of them

it could be

who was going

to do this.

A dispute also

arose among them

as to which of them

was to be regarded

as the greatest.

And he said to them

the kings of the Gentiles

exercise lordship over them

and those in authority

over them

are called benefactors

but not so with you

rather let the greatest

among you

become as the youngest

and the leader

as one who serves.

For who is the greater

one who reclines

at table

or one who serves?

Is it not the one

who reclines

at table

but I am among you

as the one

who serves?

You are those

who have stayed

with me

in my trials

and I assign to you

as my father

assigned to me

a kingdom

that you may eat

and drink

at my table

in my kingdom

and sit on thrones

judging

the twelve tribes

of Israel.

Amen

and may the Lord

once again

bless to us

our reading

of his word.

Let's turn again

to praise him

this time

from Psalm number 40

Psalm number 40

in the Scottish Psalter

that's on page 259

We'll sing verses 1 to 5

six stanzas

to the double

verse 5

I waited for the Lord

my God

and patiently

did bear

at length to me

he did incline

my voice

and cry to hear

he took me

from a fearful pit

and from the miry clay

and on a rock

he set my feet

establishing

my way

verses 1 to 5

I waited for the Lord

my God

my God

and patiently

and patiently

did bear

but led to me

he didn't lie

my voice

and cry

to hear

he took me

he took me

from the fearful pit

and from the miry clay

and on a rock

he set my feet

establishing my way

a new song

in my mouth

a God

to magnify

many

shall see

his hands

shall fear

and on

the Lord

rely

O blessed

is

the man

whose trust

upon

the Lord

relies

respecting

not

the proud

nor such

as

turn aside

to lies

O Lord

my God

who many are

the wonder

shall

pass

done

thy gracious

thoughts

to us

were far

above

all thoughts

are gone

in your turn

and can

reckon

them

to thee

if them

declare

and speak

of them

I would

they

bore

and can

be

numbered

high

now will you

turn with me

this evening

to 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 11 · chapter mention

chapter 11

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 11 · chapter mention

chapter 11

and we'll begin

reading at

verse 23

and this is the

passage for a

short time

we'll look at

this evening

verses 23

to 26

for I received

from the Lord

what I also

delivered to you

that the Lord

Jesus on the night

when he was

betrayed

took bread

and when he

had given

thanks he

broke it

and said

this is my

body

which is

for you

do this

in remembrance

of me

in the same

way also

he took

the cup

after supper

saying

this cup

is the new

covenant

in my blood

do this

as often

as you

drink it

in remembrance

of me

for as often

as you eat

this bread

and drink

the cup

you proclaim

the Lord's

death

until

he comes

well we're

here as we

know to

make preparation

for coming

to the

communion

table

to take

communion

to partake

of the

Lord's

supper

and as I

was going

through these

words and

these verses

it certainly

came to me

that the

three main

elements that

we find in

our Christian

walk

our Christian

practice

faith

love

and hope

that they

can actually

be found

in some

of the

terminology

of these

verses

and that we

can therefore

say that

taking communion

is itself

an act of

faith

it's also

an act

of love

it's also

an act

of hope

it is

an act

of faith

if you

focus on

the words

this

is my

body

you come

to the

Lord's

table

and you

take these

words

and you

discern

in these

elements

the

Lord's

body

what

happened

on the

night

in which

he was

betrayed

and then

when you

think of

the word

remember

or remembrance

do this

in remembrance

of me

which is

following

what the

Lord himself

had said

to the

disciples

you can

see that

partaking

of the

supper

or taking

communion

is an

act of

love

because

in remembrance

you're

reflecting

upon

what

Christ

did

and how

in his

great

act of

love

he gave

himself

to the

death

of the

cross

and now

in response

you at

the Lord's

supper

take

these elements

that represent

his death

and in return

you love

him

as you

take

the bread

and the

cup

and then

thirdly

it's also

taking

communion

is also

an act

of

hope

because

as it

says here

you proclaim

the Lord's

death

until

he

comes

so you're

looking

forward

in the

exercise

of hope

as well

as of

love

and of

faith

you look

forward

in the

exercise

of hope

to the

return

of the

Lord

you look

forward

to the

time

when

the

Lord's

supper

will be

replaced

by the

marriage

banquet

of the

lamb

and as

you partake

of the

Lord's

supper

so that

carries

you

forward

in your

thoughts

in the

exercise

of your

soul

along

with faith

and with

love

hoping

in a

positive

way

eagerly

awaiting

for

the

return

of

Jesus

so

taking

communion

is

an act

of

faith

he

took

this

bread

and when

he had

given

thanks

he said

this

is my

body

which

is

for

you

in

the

same

way

he

took

the

cup

and

said

this

cup

is

the

new

covenant

in

my

blood

this

is

my

body

this

is

the

new

covenant

in

my

blood

and

as

you

come

to

the

Lord's

supper

and

partake

of

the

Lord's

supper

you

do

so

in

the

exercise

of

your

faith

it's

your

faith

that

you

exercise

when

you

look

at

these

elements

the

bread

and

the

cup

and

you

believe

in

what

they

represent

you

believe

you

trust

in

the

Jesus

that's

essentially

a main

aspect

of what

faith

is

trusting

in

Christ

and

in

theological

terms

or

logical

terms

and

in

the

theology

of

our

salvation

faith

comes

before

love

although

they are

of course

joined

together

inseparably

you

believe

you

trust

in

the

Lord

Jesus

that's

what

joins

you

believingly

savingly

to

Christ

and

it's

that

that

then

ushers

you

into

a

life

and

a

discipleship

of

love

where

you

love

him

and

so

faith

and

actually

the

actions

of

the

table

I

think

are

significant

just

to

briefly

mention

it

certainly

it was

always

the

case

in

our

forefathers

that

they

saw

the

actions

of

the

table

themselves

to

be

significant

because

Jesus

did

say

take

eat

take

this

cup

drink

of

it

there

is

a

specific

physical

action

on our

part

taking

the

cup

taking

the

bread

which

itself

outwardly

represents

your

taking

of

Jesus

to

yourself

now

you've

done

that

already

before

you've

come

to

the

Lord

Supper

you've

come

to

Jesus

you've

placed

your

trust

in

him

and

placing

your

trust

in

him

means

you

have

taken

him

as

your

saviour

and

when

you

reach

forward

and

take

these

elements

in

the

Lord

Supper

you're

again

doing

something

representative

if you

like

it is

to you

outwardly

what

you've

done

in

your

soul

already

and

here

in

your

soul

again

you're

reaching

out

as it

were

with

the

hands

of

faith

and

taking

Jesus

again

to

yourself

in

a

way

that

confirms

your

relationship

with

him

that

confirms

him

as

your

saviour

in

a

way

that

says

Lord

I've

already

taken

you

spiritually

by

believing

in

you

and

my

trusting

in

you

and

I'm

actually

again

confirming

that

as I

take

these

elements

in

the

Lord

Supper

you

see

these

elements

as

themselves

representing

and

indeed

as

a

catechism

reminds us

they're a

sign

and a

seal

a

seal

being

something

that

confirms

the

death

of

Christ

a

sign

and

a

seal

of

what

we

are

in

Christ

they

don't

convey

themselves

salvation

but

they

do

confirm

the

salvation

that

we

have

received

by

faith

in

Christ

they

are

a

sign

and

a

seal

and

as

you

think

of

trusting

in

the

Lord

there

is

of

course

the

element

of

obedience

along

with

trusting

because

obedience

is an

essential

element

of

faith

you

cannot

think

of

believing

without

also

carrying

in it

the

element

of

obedience

that's

something

the

Bible

itself

makes

very

clear

think

for

example

of

Romans

Romans 6 · chapter mention

chapter

6

that

wonderful

chapter

that talks

about

our being

separated

from

sin

as the

dominant

factor

and power

in our

lives

to be

brought

into

union

with

Christ

and under

the

direction

of

the

Holy

Spirit

and

remember

in

that

chapter

verse

17

of

Romans

6

you find

Paul

saying

thanks

be

to

God

that

you

who

were

once

slaves

of

sin

have

become

obedient

from

the

heart

to

the

standard

of

teaching

to

which

you

were

committed

or

delivered

and

having

been

freed

from

sin

you

have

become

slaves

or

bond

servants

of

righteousness

now

these

words

there

are

important

I

know

we've

mentioned

them

before

you

by

obedience

you

were

once

slaves

of

sin

but

you've

become

obedient

from

the

heart

to

the

standard

of

teaching

to

which

you

were

delivered

in

other

words

what

God

did

and

separating

you

off

from

the

power

of

sin

the

dominance

of

sin

that

once

characterized

your

life

as

an

unsaved

sinner

he

didn't

just

release

you

or

take

you

from

the

attachment

that

sin

had

to

you

and

you

had

to

sin

he

something

he

delivered

you

to

this

standard

this

form

of

teaching

that

he

has

given

us

in

the

gospel

or

in

his

word

and

so

obedience

to

Christ

is at

the

heart

of

that

you

have

the

same

in

first

Peter

the

very

beginning

of

that

letter

of

first

Peter

again

teaches

us

that

this

is

in

fact

what

the

purpose

of

God

was

in

sending

Christ

into

the

world

and

coming

to

save

God's

own

people

he

says

to

those

who

are

elect

exiles

of

the

dispersion

he

mentions

then

those

regions

according

to

the

foreknowledge

of

God

the

Father

in

the

sanctification

of

the

spirit

for

obedience

to

Jesus

Christ

and

for

sprinkling

with

his

blood

better

I

think

in

the

old

translation

in

that

instance

for

obedience

and

sprinkling

of

the

blood

of

Jesus

Christ

he

brought

you

under

the

provision

of

the

death

of

Christ

the

sprinkling

of

his

blood

that's

what

it

signifies

and

as

he

brought

you

under

the

provisions

of

that

so

that's

God

bringing

us

to

obedience

to

this

Christ

that's

why

Jesus

came

that's

the

purpose

of

his

death

to

bring

us

to

this

point

where

we're

savingly

united

to

him

by

faith

the

faith

that

involves

trusting

in

him

the

faith

that

involves

obedience

to

him

and

of

course

we

remember

too

that

obedience

is very

much

a part

of

coming

to

take

communion

the

Lord

doesn't

actually

present

it

to

us

as

something

that's

just

a bit

of

a

take

it

or

leave

it

thing

he

doesn't

say

well

there's

there's

the

Lord's

supper

there's

the bread

and there's

the cup

take it

if you

like

if you

think

it's

appropriate

then

take

it

no

he

says

take

it

it's

a

command

of

his

it's

an

imperative

he

doesn't

just

bring

us

to

think

of

the

Lord's

supper

as

something

that's

there

and then

leave it

to

ourselves

to think

of

whether

it's

a

good

thing

or

not

it

comes

with

the

Lord's

specific

command

that's

what

Jesus

said

take

the

cup

take

the

spread

obey