Barely twenty years have passed since the Saviour instituted the Last Supper and just five years have passed since the founding by Paul of the Corinthian church and yet it appears that the central act of worship has degenerated into something more akin to a pagan feast. Verse 21 demonstrates this to be so. How sad this is!
If such corruptions could and did take place during the lifetime of the apostles just what may we not expect to happen 1900 years after their ministry and influence has ceased.
For the Corinthians, the Lord’s Supper had become a carnal thing. One in which they satisfied their natural appetites and gave expression to social prejudices, verse 22. For such practices Paul gave no praise, verse 22.
Wherever it is kept, there are disorder still, verse 28-31. Need of self-examination!
Departures from scriptural practices are no light thing. This is a day in which little is thought of indulging fleshly notions and abandoning the rule of Holy Scripture. This is wrong and is all the more blameworthy when we have been instructed in the way of truth.
Paul only taught that which he had been divinely taught himself. Paul had always underlined his apostolic independence, Gal 1:11. Likewise, he here states that what he taught them had come directly from the Lord Himself.
He carefully relayed the truth to the flock of God. This is what the Saviour demanded of the apostles. The Corinthians had been taught the right way of commemorating the Lord’s death, verse 23. The word ‘deliver’ means ‘to put into the hands of’. Out of 121 times used it is translated ‘betray’ 40 times. Paul took pains to make sure that that which he had received was that which he passed on to the Corinthians.
There must be no room for man’s innovations in the doctrinal structures of the Church of Christ.
The institution of the Lord’s Supper demonstrates the loving care of Christ. It was a night in which a professed follower would betray Him; the rest of the apostles would forsake Him and the chosen nation would reject Him. Yet, He thought upon His people. Perhaps it was fitting in the midst of such blindness that the Saviour takes steps to avert the tendency of His people to forget Him.
The words of Christ are to be understood figuratively rather than literally. This is made clear by the use of the phrase ‘this cup’. The cup referred to the wine within it which in turn referred to the blood of Christ.
In this supper we are to remember the Lord Himself. Not just the events of that dark night.
This supper was established to be a perpetual memorial to Christ’s death. The word ‘shew’ means ‘to proclaim or to publicly announce’. This is a telling again of the Saviour’s death, Exodus 12:26-27.
Notice the discretion given to the church regarding its keeping of the memorial. ‘As often’. The keeping of the Passover feast was fixed, Exodus 13:5 but not so the Lord’s Supper. But as ‘often’ as we do keep it, it must be as instituted by the Lord.
“Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel. For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the LORD thy God thrice in the year,” Exodus 34:23-24.
Israel was and still is, one of the great warrior nations yet from her prophets we learn that there is more to securing our borders than military prowess and tactics. “There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places,” Deuteronomy 33:26-29.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,” Psalm 46:1.
I would like to consider the topic of keeping our border, especially in a day when the question of that border most important to the Ulster Protestant is being undermined and that universally!
We will not consider military matters but rather what has to be done to obtain the aid and the assistance of the One Who alone can raise up or cast down!
“God hath power to help, and to cast down,” 2 Chronicles 25:8.
In our text, we are told that the men of Israel were commanded to appear before God three times a year to worship Him. In the later years, this meant travelling to Jerusalem. During these times of worship when the borders of Israel would be deprived of men to defend them, God promised to make sure that no foreign enemy would rise to invade!
PLEASE NOTE THAT GOD CONTROLS EVEN THE THOUGHTS OF OUR ENEMIES.
He can quench enmity and hatred against His people. “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: andbecause of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds,” Judges 6:1-2.
“When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him,” Proverbs 16:7.
Read 1 Kings 11:9-14.
God is sovereign in the affairs of nations.
Sennacherib king of Assyria – “But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest,” 2 Kings 19:27-28.
In the very courts of kings it is so. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will,” Proverbs 21:1.
It is so with the lowliness of men. “There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand,” Proverbs 19:21. “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure,” Isaiah 46:9-10.
Even the devil is subject to God’s will. Job 1:9-10, 12. “Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him,” Matt 4:11.
II. WE MAY CLAIM THE SPIRIT OF THIS PROMISE TODAY
Israel was promised protection while they were engaged in worshipping Him in obedience to His Word. So the same applies to all today who WALK and LIVE in obedience to God.
This is so even when obedience to God is contrary to human wisdom! “Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me,” Luke 18:21.“And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth,” 1 Kings 17:13-14.
Faith in God is required to enjoy this security. Ulster enjoyed a great measure of God’s mercy and protection in former times when faith in God’s Word was much stronger than today. That is why I utterly condemn the ecumenical false prophets who have destroyed, to a very great measure, that faith. In so doing they have robbed us of our help!
The defence of God is the ultimate defence. “Neither shall any man desire thy land.” The word ‘desire’ means to ‘lust after’! What a thing if God were to take away the lust of republicans for this land of our fathers! The machinations of Sinn Fein and the Dublin government would wither!
III. THIS PROMISE WAS ESPECIALLY LINKED TO THREE ACTS OF WORSHIP
Passover. ‘Faith in the lamb’. We know that this pictures Calvary. It was the first of the seasons. The Cross is the chief of our places of worship.
Pentecost. ‘Fulness of the Spirit’. The season when the Holy Spirit was poured forth upon the people of God. Acts 2:1.
Tabernacles. ‘Following the King’. “That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God,” Leviticus 23:43.
These are the key factors of true religion, the observance of which will see God’s blessing rest upon us!
This feast highlighted their separation from the world, marking as it did their leave of Egypt. This feast is mentioned as being observed in the Millennial Reign of Christ, Zech 14:16, 18-19. That is a day when the Saviour will enforce His holy will upon the world, Rev 19:15.
These were seasons of joy and feasting as well as security. All these feasts were occasions of Joy. God would have us joyfully worship Him.
“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost,” Romans 14:17.
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light,” 1 Peter 2:9.
“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” Philippians 4:4.
The relationship between Boaz and Ruth is deepening. He saw her at once upon entering his fields and soon he is talking to her. He called her a damsel at first, verse 5 but soon he was calling her daughter, verse 8, an affectionate and polite term. In speaking to her Boaz tells her to stay in his fields as it would be safer and she would be cared for, verse 9.
I. HOW THANKFUL RUTH IS
1. Ruth lived with an awareness of her sinful background. She was conscious of her unworthiness, verse 10. She was a stranger, an alien, a foreigner. What a feature of true grace this is!
Moses — “And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11.
David — “And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?” 1 Samuel 18:23. Paul — For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God,” 1 Corinthians 15:9 & “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,” Ephesians 3:8.
In heaven the saints abidingly recall from whence they came. “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation,” Revelation 5:9.
2. Ruth recognised the grace of Boaz. She realised that Boaz looked with favour upon her. This is how Christ looks upon His people, unworthy as they are. Mephibosheth — “And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?” 2 Samuel 9:7-8.
3. How unconscious Ruth was of her own graciousness. Verse 11-12. “Why have you been so kind,” she says. Her acting as she did toward Naomi was seen as a most virtuous thing by Boaz. Matthew 25:37-40. Boaz admired her faith, her love and her identifying of herself with the God of Israel and His people.
Christ loves those who have left all for Him. Luke 18:29-30. “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” Revelation 7:14.
