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276.
Given what our brother Bill Prost shared with us this last meeting.
I'm wondering if it might be profitable, brethren, to take up the subject of the Lord's Table and the Lord's Supper we have in First Corinthians chapter 10 and 11.
What do you think about that brother?
I suggest we take up from chapter 10, verse 15.
And perhaps go through Chapter 11 if we can, I don't know how much.
We got 3 readings in this conference, so that works out. I'm not sure we'll just let the Lord guide us.
Should we read from that verse in chapter 10 to the end of that chapter today? That would be good.
10 and verse 15 I speak as to wise men. Judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
For we, being many, are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh.
Are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then, that the idol is anything, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything?
But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice.
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They sacrifice to devils and not to God, and I would not that you should have fellowship with devils.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. You cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils.
Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth whatsoever is sold in the shambles that eat. Ask you no question for conscience sake. For the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof. If any of them that believe not, bid you to a feast, and you be disposed to go.
Whatsoever is set before you eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols.
Eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake. For the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof. Conscience I say, not thine own, but of the other. For why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? Or if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.
No offense neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God.
Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
It's interesting in these two chapters, 10:00 and 11:00.
We get the.
The only mention in the New Testament of the Lord's.
Table in verse 21 and in Chapter 11 and verse 20, the Lord's Supper.
And it's significant. It doesn't say it's Christ's table or Jesus's table.
It's the Lord's Table.
Which indicates that he is the one that has the authority at his table and at his supper the 2GO together.
But they are two distinct thoughts involved. The Lord's Table is the place where we celebrate the Lord's Supper, and the Lord's Supper is what we celebrate there. And of course, our brother Bill was speaking about that, and it's in Chapter 11. That's where we have the Lord's Supper.
And I find it interesting, brethren, that in the Lord's table in this chapter 10.
That what's mentioned first is the cup.
And then the bread.
It's not the Lord's Supper here, it's the Lord's Table.
And so it's important to realize.
What gives me a place at that table?
If I would go to Washington, DC to try to go in and sit down at a supper of the President of the United States, I wouldn't get very far.
We're not talking about the president, the United States. We're talking about the Lord of the universe.
What gives me a place at His table? Oh brethren, this is something that should be treasured in our souls. Nothing but that precious blood of Jesus.
That's what gives us that title to be there.
And then in chapter.
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11 We have the bread 1St and that's the way we celebrate the Lord's Supper, and then the cop which speaks of his precious blood.
Welcome sing #8 in our little clock in block. And I know it's not talking about.
The Lord's table, but it says our title to glory. We read in thy blood. I think that's the same as what you're saying, Bob.
While I was sitting down at the table of the President of the United States.
And somebody came up to me, where, where is your title to sit down here? What are you doing here?
I wouldn't have much to give, I'm afraid.
But to be able to sit down at the Lord's Table, to enjoy what is called here in a number of places, the communion or the fellowship of the Lord's Table.
And to be challenged, what gives you a place there?
The precious blood of Jesus. Oh, what a privilege, what a precious thing to enjoy in your soul. I say, dear young people, lay hold on it. It applies to us, but you have to lay hold on it in an individual way.
It is so tremendously precious.
Speaking right now in terms of those who have been sheltered under that precious blood in the Lords Table is freely open to us, but we do have to recognize that in a room like this, there might be someone here who.
Is not sheltered under the blood of the Lord Jesus and.
Thus, they have No title to be able to enjoy.
Being seated at the Lord's Table. And so we would.
Wholeheartedly desire each each person in this room would know what it means to be sheltered by the blood of the Lord Jesus.
I can recall being in Washington, DC.
And walking down past the fence around the White House and there was a gate and there was a man standing there at this gate and I saw people walking.
Up to the gate.
And that man, he had a list.
And he would look down the list and if your name is on the list, you go through the gate and into the White House. And I wouldn't be surprised they were serving a banquet.
I'm not sure if the president was there or not, but in any case, I would have liked to go through that gate. I would have really enjoyed going into the White House and sitting down at the table, but my name was not on the list, and there's no way.
I'm going to be able to enjoy that privilege.
But I like the way you bring that out, Brother Bob, because we have opportunity to sit down at the Lord's table with the Lord Jesus Christ himself. There he is. It's his table. And it gives him great delight to see us sitting there. And I, I do believe that.
It's the privilege, as you point out, of all who are sheltered, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. It's our title to be there, sitting at that table, enjoying fellowship with the Lord and with one another.
You could say that every true believer in the Lord Jesus has a place at that table because it's the fellowship of the body of Christ and every true believer is a member of the body of Christ. Doesn't mean that they're all there.
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We're going to get down to the verses that speak about what is becoming to those who recognize his lordship. And there are certain things that impede that. And so I think it is good to see that. But it's it's the widest fellowship of any fellowship in this world. It includes every single member of the body of Christ, even though.
They perhaps are not there, perhaps they cannot be there by things in their life that impede fellowship. But there are places there.
This is what Christians do. In contrast to what?
The Gentiles of heathen or the Jews did. This is the communion that is particular to us.
And so the first two things with the cup and the loaf, there's the communion of the blood of Christ. That's his physical blood shed on the cross, the value of all his sufferings and the the darkness of those three hours and his life represented in that blood was shut out before gone. And then partaking of that cup, we express, we are in communion, we're in fellowship.
With what took place when his blood was shed and all its value in the sight of God.
We're under the shelter, that blood.
And partaking of the loaf, we express communion or fellowship with his body.
In which He suffered, in those hours of darkness in his body, in which he gave himself and offered himself through the eternal Spirit to God without spot. Partaking of that loaf. We give expression to the fact we are in fellowship with the sufferings of Christ and all that is represented in His giving himself, His body given on that cross. And so it's unique.
It's particular.
To Christians, and it's a positional thing and think of how we how we speak of it. At times we might refer to somebody as being at the Lord's table.
Do we mean right now they're setting in a meeting where they're remembering the Lord and death? Well, no, no, I mean, they're at the Lord's Table. In other words, positionally, that's the place they've taken. And really, this chapter is taking up what we have positionally as being at the Lord's Table. The next chapter is going to get into the details.
Of our conduct when we remember the Lord and His death as those who are at His table.
But here it's more positional. When you are been received into fellowship at the Lord's table, you're there 24/7, you're always at the Lord's table, but there are times you come to remember the Lord and his death and partake of his supper. And so this is very much the positional aspect of things. And then he brings in a third thought and and that.
Will be developed that when we partake of that loaf, there's an additional truth brought in.
We partake of it as members of His body.
First of all, the cup represents his bloodshed. The loaf represents his body given on that cross in which he suffered. When we partake of it, we give expression to the truth that we are just like that. Loaf was one on the table. We too are one now if we came and we had the loaf.
And cup on the table. And we had sweet thoughts of the Lord and gave him thanks and and for what he did on the cross. And we all went home. Two things would not have happened. We would not have remembered the Lord in his death, because that's only in the breaking of the bread. And we would not have given expression to the truth that there is one body. Just the fact of having one loaf on the table does not in and by itself.
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Give expression to the truth that there is one body.
It's when we partake of that one loaf, we give expression to that truth, and that's what he takes up. Then as the third thing, communion with the blood of Christ, communion with the body of Christ, and then in partaking of that one loaf, we give expression to the truth. There is one body of which we are all members.
That one loaf represents the one body, and then as we partake, we are saying in part, I am a member of that one body. And it's beautiful, wonderful privilege to express that precious truth.
I remember being at a conference, maybe some of you remember in Toronto, I think there was 1200 brethren at that conference and that Lord's Day they brought a big loaf.
Doesn't matter the size of the loaf, brethren, but it represents the whole body of Christ. And we then express our fellowship. It's the fellowship of the body of Christ. How wonderful to be able to show that fellowship. We then travel to other countries and express that with our brethren in other countries. It's a particularly.
Significant.
Thing in my own heart and soul to be able to express that truth with my brethren in other parts. Sometimes our brethren that are new in the faith don't think it had a whole lot. And I still remember a conference I was two and a place called in the Alta Plano of Bolivia and they had a normal size loaf and I don't remember how many we were there, maybe 2 to 300.
In the room and somebody had given an exhortation that the Scripture says eat of that bread, says don't just take a pinch, take a big chunk. And by the time it was about halfway through passing, it was just about to be finished off. I don't know if I did the right thing, brethren, but I stood up and said, brethren, those brethren over there that haven't partaken are also members of the body of Christ. Let's leave something for them too.
And so that they would not take such a big pinch that they don't think I had sometimes on those things. But that's what we're expressing, brethren. We're expressing that we are members of one body. What a tremendous privilege in a world where there is so much division in the outward testimony. The truth remains to me. It is a such a special thing in my soul there is one body.
There's not more than one body. For as much as we have failed in the outward testimony, the truth remains. There is one body, and we can express that truth as we partake of that loaf at the Lord's table.
Take a look at those two expressions again, because we don't want to get confused.
The communion of the blood of Christ, that's his physical bloodshed.
The next expression, the communion of the body of Christ, that's his physical body given. We don't want to mistake that and mix that up with a second vert, the next verse.
This is not saying the communion of the Mystical Body of Christ composed of many members.
It's saying the communion of the body of Christ is physical body given on that cross. It's His blood and his body, His blood shed on the cross, His body given on the cross. Then the next verse brings in the truth that just like that loaf was one on the table, we are one, and we give expression to it in all partaking of one loaf sometimes in our.
Taking up the truth of verse 17.
We make the expression communion of the body of Christ at the end of verse 16 to say the communion of the mystical body of Christ composed of many members. That's not what it's saying. It's the bloodshed His body given He offered Himself. And then the truth of the one body composed of many members comes in in verse 17.
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So we could say that.
Strictly speaking, these are the only if I could use the term credentials needed to be at the Lord's Table.
To have our sins washed away through the blood of Christ, to recognize his finished work on the cross, and then by virtue of that we are members of that one body. That is all. Now, sad to say, difficulties and problems have brought in other things. We can get to some of that a little later on, but.
In its simplest form, to be at the Lord's Table is simply.
To have that blood of Christ applied to take away my sins, to recognize that Christ died for me, suffered for my sins, and then to recognize it as a result of all that I am made a member of the body of Christ. How very simple it is that we don't need to make it complicated, do we?
Clarification that fellowship will the word communion because they're not really words that we use in common English speech we do in meetings.
I'll, I'll have a go at what I at explaining them. They're two different English translations of the same Greek word. Fellowship, communion. Trying to get this idea across of sharing in the oneness with something.
The reason why it's important to understand a connection with this chapter because this part of the chapter is about fellowship. It's about identifying with something.
And when we partake of that cup of the the bread, we are identifying with the blood of Christ. We're identifying with the body of Christ. And as an unbeliever, you cannot do that if you're not washed in that shed blood, if you are not being brought under the shelter of that blood as we've been talking about.
There's another word that occurs in this chapter 2 That speaks of a less intimate.
Sharing in of something.
And it becomes important as we go through the chapter, the distinction between these two words. But just keep in mind that we took a fellowship when we put the word ship on the end of a word in English, it means the state of being so friendship, state of being friends with someone. The apostle Paul could tell the Philippians Saints, he says in the first chapter, he says always in every prayer of mine for you all making requests with joy for your fellowship in the gospel.
From the first answer, now the Philippians Saints had sent.
Perhaps money, but probably not. Probably.
A care package, we might say, in the modern world to the Apostle Paul. They identified with the Apostle Paul's work in the gospel. That's what the word fellowship means. And so when we partake of the bread, of the cup of the bread, that's the order that's given here.
We are identifying with what those things stand for and represent.
Then verse 18 he goes back to the Old Testament.
To develop his thought about fellowship. Behold Israel after the flesh are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers? I understand. I think that's the same word, isn't it? Nick as.
Yeah, Partakers is fellowship of the altar. You remember what happened in Israel, Why after Solomon's reign there was a split in the Kingdom, and two tribes remained with the altar of the Lord at Jerusalem, where the Lord had placed his name. And Jeroboam took 10 tribes and he established two other centers.
And Dan and Bethel was it, I forget, but he established 2 altars there and said this is the place where you ought to worship the Lord. And so there was a split. So it was important because they were showing fellowship with another altar. And so this is what he's referring to in these verses.
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Behold Israel after the flesh, are they not? Which are they? Are not they which either the sacrifices, partakers of the altar? What say I then? That the idol is anything? Because there were idols that those other altars, there was a golden calf there.
And so they were identifying by partaking there, they were identifying with the idolatry that was taking place there.
That the idol is anything or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything but. I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice because he's talking to the Corinthians and in the city of Corinth they had a lot of different idle temples.
They sacrificed to devils or demons and not to God. I would not that you should have fellowship with demons.
So in partaking at a Pacific place is to show fellowship at that place. And so that's a very important principle and that's something we need to keep in mind. Somebody comes from another fellowship. There are a lot of different fellowships in Christendom, and they come from a fellowship where some doctrine is taught.
That is derogatory to the person of the Lord Jesus.
Then we if we partake there, we're having fellowship with that. People say, I don't, I don't believe that I just go there to have to, to attend there. But they're showing fellowship with that. And that's that's important point that the apostle Paul is bringing out here. It's taken from the Old Testament and that is very important to take in. Keep in mind when we take up the question of fellowship.
I said there was a second word in these portions that also indicated sharing in, but it's a much looser connection.
And that's what we have in verse 17 where it says, for we are all partakers of that one bread. So someone may go along and say, well, I don't identify with this group's position, but I'm just remembering the Lord. And he says, well, even just in sharing in it, you are identifying with their position. But of the sacrifices of the Old Testament, the peace offering, which is the offering that most closely aligns with the remembrance of the Lord.
Offer also partook in that offering, and in so doing he identified eating is an expression of fellowship. And that's why it says back in First Corinthians chapter 5 that.
I've written unto you not to keep this as verse 11. Sorry. I've written unto you not to keep company. If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or idolatrous, or Raila, or drunken, or extortioner, for with such and 1:00.
No, not to eat or why not? Why shouldn't I eat with them? Because eating is an expression of oneness, is an expression of fellowship. So when the Israelite brought his peace offering and he ate of it and that was an offering too that his friends could also partake in, there was something for the there was something for the Lord, something for the priest is something for the offer and something for his friends. And they expressed fellowship in that offering. And so an Israelite that offered.
On that Alta.
Identified with it. That was the point of and that's why end of Hebrews, the apostle Paul could say.
Well, we won't get into the authorship of Hebrews, but I believe it was Paul.
He says in the 13th chapter.
In verse 10 we have an altar where they have no right to eat, which served the Tabernacle well. Why? Because they were identifying with that old Jewish system of things if they partook of those sacrifices.
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You can't get away from the identification. You may claim that doesn't mean anything to you and you're just remembering the Lord. And in this chapter, the apostle Paul is saying, no, no, it doesn't work that way. You partake. You are identifying.
I just like to say one more thing about verse.
17 And maybe somebody can elaborate on this or bring it out better than I can. I'm not sure if this thought is here where it says for we being many, but I like to think of that loaf on the table when it speaks to us, to that mystical body, the one body that we're members of.
It's not just Speaking of those that are present in the room.
It's not just Speaking of those that I want to be careful how I use this word fellowship. It's been talked about quite a bit, but I those that we are in fellowship with because we know there's many true believers that for one reason or another we're not in fellowship with. But I think every one of those that are truly the Lords that are under the shelter of that blood are represented in that low.
Now, Bob, in that meeting that you were talking about where it seemed like the loaf was going to be all gone.
I've never been to the meeting where the loaf was all gone. I always like to think of however much or little there is left of it that speaks of all the rest of the members of the body of Christ that weren't there partaking of it that morning.
Sphere that is smaller than that is sectarianism and we need to be careful of that. Doesn't mean that every member is partaking, no, but they are represented there. I think that is important.
It could hardly be.
Expressive of the fellowship that we are in as members of the body of Christ. If it didn't.
Anything less than that would not be.
Expressive of it, so it has to include each member and again, this is what is characteristic and so it does certainly take in each one. So it's it's I think that's the right thought, brother.
Bring out an example. Kind of hard for me to do it because it's.
It's a very, very painful somewhat Memory and me, but I believe it illustrates some of the points that we've just had over us in a very simple way.
My father in the household in which I LED had a table.
And it only belonged to one person.
Was my father's table.
And everyone of his children had a place at the table. There were seven of us, and we all had our place at the table.
And it expressed something of my father's authority over it. When we sat at the table, we expected my father to be there, and we sat at his table at what he provided for us through my mother.
This is the painful part, but it I think illustrates something of what just been said.
The most painful?
Discipline of my childhood came as a result of something I did.
And my mother and father decided that the appropriate discipline.
For that was for a week I was not to eat at that table.
I was to be confined to my room.
Which was above on a second story above where the kitchen was. And for that week I could hear every night the family sitting at the table enjoying their fellowship with each other, at which I was not present.
And that recognition of what I was not part of, that I have a place still there. My seat was empty.
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But it was there because it was one table. It was my father's table. It was under his authority. And if I could use the implication, I was invited there. And I don't think that's been said this yet in this meeting. Why do we look forward to it and heart, We look forward to it because the Lord's invited us. Not only the truth that we're part of the body and that the body is one.
But what really makes it what it is to the heart?
Is the one whose table it is and the realization in our own souls that were there because he wants us there.
He wants us there and.
The being there fulfills the desire of his heart and the desire of our heart. And if we're not there, who feels it the most? I believe He does. He feels it more than those who are not present that have a place that He has provided for them at it and so.
It is an important on what a different part that will be brought up or is alluded to in Chapter 5, that there can be something that hinders us from being there, but it isn't the desire of the one whose table it is. It's something that we have done or something in us that is a hindrance that has caused us not to be there. And of course, there's the possibility that we don't really appreciate.
What it is?
That has been given to us to set at his table.
I guess I'll add what I sort of did what I had, but I think I better should.
What I did?
That kept me from sitting at my father's table.
Was of a character that dishonored my father's name.
I was probably at the time six or seven years of age.
But I was with my mother in a store and I stole something. I asked my mother for it and she said no, not now. And when she was off another part of the store, I stole it and took it. But the consequence of it was it was a serious dishonor to my father's name, and it was of such a character that I couldn't sit at the table when there was that matter.
That had to be brought under discipline.
The consequence was for me, I've already given what was the hardest part of it, but the first part of it was my mother took me back to the store and I had to confess to the store people what I had done.
And I did.
That was, I'll be honest and say that was the easy part. The hard part was the separation from that which in my heart I knew I wanted to be part of and could not.
You are still part of the family. I had a seat but empty but I was. I didn't lose 1 iota of I couldn't.
You know my father couldn't, if you will. To be honest, the Lord could never disown us. He would never separate us from his body. It's one. It's eternally 1.
And so in that way, I always had a place at my father's table.
But you weren't in fellowship with your father at that moment.
No, I wasn't.
I just, I bring it up because I think it's a simple way of illustrating the truth of what's brought before us here.
Pardon me, it did you good.
And I think it's important rather than, as we read these verses, to recognize in very, very clearly it speaks of idolatry.
Verse 19 What say I then? That the idol is anything? And that's what happened in Israel. They established an idol in the north and the South of Israel, and they offered their sacrifices there at an altar that was established and verse.
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So it's idolatry, and so we got to be careful in saying that all other fellowships are tables of demons. That is not.
Correct. It's where there is idolatry concern and that is the case in many sectors if you go to Latin America.
In the Catholic system, they have a lot of idols and they sacrifice to those idols and they have food at those tables and they partake.
But I think the principle that we want to take away for this, and especially for our dear young people, is the question of fellowship.
When there is someone that comes from a different group in believers in Christendom.
Maybe, they say, I'd like to break bread with you.
But they have something in their system that is not consistent with the.
Word of God that is perhaps derogatory to the person of the Lord Jesus. This question applies. This question of fellowship applies. Can we show fellowship? I've heard that even many evangelical groups hold that the Lord Jesus, even though he did not sin, could have sinned if he wanted to. That is serious error. That is not the truth. Can we show fellowship with that?
Sorry, I don't feel at liberty to show fellowship with that. And so the principle of fellowship is there rather than and I think that's important for us to see that we don't accept just anybody that comes in to break bread.
Because of this principle that we find here.
Idol was, in the classical sense, a stone image.
Or stone image is nothing isn't it just a piece of stone and the Corinthians, I think we're taking the position was just a piece of stone. It doesn't matter if we eat an idolatrous feet. We we're we're we're beyond that. And the apostle Paul has to point out no, those stone images represent demons. It's not devils is one devil many demons. They represent demons. It's I've never had the privilege of going to India. Bill, you've been there many times and others in this room no doubt haven't but understand that like on every street corner, everywhere you go, you see.
Idols and sacrifices and things burning being offered to idols, well, they represent demons. So we have 3 situations here. We have the Lord's Table.
We have what God gave Israel and that dispensation and we have what the Gentiles practice in paganism. And you might say, well, Israel that was, that was ordered of God, that that was ordained of God. What, why, why does it matter if someone comes in that is still celebrating the Jewish feast? Why, why shouldn't he be partaker at the Lord's table? Well, because he's still identified with that, even though it was established by the Lord and of the.
That previous administration.
He is identifying with that. And then when it comes to the Pagan feast, well, clearly.
If you partake of those sacrifices offered to the idols you are identifying with the demon worship connected with that, even if you know that that's just a stone that can't do anything for man, doesn't matter, you're identifying with it.
Yes, that's very good, brother Nick, and we need to remember that.
Although the idol is not anything, it's the demons behind it that are the big problem. Yes, any kind of an idol is bad, but it's the fact that they are satanic. They started after the flood. As far as we know there was no idolatry before the flood. But it would seem.
That when God allowed the flood, it was, if we could say it, a tremendous shock.
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Not only to mankind, but also to say, here was the mighty power of God revealed in judgment again against evil.
But then Satan, as it were, said, I have power too, and I will persuade people through the use of idols that those demons that are behind the aisles and the Devil behind them with them as their head and his power is really God's power. And Satan has been doing that ever since.
Rather remarkable that the Apostle Paul in chapter 21 of Acts was never permitted.
To make an offering, it says that Paul took the man in the next day, purified himself with them, entered into the temple.
To signify the accomplishment of the days of purification. Until then an offering should be offered for everyone of them. Paul was never allowed to do it.
God allowed a disruption. He's taken away.
The attempt to murder him that God spared him, spared him from making that era, even though it was out of a heart of love for his brother. He said he would willingly have given his life for his brother if he could, but it was a misguided In Paul's case, it was.
A misguided thing that he was entering into, but the Lord wouldn't let him offer that offering.
But it lives in verse 21, this section. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot be partakers of the Lords table and the table of demons. Why not? Because there is no fellowship between the Lord and demons. That that is the point of it here. And so it's important to see the principle of eating together.
At the Lord's Table is showing fellowship together.
Says verse 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? If we're not going to recognize his lordship, brethren, when He is given His precious blood to save us, then we provoke the Lord to jealousy and He may have to intervene.
Governmentally in our lives, as he did in the case of the Corinthians in Chapter 11, but.
It's a question of his.
Government.
And then he says in verse 23, All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
So and then he gives some illustrations of that as we go down through the chapter there. But we need to.
The exercise, brethren, I have a right. It's lawful that that idea so permeates our culture. Brethren, it's not a matter of my rights. It's a matter of his rights. It's his table. That's where he has authority. Are we not willing to give him that place?
In our lives of his authority, I think that's so important.
Think what I'm doing. Maybe I think I have a right to do that. That's not the question.
Is it edifying? Is this a help to my brethren, or is it going to be a stumbling block or a hindrance?
We need to be exercised by these things rather than.
I think it's good what you say, brother Bob, and just to consider how the Corinthians got themselves into this place, going back to chapter 8, and it's been referenced a couple of times how that they had knowledge they had.
Knowledge that the idol was nothing, but they were puffed up in that knowledge, and they were lacking love in that knowledge.
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And so.
Going on in that knowledge without love.
That that pride, that spiritual pride that they had blinded them.
And they took it a step too far. It was true that the idol is nothing and things offered idols are nothing. But it's interesting that when we get into a mode where we're just doing something because we can and it's really sin, it's really self will that it blinds us. And then sometimes we take a step beyond that. And what they did was they didn't just eat the thing that was offered idols, but they went into the idol house and they.
Partook at the idle table.
And I just think it's, it's, it's a really good moral lesson for us that this is how they wound up in this situation was.
The spiritual pride, it was, it was the, it was the knowledge that wasn't regulated by love and it puffed them up. And then they actually, although they were correct about the idol in chapter 8, they took another step and they were blinded by that pride and they made a serious error.
And we're provoking the Lord to jealousy. So it's a really just a practical moral lesson for us that just because we can.
Doesn't always mean we should and to be careful that that although we may be technically right in an issue that us being right in that can contribute to spiritual pride that leads to blindness and we take another step that's wrong.
Back in the 6th chapter, we have similar words, all things along to me. Chapter 6, verse 12. Sorry, all things aloft 1 to me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any there is in connection with self. And I suppose that most people would sort of grasp that principle. You know, I shouldn't be brought under the power of drugs. I shouldn't be brought under the power of many things in connection with myself. But in this chapter, now this verse is in connection with others.
As Bob, I think you said or hinted at, we live in a world where that what I should do should be governed by the conscience of another is complete anathema. We live in a world today that says you need to be your authentic self no matter what.
How it offends or touches others. This is not Christianity. This is not scriptural principles. So you notice what verse 24 says. Let no man seek his own, but every man, every man, every man, another's wealth.
So now we have this verse. All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient in connection with others those around me. I can't do it because what effect it might have on others around me and the chapter goes on to develop this thought even further. It may sound a little contradictory because it goes on to describe that whatsoever is sold in the shambles that eat asking no question for conscience sake. So you can go along to the market and you can buy a piece of meat. You don't have to worry whether it's been.
Sacrifice, according to Islamic law, you don't have to worry whether it's being sacrificed according to, I mean, slaughtered, I should say, according to Jewish tradition. You don't have to ask yourself that question. You can take it home and eat it with a clear conscience. But if someone comes along to you and says, oh, did you know that that meat was offered to an idol, then you are to act not because of your conscience sake, but because of his or hers.
And as I said, this principle.
And it's at the root of the whole moral, immoral revolution that we're going through in this country in the Western world today that you are to live out your authentic self. This is a lie of the devil.
To live out your authentic self is a horrible thought. Read Romans chapter 3 if you have any questions as to what we are by nature.
And that is what is being preached, that we should live out. And we'll be told that if you deny those feelings, if you deny those things, that you're being hypocritical.
It's amazing how Satan takes up the language of scripture and turns it into immorality.
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What you say there Nick is in verse 28, isn't it? Any man saying to you this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it.
And for conscience sake, for the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof conscience, I say not thine own. I'm supposed to respect whether it's going to be a stumbling block to another. For why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? In other words, doesn't mean that it changes my conscience at all. I have my conviction about it, but I since we're expressing the truth of the one body.
And it's a fellowship. I'm sensitive as to what others may think or be hindered by.
Another side to this.
This teaching, I believe that we can recognize that one whose conscience is bothered by something that.
They could have. Liberty would indicate that there was a weak conscience.
And it should, it should be our desire not to leave a soul in the condition of having a weak conscience. But there should be instruction over time as growth is, is is possible to instruct a soul? So they don't, they don't have to continue in circumstances where they don't have liberty and so.
It's important that we don't offend a weaker brother.
But don't we want our brethren to be fully mature?
Well, we are to lookout other person because.
As has been pointed out, the world you know they want a person to promote themselves and.
The world looks up to somebody that's going up the ladder, you might say, and making a name for themselves. It's the world, the principle. But you know, this principle in verse 24 says let no man seek his own. And I noticed, Mr. Darby says.
Advantage. So often we look at the situation and we pass a judgment based on how we can be advantage by doing this or that or the other thing. But the fact is we ought to be thinking about what's good for the other person.
As opposed to myself.
It's remarkable to think about the Lord.
I just noticed in Romans 15.
It says in verse one, We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please.
Ourselves.
That everyone of us please his neighbor.
Not ourselves, please his neighbor for his good to edification.
For even Christ, please start himself.
What an example we have in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who sacrificed his own interests in order to benefit somebody else?
One other point perhaps that should be made. Here we are talking quite a bit about idols.
As opposed to the Lords table.
And of course, at the time this was written.
There were no divisions among believers, at least not outwardly. So Paul could accuse the Corinthians of systems, that is an inward division among them. They were identifying with certain prominent leaders, but there was no outward division in the Church of God. And so the contrast here in this chapter is between the Lord's Table and what existed all around them in a very, very real form.
Idolatry.
I have had young people and some not so young.
Give me quite a going over because they have said well, but surely you would not in any way accuse dear believers who are in some kind of evangelical church fellowship or something like that. You would not attach the name idolatry to them, would you? Surely you can't use this scripture in that way.
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And I would only say this that.
God gives us here.
What occurred at the beginning in the setting in which in the setting that existed at that time?
Now what do we have? We have christened them all broken up, literally into hundreds of different groups.
Some individual, some connected in a network together.
Many of them.
And the question is, well, do these verses apply to that?
I believe in principle they do.
Because where it says in verse 18, are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar as we have already explained the moment I partake and let's say in this case.
Some emblems that are on the table in some group.
Whether I like it or not, and this has been brought out, I identify with what that group teaches and I can't pretend that I don't. The Word of God says I do.
Well, someone will say, then where is the Lord's table? Tell me where the Lord's table is. You think you're the only ones that have it?
How many times have we heard that?
Brother Bob brought it out very clearly. Hits of the Lord's Table.
But I have said to some people in scripture so confusing and.
Spirit of God, so indefinite in His leading that you and I, with an honest heart wanting to know where the Lord's table is, can't find it. Or we have to say, things are so broken up and so complicated that what do you do? You just have to go wherever you can find some fellowship and no.
I've never heard this quotation in a meeting before.
But I knew it well from an old brother.
Same brother that walked up to the table and said, may the precious remembrance of the Lord never become religious ritual.
He said in order.
It to be the Lord's Table.
The Lord must have set it up, and the Lordship of Christ must be owned.
You think about that for a few minutes to use a common expression.
It covers all the bases.
The Lord must have set it up. Suppose there were an expression locally here in Saint Louis of the Lord's Table, and someone else set something up in competition with it and did everything the same. And I have had that brought before me. Well, we're the same as you are.
Would that be the Lord's Table? Would it be Bob?
It certainly would not, would it?
And so the Lord must have set it up, and the Lordship of Christ must be owned. And I can remember our late brother, it was your father, Doug Clem Buchanan bringing out. He said, I do not have any right to go out and start a so-called church when there is already that in existence which exhibits the truth of the one body and thus constitutes the Lord's Table.
So I say that because I believe there's a lot of confusion out there today about this, a lot of argument. And I, I have had numerous words with people, correspondences with people about this very subject. And they keep coming back to it and saying, do you think you're the only ones that have the Lord's table? And my answer to them is absolutely not. It's not our table, it's his table. But I do insist.
That there is one table, and by God's grace I want to be there.
And in my own soul, I have the faith that I am there. But it's a matter of faith, not a matter of indisputable fact.
And if someone shows me that I'm wrong, I trust I'm willing to submit to that. But until then, I believe we can have the sense that we are where the Lord would have us. And I believe the Lord does for those that are honest lead to where His table is. I say that again because of the multiple arguments that we have heard using these scriptures and saying how can you dare attach idolatry to dear believers?
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Who are going on in some group that is not what you would call the Lord's Table?
I don't think we say that evangelical groups or tables of demons.
But what we're saying is that we can't have fellowship with that which is not recognizing the Lord's authority and his person because that's what we're there for. I've had people challenge me to what they said to you, Bill, You think you have the Lord's table. We do not have the Lord's table. The Lord has his table. But my exercise is to be there and as far as I'm aware of in my own conscience.
I am there, but if you think you know better, I'm willing to listen to you, but I'm not going to be guided by what you say. I'm going to be guided by what the Word of God says. And I think we need to hold that truth and exercise of heart, brethren, because sometimes we give the impression that we think we're it. It's not that we are it, it's that Christ is the focal point. He is the reference point that is important.
Part of the reason, sorry.
Go ahead. Well, just one quick follow up. Part of the reason I say that is that we were talking about pride coming in and that is a very dangerous thing, isn't it? Sorry, Nick, go ahead. No problem. I, I just want to say, young people, if you're confused as to these things, you know, the Apostle John, we're going past our times. So forgive me. The apostle John wrote what we call abstract style, a style that was independent of experience. You need to look at Scripture independent of experience, independent of what you see around you in Christendom. You have to decide.
Is the Lord's table divided? Are there many Lords tables?
That's the that's what you got to decide first because if you come to the conclusion that there's many, then there are many centres of gathering. There's many.
Bodies there's and so on. You have to decide what Scripture says. And then, as Brother Bill said, the exercises, well, how do I find myself?
At a place that expresses the truth of the one body that expresses the truth of the Lord's Table, that gives him his Lordship. How do I find that? But if you're not excited, if you don't have an answer to the first question, then you're lost. Literally, quite literally. If you don't know where you're going on a road trip, you can't decide if there's one destination, you're not going to get there, are you?
They would sing over 210.
2:10 One spirit with the Lord, O blessed wondrous word, What heavenly light, what power divine, doth that sweet word afford? 210.
One spirit with the Lord.
Holy Lord.
Of God, I'm screaming for her and I love her.
Let's start over.
Different tune. Half of us don't know that way.
One spirit will.
All.