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  THE BREAD OF GOD
  by G.W. North
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Summary: The bread and wine in the Lord's Supper are elevated to speak
of Christ's body and blood, serving as memorials of His sacrificial
death.

Topics: "Sacrifice of Christ", "The Lord's Supper"
Scripture References: Luke 22:19

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DESCRIPTION
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G.W. North emphasizes the significance of the Lord's Supper,
highlighting that at the first feast, no one was hungry or thirsty due
to the prior Passover meal. He explains how Jesus selected bread and
wine from this meal to symbolize His body and blood, establishing them
as eternal memorials of His sacrificial death. North warns against
indulging in carnal appetites at the Lord's table, stressing that
partaking in anything other than the prescribed elements is both risky
and disrespectful. He also points out that abstaining from the Supper is
equally unacceptable, as it undermines the command of Christ.
Ultimately, the simplicity and frugality of these elements reflect
Christ's care for all members of His Church, regardless of their means.

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CONTENT
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At that first great feast no-one was hungry or thirsty, for each one of
them had already eaten well. Roast lamb was the main item of the good,
solid Passover meal they had all taken just beforehand. Presumably, when
about to establish His supper, the Lord first carefully selected from
the remains of that former ordinance some bread and wine. Having done
this, He gave thanks to God and proceeded to install the new feast. He
did so by elevating the two ordinary elements from their ordinary usage
and ordaining them to speak to us of His body and blood. By this He
established them to be for ever the memorials of His sacrificial death.
Quite as obviously, since they were not selected for their food value,
they were pressed into use as being most suited to His purpose.

Moreover, their frugality and simplicity testify also to our Lord's
tender discrimination, for they are not beyond the means of the very
poorest members of His Church.

From that time forward, these alone are to be the viands served at His
royal banquet. If therefore any person among the Corinthians ate and
drank anything other than these, or under any pretext sought to indulge
carnal appetites when sitting at His table, they would do so at risk and
to their own condemnation. On the other hand if any member of the body
of Christ knowingly eats or drinks less than both these, or does not
partake of the supper at all, his action or abstinence is reprehensible.
To say the least it is impolite, at the worst it is an insult to the
Lord; the rest is best left unspoken.

In this matter we are not consulted at all, nor are we asked for an
opinion about the substance or amount of the provision. We are summoned
by His command to attend, and under His supervision do we all partake.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/gw-north/the-bread-of-god/
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