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Sermon #8305

The Lord's Supper

A Sermon on the Lord's Supper

Originally preached Dec. 3, 1954

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Sermon Description

In this sermon on the Lord’s Supper, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones concludes his series of sermons on the sacraments with this message, focusing specifically on communion. Like baptism, communion is a sign to the recipient of God’s work in the believer, and also a reminder of the seal of the Holy Spirit living in him or her. However, communion is uniquely vivid in signifying the Lord’s death in the breaking of the bread and pouring out of the wine. As with the water for baptism, Catholics believe that God’s grace is actually in the bread and juice of communion, an idea called transubstantiation—the false thinking that the bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus. Dr. Lloyd-Jones takes the listener through the arguments for and against this, showing that it is an unbiblical idea. Who is able to take communion? As with baptism, Dr. Lloyd-Jones demonstrates from Scripture that communion is only for those who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The Lord's Supper is one of two sacraments recognized in the Protestant church, along with baptism.
  2. The Lord's Supper has been a subject of debate and controversy, especially since the Reformation. Much of the controversy stems from additions made by the Roman Catholic church, not the biblical teaching itself.
  3. There are two main views of the Lord's Supper: the Catholic view of transubstantiation, and the Protestant view of the Lord's Supper as a sign and seal.
  4. Transubstantiation is the belief that the bread and wine literally become the body and blood of Jesus. This was defined as doctrine in the 12th century.
  5. The attempt to base transubstantiation on Jesus's words "this is my body" is unscriptural and unreasonable. Jesus was speaking metaphorically.
  6. The Lutheran view of consubstantiation is that Jesus's body and blood are present "with and under" the bread and wine. This is also unsatisfactory.
  7. The views of the reformers Zwingli and Calvin are that the Lord's Supper is a sign and seal, not a literal transformation.
  8. The primary thing signified by the Lord's Supper is Jesus's death. We proclaim his death by partaking of the bread and wine.
  9. The Lord's Supper also signifies our participation in Christ's death and our union with him.
  10. The Lord's Supper signifies our participation in the new covenant and all its benefits.
  11. The Lord's Supper signifies that we receive life and strength from Christ, as we feed on him spiritually.
  12. The Lord's Supper signifies the union of believers with one another. We are one body in Christ.
  13. The Lord's Supper not only signifies these things but also seals them to us. God assures us of these benefits as we partake.
  14. We should partake of the Lord's Supper with thanksgiving, remembering what it seals to us.
  15. Only believers should partake of the Lord's Supper. It depends on faith, not the elements themselves.
  16. Weak and sinful believers may partake, if repentant. But those living in unrepentant sin should refrain.
  17. God may chastise those who partake unworthily, to bring them to repentance. But this does not mean they are lost.
  18. The Lord's Supper does not provide any grace beyond what we receive from the Word. It intensifies and makes more effective the grace we receive through the Word.

Great Biblical Doctrines

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.