“…let a man examine himself” (1 Cor. 11:28).
On the Lord’s Day we gather round the Table of the Lord. Remember, it is the Lord’s Table, and not the
table of any man. It is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself Who is inviting you to take part. All those who have
been purchased by His precious blood have free access to this Table. If you look into your heart, you will
know if indeed you have been purchased by His blood, and if not, please do not touch the bread or the
cup, even if they are passed to you. These things belong only to those who are born again and are a part
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of His living Body, the Church. They do not belong to those who are not born again. This then, is the first
point of self-examination. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith” (2 Cor. 13:5).
This Table reminds us of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in that death it reminds us also of the
mighty and eternal victory wrought on the Cross. Our Lord wants us, each one, to have a life of victory
and triumph and He has made every provision in His broken body and shed blood to enable us to enjoy
that abundant life. As we partake of the bread and the cup we live by Him. We are reminded also that we
have to be clean before we partake of it. We may have been taking part for many years, but even so, we
need to examine ourselves on every occasion, lest we are unclean, lest we take part unworthily, for
“…whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body
and blood of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:27). Are we clean and worthy before Him? This is why we need to
examine ourselves before we take part. Are we obeying Him in all things? Is there any matter between
ourselves and a fellow-believer? Is there any envy or jealousy? Is there any disagreement or disunity?
Then, before we partake of the bread or the cup, that matter must be confessed and put right, both before
God and with our fellow-men; that envy and jealousy must be confessed and put under the blood; that
hatred or disagreement must be brought to the light, and dealt with and put right. Every weakness can be
overcome by His life. Every defilement can be washed by His blood and every past loss can be recovered
by humbling ourselves. As we remember His death, we remember that we also are dead to sin, and must
yield ourselves as servants to obey Him (Rom. 6:16-19).
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