Are You Ready

The Coming Supper

I. God Commands People To Prepare

A. Examine yourself. “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” (1 Corinthians 11:28)

B. Are you trusting Jesus for salvation? “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5)

C. Would anyone who knows you be able to give evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work in you? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

D. What do you know about Jesus? “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)

II. Ignoring the State of the Soul Kills

A. Carelessness opens the door to hell. “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” (1 Corinthians 11:29)

B. Attentive people know the greatness of their own sin and wretchedness, the wonderful liberation from sin’s consequences, and the unlimited gratitude appropriate for full redemption. “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” (Titus 3:3-8)

III. Remember Jesus’ Love

A. Jesus first loved us. “We love him, because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)

B. Believers won’t perish; though we were sinners, we will live forever. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

C. Redemption is as reliable as God because it was His idea, not our effort. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (John 15:16)

D. The Christian life is entirely a matter of grace. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:4-5)