As we come together to keep the remembrance of the Lord’s supper, we must consider to what extent we obey God’s commands. We must consider– neglecting to do so is one of our greatest failings.
To consider is to give thought. If we do not think about this matter we do not consider it, and we are thus negligent: this breeds disobedience and, consequently, death.
Jesus Christ gave an illustration of obedience in the story of the man and his two sons (Matt. 21:28). He commanded his sons: “Go work today in my vineyard.” The first son answered and said: “I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.” The second son answered and said: “I go, sir: and went not.” The second failed to obey. Why? His profession was right but his conduct was wrong. When we consider our own ways, we can probably find many instances where we said we would do the right thing but ended up putting our way ahead of God’s.
Upon self-examination, we readily see that it is necessary for us to build up within ourselves a zeal to cast out the driving influences of the flesh. We must strive to use all the various circumstances in which we find ourselves to build our character.
A simple example
We might be driving home and, seeing our brother walking down the road, might give him a lift. He is carrying a heavy parcel. On reaching the road that turns off to his place, we stop and the brother gets out, thanks us, and goes on his way.
Do we consider that he was carrying a heavy parcel and still had two miles to go? Do we consider that the day was far spent, that darkness was approaching and that he was undoubtedly getting tired? Don’t you think God would have been more pleased with us had we driven him right to his door? If we had been in his place, wouldn’t we have been glad for a lift right to our front door?
To what extent did we inconvenience ourselves for our brother? Did our conduct go beyond what a “worldling” would do? Don’t you think it should?
And even if we had driven him all the way home, but begrudged the gas and the time and sacrifice we made on his behalf, we still would have failed to please God.
Consider the love to us
Have we considered the love of God toward us? He has been very compassionate toward us in considering our frail nature. He has been patient and longsuffering toward us and has reconciled us to Himself through the sacrifice of His own son. God has instituted the Lord’s supper that we might come together to bring to remembrance these very things.
Think what the Lord Jesus suffered for our sakes that we might be freed from the bondage of sin and death. Yet, we can spend our days worrying about our own selfish concerns and rarely contemplate the great works of God.
Self interest
Our minds can be so centered on our own affairs that we completely forget the needs of others. The first thing we know we are striving to fulfill the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life; when we are called upon to do some unselfish act, we cannot do it without begrudging our time or money or effort.
God created us. He knows how susceptible we are to absorption in self. He has therefore set before us the most astounding act of love and self-sacrifice in the means of redemption. And he has commanded a regular self-examination when we meet to remember the death and resurrection of our Lord. We must realize that thoughts become acts; acts become habits; habits form character; character forms life and life decides destiny. Hence, it is necessary that we think on whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are putt, whatsoever things are of good report, whatsoever things are virtuous and worthy of praise.
It is our attitude toward the Truth that is going to prepare us for the coming of Christ. We do well to consider the attitude with which we accepted the faith.
Consider the world
Isn’t the world an example of disobedience to the commands of God? Don’t we see selfishness and greed, and the resulting bloodshed on every side? Isn’t the consequence of fulfilling the lust of the flesh manifest in these violations? Isn’t this the fruit of the wisdom of man? Aren’t Christ’s words life, honor and glory? The words of Psalm 143 come to mind: “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk…teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness” (Psa. 143:8,10).
Practice righteousness
Let us then give ourselves to walk uprightly and work righteousness. Let us speak the truth in our hearts and not backbite with our tongues. Let us not do evil to our brethren or take up a reproach against them. Let us shun a vile person and honor those who fear the Lord. Let us make our word our bond. Let us refrain from hurting the helpless or lashing with our tongues those who are powerless before us.
We can set our hearts upon our ways with honest introspection for our God is merciful. He knows our frames and remembers that we are dust. He has removed our iniquities from us as far as the east is from the west if we continue to have humble and contrite hearts before Him.
God sees when we give heed to His instruction in righteousness, when we seek after the welfare and needs of others instead of fulfilling our own selfish interests.
So let us then be up and doing, striving to overcome and pursuing holiness of character.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One