Hebrews 3:1
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Jesus Christ.
JEREMIAH DYKE (1584-1639): It is good, when we are come to the Lord’s Table, to do as Solomon wishes us to do in that case: When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee, Proverbs 23:1.
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): The object of this Supper is to commemorate His dying love.
JAMES DURHAM (1622-1658): See here a great evidence of the love of God, and of the Mediator.
EDWARD PAYSON (1783-1827): If the Jews exclaimed, Behold how He loved Lazarus! merely because they saw Him weeping at his tomb, John 11:36, with how much more reason may we exclaim, “Behold how He loved us!” when we behold Him in Bethlehem, in Gethsemane, and on Calvary! Indeed, an apostle tells us, that the love of Christ “passeth knowledge,” Ephesians 3:19; and at the same time intimates that it is exceedingly important to know as much of it as is possible, and that, in proportion as we know it, we shall be filled with the fullness of God. Let us then, before we approach the table of our Lord, spend a few moments in meditating upon His unsearchable, unconquerable love.
JOHN CALVIN (1509-1564): “Who gave Himself for us,” Titus 2:14. This was a remarkable proof of the highest love. Forgetful, as it were, of Himself, Christ spared not his own life, that He might redeem us.
MATTHEW POOLE (1624-1679): There is no greater love amongst men, than when one layeth down his life for his friends; but herein Christ’s love excelled, that He gave His life for His enemies.
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): He loved us, when we had no love for Him, when we lay in our guilt, misery, and blood, when we were undeserving, ill-deserving, polluted, and unclean, and wanted to be washed from our sins in sacred blood.
C. H. SPURGEON: I would like you, brothers and sisters, tonight, to remember the proofs of Christ’s love. You were far off, but He sought you, and brought you back. You were deaf, but He called you, and opened your ear to hear His loving call. You came trembling, and afraid, but He cheered you; and in a moment He took your burden from you, and set you free. Do you remember it?
THOMAS WILCOX (1622-1687): Treasure up the manifestations of Christ’s love.
EDWARD PAYSON: At the table of our Lord, each of us should recollect the personal favours and marks of kindness, which he has himself received from Christ, or through His mediation. Our temporal mercies, our spiritual privileges should all pass in review.
C. H. SPURGEON: Since Jesus first came to you, and saved you, many a time you have been in trouble, and He has comforted you…Let your memory begin to run over the pages of your diary. Turn over the leaves that record your Lord’s favour to you.
EDWARD PAYSON: We should remember how often He has since healed our backslidings, pardoned our sins, borne with our unbelief, ingratitude, and slowness to learn; supplied our wants, listened to our complaints, alleviated our sorrows, and revived our drooping spirits when we were ready to faint. In short, we must remember all the way by which He has led us, these many years, through a wilderness of sins, sorrows, trials and temptations. Thus we shall be convinced that no sickly infant ever cost its mother a thousandth part of the care, and labour, and suffering, which we have cost our Saviour; and that no mother has ever shown her infant a thousandth part of the watchful tenderness, which our Saviour has shown to us.
C. H. SPURGEON: The wonderful part of all this to me is that it should be the love of such an one as Christ is. That ever so Divine a person set His love on us is very wonderful. I can understand my mother’s love, I can understand my child’s love, I can understand my wife’s love; but I cannot understand Christ’s love. Oh brothers, we are nothings, we are nobodies; yet this glorious Everybody, this All in All, did actually set His love upon us!
COLONEL JAMES GARDINER (1688-1745): Oh, how good a master do I serve! but alas, how ungrateful I am! what can be so astonishing as the love of Christ to us, unless it be the coldness of our sinful hearts towards such a Saviour?
RICHARD SIBBES (1577-1635): And when we feel ourselves cold in affection and duty, the best way is to warm ourselves at this fire of His love and mercy in giving Himself for us.
ISAAC WATTS (1674-1748): Love beyond degree!
ROWLAND HILL (1744-1833): Never think of the atonement of Christ without thinking, ‘That costly sacrifice was necessary for me.’
SAMUEL RUTHERFORD (1600-1661): Look to the Supper and ye shall find it very expensive to Christ, for the fire that made it ready was the wrath of God; the fuel and the wood was Christ, and a great burden of sins of the elect on His back…He was roasted and burnt on the cross, and carved all to pieces with nails, spears, and buffetings, to make Him God’s bread for the mouth and stomach of believers. And the sourest sauce in this supper to Christ, was His dear Father hiding Himself. And when all this was done ye cannot do Him a worse turn than not to eat heartily.
ROWLAND HILL: May God help us to think more of the sufferings of Christ, and may His love melt down our hearts.
JOHN ANGELL JAMES (1785-1869): The frame of mind in which we should receive the memorials of redeeming love, is that of a humble, thankful, and peaceful reliance upon the mediation of our Divine Lord for pardon and eternal life.
C. H. SPURGEON: Much of the influence of this ordinance is found in its simplicity. How beautifully simple the ceremony is—bread broken and wine poured out…Note again, the mighty pregnancy of these signs—how full they are of meaning. Bread broken—so was your Saviour broken. Bread to be eaten—so His flesh is meat indeed. Wine poured out, the pressed juice of the grape—so was your Saviour crushed under the foot of divine justice: His blood is your sweetest wine. Wine to cheer your heart—so does the blood of Jesus. Wine to strengthen and invigorate you—so does the blood of the mighty sacrifice. Oh! make that bread and wine to your souls a sweet and blessed help of remembrance of that dear Man who once on Calvary died.
SAMUEL RUTHERFORD: Now, for the Lord’s sake, beloved, please the good Man of the house, and eat and welcome.
EDWARD DENNY (1796-1889): Sweet feast of love divine!
’Tis grace that makes us free,
To feed upon this bread and wine,
In mem’ry, Lord, of Thee.
