September 2014

If you are visiting with us you may wonder whether or not you should receive the Lord’s Supper (or Holy Communion). We don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable in eating the bread and drinking the wine. We also don’t want anyone to participate merely to go through religious motions or just to be sociable! In fact, the Bible says it’s spiritually dangerous to do so. Accordingly, we are trying to follow his instructions as nearly as we can. We do not want to keep anyone away, but we do want everyone to come in the Lord’s way.

In light of his instructions, and in the name of Jesus Christ, we invite you to commune if you can sincerely answer “Yes” to each of the following:

FAITH: Are you consciously following Jesus Christ, repenting of your sin, and trusting him for a right standing with God? This means that you are not trying to earn God’s favour by anything that you do.

BAPTISM: Have you been baptized (either as an infant or as an adult)? Baptism (the sign of union with Christ and his church) must always precede the Lord’s Supper (the sign of communion with Christ and his church).

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: Are you a member of a local Christian church that proclaims the gospel? Since the Lord gives his Supper as a visible sign to his visible church, participating is a privilege of local church membership.

CONFESSION OF CHRIST: Have you publicly professed your faith in Christ? Has the leadership in your local church formally recognized your confession as credible?

CHRISTIAN LIVING: Are you seeking—in reliance upon God’s strengthening grace—to live for God and to obey his Word in all things? When you sin, do you seek God’s grace in Christ to forgive you and to enable you to live in renewed obedience to him?

ACCOUNTABILITY: Are you a church member in good standing (not excommunicated or asked by your church to refrain from taking communion)? We respect our Lord’s discipline through other churches, and we do not want to encourage the practice of lowering the standards of Christian living or evading accountability by allowing unrepentant people to do what their own congregations do not allow them to do.

If you can sincerely answer “Yes” to each of these things, then we welcome you in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We believe he wants you to receive his grace and rededicate yourself to him and his church in this way.

If you can not answer “Yes” to each of these things—or if you are not sure—then, in the name of Jesus Christ, please do not participate at this time. We invite and encourage you to watch, to pray for more light, and to talk with the pastor about how to take steps to enable you to enjoy communion with Christ and his people.

Scripture:	Exodus 20:14; Hebrews 13:4
Sermon:	“Let the Marriage Bed Be Undefiled”
Hymns:	“Arise, O Lord, Our God, Arise” (TH 374)
	“Arise, My Soul, Arise” (TH 305)
	“Psalm 45:1–10” (TH 433)
	“Psalm 45:10–17” (tune: Diademata)
Doxology:	“Gloria Patri” (TH 734)

Scripture:	John 1:1–18
Sermon:	“You Cannot SEE God, But You Can KNOW God”
Hymns:	“O Lord, How Shall I Meet You?” (TH 156)
	“Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” (TH 598)
	“Thou Art the Way” (TH 154)
Doxology:	“All Praise and Thanks to God” (TH 98:3)

Orthodox Presbyterian Church

Archives for September 2014

To Prepare for Lord’s Day Worship, 7 September 2014

SHOULD I TAKE COMMUNION HERE?

5 Questions to Ask When Reading the Bible

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