Study Seven

Study Seven

Knowing the Sacraments

Prayer:

“If you love Me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15). O, Lord Jesus, we do love You and want to follow what You have commanded. Help us to understand the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Give us the desire to be baptised and remove any obstacles to our being baptised. Bless us when we partake of the Lord’s Supper. We pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

The sacraments of baptism and of the Lord’s Supper, sometimes called the Holy Communion are two of the most significant actions in our new life as a Christian. These sacraments show our commitment to our God and obedience to His commands. These sacraments are not mere actions but also the means where we can come into the Presence of God. Hence the sacraments are not to be taken lightly but with full reverence and seriousness. Read chapter eight and nine, “Christ Our Life”: A Communicant’s Manual

THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

1. In the Old Testament, what did God require of His people, Israel to set them apart from other people? Read Genesis 17:1-14. Why?

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2. What is infant baptism?

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3. Why baptise infants? You may want to relate this to question one.

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For it is very clear from many testimonies of Scripture that circumcision was also a sign of repentance. Then Paul calls it the seal of the righteousness of faith…For although infants, at the very moment they were circumcised, did not comprehend with their understanding what that sign meant, they were truly circumcised to the mortification of their corrupt and defiled nature, a mortification that they would afterward practice in mature years.

To sum up, this objection can be solved without difficulty: infants are “baptised into future repentance and faith, and even though these have not yet been formed in them, the seed of both lies hidden within them by the secret working of the Spirit.

John Calvin

4. What is ‘confirmation’?

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5. Why must a Christian be baptised?

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6. What is the meaning of baptism?

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THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

7. Relate the story of the Lord’s Supper. Read Matthew 26:17-30.

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Text Box: A sacrament is a visible sign of a sacred thing, or a visible form of an invisible grace.
Augustine of Hippo

8. What is the relationship of the Lord’s Supper to the Passover? Read Exodus 12:21-28

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9. How does partaking of the Lord’s Supper deepen our relationship with God?

10. How should we prepare ourselves before we partake of the Lord’s Supper?

The Lord’s command is for us to be baptised and for us to partake of the Lord’s Supper whenever we can. Whenever we partake of the Lord’s Supper, the bread is a reminder of Christ’s body broken for us and the wine, Christ’s blood shed for our sins. We share in His sufferings and His sacrifice. Also in celebrating the sacraments, we are celebrating together with millions of other Christians in the worldwide Church and millions of saints who went before us.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for the sacrament of baptism. We are symbolically washed clean and reborn spiritually. Thank You for the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Help us to prepare ourselves to receive this sacrament. Holy Spirit, bring to light any hidden sins and disobedience in our lives. Let us feel Your Presence as we partake of the bread and drink of the wine. Amen