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“Affectionately Meditate on His Death and Sufferings”

Posted on by Carl Robbins

Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church is a confessional church. That means we have a confession of faith: a formal, written creed, to which all ministers, elders and deacons must wholeheartedly subscribe. Our creed is also not of recent origin, it’s historic. In fact, we’ve had the same creed since 1647. One of the finest and clearest sections of our confession is the lengthy discussion of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in Larger Catechism 168-177.

psalm-22This Sunday evening (September 13) we will be receiving the Lord’s Supper and to prepare to do so we will hear a sermon on Psalm 22, one of the clearest Biblical discussions of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. This is most fitting since Larger Catechism 174 reminds us that one of the things you’re to do during Communion is to “affectionately meditate on His death and sufferings”*.

Come prepared to have your heart stirred by the ministry of the Word, and to grow in your love for Christ.

*Larger Catechism Question 174: What is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s supper in the time of the administration of it?
Answer: It is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, that, during the time of the administration of it, with all holy reverence and attention they wait upon God in that ordinance, diligently observe the sacramental elements and actions, heedfully discern the Lord’s body, and affectionately meditate on his death and sufferings, and thereby stir up themselves to a vigorous exercise of their graces; in judging themselves, and sorrowing for sin; in earnest hungering and thirsting after Christ, feeding on him by faith, receiving of his fullness, trusting in his merits, rejoicing in his love, giving thanks for his grace; in renewing of their covenant with God, & love to all the saints.

Carl Robbins
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Carl Robbins
Carl is a native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a graduate of Crichton College and Covenant Theological Seminary. Pastor Robbins has served churches in South Carolina, Oklahoma and Nevada. In addition Carl has served on the board of crisis pregnancy centers, Christian schools and seminaries. He has spoken to college groups, medical school forums, state legislative groups, seminary chapels and church conferences. His special passion is training pastors in developing countries. Carl and wife Sandy have been married for 37 years(!) and are the parents of three believing, adult children: John and his wife DeAnna and their children (Bray, Emmie Ruth, and Maggie Grace), James and his wife Megen and their children (Jack and Lainey Janice), and Sarah and her husband Andrew Holmes. Carl and Sandy love OU football, big dogs, good Mexican food, and the beach—any beach, any time.