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Q 174. What is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in the time of the administration of it?

A. 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,1 diligently observe the sacramental elements and actions,2 heedfully discern the Lord’s body,3 and affectionately meditate on his death and sufferings,4 and thereby stir up themselves to a vigorous exercise of their graces;5 in judging themselves,6 and sorrowing for sin;7 in earnest hungering and thirsting after Christ,8 feeding on him by faith,9 receiving of his fullness,10 trusting in his merits,11 rejoicing in his love,12 giving thanks for his grace;13 in renewing of their covenant with God,14 and love to all the saints.15


  1. Leviticus 10:3

    Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” And Aaron held his peace.

    Hebrews 12:28

    Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

    Psalm 5:7

    But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
    will enter your house.
    I will bow down toward your holy temple
    in the fear of you.

    1 Corinthians 11:17

    But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.

    1 Corinthians 11:26-27

    For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

    Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. (ESV)

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  2. Exodus 24:8

    And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

    Matthew 26:28

    for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (ESV)

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  3. 1 Corinthians 11:29

    For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. (ESV)

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  4. Luke 22:19

    And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (ESV)

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  5. 1 Corinthians 11:26

    For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

    1 Corinthians 10:3-5

    and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

    1 Corinthians 10:11

    Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.

    1 Corinthians 10:14

    Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. (ESV)

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  6. 1 Corinthians 11:31

    But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. (ESV)

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  7. Zechariah 12:10

    “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. (ESV)

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  8. Revelation 22:17

    The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

    Matthew 5:6

    “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (ESV)

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  9. John 6:35

    Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

    John 6:47-58

    Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

    The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (ESV)

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  10. John 1:16

    And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. (ESV)

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  11. Philippians 3:9

    and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— (ESV)

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  12. Psalm 63:4-5

    So I will bless you as long as I live;
    in your name I will lift up my hands.

    My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
    and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

    2 Chronicles 30:21

    And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might to the Lord. (ESV)

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  13. Psalm 22:26

    The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek him shall praise the Lord!
    May your hearts live forever!

    1 Corinthians 10:16

    The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? (ESV)

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  14. Jeremiah 50:5

    They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it, saying, ‘Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.’

    Psalm 50:5

    “Gather to me my faithful ones,
    who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!” (ESV)

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  15. Acts 2:42

    And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. (ESV)

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Copyright © Tim Hopper. Based on Calendar of Readings in the Westminster Standards by Dr. Joey Pipa. Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.