In the institution of the Last Supper, our Lord warned Peter about the spiritual peril he was in. He said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you.” The Lord went on to say that He had prayed for Peter, that after his return from failure, he would strengthen his brethren.
We live in a perilous world. The Lord in His grace warns us, as He warned Cain – sin is crouching at the door, and this sin is hungry and would devour us.
At the point of every crisis, at every temptation, we must understand the situation as God declares it. Sin is the lion, and we are the antelope. Instead of taking heed as we ought, we flatter ourselves, as Peter did, although he was restored, and as Cain did, although he was not. Look down at your hands as you hold the bread and then the cup. Do you look in faithful submission? Then you hold life in your hands.
Do you look at this provision with your back up? Are you wiser than God? Are you going to outwit Him? Are you going to be the first hypocrite in the history of redemption to successfully sneak by the Lord? If you really think so, then it is clear that God has already begun the process of judicially blinding you.
If this frightens you, as it should, the right response is not to abstain from the Supper. You hold bread and wine in your hands that is death to you. But to put it away, or refuse to take it, is an even greater sin and even more death. You are baptized, and so you must come. If you are rebelling against that baptism, then you must repent.
Do not trifle with the things of God.