We will continue our study of the major doctrines of the
Christian faith today. Our next stop is to see what the Bible affirms about the
Lord’s Supper. Our goal today will be to answer four questions on the subject
(listed below).
READ Scripture-
This is the Word of God (1 Corinthians 11:23-28)
What is the Lord’s
Supper?
It is the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was
inaugurated by the Lord on the night of His betrayal in the upper room. Now, we
are not people that believe that these emblems are or becoming the actual,
physical body and blood of the Lord. Jesus was not telling us to drink blood
which was actually prohibited in the Mosaic Law and was against the teaching of
the Apostles. We believe that the bread and juice represent the body and blood
of the Lord. Partaking in these emblems signifies our devotion to and faith in
Christ’s atoning work on the cross. It symbolizes our union with Him, as we
consume the bread and juice. It also demonstrates our common bond, as we
partake of the same bread and cup. We are one body all with the same Lord and
Spirit. When we commune with the body and blood of the Lord, we remember the
Lord’s death.
Why Participate in
the Lord’s Supper?
We participate in the Lord’s Supper because Jesus said, “Do
this in remembrance of Me” that is, continue
to do this in remembrance of Me (1 Cor 11:24-25). First and foremost, we
participate in the Lord’s Supper because we have been commanded by the Lord to
do so.
Another reason we partake of the Supper is because we see
that it was the practice of the early church (and I will show you more
Scripture on this in just a bit).
A third reason we participate in the Lord’s Supper is because
it is a means of grace. There is no power of grace in the elements themselves,
but in the event of the church we receive grace. When we come together to
remember and proclaim the sacrificial death of the Lord, we encounter once
again the loving grace of God – forgiveness of sins, and the gift of eternal
life.
Why Participate in
the Lord’s Supper Every Week?
We participate in the Lord’s Supper every week because the
Apostle said, “For as often as you eat this
bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes”
(1 Cor 11:26). The phrase “as often” could be taken to mean once a month, once
a quarter, or once a year I suppose, but we make it our practice to take it as
often as every first day of the week.
In (1 Cor 11:20) the Apostle says, “Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not
to eat the Lord’s Supper.” He then goes on to scold them for their
conduct in the gatherings which tells me that the Lord’s Supper was the
reason that they were supposed to come together.
(Acts 2:42) tells us of four devotional activities that the
early church continued in. One of those things is the breaking of bread. The
church was devoted to the Supper!
We need the weekly reminder of the Lord’s death. It should
control our lives week after week. Why do you think that the Lord said, “Do
this in remembrance of Me”? We are sinful people who are often weak,
and we tend to stray. The Apostle John says in (1 John 1:8), “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us.” We need to be reminded of the death of the
Lord, and we also need to be confronted with our own sins. It is at the Table
that we meet anew the grace of God in the person and accomplishments of Jesus
Christ.
How Should we
Participate in the Lord’s Supper?
We want to teach and practice what the Bible affirms
concerning the Lord’s Supper.
[1] We are to eat and drink in a worthy manner, first
examining ourselves (1 Cor 11:27-28). If there is anything clear from this passage in 1
Corinthians, it is that the sin that the church was guilty of was the neglect
of brothers and sisters. You see, when you partake of the meal you are
partaking with the person beside you, in front of you, behind you, all around
you in the assembly. When you partake, you partake as a member of this
congregation- intimately connected to all the other men and women here who have
put their faith in Christ. Thus, examining one’s self must include your
relationship to the entire church, not just personally. This involves searching
your own heart, considering your own life, and reflecting on your Christian
relationships with brothers and sisters and with God. If there is a wicked way
found in us, we are called to confess it to God who is quick and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
[2] The Lord’s Supper is a time to give thanks. Remember
that when Jesus took the bread and the cup, He first lifted it to heaven and
gave thanks. We do the same, thanking the God for the life-giving sacrifice of
Jesus Christ.
[3] The Lord’s Supper is a time to proclaim the Lord’s death
until He comes. When we put the bread and cup to our lips, we proclaim the
Gospel of Jesus Christ; God made Christ who knew no sin to be sin for us that
we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Conclusion
What is the Lord’s Supper? It is communion with the “body and blood of the Lord.”
What is the Lord’s Supper? It is communion with the “body and blood of the Lord.”
Why do we participate in the Supper? Our Lord said, “Do
this in remembrance of Me.”
Why participate weekly? The Apostle said, “As often
as you eat this bread and drink this cup.”
How should we participate? First examining,
remembering, giving thanks, and proclaiming