Sermon Tone Analysis

In Remembrance

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

9:46 AM

Gene Gregory, wrote this story as a great reminder for us as believers;

A man was working in his backyard one day, when his neighbor began talking to him over the fence.

He said, "Yeah, my wife and I went to one of those seminars yesterday, you know, where they teach you ways to improve your memory and such."

📷

His neighbor commented, "Really.

What was the name of the speaker?"

The man answered, "Ah, ah, what's the name of that flower that smells so good and has thorns?"

"You mean a rose?"

"Yeah, that's it."

He called over his shoulder, "Rose, what was the name of that speaker we heard yesterday?"

We humans often have a hard time remembering things.

My memory has gotten so bad I figure that within a few years I'll be able to hide my own Easter eggs.

The Lord knows how short our memories are, so throughout the Bible we find Him reminding us of things again and again, and even doing things to help us remember.

We have memorial offerings, writings, and tassels.

There are rainbows, books, and stacked stones.

Jesus used parables and items around Him in those parables, to help people remember what He taught; but in the whole Bible there is no reminder more important or significant than the one He established the night before His crucifixion.

It is Communion, the Lord's Supper, our Memorial Meal.

In verse 19 of the passage we just read, Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of Me."

The whole meal is a reminder of Him, and the two elements of the meal remind us of three important things about Him.

Today, I want to talk to you about Communion, one of just two oracles of the church.

Baptist and Holy Communion

Our Title for today is "In Remembrance"

Our Scripture is taken from "1st Corinthians 11:17-22" (NKJV)

As we read this letter, Paul is writing to the church in Corinth and he has some strong things to say to them about how they are observing the Lord’s supper.

You will remember that I have reminded you before that this book, although it contains plenty of history, it is also as fresh as today’s newspaper.

So when Paul writes these words he is not only speaking to the church in Corinth, he is also speaking to Kingdom Keys Bible Fellowship and anyone else that is listening via the Internet.

Listen carefully to what Paul says.

Reading from the New King James Version of the Holy Scrolls

This is the setting: the apostle Paul is teaching on the subject of the Lord’s Supper.

Jesus has already ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

It is the apostle Paul himself who is serving the communion.

Now I know these are strong words Paul has written but I want to remind you that whenever Paul wrote letters to the churches, he always had a specific purpose in mind.

Typically there was a problem; remember the gospel was new to them and there were many times when they just weren’t getting it right; they were teaching doctrine that was not correct; some were not obeying what the scripture was teaching ….. truth is that it was much like the church of today.

And that is why the message is so relevant.

Therefore Paul was writing to address those problems.

First of all Paul noticed there were divisions in the church and many times by meeting they were actually doing more harm than good.

Some were eating so much of the bread there was none for the others.

Some were drinking so much of the wine they were getting drunk and others had none.

They were abusing the Lord’s supper which is actually sacred.

The problem was not with the supper; the problem was with the people.

But Paul makes an interesting remark in verse 19.

He is saying here no doubt there are differences among you so that those who are doing the right thing will stand out.

Your witness will be noticed.

They weren’t properly sharing the food or the wine as they should.

Paul gives them a solution to the problem.

Paul is saying that every time you come together you must examine yourself.

(v.

28-29) The supper is not to be received casually.

Verses 28-29 say this …

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

So, Here is the way Paul puts it.

He says “there are those among you who are receiving the supper and you have not really examined yourself.

You take it casually, just like too many of us today do.

And as a result you are eating and drinking judgment upon yourselves and that is a very scary thought, or it should be.”

He says further, “that is the very reason that some of you are weak and sick and some have even died.”

Paul is telling us that before we receive this communion supper we must stop and consider what Christ did on the cross to make this moment possible.

To make our salvation possible.

He says “Examine yourself.”

This is a spiritual exam.

Kind of a check up.

Are there any un-confessed sin(s) in your life?

Is there any problem between you and any of your brothers and sisters in Christ?

Are there?

Remember in the Mathew 5:23 there was a man who was bringing his gift and Jesus told him before he places his gift on the altar to go first and makes things right with his brother and then come back and give the gift.

Jesus is concerned that when we give that our hearts are in the right place.

You see, our hearts matter more than anything else.

Paul in verses 4 and 5 goes on to speak and at the close of his message he quotes Jesus Himself and tells them this….”whenever

you eat of the bread and whenever you drink of the cup always….. always……always….

do this in remembrance of Jesus.

What did he mean?

What are we supposed to remember when we come to this special time?

I believe there are 3 things that we as believers should focus on.

3 things to remember.

(First) Remember how much Jesus loves you.

Jesus has you on His mind right now.

Right now He is thinking about all of His children.

Right now He is listening to all of His children.

He is responding to prayer.

He is working on our behalf.

There is no limit to all He is doing on your behalf right now and He is protecting you in ways we cannot even imagine.

All of this because He loves you.

And His Holy Spirit is protecting you.

(Second) Remember that He died for you.

He paid the greatest sacrifice of all when He died for our sins.

He stepped out of Heaven and into our sin-filled lives to save us.

He did that for one reason.

To save us ….

Because He loves us.

He loves you and Heaven will not be the same without you there.

He died for you.

Remember that.

(Third) Remember that He is coming again.

Really the fact that He loves us and the fact that He died for us would be somewhat meaningless if it were not for the resurrection.

What Jesus did for us on the cross was incredible, our sins were forgiven; but the resurrection is what ties all of this together.

Paul put it this way: “If Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, which means your faith is useless.”

The resurrection completes what was done on the cross.

Many men and women have died for certain causes, in all the wars though out US history and we respect every one of them.