The Lord's Supper

Three times a month, Jermaine Washington and Michelle Stevens get together for what they call a “gratitude lunch.” With good reason! Washington donated a kidney to Stevens, whom he described as “just a friend.” They met at work where they used to have lunch together. One day Michelle wept as she spoke about waiting on a kidney donor list for 11 months. She was being sustained by dialysis, but suffered chronic fatigue and blackouts and was plagued by joint pain. Because Washington couldn’t stand the thought of watching his friend die, he gave her one of his kidneys. When you’ve got something great to be thankful for, having a “gratitude lunch” is a great way to celebrate.

The fulness of God couldn't stand to see us die eternally so He sent Jesus to die in our place. Today we are taking communion, not having lunch but we will show gratitude all the same as we celebrate what Jesus has done for us.

CPS: Today I want you to know three things in regards to communion… It is a time that we look back to the Cross in remembrance of what Jesus did for us, It is a time to look to the future as Jesus resurrects His church and establishes His kingdom on earth, and it is also a time we must examine ourselves confessing and repenting of any sin that is in our lives.

I. The Lord’s Supper is a time of looking back to the Cross. (23-25)

I am grateful for what Jesus did for me. He left heaven and came into this world to pay a debt that He didn’t owe because I owed a debt I couldn't pay. Have you ever been faced with a bill that you couldn’t pay?

ILL: When I came home from the Army I spent all of my savings as I adapted to civilian life. The army fed and housed me but now it was up to me. I wasn't making enough money to survive and got behind a month or two on my truck payment. I ended up cashing in some savings bonds that had not matured yet so that I could pay my bill. The lost dying sinners around us face a debt that they can not pay each day and there are no savings bond or amount of money nor deeds that can pay their sin debt. But, Jesus paid it in full!

Our text tells that on the night of the Last Supper just before Jesus was betrayed He took the bread and gave thanks for it! Let that settle in… in John 6:35, 48 Jesus says, “ I am the bread of life” Jesus tells us John 6:51(b) The bread I will give for the life of the world is MY FLESH! John 6:54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Jesus, knowing the agonizing death He faced and the separation He would experience from the Father on our account gave thanks for it. What a love Jesus loves us with!

The Apostle Paul instructs us that this is a time of remembrance (anamnēsis) which mean a reminder. Communion is a time for us to look back at the Cross and reflect on the love God showed us as He died for us!

A. The Bread

The Lord’s Supper as recorded in the Gospels and referred to in our text was the last Passover meal that Jesus and His disciples celebrated. Passover was celebrated because while in Egypt the death angel passed over the Jews who had applied the blood of a lamb to their front door and door post.

During the meal the Matzah (unleavened Bread) is broken and passed out. This bread had to meet three requirements, It must be unleavened, striped, and pierced so that when held to a lamp the light could be seen through the holes. As Jesus passed out this bread He said “this is my body, which is broken for you.” The Passover bread was a fitting symbol of Jesus’ body. First, It was unleavened. Leaven is a symbol for sin and we know that Jesus was the sinless one of of God (2 Cor. 5:21). Second, it was striped. Jesus was striped by way of the Roman whip during His scourging. Third, it was pierced. Jesus was pierced twice twice by the nails at the crucifixion and by the spear that was thrust into His side.

Is. 53:5 “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.”

B. The Cup

After the Matzah is broken the third cup of wine is distributed. The Jews call this “the Cup of Redemption” because it symbolizes the blood of the innocent Lamb that saved the firstborns from the final plague in Egypt. This now becomes the symbol of the blood of the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world adn ushers in a new covenant, the sacrificial law has been fulfilled now God’s Law can be written upon the hearts of those who believe by the giving of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus wants us to remember Him and how He died because it is not His life or His teaching that saves the sinner but it is His death and resurrection! This remembrance is not simply recalling historical facts but it is participation with spiritual realities… We have communion (Fellowship) with a living Savior as our hearts reach out by faith.

II. The Lord’s Supper is a time of looking to the future. (26)

Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection we have blessed hope and a future. Jesus said Mark 14:25 “Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Jesus is not speaking of new wine but of the Kingdom that is to come!

Communion is a time of looking to the future resurrection of the Church when Jesus will establish His kingdom on earth. The apostle Paul tells that we keep doing this until He comes!

forty days after Jesus was resurrected He ascended back to His glory in heaven and the day is coming that Jesus in a twinkle of an eye will gather His Church and save us from 7 years of literal hell on earth. 1 Thes. 5:9 “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,” then at the appointed time Jesus will tear apart the eastern sky and emerge on a horse adorned for war and He settle all the rebellion in the world and lay waste to enemies then the Kingdom of God will come to earth and He will rein and we will be invited to partake in the Lord’s Supper with Him!

The Lord’s supper is the link between Jesus two comings, the monument for the first and the pledge of the future. Today let us look forward to that time that we will become as He is and anticipate feasting in His presence! But until them let us proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes!

III. The Lord’s Supper is a time of preparing your heart. (27-29)

The Lord’s Supper is meant for those who are saved and since Communion is a very holy moment we must take time to examine our hearts for unconfessed sin that needs to be confessed before we partake in the Lord’s Supper. We are told in our text that we are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord if we partake in this moment in an unworthy manner.

Unworthily is the Greek adverb anaxiōs which means in an improper manner.

ILL: At a Communion service in Scotland, the pastor noted that a woman in the congregation did not accept the bread and cup from the elder, but instead sat weeping. The pastor left the table and went to her side and said, “Take it, my dear, it’s for sinners!” And, indeed, it is; but sinners saved by God’s grace must not treat the Supper in a sinful manner.

In context the Corinthians were living in unconfessed sin they neglected the poor during the Lord’s Supper and they were good at judging the sin of others but failed to examine themselves for sin.

We are told to examine ourselves! Examine is the Greek verb dokimazō which means to try out or to test. It is time to take an inward inspection of our lives through prayer asking God to reveal sin in our lives!

In John 13 we find that just before the Last Supper Jesus washed the feet of His disciples but Peter would not have it, saying (John 13:6) “Lord, do You wash my feet?””

John 13:7 - 10 “Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.””

In Jesus day, only the filthy rich had private bathhouses. Most people went to a public bathhouse and washed themselves, on the way home there feet would become dirty due to the dusty streets in Israel. They kept a small bowl or pitcher of water by their front door, since one who baths is clean they needed only to wash their feet to be clean again. The moment you trust Christ as your Savior you are thoroughly washed clean but there is still sin in the lives of believers but they need only wash their feet. This happens by means of 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

You must examine yourselves now and confess sin in your lives least the Lord judges you. For the Corinthians who partook in the Lord’s Supper with unconfessed sin many became weak and sick while others died.

Time of Invitation: The confession of sin by saints, the repentance of sin for the sinner (Salvation)

Communion: 1st Bread, second Juice

Mark 14:25 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”