Do This In Remembrance of Me
Notes
Transcript
Tell the story of the last supper
And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him.
And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.
For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
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.”
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table.
For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”
What is the meaning of communion? What does it proclaim? How does it relate as an ordinance or sacrament? How significant is it?
What does it mean to eat and drink in an unworthy manner and not discerning? (1 Cor 11:27-29)
In short, communion is:
Eerdmans Bible Dictionary I. Institution
a ceremony of memorial, fellowship, communion, proclamation, and anticipation
The Lord’s Supper is a gift for believers.
We participate together in communion every month as believers. But like baptism, the question is this: why? What is communion all about, why is it so significant, and who is it for? Let’s take time to consider God’s Word on the idea of communion,
What Is It About?
What Is It About?
Our first stop on this journey of understanding what the Lord’s Supper is all about is to understand how it relates to the Old Testament. The underpinnings of such an important part of our faith are found way back in Exodus, as we read about the first passover:
“Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts.
And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn.
In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.
For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.
The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.
As the people of Israel get ready to leave Egypt, God gives them this command to observe passover. Katie and I read a Biblical fiction novel a while back that pictured that night. The food eaten, the door posts painted with the blood of the lamb. The wait - the knowledge that throughout the land of Egypt thousands of lives were being taken in this sovereign, mighty act of God. Yet God was faithful to His promise - when God saw the doorposts painted red with the blood, He spared those in that house. This blood then became the mark of redemption - the sign that another had taken their place.
So, why do we start with this story about passover? Because it was on this night, as Israel observed yet again in remembrance the passover meal, Jesus says the following:
And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him.
And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.
For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
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.”
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table.
For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”
And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.
The institution of the Lord’s Supper - as Paul calls it later on in 1 Corinthians 11 - happens during passover. Why do we not celebrate passover, as the people of God now would we not celebrate this integral observance of God’s deliverance like His people did way back when? No, because now we observe a new sign, a new rite, and a new meal that bonds us together as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. This new memorial and reminder celebrates the deliverance of not just a people group from slavery, but any who would believe from slavery and death in sin. It celebrates the awesome working of God.
But if this is a reminder and something that proclaims Jesus’ sacrifice for us, how then do we take passages like Luke 22 19, where Jesus says this is His body? Similarly Matthew 26 26 reads:
Matthew 26:26 (ESV)
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
We need to explore this because different Christians have interpreted this differently over the years, and how it is interpreted actually makes a lot of difference in our understanding of what the Lord’s Supper is all about.
In Roman Catholicism, it is taught that Jesus’ body and blood are literally ingested by the believer as they take communion. The bread and wine are miraculously transformed as the priest raises the bread and proclaims “this is my body.” This process is called “transubstantiation.” They are adored (or worshipped) because they are understood to be the actual body and blood of Jesus. Because it is understood as the actual body and blood, it is considered to be once again a new sacrifice of Christ to God. The purpose then of the Lord’s Supper in the Catholic view is to glorify God, atone for sin, give thanks, and appeal. Added to this, the Sacrifice of the Eucharist (or Lord’s Supper) can be offered then not just for the living, but for the dead who are in purgatory.
The biggest concern here isn’t so much about the physical presence of Christ, but that Christ has paid the price for sin once and for all, as we read in Hebrews 10:12
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
How could it be that we must perpetually offer the sacrifice of Jesus again and again? Is this not saying that His atoning work on the cross was not enough, but that we need this as well in order to be saved? Scripture makes it very clear that Jesus paid the price once for all time. The entire Old Testament sacrificial system, all of those sacrifices, pointed to the one ultimate sacrifice that would be accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. To say that we must again sacrifice Jesus is out of line with Scripture, and a dangerous path to tread. Moreover, it fails to understand the symbolic nature of what Jesus was talking about.
In other views, this idea of transubstantiation is most definitely rejected. Yet it is still thought that the body of Christ is present “in, with, and under.” A lot like the idea of water being present in a sponge. The sponge is not the water, yet the water is present “in, with, and under.” This view was proposed by Martin Luther. He couldn’t accept the Catholic understanding of how communion worked, but still felt that Jesus’ words that “this is my body” must be taken literally. Verses that might be used to back this up could be 1 Cor 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?
So for Luther and many Christians, the body and blood are actually present during communion. This again doesn’t logically make sense. How can Christ physically be present everywhere, when the Bible specifically teaches that He rose physically and was seated at the right hand of the Father? To work around this, Those who believe this have to do some interested logical gymnastics.
For other Christians it is considered that Christ is symbolically and spiritually present in communion. This is the camp that we fall into as a body of believers. We believe that when Christ said “this is my body” he was speaking metaphorically, like how he spoke of himself in John 15 5
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Is Jesus a literal vine? Certainly not! But He is our spiritual vine, and only when we abide in Him and stick with Him can we actually be set free from sin and live for God, overcoming this dark world. The Lord’s Supper is a gift that symbolizes Christ’s atoning work, and our acceptance of that work in our lives. Jesus is certainly present, but spiritually, not physically. We know He is with us as we worship, as we read in Matt 18 20
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Does this mean Christ is physically present? No! He is spiritually with us. The bread and juice (or wine) symbolize Christ’s body given, and blood spilled for us. They give a physical representation of the spiritual presence of Jesus with us.
Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (II. Significance)
As bread is eaten for sustenance of life, so the offering of the body of Christ provides life for the Christian. As the wine is poured out and gives life, so Jesus poured out his life on behalf of many for their forgiveness.
This isn’t to knock fellow brothers and sisters, but the Lord’s Supper is an integral part of our faith - a gift Jesus left us to remember and proclaim the sacrifice of Jesus. Therefore, a right understanding of this ordinance is very important.
As we take together the juice (or wine) and bread, we are remembering, as 1 Corinthians 11:26 tells us:
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
We proclaim the Lord’s death and resurrection until He comes. It is now not the blood of a lamb that is our covering, but the Lamb, as John the Baptist calls Jesus:
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
This supper is a distinct sign of the blood of the new covenant, the blood of Jesus, poured out on our behalf, as we read in Mark 14 24
And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
So the Lord’s Supper is a gift for us that reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice. Moreover, it proclaims - as Paul says - the death and resurrection of Jesus, His atoning work, as we wait for Him to come again in His glory! Every time we come together to eat the bread and drink the cup, we are remembering and proclaiming - just as they did at passover - the blood covering of Jesus. Communion is a gift for us to focus on and proclaim Jesus’ sacrifice for us.
Who Is It For?
Who Is It For?
Ok, so we know what it is about, now we ask, who is it for?
The Lord’s Supper is a gift for believers. And you’re probably thinking “go figure.” But the reality is that this is serious - it is a time for us to both remember and proclaim Jesus. Those who do not yet know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour are not ready, and it would not be appropriate for them to participate. Communion means union, with Jesus and each other. Romans 6 5 tells us:
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
In the Lord’s Supper, we symbolize and proclaim our union with Jesus, even as Christ through this affirms His love for us, and that the blessings of being saved are mine. We are spiritually nourished. But, we can have no union with those who have not accepted Jesus, because they have not yet been united with Jesus by accepting the free gift of salvation, repenting, and believing.
Jesus invites to His table everyone who accepts the free gift of salvation and trusts in Jesus alone for salvation. So, if that is you, then you are welcome to the table of the Lamb. If that is not you, the stipulation here centers around this question: where is your heart? Because Jesus invites you too, but on the condition of acceptance of Jesus for salvation. None of us can save ourselves, but through Jesus we are united, and can celebrate together.
The Lord’s Supper actually does unite us. Eating together is a vulnerable thing, and provides a moment of humility in the body. Lest any of us think we are better than others, we must remember that we are all invited to participate in this rite and gift. not just those who are richer, purer, or theoretically holier than others. This brings us to a very important passage of Scripture. In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul addresses the Lord’s Supper in the Corinthians context. But listen to this:
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.
Ouch. What was going on here? We gain the answers in verses 21-22
For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk.
What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.
When the church came together, instead of being a thriving example of how we are united together in Jesus, there was a severe distinction between the rich and the poor. The rich would eat together in one place of the house, getting drunk, while the poor were in a different part of the house, eating poorer quality food (or none at all) than the rich and elite. It had become a glorified social club, with the same distinctions the world made! This was their practice of communion, and Paul outright says “I have no praise for you” concerning this practice.
1 Corinthians & 2 Corinthians Commentary
what they were doing undercut the core meaning of the gospel and amounted to trivializing the cross
Paul then reiterates the gospel accounts of how the Lord’s Supper is to be administered. Afterwards, we read this:
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.
Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.
But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—
if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.
What is this “unworthy manner?” Most likely, Paul was telling the Corinthians to prepare properly for the Lord’s Supper by examining themselves and evaluating honestly their treatment of other believers. Given the context, this makes sense, for some were treating others with contempt or distain. Certainly not equality or the love that should characterize the body of Christ.
So, church, are the relationships within this body of Christ reflecting the nature of the love of God?
Are we acting in ways that vividly portray not the unity of the one bread and one body, but disunity? Are we conducting ourselves in ways that proclaim not the self-giving sacrifice of our Lord, but enmity and selfishness? - Wayne Grudem
If not, we need to make this right before we come to the table. This is where Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 23-24 come into play:
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
We must, as we come to participate, examine ourselves and look at our vertical and horizontal relationships. Does confession and repentance from you to God need to happen? Make it happen, and then participate! How are our relationships within the church? Are we portraying together the unity in Christ we should have, and a selfless love to others? We should first, if we are able, go and make this right between each other if there is something that needs to be fixed. Do you need to forgive someone? Do it now, before you come to the table. We must have hearts that are soft. Those who are not born again, unrepentant, refusing reconciliation, or unforgiving are not ready to participate in this. Those who chose to eat and drink in an unworthy manner apparently experiencing physical judgement. The kind of judgement that is not eternal, but like any good parent, they received from God discipline in keeping with their actions.
It is for this reason we must be careful not to judge those who abstain from communion. Sometimes we think, what is that all about? Why have they chosen not to participate? But the reality is that is between them and God, and if they choose to first fix those relationships, they are doing their best to honour the high place of the Lord’s Supper.
The Lord’s Supper should bring us together. It is for believers, demonstrating our unity together and in Christ as we participate. It is a demonstration of the affirmations of our faith and participation even in Christ’s death.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The Lord’s Supper is a gift for believers.
It is a reminder and proclamation. We are reminded of the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. We proclaim this until He comes again. But it is something for believers, and we must examine ourselves, so that we come together with repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.