Communion and Feet Washing (3)

The Lord’s Supper

1 Corinthians 11:26

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” Tonight, we have gathered as the family of God around His table to remember His death and proclaim that it was not in vain.

As we anticipate participating together in the Lord’s Supper, I want to offer up two reminders. First, because it is the Lord’s Supper which means that it is an ordinance for all of the Lord’s Children who have been washed by His blood to participate in. This means that if you are a follower of Jesus, whether a member of this church or not, you are invited to participate.

However, this also means that if you do not believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, we would respectfully ask that you abstain.

But we also need to be mindful of the state of the heart before participating in communion. This isn’t a way to isolate those who have not believed but the hope is that you would observe what we are celebrating and come to faith, believing that Jesus Christ is the Messiah.

Listen as I read 1 Corinthians 11:27-29. 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. Let’s pause and ask God to forgive us for our sins.

Father, we ask now that you would forgive us of any sin in our lives that we have not confessed. Help us as we examine our lives. Shine a light on any ways where we have fallen short of the standard that you have set. We ask that you forgive us for the ways that we have failed you. I’m going to ask now that our men come forward.

Luke 22:7-18 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” 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 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…”

Deacons will pass out the bread. Blake PRAY

Jesus said “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Mark 14:23-25 “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Deacons will pass out the “wine” Wade PRAY

Jesus said,“This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

replace table cloth

Washing of the Saints Feet

John 13:1-12

“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you?”

In a moment, I am going to dismiss you, ladies to the social hall and men to the large classroom off of the main hallway. I would ask that we leave from here still in a spirit of worship. Our services will be dismissed after everyone has finished washing feet. If you are not comfortable washing someone’s feet, I would encourage you to observe as others do participate and feel free to sing along as we sing hymns and share testimony.

John 13:13-15

“You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”