Untitled Sermon (3)

Communion Service

1 Corinthians 11:17–34 (ESV)

17 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.

18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,

19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.

20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.

21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk.

22 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.

23 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,

24 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.”

25 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.”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

27 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.

28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.

32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—

34 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.

In the introduction read the Churches standing on the Communion and our position as a symbol not actual blood and body of christ from any type of imagination.

Point #1 The Historical Origin of the Lord’s Supper

26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. 30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. Matthew 26:26-30

22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. Mark 14:22-25

Mark 14:22–25 ESV

22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 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.”

14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. 15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: 16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:14-20

Jesus is the one who spoke of the taking of the passover with his disciples. The words were a little different but the intent is the same. It is a comparison of the Jewish passover and now Jesus becomes the final passover. One living with no sin offering himself for the sins of the world. His identity is now seen as the sinnless offering for the sin of the world.

Old and New Covenant clash- But the No it is a change God promised a redeeming that was better than animals (Jesus)

No more sacrifice is needed.

Communion became the symbol of what took place at Calvary.

Paul in his letter to 1 Corinthians 11 give us the order and reason for the sysmbol.

Looking at the earlier church It was seen as a symbol of what Christ did on the cross and there was a need to remember but the payment is complete in Christ.

As each of the four Gospels said it is complete in me and Christ will return and complete it

#2 The Believing Participants of the Lord’s supper

This section is looking at you the Believer.

This act is for those who know and believe that Jesus really died and rose again and is returning.

Buy ! this is not a secret or event that others can not attend.

Why? Jesus death and resurrectiondS was to be for everyone that believed and we are to be witnesses of this to others. When Paul begins with his instruction he did not say it is only for members, only those who are written down in our records.

Unbelievers if you want to take the bread and the cup go ahead for it does not change your status.

Believes - What are you called to do?

You see a believer is ask to confess their sins and come into worship with the Living Saviour and God. Yes God know was are all sinners and he is asking you to make it right and pray for forgiveness before you partake. It not I do not want to even guess what our God might have planned for us. You see I’m not worried about the unbeliever at this point. We know their position now. But you who believer you are responsible for your actions.

So the origin of the Lord’s Supper is that final supper that Jesus ate with his disciples the night before he was crucified. The actions and the meaning of it are all rooted in what Jesus said dd on that last night. Jesus himself is the origin of the lord’s supper. he commanded that it be continued. And he is the focus and the content of it.

#3 The Physical Action of the Lord’s Supper

This was not the last supper as a 7 course meal with all the trimming. It was not a casual serving of what ever we want to serve. (hamburger and coke, Beer and pestle)

This is a sullen occasion- and we need to follow Christ in his steps Bread and Cup (Some symbol of Christ Blood)

And it should not be routine (But solemn and holy as we present it to God.)

#4 The Mental Action of the Lord’s Supper

The mental action of the participants of the Lord’s Sup[er is to focus the mind on Jesus and especially his historical work in dying for our sins. “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

The Lord’s Super is a stark reminder, time after time, that Christianity is not new-age spirituality. It is not getting in touch with your inner being. It is not mysticism. It is rooted in Historical facts. Jesus lived. He had a body and a heart a that pumped blood and skin that bled.

He died publicly on a Roman cross in the place of sinners so that anyone who believer on him might be rescued from the wrath of God

The event happened in History

#5 The Spiritual Action of the Lord’s Supper

any body can partake in the Lord’s supper

anybody can eat a peice of bread and drink a cup of grape juice.

So what is so important about it?

If you are a professing Christian and you understand the Blood of Christ and what it means ( his blood cleanses washes away our sins, His body was hung on the cross opening ly that all could see him) Know the promises of God and the teaching of the Old testament you know that there is more meaning than just doing it.

It is not the number of times your do it

It is not grapejuice, bread, special bread it is know what Christ did for your and acknowledging what Christ did. and asking for the forgiveness of your sin as you partake of the elements.

It is a conscious directing of the mind back into history to Jesus and what we know about him from the Bible. The lLord’s Supper roots us, time after time, in the nitty-gritty of history. Bread and Cup Body and blood. Execution and deathl.

#6 The Sacred Seriousness of the Lord’s Supper

Paul says -

It is not taking of a meal and calling it communion. You can eat at home. This is not some kind of feast

It is not just doing it and saying I’m OK because I did it.

it is to have meaning of understanding your sins and your life outside of Christ

Knowing your sinfulness and asking forgiveness as your take of the elements.

really it is joining in fellowship with like believer in Christ and showing to the world that I’m a sinner but Christ died for my sins is risen from the grave and with the Father in heaven and I’m thankful for his love to do it for me —even if I didn’t deserve it