A Unifying Meal

In just a few minutes we will partake of the Lord’s Supper. Several encounters in recent weeks and months has brought about deeper thought and contemplation in the partaking of the Lord’s Supper.

We studied last Sunday night that the Lord’s Supper is one of the two ordinances or sacraments of the Christian Church that we observe along with Baptism. I think it interesting to learn a little more this morning about the Lord’s Supper because I have learned that the manner in which we partake of the Lord’s Supper is not the only way to partake.

Can you believe that? “We’ve never done it that way before.”

Oh dear church as we change it up a little this morning as one of my dear brothers stated last Sunday night, “when we do it the same way if we are not careful it can become rote or traditional and lose its impact.” I agree with that statement.

Many of you know that I participated a week ago on a mission retreat where I served as a spiritual advisor. As a group of believers across denominational lines we partook of the Lord’s Supper in ecumenical fashion, meaning that we partook of communion in a Christian generalized fashion and it was a very meaningful service.

God has so blessed us as a church in recent days because we have drawn Christians from other denominational backgrounds. Each of the ones that come to mind either partake of Communion in a different fashion or with greater frequency. Thinking of my fellow brothers in sister in Christ that comes from varying backgrounds as it relates to communion, begs the question, why do we as Baptist partake of communion at the frequency firstly and the manner in which we perform communion?

Catholics for example partake of communion at every mass they hold. Our Methodist counterparts partake of the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of each month normally. Church of Christ take communion every Sunday based on:

Acts 20:7 “7 Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.”

Church of Christ use this text as their example as to the frequency they partake communion.

Time would not allow to address all of our other denominational brothers and sisters’ mindset as to the reasoning they partake of the Lord’s Supper in the manner in which they do, but to say more importantly that all of our Christian brothers and sisters, regardless of denomination, recognize the fact that taking the Lord’s Supper is vitally important and commanded by Christ Himself.

Furthermore, our Christian brothers and sisters across other denominations see Communion as one of the two ordinances we recognize vital to the church, both the Lord’s Supper and Baptism.

I am asked many times from those that attend in our midst that come from different worship backgrounds this question:

Why do Baptist partake of the Lord’s Supper at the frequency and in the manner in which we do?

Historically speaking, Southern Baptist traditionally have observed the Lord’s Supper once per quarter. While there is are no scriptural mandates for this frequency (and for example, I cited that our Church of Christ brothers and sisters recognize Acts 20:7 “7 Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.”, we could look at that text as example at that moment in time or a pattern of historicity of the early church, but we look at as Baptist for example:

1 Corinthians 11:26 “26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”

Now I could share some history among Southern Baptist churches for example that were rural and tell you that the ordained minister that would administer the Lord’s Supper was on a circuit ministering to different churches on different Sunday’s.

To this day it is quite common for a rural preacher to preach and alternate at a couple of different churches serving those churches. Furthermore, you can go to a rural community to this day and service will be held at the Baptist Church this week, the Methodist church next week, and the Church of Christ the following week.

Rather than discuss frequency the greater consideration is that our worship of the Lord’s Supper not become rote and traditional and lose its significance, that it stay special and that it be meaningful in our worship to the Lord.

In 1 Corinthians 11:26 “26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” , other text say “whenever” takes the focus off of frequency but places the focus on reverence and understanding its significance. I say again, frequency is less important. The spirit in which we take the meal is of greatest significance.

This morning if you do not get anything else about Communion is that Christ commanded it in Luke 22:19 “19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.””

Turn in your Bibles this morning or look with me on the screen at:

Luke 22:19-20

Luke 22:19–20 NKJV

19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

Prayer

Message

An early church father, Ignatius of Antioch stated:

“Take heed, then, to have but one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup to show forth the unity of His blood.”

-Ignatius emphasized the unity and centrality of the Lord’s Supper

The great Reformer, Martin Luther, said these words:

“This Sacrament is the Gospel. The Gospel is nothing else than words and signs through which God offers, delivers, and seals unto us the forgiveness of sins.”

-Martin Luther placed emphasis on the fact that the Lord’s Supper is a means of grace, a time to reflect and be drawn to the Lord, a time of renewal, revival, and refreshment in the things of God.

The late Charles Spurgeon: "Never mind the bread and the wine unless you can use them as people often use their glasses—look through them to see your Savior. Gaze on Him through the elements!"

Spurgeon encouraged us believers to focus on Christ rather than merely the elements.

Contemporary reflections from Leonard Sweet, modern day author and theologian and speaker: "The Lord's Table is not a fast-food drive-thru. It is the feast of heaven where we linger in the presence of God and one another."

Sweet encourages our reverence and relational depth, the unifying spirit, one with the other during communion.

More important than what these think is what our Lord and Savior shares about communion.

Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper to serve as a lasting ordinance for His followers, commemorating His sacrifice, establishing a new covenant, and fostering spiritual unity.

You know the story. Jesus was in the Upper Room that He sent Peter and John to seek a man that had the room prepared for this momentous occasion. John’s gospel shares that Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and challenged them to be servants. And John’s gospel reveals many departing messages that Jesus left the disciples with before His departure.

Why was the Lord’s Supper commemorated in the first place? What did it represent?

Oh dear brother and sister this morning, Jesus stated to “do this in remembrance of Me.”

What can we remember that aids in our commemoration?

We know that as John the Baptist saw Jesus coming in:

John 1:29 “29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

John was affirming that Jesus was the Messiah, the one to take the sins of the world away for the choosing.

1 Peter 1:18–19 “18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Why a lamb?

Exodus 12:1-28.

beginning of months. “Be the first month for you”-a new beginning.

10th of month-every man take a lamb, w/o blemish, male of the 1st year

Keep until 14th day-twilight-kill it

place blood on doorpost and lintel of the house

eat flesh-roasted in fire, unleavened bread, bitter herbs

let none of it remain until morning

Notice the climate in which they ate:

“belt around waist, sandals on your feet, and staff in hand. You shall eat in hate, its’ the Lord’s Passover.”

Exodus 12:12–13 “12 ‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. 13 Now 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 the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”

Try to place your mind’s eye with me for a moment. Look with me at a Hebrew mom and dad & children in Egypt in slavery. It’s night. They are huddled around a small fire in the middle of their adobe brick little shack.

Ill. Children’s eyes reveal fear and looking for security to their parents. But on this night, even the parents could not cover over the fear as they heard:

Exodus 11:6 “6 Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again.”

Exodus 12:29–30 “29 And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. 30 So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.”

Exodus 11:6 “6 Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again.”

-To appreciate this commemoration we must place ourselves in a truly insecure, helpless, hopeless estate and you will understand more as we continue.

1. Commemoration of His Sacrifice

Oh dearly beloved, do you not imagine there was insecurity and fear beginning to well up in the disciples?

In John’s account, which does not address the meal words as the synoptic gospels, but reveals the scene of Jesus washing the disciples feet, it was apparent there was fear among the disciples. In John 13:36 “36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.””

Jesus had shared these words two days before the crucifixion:

Matthew 26:1–2 “1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, 2 “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.””

Luke 22:14–15 “14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;”

Jesus stated in John 14:1 “1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”

Later we know that Thomas was fearful and insecure.

John 14:5–6 “5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Jesus had foretold that someone at the table would betray Him. He had shared several parables that spoke of His return. He had shared of the second coming knowing He would be leaving. He shared of Jerusalem’s destruction. The religious leaders were plotting to kill Jesus. Even Mary had anointed Jesus for burial. There was an uneasiness, an anxiousness with all of these dynamics happening in close proximity to the upper room discourse.

We discussed last Sunday night that we take the meal time and again in remembrance because Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him. He knew that Peter would deny Him three times. He knew that doubting Thomas would need to be reassured to stay the course.

Is there something you are afraid of today? Is there something you can’t seem to change or to be able to control, or some failure you have committed, some sin that you wish you could overcome? Do you have a defeatist attitude today?

Jesus calls on us to take the cup today knowing that all those of yesteryear, those Israelites were fearful as the Death Angel passed over as they heard a crying all over Egypt as they had never heard before.

The disciples were fearful of the unknown and insecure with their future as it related to Jesus. Jesus was leaving and what then?

Oh listen to me, you will even encounter fear, the failure of sin or a lacking faith and in your weakness, the Lord reminds us this morning.

I receive calls of fear more often than I would desire. Many of you know I received one of those calls on Thursday from Garrett about his grandmother.

If you live long enough each of us has times of fear, times of anxiousness, times of helplessness and hopelessness.

Oh dearly beloved you do not have to be scared. Jesus says I gave my life for you. I came to save you. Remember my sacrifice and commemorate my sacrifice to cause you to press on.

Jesus explicitly stated that the bread and cup represented His body and blood, given for the forgiveness of sins, but specifically your sins only for the receiving of that gift. The Lord's Supper memorializes His sacrificial death on the cross that we may know life and life eternal.

Luke 22:19-20: "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’"

1 Corinthians 11:24-25: "...do this in remembrance of me." This repetition highlights the memorial nature of the ordinance.

2. Establishment of the New Covenant

The Lord’s Supper marks the inauguration of a new covenant between God and humanity, based on Jesus' atoning work, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies of a coming, eternal covenant.

Listen to Matthew’s account stated:

Matthew 26:28 “28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

The book of Hebrews bridges the gap between the OT law and its teachings, listen:

Hebrews 9:11–15 NKJV

11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Dearly beloved, these words emphasize that Jesus, was the unblemished lamb, is the final and sufficient sacrifice, where prior lamb and goat sacrifices were temporal in the OT, Jesus is the once and for all sacrifice to take away our sins. Amen?

as the beautiful hymn goes:

“Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.”

3. Fostering Unity in the Body of Christ

Jesus intended the Lord’s Supper to symbolize unity among believers. As we all partake of the bread and the cup, our partaking together affirms our shared faith in Christ and our connection as members of one body. Even though we are all different with different backgrounds, callings and gifts, we are all one in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 10:16–17 “16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.”

And for that reason this morning, in just a moment we will partake of common bread and the cup to signify the unifying act of the partaking of the Lord’s Supper.

As we prepare our hearts for this sacred ordinance of the church, I will remind you:

Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper as a profound act of remembrance, a symbol of the new covenant, and a means of uniting His followers in fellowship and faith. Through this ordinance, Christians proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again (1 Corinthians 11:26). Amen.

-Walk down, uncover the elements, call Deacons up and wash hands.

Luke 22:19–20 NKJV

19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.