The Lord's Supper: What is it and Why do we do it?

1 Corinthians 11:23-34

Read 23-34

Explain passage

The Lord’s Supper, The Lord’s Table, Eucharist, Holy Communion, Breaking of Bread

Where Did It Begin?

Old Testament Covenant

Passover - meal that:

memorialized -

deliverance from death

freedom from slavery

shaped Israel’s identity and how they viewed themselves

foreshadowed a future deliverance with a better Lamb and Covenant

New Testament Covenant

Jesus institutes “The Lord’s Supper” as He eats Passover with His disciples

He intended for it to be a perpetual observance

What Is It And What Does It Mean To Us?

An ordinance, ordained or commanded by the Lord Himself, that serves several purposes. Luke 22:15-20, Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25

Orientation

Passover

shaped Israel’s identity and how they saw themselves

foreshadowed a future deliverance with a better Lamb and Covenant

Lord’s Supper

shapes our (Christians) identity and how we see ourselves

We trust in the Lamb and His Covenant

Remembrance

Remembering is powerful

a song, smell, or taste can remind us of a time in our past, change our mood in the present, and focus us toward the future.

The Lord’s Supper connects us with the past, sets our mood in the present, and focuses us toward the future return of and reign with Christ.

Remembering can be life-changing

Pearl Harbor, The Alamo, 9/11, Auburn beating Alabama with 1 second left.

Memory can motivate us to honor the past and do better in the future.

Remember Jesus’s sacrifice for you, your deliverance from eternal death, gift of eternal life, and remember what He commands us to do!

Proclamation of the Gospel

We participate in Gospel benefits (salvation, forgiveness, justification, peace with God, adoption, new birth, indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Knowing God, eternal life, etc…)

We submit to Gospel demands

proclaim His death until He comes

The Lord’s Supper shows His death

We should live the Gospel and share the Gospel

We submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ

Our lifestyles prove lordship (1 Corinthians 10:21)

Renewing of Our Commitment to One Another

It is a family meal, not one we do alone

We focus on each other and not ourselves

Paul’s prescription of self-examination was to fix Corinthians’ problem, not the focus of the Supper

Not a selfish meal, but selfless meal

Jesus poured out His blood for many, not just for you

Jesus is Lord! The Lord commands that we love one another.

We must think and live as committed to one another

Anticipation of His Return

We look for His return as we participate in the Lord’s Supper!

He has already signed the Covenant in His blood. He will return and bring it to its final conclusion!

We will drink it new with Him in His Father’s Kingdom! (Matthew 26:29)