I AM A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST BECAUSE OF IT’S SCRIPTURAL TEACHING AND OBSERVANCE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER. (2)

REVIEW MAIN POINTS:

I. A Memorial

The church of Christ observes the Lord’s supper as a sweet and simple memorial.

a. What is a memorial?

i. A monument, statue, Holiday, or ritual, which serves as a remembrance or reminder of a person or an event.

ii. Flowers and wreaths are place at graves and roadsides where someone had a fatal accident.

b. Can you think of a recent example ?

c. 4th July?

d. Veterans Day?

e. Memorial Day in May?

f. The Feast of the Passover was a memorial of God’s sparing, the first born of the Israelites in Egypt, and of Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 12:14)

g. When Israel cross the Jordan river and occupied the promised land, Joshua commanded that 12 stones, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, be set up in the midst of the Jordan (Josh. 4:9) “These stones”, he said, “shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever” (Josh. 4:7)

It is a sacred and holy event in memory of Christ. (1 Cor. 11:23-25)

a. Communion (1 Cor. 10:16)

b. Breaking of bread (Acts 2:42)

c. We eat the bread in memory of His body.

d. We drink the cup (the fruit of the vine) in memory of His blood.

e. We therefore commorate the death of Jesus on the cross (Matthew 26:28)

Whose death make the new covenant possible (Heb. 9:16)

Whose blood was shed for the remission of sins (Eph. 1:7)

f. As the Passover was a memorial, commemorating Israel’s deliverance from Egypt through the blood of the lambs on the door post, so the supper is a memorial of our Lord’s death, who makes our deliverance from the bondage of sin possible.

“In remembrance of me” is mentioned twice in 1 Cor. 11:23-25) and once in Luke 22:19-23.

It is in memory of Christ! We acknowledge his whole life, including his death, his birth, his life and ministry, and his teachings and we may remember all that he has done and suffered for us, but we commemorate his death as we take the bread and the cup.

Commemorate - recall and show respect for (someone or something).

“A wreath laying ceremony to commemorate the war dead”

Celebrate (an event, person or situation) by doing or building something.

ie - Commemorated with a song.

II. It Is A Proclamatian

We proclaim our faith in the effectiveness of the Lord’s death (1 Cor. 11:26a)

That his death was indeed for our sins

If we don’t believe He died for our sins, why keep the Supper?

We also proclaim our faith in the Lord’s return (1 Cor. 11:26b)

a. It is to be done “til He comes”

b. If we don’t believe He is coming, then why keep the Supper?

3. So the Lord’s Supper looks forward as well as backward, and will be observed by his disciples who trust in his redemption, and anticipate his return! Therefore, until he comes!

III. It Is A Communion

Communion - the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level.

A fellowship or sharing in the blood of Christ (1 Cor. 10:16)

As we partake, we commune with the blood of Christ

Perhaps in the sense of reinforcing blessings we enjoy through the blood of Christ (1 John 1:7,9)

A fellowship or sharing of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 10:16-17)

As we partake, we commune with the body of Christ

Perhaps in the sense of reinforcing fellowship together in the body of Christ (i.e., the church) as we break bread together. (1 John 1:1-7)

The extent to which we share in the body and blood of the Lord as we partake may be uncertain, but dare we neglect whatever may be the benefits of that communion.

MANY THINGS SUCH AS FLOWERS, PICTURES, MONUMENTS CAN BE DESTROYED BY TIME, NATURE, OR DISATER.

NEITHER THE GRINDING OF THE ELEMENTS NOR THE WEARING OF TIME CAN KEEP THIS MONUMENT, THE LORD’S SUPPER, FROM STANDING IN MEMORY OF CHRIST. FORGETTING THE LORD CAN , AND THIS IS THE THING THAT HAS PULLED IT DOWN IN MANY PLACES

CHRIST COMMANDED IT TO BE DONE IN MEMORY OF HIM. YET MANY HAVE FORGOTTEN CHRIST IN THE VERY THING HE COMMANDED THEM TO DO IN REMEMBRANCES OF HIM.

Discussion:

Read paragraph two.

a. Discuss things that help us remember special people and events in our lifetime.

b. We gather around the Lord’s table and take the Lord’s supper in memory of Him who said “This do in remembrance of me”.

Read paragraph three.

a. Withered flowers, weathered monuments, can Deteriorate and be destroyed, but the Lord memorial last forever.

b. Nothing can keep the monument of the memorial of Christ from standing except for forgetting the Lord.

Read paragraph four.

a. Discuss Jer. 2:32 and how we can be guilty of the same.

b. We must never stop observing the Lord’s Supper and forget our Lord and what he did for us and all mankind.

IV. Memorial Which Preaches;

Christ Death. (1 Cor. 11:26)

The Second Coming of Christ. (1 Cor. 11:26)

The New Covenant. (1 Cor. 11:25)

V. The Frequency Of Observing The Lord’s Supper.

Should There Be Any Frequency and Regularity In Observing This Part of Worship?

If so, Who shall regulated?

The church or God?

Who has the authority to control Our worship?

God has the authority.

What has God authorized for observance of the Lord supper?

Some churches observe the Lord, supper, monthly, quarterly, or annually. This God did not authorize.

The Jerusalem church continued steadfastly in the observance:

Acts 2:42

The church at Troas came together on the together on the first day of the week forthe purpose of breaking bread.

Acts 20:7

They are taking it on an approved precedent.

They came together on that day, the first day of the week, for the primary purpose of breaking bread. Which first day of the week? There is but one first day of the week. There has never been a week without a first day or with more than one day.

Does this mean they took the supper on the first day of every week?

The Jews kept the sabbath it directed by God and there was always a sabbath every week

The early Christians met on the first day of the week and broke bread. We have no authority to change it.

Why observe the Lords’s death annually, quarterly or monthly, but observe his resurrection weekly.

All Curry, that the first day of the week is observed because it is the day the Lord came forth from the tomb.

The Church in Corinth ate the Lord’s supper when they assembled, which was the first day of the week. (1 Cor. 11:20)

The church at Corrent intentions, or to take the Lord supper they assembled on the first day of the week.

1 Cor. 16:2

It was their practice to eat the Lord supper when they had together.

It was their practice to meet together up on the first day of every week.

Therefore, it was their practice to eat the Lord supper upon the first day of every week.

VI. Who shall participate in the communion?

We can find out who should by finding out who did; namely:

Members of the church at Jerusalem Acts 2:42

Members Of the church at Troas Acts 20:7

Member of the church at Corinth ! Cor. 11:20-33

Those who are in the kingdom. Luke 22:29-30

It is the Lords table and the Lord supper; Therefore, only those who are the Lord’s have the privilege of eating it.

However, no man, or set up, man has the right to judge, who shall and shall not have the privilege of communion: 1 Cor.11:28