The Lord's Table

The longer I serve the body of Christ as a pastor and the more I am a student of the Word, the more I realize how rich and wonderful is the significance of the Lord’s Supper.

Today I want to focus on the incredible picture the Lord’s Supper gives of deep, intertwined “one-ness” with God and with others in the local church.

As we think through these things it informs us about things like:

The salvation of our souls- By the shed blood of Jesus.

The ongoing need for holiness and sanctification.

The importance of belonging to a local church- Where the Lord’s Supper is celebrated.

The importance of real connection to that local church- Once a connection is established and growing, keep building on it. (don’t jump ship)

Vertical Fellowship

1 Corinthians 10:16 HCSB

The cup of blessing that we give thanks for, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?

The Lord’s Supper points to how we can and do have a right relationship with God through Christ.

Horizontal Fellowship

1 Corinthians 10:17 HCSB

Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for all of us share that one bread.

Many are one body. Multiple times in the Book of 1 Corinthians alone Paul makes the case that each born again believer is to be connected to a local church where each makes up some part of the whole. (In each of these passages the church is called symbollically “The Body of Christ.”

What is the connection then between the literal body of Christ (which is symbolized at the Lord’s Supper) and the spiritual body of Christ, the Church?

THE CONNECTION IS THAT BECAUSE OF WHAT CHRIST DID AT THE CROSS IT CONNECTS US TO GOD AND TO THE LOCAL CHURCH. The cross meant to kill is my victory. is our victory.

In essence our connection as one body depicted in the Lord’s Supper is what makes a church a church.

The Local Church

People get saved through Gospel Proclamation. (Which is done by a Gospel preacher and best done through context of a local church)

A Church is formed and held together through Gospel Unity.

We aren’t simply a bunch of individual Christians who hang out at the church on Sundays. We are once body, bought by the blood of Jesus and brought together by the blood of Jesus.

And we, as the body of Christ are to be about His Business, TOGETHER. Our purpose is God’s Glory and God’s Mission.

Ephesians 4:25–32 HCSB

Since you put away lying, Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the Devil an opportunity. The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by Him for the day of redemption. All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.