12,31 Lords Supper

I.The Occasion

—

Through the shedding of His blood, Jesus: -Bought the Church-

flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.()

-Declared us righteous--Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him()

-Made peace between God and us-For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.()

-Cleansed our conscience from acts that lead to death- How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?()

-Purified & Freed us from all sin- But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.()

-Freed us from all sin-

The Lord’s Table is a time:

- to look BACK and REMEMBER what Jesus did for us on the Cross—we are to do so with love and appreciation for His sacrifice. -to look forward with anticipation of His return for His Bride—we need to get ready for the Wedding.

- to look BACK and REMEMBER what Jesus did for us on the Cross—we are to do so with love and appreciation for His sacrifice. -to look forward with anticipation of His return for His Bride—we need to get ready for the Wedding.

II. The Preparation—

A)Examination-

How? Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? ()

your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? ()

“examine”- put to the test, test to identify the true character

-The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God()

-And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.()

-And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.()

-Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit ()

B) Judge Ourselves--

31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.()

-He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. 14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. ()

“judge”- evaluate, discriminate oneself, put ones self on trial

1]PERSONAL—Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord-()

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.()

-What sin is hindering your fellowship with Christ today?

Unbelief- Rebellion- Pride/arrogance, unforgiveness, holding a grudge Sins of the tongue—gossip, slander, murmuring, lying, cursing, Anger, hatred, malice, uncontrolled temper Idolatry—worshipping another god, loving someone or something more than

Disho Mental impurity, filthy thought life Addiction to harmful substance Addiction to pornography Sexual immorality

Stealing, cheating Anger, hatred, malice, uncontrolled temper Idolatry—worshipping another god, loving someone or something more than

God Poor stewardship of money, time, resources Prayerlessness Disobedience to God’s clear commands Worshipping with your lips when your heart is far from loving the Lord

2]RELATIONAL a-Reconciliation- 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.()

rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.()

Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your mind any relationships that are broken, or ways that you have contributed to the disunity in the Body of Christ—

Once identified, confess and make a commitment to the following:

b-Forgive one another--25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.()

c-Love one another- 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.()

d-Serve one onother- 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men()

Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:()

THE TABLE

I.The Bread--"

When the Lord says this, He points out to us that His body is not so much His as it is ours, since He received it and suffered it to be broken on the cross, not for His own sake, but for ours; and that He now also desires that we should look upon it and appropriate it as our own possession. Thus, with His body, He gives Himself to us, and desires that we should take Him.

The fellowship of the Lord's Supper is a fellowship of giving and taking.

Blessed giving: blessed taking.

Blessed Giving: It is our Creator, who comes here to give what my soul needs. It is our Redeemer, who, at the table, will give to us in possession what He has purchased for us. --And what gives He? His body. He gives the greatest and the best He can give: -- all that it is possible for Him to give—the broken body which He first offered to the Father as a sacrifice for sin, a sacrifice that filled Him with joy. And what He offered to the Father, to put away sin before Him, He now offers to me, to put away sin in me.

--And why gives He this? Because He loves us. He desires to redeem us from death, and to bestow on us eternal life in Himself. He gives Himself to us to be the food, the joy, the living power of our soul.

Just as we receive with our hand the bread that is intended for us, and hold it before us as our own, so by faith in the word, in which Jesus gives Himself to us, We take Him for ourselves, and we know that He is really ours. The body in which He suffered for sin is our possession: the power of His atonement is ours. The body of Jesus is our food and our life.

Take, eat; this is My body which is given for you." —; .

II. "Do this in remembrance of Me."

— Can it be possible that we should forget Jesus? --who thought of me in eternity; --who, indeed, forgot His own sorrows on the Cross, but never forgets mine; --who says to me that a mother will sooner forget her sucking child than He in heaven will forget me.

Can I forget Jesus? Jesus, my Sun, my Surety, my Bridegroom; my Jesus, without whose love I cannot live: can I ever forget Jesus?

How often have we forgotten Jesus. How frequently has my foolish heart grieved Him and prepared all manner of sorrow for itself by forgetting Jesus. At one time it was in the hour of care, or sin, or grief, at another in prosperity and joy, that we suffered ourselves to be led astray. O my soul, be deeply ashamed that Thou shouldst ever forget Jesus.

one time it was in the hour of care, or sin, or grief, at another in prosperity and joy, that we suffered ourselves to be led astray. O my soul, be deeply ashamed that Thou shouldst ever forget Jesus.

Jesus will not be forgotten. He will see to it that this shall not take place for His own sake. Our love is to Him His happiness and joy: He requires it from us with a holy strictness: He cannot endure to be forgotten.

Jesus always yearns to be with us and beside us, that He may make us taste of His crucified love and the power of His heavenly life. Jesus wills that we should always remember Him.

At the table He will overshadow and satisfy us with His love. He will make His love to us so glorious that our love shall always hold Him in remembrance.

III. The Cup--

"And He took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ?" —, ;

1 Corinthians 10:16 KJV 1900

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?

. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life" ().

“The Cup”- this cup was the only one on the table at the time. It was probably the 3rd cup at the close of the Pachal meal.

“The Cup”- this cup was the only one on the table at the time. It was probably the 3rd cup at the close of the Pachal meal. This cup was termed “the cup of blessings”- because over it was spoken a special benediction and it was regarded as the principal cup, following as it did, the eating of the lamb.

This cup was termed “the cup of blessings”- because over it was spoken a special benediction and it was regarded as the principal cup, following as it did, the eating of the lamb.

For the blood is the life, the living spirit; the shedding of blood. It was the surrender of the life of an innocent animal in the place of guilty man. And thus with the shedding of Jesus' blood, His life is surrendered for our sins. The worth and the power of that blood are the worth and the power of the life of Jesus. Every drop of that blood has in it the power of an endless life.

“blood of the new testament”-(vs28)—this symbolized Christ’s death by violence, and it was also the ratification of a covenant. This covenant supersedes the Levitical sacrifices.

J When we become partakers of that blood:

--we have part in the atonement which it established, the forgiveness which it secured. --we have part in all that wonderful suffering in which it was shed. --we have part in all the love of which that suffering and that bloodshedding were the revelation.

--we have part in the life of Jesus, surrendered upon the Cross, raised from the grave and now glorified in heaven. O glorious wonders of grace which lie hid in that word: "Drink, for this is My blood."

IV. Sin--

"My blood, which is shed unto remission of sins." —.

and therefore atonement is linked with

And when I then hear the glad tidings that Christ died for sin, I obtain courage to say: Sin is mine, and Christ, who died for sin, died also for me.

And what does our Saviour say about sin? He speaks of it only to give the assurance of the forgiveness of sin. That God no more remembers my sin and does not impute it to me, that He does not desire to look upon my sin and deal with me in deserved wrath, but meets me in love and complacency as one whose sin is taken away: that is what my Jesus secures for me, where He points me to His blood and gives it to me as my own.

V.A Blessed Feast:

V.A Blessed Feast:

to be one with Jesus as a ransomed soul, and, being in Him:

--Blessed it is, because there, while He points with His finger to the sin for which I must be so bitterly ashamed, I can hear this glorious word: "Forgiven." --Blessed, because, for the confirmation of this forgiveness and the communication of all its blessing, I am there “Nourished” by the very blood which was shed for remission of sins.

--Blessed, because in the joy of the forgiveness and the enjoyment of that blood, I am “One” with that Jesus who loves me so wonderfully. --Blessed, because I know that in place of sins He now gives me “Himself” to fill my empty heart, in order that it be adorned with the light and the beauty of His own life.

The, Lord's Supper is properly a feast of thanksgiving.

"When He had given thanks, He brake the bread." "In like manner He took the cup, and, when He had given thanks, He gave it to them."

And after partaking of the Supper, it was "when they had sung an hymn," that they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Blessed Lord, my Redeemer and my Friend – --let my mouth be filled with Thy praise, all the days with Thy glory. --You are our strength and song, for You are our salvation.