Preparing to Dine at the Lord's Table

I’m excited about this morning---we’re taking the Lord’s Supper

----Our Lord Jesus Christ gave the church two ordinances---two practices that we are to always observe: baptism and the Lord’s Supper

-ordinance isn’t a word we often use: it means a religious practice ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ

WA Criswell gives two marks of an ordinance

it must be an outward symbol divinely appointed to represent a great fact and truth of the gospel and the personal relationship of the believer to the fact and truth.

there must be a divine mandate making the observance of the ritual obligatory, universal and perpetual

We see these marks only fulfilled in baptism and the Lord’s Supper

---The Lord’s Supper is a time of unity in the church----we, as one body, are taking a break from everything else, and not individually, but corporately remembering and proclaiming the work and salvation of Jesus Christ.

----i want to take a few moments to speak to you about the supper and preparing for it.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 11:23-34

1. We remember

—Paul was once again dealing with this troubled church in Corinth

---now we must remember that the church in Corinth was trouble, they were in sin, they were going back to their old lives, they were abusing everything---but Paul does not cast them aside—he speaks truth to them and leads

You see in verse 23 that Paul says he “received from the Lord”---Paul did not receive his Gospel from men but was told by the Lord Jesus while he was being discipled---so that which he was given about the Lord’s Supper was from the Lord

-some will say---well how could that be-when his account matches that of those told in the Gospels? Well that’s the very reason we can trust it---the Gospels match what the Lord told Paul---if we believe in the inspiration of Scripture, this shouldn’t surprise us.

Paul’s goal is for the people in Corinth and all who come to the Lord’s Table to remember. chiefly the atonement of Jesus as our means of salvation.

-for the believer, the Lord’s Supper isn’t optional.

-look at the way he phrases it--- “in the night in which He was betrayed.” ---the wound was still fresh for Paul

-and it still should be fresh for us---to think that the God who became man was betrayed by his friend, one who’d been one of his disciples---and with a kiss---it’s almost to much to bear.

----that is how Paul leads us into this night, the night Jesus was betrayed.

Jesus and the Apostles are in the upper room

We see that Jesus gives than

-Jesus prays to give thanks for the bread, breaks it and says those words “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

-in the past, there have been those who have said that during, the Lord’s Supper, Communion, the Eucharist, that the bread actually becomes the body of the Lord—this is called transubstantation---

-there are a few things to remember when we hear

-but notice that when the first meal was taken here---the Apostles just ate bread, it wasn’t some sort of cannibalism—Jesus was literally sitting with them at the time—and he said this bread is my body. We reject that the bread magically changes into the body of Jesus.

-others have taken a different route and say that once we pray for the bread that it is endowed with the Spirit of Jesus—this is called consubstantiation. Again there is nothing in God’s Word that leads us to believe that the bread magically changes in any way no matter what words we use. We reject that the bread has a special presence.

-----well, one may ask, if the bread isn’t literally Jesus’ body and the cup isn’t literally his blood and if his presence isn’t endowed in either after we pray—then what is it?

-----The clear understanding from what Christ is doing here is that these are symbols----as Jesus held up the bread and he held up the cup---he told us exactly what the symbolism would be

-when we take the bread, we’re to remember his body was given for us---and it was—on the cross

—when we take the cup, we’re to remember the blood of Christ, which was spilled for us in his scourgings, beatings, and crucifixion.

---Is Jesus’ present at the supper? Yes, but not in a magical transformation of bread or a mystical presence in the cup. He is here because we are gathered together, and because He lives in all of the redeemed.

---a quick sidenote before we move on----some of your Bibles may have in verse 24, that Jesus says this is my body, which is broken for you.” The word broken was actually added by the translators---it is not in most versions because its not in the original greek----the key here is that while Jesus did break the bread, his body was not broken---in fact not even a bone was broken---as the Exodus account had said. No passover lamb could have a broken bone— affirms this that the soldiers did not break any of Jesus’ bones. The translators’ addition there is unhelpful, but the Greek shows us there is no contradiction—Jesus is the Lamb whose bones were not broken.

2. We proclaim

----verse 26 tells us that when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we proclaim the death of Jesus.

-------and while we should be in constant remembrance of the death of Jesus, and we should constantly be proclaiming it to each other and the world----it is easy for it to become ordinary to us.

---------and when the death of Jesus becomes ordinary to us, we don’t remember it well, and we don’t proclaim it. ----the reason for Jesus’ death can even become ordinary for us, and open us up to sin.

-----------The Lord’s Supper forces us to remember and proclaim in a very special way.

-----it causes all 5 of our senses to be engaged---we hear Gospel spoken and preached, we see the elements, we touch the bread and the cup, we smell them as we make ready, and then we taste them. Our entire physical selves are engaged as our hearts and minds our as well.

-------We are taking a break from the world and focusing our whole selves on Jesus.

-to what other things do we commit our whole selves? This is a special thing and it is a proclamation to ourselves, each other, and the world where our trust lies---in Jesus Christ.

So the positives are that we remember and proclaim

-we do not take the Lord’s Suppers as some do—to be a sacrament or means of grace---the Lord’s Supper in no way saves us or helps to save us---if you believe that is what communion is supposed to be—you will not find that here.

3. We dine as honest sinners

verse 27— “tells us that those who drink the cup in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.”

-in the past, this has caused some Christians not to take the Lord’s Supper for fear of breaking this—so let’s talk about it for a moment.

----when we as Christians hear the word “Worthy”---we think of passages like “worthy is the lamb who was slain.” We think about the fact that we are in no way worthy—and the more we get to know Jesus the less worthy we feel.

----So how can we do this in a worthy manner? and avoid the guilt mentioned in this verse?

-----I want you to think about who took the first Lord’s Supper---the Apostles, right? Now these were men who were sinners, they had gone their own way, and soon after supper they would abandon Jesus

---but they had given up their lives to follow him---they were trusting in Him.

-----The Lord’s Supper is for repentant sinners—those who trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation--

--------It’s not for perfect people---none of the apostles were perfect

------And so in order to come to the table in a worthy manner, we must be trusting in Jesus and only in Him for our salvation---

“The warning is against partaking in an unworthy manner, referring to the unrepentant self-centeredness of the Corinthians who were ignoring other members of the body. The warning does not apply to those who are struggling with sin but are looking to the cross in repentance, hating their sin and yearning to be pleasing to God.” Ray Van Neste

now let’s read a little more about this.

4. We judge rightly

-read verses 28-32

-verse 28 tells us to examine ourselves

----now remember this letter was written to the people of Corinth and the people of Corinth had so polluted things with idol worship, their love feasts, the rich getting to eat while the poor starved---they had really messed things up---and so Paul calls on them=and makes this moment very somber.

----examine yourself---in what ways are you living in unrepentant sin?

1 John 1:9 NASB95

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

---Now notice what he doesn’t do---he doesn’t say they’re not saved—but he says examine yourselves---in what ways are you constantly living that are against God.

Because

Hebrews 12:6 ESV

For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

Proverbs 3:12 ESV

for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

---God will not let Christians continue in unrepentant sin without disciplining us-----and evidently in Corinth some had gotten sick and some had died----God allowed extra struggle, God went ahead and took some home because they were living in unrepentant sin.

—Now do not go out of here saying—the preacher said that if you’re sick or you die it’s because you’re disobeying God—

----we can’t assume the reasons for why people get sick or how many days a man will have---but Paul does say here, that this is sometimes the cause.

-------and it may sound harsh to us---we live in a culture that does not like discipline or consequences

----but a parent disciplines a child for their good---and that’s what God does for us---sin is destructive-and God loves his children so much that He will not allow us to continue forever in it.

—if only we could see with spiritual eyes the destructiveness of sin.

And that’s a very good reason why we should see the Lord’s Supper as a grace----it may be that in this moment of reflection or introspection---you ask God to help you seen unrepentant sin in your life. Say with the Psalmist

Psalm 139:23–24 NASB95

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

and it may be the God reveals to you your sin, you repent, you come to the table without that sin on your back---it may be that God stays his hand and the discipline that was on its way is held back.

-----so today as we dine together—do not sit back and think, “Oh I have sin, I cannot eat and drink.” By all means, NO!! Repent of that sin and come dine at the table of the Lord with his people.

"The Supper is not for those who have it all sorted out. In fact, it is for sinners only. By taking the elements we confess we are sinners in need of a Savior, and we confess again that we take Christ, with His work at the cross, as our Savior. Ray Van Neste

5. We dine together

as was said earlier---the Lord Jesus gave two ordinances in the church—baptism and the Lord’s Supper

----after you receive Jesus Christ, you are baptized as a symbol of your sins being washed away and your passing from death to new birth and life.

-------as biblicists and Baptist we follow the Word of God which shows us that true baptism is full immersion under the water and that it must follow a profession of faith----one must desire it, as with salvation—someone else cannot do it for you.

----as baptized believers, we have aligned ourselves with Christ and no other, and so if that is you this morning: if you are a baptized believer in Jesus and have repented of your sin, you are welcome at the Lord’s Table.

------if today, you have not trusted Jesus or have not been baptized, there will be a time at the end of service for you to come down and make the decision to follow Jesus.

I said that we dine together and we do that

---re

we din

----as a healthy body

----look at verse 33—the Corinthians had a class system in their church that Paul rebuked them for---the rich would eat the good food before the poor could get in from work so there was either not much left or nothing left by the time the poor got to church.

----the love feasts and all of that aside

---The Lord’s Supper is to be taken by the body---that’s how it’s seen in Scripture—the church comes together in unity

---We take a break from the cares of the world, job concerns, ministry concerns, and we as a body remember and proclaim the death and resurrection of Jesus

----Remember, of the body---Christ loved her and gave himself for her.

As we read in , we are one body, all of us are different parts, yet we are one---the body only works well if all of us are in unity---and the Lord’s Supper causes us to stop and re-unify.

And as we do this we look forward to dining together with Jesus

Revelation

Revelation 19:6–9 NASB95

Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ ” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”

And if you know Jesus Christ, you’ll be at that table as well.

We are now going to prepare to take the Lord’s Supper—and so as the deacons come and I make my way down—I would ask everyone in this room to go before God and ask Him to search their hearts, reveal anyone sin that we’re holding back, confess it to HIm and repent. You do that now.

Psalm 139:23–24 NASB95

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

-23-24