Do You Remember

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This morning is celebration Sunday!  Why?  Because we are going to celebrate several things:

·        What Jesus accomplished for us on the cross

·        That we are no longer under condemnation for our sins, we have been justified and reconciled

·        We are going to celebrate our adoption into the family of God and our inheritance, and

·        We are going to celebrate love!

Does that sound good to you?  It sure does to me.  We have already had a wonderful worship service.  We have sung songs of thanksgiving, we have heard praise reports, and we have had an opportunity to give to the Lord our tithes and offerings.  If worship is defined as giving worth to the one who deserves it, Jesus Christ, we have worshipped! 

But, I think it is important for us to celebrate one more very important thing today – The Lord’s Supper.

Let me give you a little history about what we call “The Lord’s Supper.”  First let me tell you that we do NOT believe the Lord’s Supper to be a sacrament, meaning we don’t believe it has anything to do with salvation.  (In other words it won’t get you to heaven!)  We do believe it is an ordinance, along with Baptism. 

Maybe you have heard it called “Communion”, or the “Eucharist.”  Paul used the term “Communion” in referring to believers’ relationship with the Lord (vertical) and with fellow believers (horizontal) (1 Cor.10:16). 

1 Corinthians 10:16-17

16 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? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. NKJV

The term “Eucharist” comes from the Greek word “eucharistia” which means the “giving of thanks,” since it implies the thanksgiving over the bread and wine (our text).

Whatever you call it, it is a time of celebration.  Why?  Because we remember what Jesus did for us.  We celebrate because we remember!  And that is what we are called to do.  Let’s look at our text:

 

1 Corinthians 11:23-34

23 Institution of the Lord's Supper

(Matt 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-23)

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said,  "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25  In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 

 

In these verses Paul is simply passing on to the church at Corinth what he received from the Lord.  That was what God had called him to do, pass on, deliver, that which he had received from above.  I believe it is the noblest call of all, to be God’s messenger of the truth.

We often misunderstand why we celebrate the Lord’s Supper.  We think it is “in memory of” the Lord.  But the word translated “remembrance” does not mean "in memory of," but in an affectionate calling of the Person Himself to mind.  So Jesus was saying that we are to have affectionate thoughts of His love for us and what He did each time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

Paul basically told the story that we read in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, or Luke.  Let’s read it from Matthew:

Matthew 26:26-29

26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 

27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28  For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29  But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom." 

NKJV

Paul continues his instructions in verse 26:

1 Corinthians 11:26

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

 

Here he tells them that every time they eat of the bread and drink of the cup, they are proclaiming the Lord’s death.  It is as if they were looking back to Jesus’ death and, at the same time, looking forward to His second coming to take us home.

Now do you see why I say it is a time to celebrate?

ILLUSTRATION

I am reminded of a young man by the name of Wayne Alderson.  Wayne was a successful labor negotiator from Pittsburg who appeared on the Today Show on March 15, 1985.  The date is important because it was the 40th anniversary of Alderson’s being wounded.  You see, he was the very first American soldier to cross the Siegfried line into Germany in WWII.  He had a permanent crease in his head from the wound.

During his interview on the Today Show he was asked for his most important memory of the occasion.  This is what he said:

“My most important memory was a redheaded friend who saved my life.  I had come face to face with a German soldier and he threw a grenade at my feet.  I shot the soldier but the grenade exploded almost instantly, sending me to the ground in the mud.

A nearby German pillbox opened fire in my direction and I knew that if the grenade hadn’t killed me the machine-gun fire would.  But all of a sudden my redheaded friend turned me over so I could breathe and then threw himself across my body, shielding me from the deadly fire.

I can never forget the person who sacrificed his life to save mine.  I owe him everything.  I can never forget … I owe him everything.”

What a touching story, it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.  But isn’t that exactly what God did when He sent Jesus to die on the cross?  We should not, no we can not, forget!  We owe Him everything!

Because of His love for us we have hope.  Because He died on Calvary, we have an inheritance.  Because He rose again, we can face tomorrow – no matter what tomorrow brings!  Yes, it is a time of celebration.

So I invite you to join with me in celebrating the Table, a symbol of our faith?  Faith that we will one day join Him at the wedding supper of the lamb.

TO OUR GUESTS

Now if you are a guest we want you to know that we are pleased and privileged to have you with us today.  WE realize you may not wish to observe this symbol of our faith.  If so, feel free to watch, listen, and pass the elements to those beside you.  We honor your decision.  Perhaps what you experience will raise questions that need further explanation.  After the service I will be available to answer any questions you may have.

THE LORD’S SUPPER

 

PREPARATION:

In sharing with the church at Corinth, Paul cautioned them about participating in the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner.  Listen to his words:

1 Corinthians 11:27-30

27 Examine Yourself

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. NKJV

 

Paul was telling them to approach this time with a clean heart, with no unconfessed sin in their hearts.  With this in mind, I want us to take a minute, as the music plays softly, for silent introspection.  This is a time of confession between you and the Lord.

 

PRAYER OF CORPORATE CONFESSION AND THANKSGIVING:

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).  We as believers participate in the Lord’s Supper as an act of righteous obedience to our Lord and Master who commanded our devoted presence at His meal.  As we partake of this sacred feast, let our hunger and thirst be for righteousness – right living with God and with our fellow man.  As we hold the cup, let our thirst be for Him and His sovereign control of our lives.  As we come to His Table, let us give thanks for the Living Water that graciously satisfies all our needs.

PASSING THE BREAD:

THE BREAD

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said,  "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

PRAYER

As we eat - “His body given for us……”

PASSING THE CUP:

THE CUP

 25  In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 

PRAYER

As we drink - “His blood shared for us…”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

NKJV

CONCLUSION

We have shared the Lord’s Supper together.  Did you feel the sense of oneness as we shared as God’s family?  What a reminder of what has been accomplished on the cross for us!  As we close today I am reminded that the night Jesus instituted the Supper, He closed with the singing of a Hymn.  Therefore, I invite you to open you Hymnal and sing with me Hymn #   , Amazing Grace.  Please Stand!

THE INVITATION

Please remain standing and bow your head (every head bowed and every eye closed).

If you are here this morning and have never accepted Jesus, I invite you to pray this prayer with me in the silence of your heart.

Dear Lord Jesus, I have been reminded of my sin and the cost to satisfy that sin.  I know I cannot save myself.  I confess my sin, and I ask You to forgive me.  I receive You now as my personal Savior and Lord.  I trust You, and You alone, to save me.  Please help me to live for You and become like You, as I live the rest of my life.  Thanks You for shedding your blood for my salvation.  I love You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

With heads still bowed

 

I want to invite those who prayed with me to come forward, so you can be assisted in taking your next steps in the faith. 

I also invite those who have accepted Christ previously but have not confessed Him in baptism and church membership to come forward.  I ask others who want to become a part of our church family by the transfer of membership or who want to come to the altar to pray and renew their vows to Jesus to feel free to do so 

CLOSING PRAYER

 

CLOSING SONG – Hymn #     , Victory In Jesus

 

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