“Come to the Table”
“Come to the Table”
1. Come gratefully
“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.‘ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’”
1 Cor. 11:23-25 NIV
2. Come expectantly
"For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.”
1 Cor. 11:26 NIV
3. Come humbly
“Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.”
1 Cor. 11:27-28 NIV
Ideas
- Use Come to the table outline (LS file)
- Use Steps to Celebrating the Lord’s Supper (LS file)
- Use 2004 LS sermon (LS file)
Intro:
Welcome…
Thanksgiving debrief…
How many of you were really thankful on thanksgiving when you went to the table??
Thankful for Family
Thankful for Food…
Thankful for Football…
Thankful for Shopping…
It’s part of the holiday of Thanksgiving…coming to the table…
I love to come to our table on Thanksgiving…
· Turkey…
· Rolls
· Pumpkin Pie…
· Cranberry…
I like to come to another table at Thanksgiving…The Lord’s Table
Celebrate Thanksgiving by coming to the Lord’s Table…before I turn the corner into the Christmas season…I like to spend some time celebrating thanksgiving…
How to come the table….
There is a right way and a wrong way!
In 1 Cor 11 we find the right way and the wrong way…
When the Lord’s Supper was celebrated in the early church, it included a feast or fellowship meal followed by the celebration of Communion.
In the church in Corinth, the fellowship meal had become a time when some ate and drank excessively while others went hungry.
There was little sharing and caring.
This certainly did not demonstrate the unity and love that should characterize the church, nor was it a preparation for Communion.
Paul condemned these actions and reminded the church of the real purpose of the Lord’s Supper…about focusing on Christ!!!
Sometimes we can be as immature as the Corinthians…like the little boy…
There was a little boy with a quarter to give during a Sunday offering.
This Sunday, however, happened to be Communion Sunday and as the elements were being passed, the boy’s parents told him not to take any.
“You’re not old enough,” they explained.
Later when the offering plate came by, however, the boy’s parents urged him to put in his quarter.
Loudly he proclaimed, “If I can’t eat, I won’t pay!”
There is a right way and a wrong way to come to the Lord’s Table…
The Corinthians demonstrated the wrong way…selfishness and carnality
Christ describes the right way…
How to come to the Lord’s Table…
1. Come gratefully
Paul says in 1 Cor 11:23-25…
“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.‘ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’”
(1 Cor. 11:23-25)
The word "gave thanks" is eucharisteo (yoo-khar-is-teh’-o).
In calling it the "Eucharist" we are reminded that this is a meal of thanksgiving to God.
It is a time when we can say "Thank you, God, for all you've done for me."
Giving thanks for two things…
The Bread and the Cup…2 symbols…
A little girl named Kathy who usually stayed in children's church on Sunday mornings, went with her parents to the regular adult service.
When Communion was served, she turned to her mother and whispered loudly, "The snack in children's church is much better. And we get a lot more juice."
Communion is not about getting a good snack…it is about remembering!!
Jesus used two symbols to help us remember His death: the bread and the cup.
Each has deep meaning for those who love our risen Lord.
First of all consider The Bread.
When Jesus and his disciples had the last supper together, they were actually celebrating the Passover meal.
This is what the Lord's supper is founded upon, and Jesus incorporated some of the symbols from this Jewish ceremony into the Last Supper.
At one point in the Passover meal, the leader breaks a loaf of unleavened bread and says, "This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt."
Jesus gave that symbolism new meaning when he said "this is my body."
He wasn't speaking literally; he was speaking symbolically.
The bread symbolizes his body that is about to be crucified; it symbolizes his life that is about to be taken.
He is referring to the crucifixion; he is referring to his death.
In order for us to be saved, it was necessary for the son of God to die.
When we partake of the bread, we are reminding ourselves of the sacrificial death of Jesus upon the cross.
He died for us, for our sins.
Through his death paid the price for our sins, because we could not pay it for ourselves.
So when you partake of the bread today, remember what it symbolizes: the fact that Jesus' body was crucified for you; he died on the cross for your sin.
Let’s also consider The Cup of juice.
The fruit juice symbolizes the blood of Christ. In the Old Testament we see again and again that blood is required for reconciliation to God.
The book of Hebrews says,
...without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22)
In the old covenant, people could approach God only through the priests and the sacrificial system.
Jesus’ death on the cross ushered in the new covenant or agreement between God and us.
Now all people can personally approach God and communicate with him.
The people of Israel first entered into this agreement after their exodus from Egypt (Exodus 24), and it was designed to point to the day when Jesus Christ would come.
The new covenant completes, rather than replaces, the old covenant, fulfilling everything the old covenant looked forward to (see Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Eating the bread and drinking the cup shows that we are remembering Christ’s death for us
Thus, the Old Testament sacrificial system was just a temporary picture of what was ultimately required: the Blood the sinless, spotless Lamb of God: Jesus Christ.
The Bible says we are justified through his blood (Romans 5:9); we have redemption through his blood (Ephesians 1:7);
We have peace with God through his blood (Colossians 1:20) and that the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)
As the old hymn says, "There is power in the blood."
This serves to remind us that salvation is not free.
It came at a very high price—it cost Jesus his life.
Taking the Lord's Supper with an attitude of thanksgiving helps us to remember that our salvation is a gift, not a paycheck…we didn’t earn it or deserve it.
So often we settle for a life of grumbling and griping.
We live like the man who has limburger cheese on his lip, and thinks the whole world stinks!
There is a solution for a stinky attitude!
You can get rid of it!
How?
By counting your many blessings!
In fact right now I want you to answer this question:
What am I thankful for?
Make a list of the things you are thankful for. (make a list)
There are so many things that we can be thankful for; today as we prepare to partake of the Lord’s supper we are reminded of the most important thing:
God sent his son into the world to die on the cross for our sins, even though we didn't deserve it.
· Jesus uses two simple words to invite us to His table:
Remember me!
· Jesus wants to hear two simple words as we come to His table: Thank you!
How to come to the Lord’s Table…
2. Come expectantly
Paul says in 1 Cor 11:23-25…
"For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” (1 Cor. 11:26)
The eating of the bread and drinking of the cup are to be done on a continual basis in the churches until he [Jesus] comes again.
By observing this special meal, the believers are announcing the Lord’s death.
By partaking of the body and blood of Christ, they personally show their participation in the Christian community and their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.
The periodic, solemn celebration of the Lord’s Supper among believers reminds them of Christ’s suffering on their behalf and of his imminent return when he will take them with him.
Each time we came to the Lord’s Table we ought to come with great expectations.
It is time to draw near to the Lord and realize that by dying on the cross for us…He gives us eternal and abundant life.
It is also a time to remember the promise of His return.
2 extremes when it comes to the Lord’s return…
1. It never crosses our mind that the Lord could come back anytime He wants.
2. Some are obsessed with the future they are drawing charts and trying to pinpoint or worse predicting when the Lord will return!!
See illustration…
In 1988…book 88 reasons the Lord will return in 1988…didn’t happen
2000 all lot of people thought it was going to be the end of the world!!
…didn’t happen
The right approach is to realize He is coming back and to make sure we are living for Him when He returns!!
There are those who look forward to His
Each time we gather at the Lord’s Table we are making a statement…Jesus died for our sins…and He is alive and is coming back!!!
How to come to the Lord’s Table…
3. Come humbly
“Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.” (1 Cor. 11:27-28)
Again it is important to consider Paul’s initial recipients of his letter…
The Corinthians…
Specific instructions for them and us…
1. We should take it worthily, with due reverence and respect (1 Cor. 11:27).
No one is worthy…it by grace we are saved through faith…not of ourselves.
When Paul said that no one should take the Lord’s Supper unworthily, he was speaking to church members who were rushing into it without thinking of its meaning.
2. We should examine ourselves for any unconfessed sin or resentful attitude.
Paul told the believers to examine themselves.
Ps 139:23…
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Ps 139:23-24 NIV
Inventory of the heart…
Do I worry?
Am I proud?
Am I a gossip?
What about wrong thoughts or divisive attitudes?
What did bring with you this morning?
Typically, we carry around with us one of three poisons:
1. Guilt
· Remember Jesus died to take away your sin and guilt
2. Grumbling
· Jesus reminds us today to give thanks
3. Grudges
· Jesus died that we might have fellowship with God and with each other
The Lord’s Supper reminds us we can get rid of these poisons.
Which of these three poisons do you need to get rid of before you observe the Lord’s Supper?
As we pray…this is a time to:
Get rid of your guilt
Get rid of your grumbling
Get rid of your grudges
No one should partake of the Lord’s Supper who had not accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for salvation.
Some of you may for the first time want to humble yourself and admit your need for Christ’s forgiveness….
Some may want to humble yourself and admit you’ve not been living for Christ…
Come Humbly to the Lord’s Supper…
Apollo 11 landed on the surface of the moon on Sunday, July 20, 1969.
Most of us are familiar with astronaut Neil Armstrong's historic statement as he stepped onto the moon's surface: "That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind."
But few know about the first meal eaten there.
Buzz Aldrin had brought aboard the spacecraft a tiny Communion kit provided by his church.
Aldrin sent a radio broadcast to Earth asking listeners to contemplate the events of that day and give thanks.
Then, in radio blackout for privacy … [Aldrin] read, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit."
Silently, he gave thanks and partook.
As we come to prepare to take the Lord’s Supper may we contemplate what Christ has done for each of us…
He gave His life away for us…
Song…
…you gave your life away
The Lord’s Supper…
Song: How Great the Father’s Love with slides…
ILLUSTRATION
Bonhoeffer on Self-denial Send to printer
Topics: Devotion; Discipleship; Dying to self; Humility; New man; Old man; Renewing the mind; Sanctification; Self-denial; Self-discipline; Selflessness; Self-sacrifice; Submission; Wholehearted devotion
Filters: Christian Culture; Quotes
References: Micah 6:8, Matthew 16:24-26, Romans 12:2, Galatians 2:20, 2 Timothy 1:7, Hebrews 12:1
Tone: Neutral/Mixed
To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us. Once more, all that self-denial can say is: "He leads the way, keep close to him."
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German theologian, pastor, and martyr
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (Touchstone, 1995), p. 88
ILLUSTRATION
Wife Donates Kidney, Saves Marriage Send to printer
Topics: Covenant; Divorce; Editor's Choice; Forgiveness; Free; Home; Humility; Husbands; Love, romantic; Marriage; Reconciliation; Relationships; Sacrifice; Self-denial; Self-sacrifice; Spouses; Vows; Wives; Women
Filters: Editor's Choice; Free; Marriage & Sex; Men; Stories; Women
References: Genesis 2:20-25, Proverbs 18:22, Proverbs 31:10-31, Matthew 16:25, John 15:13, Acts 2:42-47, Romans 12:1, 1 Corinthians 10:24, Ephesians 5:21-33, Philippians 2:4-11, 1 Peter 3:7, 1 John 3:16
Tone: Commend
After ten years of marriage, Cindy and Chip Altemos were in the long process of getting a divorce. The proverbial baggage they brought from previous marriages seemed too great to overcome, so they separated and even agreed to date other people.
Five years into the painful separation, Chip was in the hospital with kidney failure. With his health deteriorating rapidly, his soon-to-be ex-wife came to his aid—in spite of Chip's being in another relationship at the time. "He was still my husband. There was no way I could walk around with two kidneys, and he had none," Cindy told the press. "It was the right thing to do." She agreed to donate a kidney, telling Chip there were no strings attached—no written agreement concerning a better share in divorce court.
The transplant took place on February 21, 2007, and a funny thing happened as they both recovered in the hospital: they fell back in love. Chip thought to himself, Why would I want to date someone else, when I have a woman who would give part of herself so I can keep living? He put an end to his other relationship and asked Cindy to come back home with him. The two will be married 17 years in October.
Sam McKee, Sunnyvale, California; source: Associated Press, "Kidney Saves Marriage," www.foxnews.com (5-6-07)
Concl:
Today, as you take the bread and the cup, remember Jesus died once and for all to free you from the slavery of sin
And today, as you take the bread and the cup, take it with an attitude of Thanksgiving for the mercy that God has shown you.
And also, as you take the bread and the cup, let it be a time of communion between you and God, and between you and your fellow believers.
What did bring with you this morning?
Point to Ponder: Typically, we carry around with us one of three poisons:
1. Guilt
· Remember Jesus died to take away your sin and guilt
2. Grumbling
· Jesus reminds us today to give thanks
3. Grudges
· Jesus died that we might have fellowship with God and with each other
The Lord’s Supper reminds us we can get rid of these poisons.
Question to Consider: Which of these three poisons do you need to get rid of before you observe the Lord’s Supper?
Before you partake of the Lord’s Supper: I want to lead us in time of prayer.
As we pray…this is a time to:
Get rid of your guilt
Get rid of your grumbling
Get rid of your grudges
(prayer)
Appendix:
Excerpt from unused portion of wk 6 sermon (40 Days of community)
Notes:
• Consider using clip from Jesus for children DVD while playing song: How Great the Father’s Love (latest PK CD)
• Intersperse songs with points and elements
• Song ideas: Oh how He loves you and me, The River, Nothing but the Blood (new arrangement)
Today we’re going to take the Lord’s Supper together. I'm going to invite those that are serving to come and begin serving even as I talk. The Lord’s Supper is a time to listen to God speak to you. As we prepare for the Lord’s Supper, just ask, “God, is there anything You want to say to me?” God wants to talk to you. He wants to speak to you. But you have to listen. And that’s one of the ways you show love to God.
4. The fourth way you can express your love to God is by PUBLICLY IDENTIFYING with him.
By not being ashamed of Him at work, at home, in your neighborhood. By not saying, “I'm not going to let anybody know I'm a Christian. I'm not telling my neighbors. I'm not telling the people at work. I'm keeping it a secret.” Then you don’t really love God. Because if you love somebody you’re not ashamed of them. You publicly identify with them.
Again, here is a place where “community” helps me worship God. When I see others who take their stand for Christ, it give me courage to do the same. Christianity is a public faith.
Listen to these words from Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 (NLT)
You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. [15] Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all.
The fact is, it is easier for me to let the flashlight of my faith shine when I know you have your flashlight turned on. Courage and “together” go hand in hand. Every team, every platoon, and every gang knows this to be true. So, don’t be afraid. Publicly identify yourself with Christ.
Can you imagine: How do you think my wife would have felt if, years ago when we were dating, I said, “Let’s get married and we’ll be committed to each other but let’s just keep it our little secret. Let’s don’t tell anybody about it. I’ll be committed to you and you be committed to me but when we’re in public let’s pretend like we don’t know each other. And let’s just act like total strangers. Won’t that be great?” She’d say, “What kind of love is that, buster?” It isn’t any kind of love at all because when you really love somebody you’re not ashamed of them. You say, “This is my husband/wife.” You take on a name. You’re a family and you identify with each other.
You can’t say you love Jesus Christ and be ashamed of Him at the same time. Jesus said it like this, in Mark 8:38 “If anyone is ashamed of Me and My teachings then I will be ashamed of him when I come in the glory of My Father.” Jesus said, “If you’re ashamed of Me on earth, I'm going to be ashamed of you in heaven.” We need to publicly identify ourselves with Christ. That’s how we show our love for Him.
Jesus understood the power of symbolism and He gave us two very powerful symbols. The first one is the symbol of communion. Communion helps us identify with what Jesus Christ did for us. What did Jesus do when He died for us? Three things:
1. He saved us from the penalty of sin. Everything you’ve ever done wrong was paid for on the cross so you get to go free and forgiven.
2. He saves us from the power of sin. He breaks its grip in our lives. He gives us a new power to be able to make changes so we’re not the same anymore. He can do new things in our lives that we always wanted to do but never thought we could do on our own.
3. Eventually He saves us from the presence of sin in heaven where there will be no sin, no sorrow, no suffering, no pain, no grief. That’s good news.
When we take communion we remember what Jesus Christ paid for. And, we are to do it together. Communion was not given to us as individuals. It was given to the church. When Paul gives instructions about communion in 1 Corinthians, he begins by saying “when you come together”. Whether it is a small group in a living room or thousands in a worship center, communion is to be taken in community.
What should be my attitude when I take the Lord’s Supper? Should I sit here feeling guilty, remembering all the wrong things I’ve done in my life? No. They’ve already been paid for by Jesus Christ and forgiven. When I take communion, should I feel grief, thinking about all the torture and suffering that Jesus Christ went through for me? No. Because He didn’t stay dead. He came back to life. So what should be my attitude when I take the Lord’s Supper? It should be the attitude of gratitude. Gratefulness for all that God has done. That God would love me this much before I even knew Him to come and die on the cross for me.
Communion is not for everybody. The Bible says only believers that have accepted God’s gift should take communion. If you’re not a believer you can become one right now. Even as you take these elements, that can be the physical act of stepping across the line and saying, “Today, Jesus Christ, as I eat this cracker and drink this juice, it is my symbol of saying, ‘Yes, I accept what You did for me. I accept that You died for me. I accept that You paid for all my sins, paid for my ticket to heaven and I accept You as the leader of my life from this day forward.’” If you haven’t done that, do that when we take communion in just a minute.
As we take communion we do several things. We publicly identify our faith in Christ. We publicly identify our love for Christ. We publicly state that we want to be closer to Christ.
On the night Jesus was betrayed, He took the bread, broke it, blessed it, and He passed it around and He said, “This is to represent what I'm doing for you. It’s My broken body on the cross. When you eat this do it as a reminder. Do it to remember Me, what I’ve done for you.”
Jesus Christ paid for three things in your life. I want you to thank Him for those three things.
First, He paid for your forgiveness. Think of the thing that you feel the most guilty about. The thing that has caused you the most shame in your life, the thing that you wish had never happened and you regret deeply. Now thank God because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross it’s been paid for and forgiven, wiped out, as if it had never happened in God’s mind. Thank Him for that gracious forgiveness.
Jesus Christ paid for your freedom. Think of the freedom that you have because of Jesus Christ, the changes He’s made in your life. Thank Him for those changes. Thank Him that He gives you the power to change.
Jesus Christ has paid for your future. Because of His sacrifice you can have a future secured in heaven. “Eye has not seen nor ear heard neither had entered into the heart of man the wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love Him.” Thank Him for the future of heaven.
Jesus also took a cup that night. He said, “This is a cup representing the blood I will shed for you. And when you drink this you’re to do it as a reminder that I spilled My blood for you. I gave it for you. This is how much I love you. Do it to remember Me.” Because of Jesus Christ and what He did for us, it will never be the same again. We’re different people. We’re forgiven people. That is something we all have to be grateful for.
ILLUSTRATION
Communion Snack Send to printer
Topics: Church attendance; Fellowship; Lord's Supper
Filters: Christian Culture; Humor; Stories; Youth & Children
References: Matthew 26:26, Mark 14:22, Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 10:16, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Tone: Neutral/Mixed
My cousin's daughter Kathy usually stays in children's church on Sunday mornings, but one Sunday she went with her parents to the regular adult service. When Communion was served, she turned to her mother and whispered loudly, "The snack in children's church is much better. And we get a lot more juice."
Elizabeth Charles Gomes, Wyncote, Penn., Today's Christian Woman, "Heart to Heart."
Add…from previous outline reasons for thanks…
The Monk
A certain monastery enforced a vow of silence. Each monk could utter only two words every five years, and those two words had to be spoken in the presence of the abbot. One of the monks, when given his opportunity to speak, said, “Bad food!” Five years later, his two words were, “Bed hard.” When given his third opportunity to speak five years later, he said, “I quit.”
“Well,” said the abbot, “you might as well quit. All you’ve done since you got here is complain!”
Corinthians were complainers…carnal…self-centered…
LAC
The early church remembered that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper on the night of the Passover meal (Luke 22:13-20). Just as Passover celebrated deliverance from slavery in Egypt, so the Lord’s Supper celebrates deliverance from sin by Christ’s death.
ILLUSTRATION
Depiction of Vietnam Memorial Resembles Communion Send to printer
Topics: Christ, blood of; Christ, grace of; Cleansing; Comfort; Communion; Forgiveness; Healing; Lord's Supper
Filters: Stories
References: Luke 22:14-20, 1 Corinthians 11:26-32, Hebrews 9:28, James 5:15
Tone: Commend
A well-known painting of the Vietnam Wall depicts a young widow and her daughter standing at the wall, reaching up and touching the name of the husband and father who died. The reflection in the polished granite is not of the mother and daughter but of the husband and father reaching out his hand to touch theirs.
That is the Lord's Supper. We arrive at the table and reach out our hands to take this unleavened bread and this fruit of the vine. In response to our act of faith, Jesus touches us.
Rich Bersett, Belleville, Illinois