The Lord's Supper
Notes
Transcript
We have been to many different churches across different continents, and there is a commonality among every Baptist church - we like to eat
Many, many meals - church can cook or they can’t
Bad rolls - very heavy bread
Paul is instructing this church in Corinth, obviously a Baptist church by their love for food, on the proper way to participate in the Lord’s Supper together.
This church was full of young believers and they needed some instruction. Paul carefully taught the church what was right to do and what was wrong as part of the family of God.
Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
Come together - synerchomai - sin-err-comb-may - to get together for a specific purpose - in this context, Paul is speaking about their meals
He wasn’t speaking about the authoritative time of a service, but a voluntary time when the church come together to partake of the Lord’s Supper
The Meal Before the Lord’s Supper
The Meal Before the Lord’s Supper
Before participating in the Lord’s Supper this church would have a meal beforehand. This meal was not a good scene or testimony for the church.
Full of division
1 Cor 11:18
For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
Divisions - schism
Scotland - Clans - same nationality, but a schism
Cliques - church that people had there own group they’d eat with, but not everyone was invited
Sectioned
1 Cor 11:19
For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
Heresies - does not mean what we would normally call it today - a radical departure from truth
group that chooses to side together on an opinion or matter in exclusion of others
Acts 5:17-20
Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
There was a group of Sadducees that didn’t like what the church in Jerusalem was doing in regards to telling others about Jesus. They imprisoned the apostles.
Not every Sadducee was against them, but there was a group that was filled with indignation (jealousy).
The meal was set apart in groups and if you didn’t belong to that “group” you were not welcome to eat with them.
Chaotic
1 Cor 11:20-22
When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
Paul clarifies specifically that he is not talking about the Lord’s Supper in this meal, but rather the “meal” together beforehand
Every family brought their own meal
Jesus fed the 5,000 - no one went away hungry - no matter who they were - everyone was treated well and fairly
The problem was not that people brought food, but that those who were struggling just sat and watched others flaunt their large pantries and more than ample supply beyond their fill to the point of gluttony
People brought alcohol to this meal and became drunk… in church!
This was a time where people would come to display their wealth, sit in their exclusive groups, and allow others to go hungry or indulge in a sinfulness
It’s better for you to eat and drink in your homes than for these chaotic and hurtful meals to continue.
Do you despise (look down upon) the church?
Are you trying to make those struggling feel bad for their situations?
Where’s the Christ-like spirit of sharing, caring, and meeting the needs of others?
I cannot nor will I praise you in this.
Participating in the Lord’s Supper
Participating in the Lord’s Supper
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
Now, Paul begins to address the LORD’s supper -
In Matthew, Mark, Luke we see the account of what Paul quotes here in the following verses. It is interesting that the dialogue in each of these accounts is brief, but in John, where this instruction isn’t specifically included, the conversation is included.
The Picture of the Lord’s Supper
Broken body
1 Cor 11:24
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Flesh was broken for us
Beaten - cat-of-nine tails
Ps 22:17
I may tell all my bones: They look and stare upon me.
Crown of thorns
Beard plucked
Nails driven - hands & feet
Ps 22:16
For dogs have compassed me: The assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: They pierced my hands and my feet.
Spear pierced
Zech 12:10
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, The spirit of grace and of supplications: And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, And they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, And shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Break bread and pass it
Powerful reminder of the suffering Jesus endured
Powerful reminder of our sinfulness that brought the suffering to our Saviour
Shed blood
1 Cor 10:25
Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
Ps 22:14
I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; It is melted in the midst of my bowels.
Heb 9:22-28
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
The blood of Jesus on the Mercy Seat in Heaven continually reminds God the price paid for us
The Purpose of the Lord’s Supper
1 Cor 10:26
For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.
2 ordinances
Baptism - identifying with Jesus’ death
Lord’s Supper - remembrance of Jesus’ death
Paul doesn’t dictate how often this is to be done, but rather the importance of remembering it
The Preparation of the Lord’s Supper
Prepare before participating
1 Cor 11:27-28
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
Unworthily - lightly, irreverently
Remember the context of this portion - earlier in Vs. 21 - people were drunken as they took the Lord’s supper
Guilty - legal term indicting Jesus that He should have been crucified for crimes He did commit
Matt 26:65-66
Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
Examine himself
There are churches that claim you must be a member of the church and if the church suspects anything wrong in your life then you are not allowed to partake in the Lord’s supper
Closed communion
Open communion
Close communion - what we are
Penalty for participating wrongly
1 Cor 11:29
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
Damnation - judgement
Discerning - Recognise or perceive the differences of the Lord’s body
1 Cor 11:30
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Ill - because they took of the Lord’s supper wrongly
Sleep - Death
Perceive where your heart is
1 Cor 11:31
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
2 sons - parents left them alone
came home and the ouse eerily quiet
they walked to the back of the house and found a vase broken with a note on it that said, We broke the vase. We are sorry and have sent ourselves to bed for the rest of the night.
Rush upstairs, haul the boys out of bed, and punish them then and there?
No! They had judged themselves, and judgement was disarmed.
Introspection of our heart and lives - confess, ask forgiveness, return payment
1 Cor 11:32
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
If we neglect our sin and refuse to care for it ourselves, God will chasten us. He will correct His children.
Rev 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
This correction is usually more severe than if we would have judged ourselves
Conclusion
Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
Paul now turns our attention to the meal before the Lord’s supper in some instruction
Tarry - wait, anticipate one another
Be courteous of each other
If anyone is so hungry that he cannot wait respectfully in queue, then eat something at home to get you through
It would be a tragedy for a meal that is supposed to be an encouragement and a time of God’s family enjoying a meal together to become something to judge and condemn others for their behaviour and lack of courtesy
The rest Paul could wait until he came