Communion 2/6/22
Notes
Transcript
I want to be sensitive to the fact that there might be some people in here who don’t know what communion is, or maybe they don’t know why it’s done.
So let’s talk really quick about what it is.
Communion is one of two ordinances or directives that the church practices to declare the saving work done by Christ on the cross.
The other is baptism, which if you’re a believer in Christ and you haven’t been baptised I’ve got good news for you.
There’s going to be an opportunity for baptism on the 3rd week of this month. If you’re interested in learning more, come find me after service.
But we’re here to practice communion.
We’re simply imitating Christ on the night of his betrayal
Matthew 26 records the moment we’re imitating, and if you have your bibles I would encourage you to turn there with me.
While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you;
for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
Today we similarly have a small piece of bread and a small cup - and there’s nothing special about the particular bread or juice that we have.
What’s special is what it symbolizes
The bread symbolizes His body, broken for us, crucified on the cross as part of God’s plan to save us
The cup symbolizes His blood, poured out for us. Covering our sins
Communion accomplishes a specific purpose in the body of Christ.
The purpose of communion is to give the saints an opportunity to corporately remember the one who saved us and to give us the opportunity to proclaim how he saved us.
Now i want to offer a quick note here, communion is something to be done by believers - only those who call themselves followers of Christ should be participating in communion.
If you’re not a follower of Christ, we’re glad you’re here!
We welcome you, and you’re not intruding by being here during communion.
I would however ask that you respectfully abstain from communion this morning.
MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE ELEMENTS
So that’s practically what communion is - let’s turn our attention now its purpose and how it accomplishes those purposes.
The scripture that we commonly refer to during communion is in 1 Corinthians 11.
And it’s in that chapter that we hear Jesus saying “do this in rememberance of me”.
That’s a clear command! We’re to use our minds for something during this time.
Jesus is telling us that we’re to be mentally engaged during communion.
There’s something for us to do here!
What do you think about during communion? x2
If you’re like me, your mind could be a million different places.
But scripture is very clear about what we’re supposed to be thinking about.
We’re to call to mind our savior. Setting our minds on Christ.
We’re to remember the way that Jesus came, fully God and yet fully man.
Shattering our categories for what human existence could look like.
We’re to remember the way He loved those around Him
Extending grace to the outcasts, the poor, the maligned.
We’re to remember the beating and humiliation He endured prior to the cross.
And we’re to remember the way His body hung, broken for us.
Becoming a sin offering on our behalf.
We need to remember that because of our sin we deserved to be bearing that punishment.
Not only for a single moment that results physical death
But for all eternity.
Why did Jesus tell us to remember him during communion?
It’s not just for the sake of nostalgia.
Jesus’ purpose for this is much better than that.
We do this because we forget the depths of our sin, and the magnitude of grace that He showed.
We forget the grace that changed our lives in a moment, and should continue to affect us even after we get saved.
We forget. And Jesus knew we would - so He gave us this command.
It’s as if He’s saying - “Remember who you are, remember who you were, remember who I am”
Communion is meant to reorient us.
It refocuses our minds on Christ - which is what we need every day if not every moment.
Every time we hold this bread and this cup - we do it in remembrance of Him.
So let’s practice it now. Let’s take a few seconds and reorient our minds towards Christ.
Thank Him for His death on the cross
Reflect on your sin and the grace that God has shown you.
WAIT 20 SECONDS
1 Corinthians 11:23–24 (NASB95)
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which 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.”
Let’s eat the bread.
In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Let’s take the cup.
Let’s pray
Father, thank you for the blood applied. Thank you for knowing us so well, that you gave us a way to remember. You knew we would forget, you knew our minds would wander. And you gave us a way to reorient our minds, reflect on our sin and the grace you showed us. Help us to take this moment seriously. Help us to be solemn as we consider the pain and suffering your son was subjected yourself to in our place. Thank for for the grace that we didn’t deserve. We love you, Father. Please prepare our hearts to heart your word. Amen.