The Lord’s Supper

1 Corinthians 11:23  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: 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. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death.

To begin with brothers and sisters I want to talk about The Lord”s Supper. Every second Sunday we say this same text in our responsive reading. It’s a seemingly beautiful text but this text was birthed out of disobedience, out of conflict and confusion out of classism, and out of a failure to follow Christian protocols for the observance of the Lord’s Supper. The Corinthian Church had problems being under authority. The men and the women were not following the orthodoxy of proper church attire or protocols it was a “Do what you want nah church”, and that’s a recipe for disaster.

brothers and sisters the early church at Corinth just looked out of sorts and out of order.

The Corinthians looked like a church that forgot all the rules and like a church that started making up their own stuff. So much so until the founder of the church the Apostle Paul had to remind them about how to take communion, how to take the eucharist, how to conduct a mass, how to participate in the Love Feast, and lastly how to honor and reverence the Lord Supper, how to honor “THE HOLY COMMUNION”

Pastor Paul said the things I’m teaching ,talking and telling you now is not to praise you. Paul say I don’t have nothing good to say about the way y’all are doing things in the church concerning the Holy Communion.

Look at the text Pastor Paul saying in Verse 18 that First of all, you’re a divided church. There is no unity. Because where there is unity there is strength. And everybody knows that a church divided against itself can not stand.

Paul said there are supposed to be differences between you all,2x but when you come together, you ought to be able to get on one accord.

1.Paul said that the Corinthian Church was not really eating the Lord’s Supper because they weren’t eating the Lord’s Supper at the same time. Listen to me good “They weren’t waiting like we do, when we pass the communion out and we wait until everybody has the sacrament then we rehearse the sacred sayings concerning Jesus and we take it together,right? But they didn’t do it like that no no no.

2. They were bringing in tons of food and sectioning off in the church and having a food party. But that’s not all they were having a drinking party too. And some were getting drunk in the name of taking Holy Communion.. They were treating the Holy Communion like a pagan festival.

Paul said you ought to be shame of your selves because you can eat and drink at your own homes but don’t come and defile the House of God like this.

3. Then what’s worse there was classism. The well to do folk would eat drink and be merry while the poor people were humiliated because they just watch them eat and drink and be merry. In 2022, If we did that here, people would leave and never come back…Paul said to the Corinthian Church I can’t praise you for this 2x.

4. Paul said I have to reteach you the fundamental order of service concerning Holy Communion. And Paul re taught the communion text in 1 Corinthians 11:23- 26 because instead of being a celebration text now it’s a text of correction of reteaching of restructuring and of redirecting the church from erroneous behavior.

5. Specifically speaking Paul said let me teach you something you should already know. Look at 1 Corinthians 11:23-26  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: 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. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

Paul perfectly explained the reason for communion and every time we eat the bread and drink the cup we are commemorating and celebrating the Great sacrifice that Jesus Christ did for mankind. How Jesus became the propitiation, the sacrificial Lamb that had been slain before the foundations of the world to be the Savior of mankind. Because the bible says “while we were yet sinners Christ died for our sins.” Thank you Jesus.

6. So Paul is saying that communion is special, it’s sacred, it’s holy, it’s pious, it’s religious, and it’s to be revered because verse 27 tells us why

27 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.

Meaning if you’re not righteous don’t take it, if you haven’t ask forgiveness don’t take it, if your pastor haven’t ask God to look pass the faults of the congregation and allow them too participate in communion service don’t take communion!!! it ain’t no play thing, it’s real

Tell your neighbor: Communion is the real deal.

And that’s why Paul said in verse 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

And this means that if you just skip all by what the word of God says and don’t take this serious there may be some dire consequences that follow.

30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. And listen if your pastor don’t teach you and you’re in error, God will hold your pastor accountable as well, because he watches for your souls. This deep because it’s more than me given you a sermon with three points a hoop and sit down no no no now I’m responsible for your souls. In the Baptist Church there are two major ordinances.. Baptism and The Lord’s Supper. That’s got to be done right.

And then finally 7.Treat God’s business with respect

31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 34 Anyone who is too hungry should eat at home so that in meeting together you will not bring God’s judgment on yourselves. I will tell you what to do about the other things when I come.

Church I see this text in a whole new light.. It struck me like a ton of bricks. And I said at least teach the church the truth and make sure our precious children understand how to treat Communion Sunday. Children treat Communion Sunday as a Special Sunday. And this is officially their first communion and up in heaven all the angels are rejoicing saying the devil is mad about one he thought he had.

Glory to God hallelujah!!! Come on Give God a hand of praise.