November 12, 2017

A View of the Lord's Supper

Pastor: Shannon Ford Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23–34

A View of the Lord’s Supper:

(1 Corinthians 11:23-34):

The purpose of the Lord’s Supper is to receive from Christ the nourishment and strength and hope and joy that come from feasting our souls on all that He purchased for us on the cross, especially His own fellowship. (John Piper)

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To properly view the Lord’s Supper…

  • We Should Look Back (11:23-25)

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 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.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

The Lord’s Supper reminds us to look back at the cross to see what Jesus has done for us.

  1. The Bread

The broken bread should remind us that Jesus’ body was broken on the cross that we might have forgiveness of sin.

Isaiah 53:6 - All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

2 Corinthians 5:21 - For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 Peter 2:24 - He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

  • We need to look back and remember the beating to His face and the whipping of His back.
  • We need to look back and remember the crown of thorns on His head, the spikes in His hands and feet and the spear in His side.
  • We need to look back to the cross and remember all that Jesus suffered for us.
  1. The Cup

The cup represents His blood that was shed on our behalf.

1 Peter 1:18-19 - You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

“The world drinks to forget; Christians drink to remember.” (Steve Brown)

Blood has always been God’s requirement for a sacrifice for sin.

Hebrews 9:22 - …without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Before you participate in the Lord’s Supper you need to look back and remember how Jesus was broken and spilled out for you.

  • We Should Look Forward (11:26)

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

We should look forward to the return of Jesus.

When we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we proclaim (preach) the Lord’s death, resurrection and return.

A purpose of the Lord’s Supper is to preach his death until Jesus comes.  The greatest message you will ever preach is at the Lord’s Supper.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 - For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The Lord’s Supper service should serve to remind us of the fact that Jesus is coming, and He is coming for a redeemed people. Are you ready for His coming?

Matthew 24:44 - Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

  • We Should Look Within (11:27-32)

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

The Lord’s Supper service is a time of reflection and worship, but it is also a time of self-examination.

We are warned against partaking of the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner. This can mean several things:

  • It is a warning to the Lost
  • It is a warning to the Backslider
  • It is a warning to the Unconcerned

The person who partakes of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner is inviting the judgment of God.

We are to examine ourselves when we come to the Lord’s Supper.  We are to look inward to:

  • Examine our Mind
  • Examine our Motive
  • Examine our Method
  • We Should Look Around (11:33-34)

33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— 34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

The Lord’s Supper should be a demonstration of unity and consideration for the needs of others.

The Lord’s Supper is a family meal, and the Lord of the family desires that His children love one another and care for one another.

The Lord’s Supper is not simply personal, it is something we do in the midst of community. We are to look around and consider those around us.

General Principles

  1. The celebration of the Lord’s Supper should always be special.
  • We should use the celebration of the Lord’s Supper to instruct in the basic truths of the gospel message.
  • “My body is like this bread. It will break.” Jesus told them. “This cup of wine is like my blood.  It will pour out.” “But this is how God will rescue the whole world.  My life will break and God’s broken world will mend. My heart will tear apart – and your hearts will heal. Just as the Passover lamb died, so now I will die instead of you.  My blood will wash away all of your sins. And you’ll be clean on the inside – in your hearts.” “So whenever you eat and drink, remember, “Jesus said, “I’ve rescued you!” (The Jesus Storybook Bible)
  1. The celebration of the Lord’s Supper should always be serious.
  • Be sure you are right in the Lord - salvation.
  • Be sure you are right with the Lord – confession.