Introduction

Welcome, beloved family of God. It's a blessing to gather together once again. Today, we're going to turn our focus to 1 Corinthians 11, a passage that speaks of the Lord's Supper. This sacrament, this sacred act, is one that we, as believers, participate in regularly. But do we truly understand the depth of its significance? Do we grasp the profound spiritual truths that are encapsulated in the simple acts of breaking bread and sharing wine?

In our daily lives, it's easy to overlook the beauty and significance of these acts. We may find ourselves going through the motions, not fully appreciating the profound spiritual truths that they represent. But today, we're going to pause and reflect on these truths, allowing them to sink into our hearts and minds.

John Owen once said, "A sermon is not made with an eye upon the sermon, but with both eyes upon the people and all the heart upon God." As we look at 1 Corinthians 11, let's keep our hearts focused on God and our minds open to the truths He wants to reveal to us.

The passage reads as follows:

"23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night 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, 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.' 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes."

Let us pray.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of Your Word and for the opportunity to gather together as a family in Your name. As we reflect on this passage, we ask that You open our hearts and minds to the truths You want to reveal to us. Help us to understand the significance of the Lord's Supper, and to approach it with the reverence and gratitude it deserves. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Now, let's turn our hearts and minds to the first main point of today's sermon: Breaking Bread as a Body.

Breaking Bread as a Body

When we gather around the table to partake in the Lord's Supper, we are not just consuming bread and wine. We are participating in an act of unity and fellowship. This is a moment where we come together as one body, united in our faith and our love for Christ. We are reminded that we are not alone in our spiritual journey, but are part of a larger community of believers.

The act of breaking bread is a symbol of this unity. In the time of Jesus, breaking bread was a common act of hospitality and fellowship. It was a way of welcoming others into your home and sharing what you had with them. In the same way, when we break bread in the Lord's Supper, we are welcoming each other into our spiritual family. We are sharing in the body of Christ, reminding each other that we are all part of the same body.

The bread itself is also significant. It represents the body of Christ, broken for us on the cross. When we eat the bread, we are reminded of Christ's sacrifice for us. We are reminded of the pain and suffering He endured on our behalf. But we are also reminded of His love for us, a love so great that He was willing to lay down His life for us.

The act of eating the bread together is also a reminder of our shared faith. We are all partaking in the same meal, all nourished by the same spiritual food. This is a reminder that we are all on the same spiritual journey, all striving to grow closer to God. We are all part of the same body, all part of the same family.

But the Lord's Supper is not just about looking back and remembering Christ's sacrifice. It's also about looking forward and anticipating His return. Every time we partake in the Lord's Supper, we are proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes. We are declaring our faith in His resurrection and our hope in His return. This is a powerful act of faith, a declaration of our belief in the promises of God.

Finally, the Lord's Supper is a moment of self-examination. As we partake in the bread and wine, we are called to examine our hearts and our lives. Are we living in a way that honors Christ's sacrifice? Are we loving our brothers and sisters as Christ has loved us? Are we striving to grow in our faith and draw closer to God? The Lord's Supper is a time to reflect on these questions, to examine our hearts and to recommit ourselves to living for Christ.

Blessings of the Wine

As we continue our reflection on the Lord's Supper, we shift our attention to the second element of this sacrament: the wine ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO