Communion, What Is It?

Pray: Lord let the words of my mouth and the mediation of all our hearts be acceptable to you Lord our rock and salvation.

I was watching Judge Mathis on TV this past week and a couple was suing another for unpaid rent.

The Plaintiff began by saying to the judge that they were Christians and they rented an apartment to the defendants who are also Christians. However for some reason after they were living in the apartment six months they stopped paying their rent.

Judge Mathis stopped him and asked did you say you are a Christian and the defendants are also?

Yes the man replied I did say that.

Judge Mathis then asked then why are you here today in my court suing another Christian? I mean do not Christians believe in forgiving one another?

There was laughter from the audience and the man was speechless and did not know what to say in reply.

What would you have said to the judge? (pause)

I was horrified when I watched this on TV as Judge Mathis made a joke about being Christian and about the doctrine of forgiveness on national TV.

How did or would you react to this if you saw it on TV?

If I was the plaintiff my response would have been deliberate and swift.

I would have said yes I am a Christian and I believe in forgiveness and know the Lord forgiveness those who repent and ask for forgiveness.

We all need forgiveness as we are all sinners.

However forgiveness does not relieve people of their consequences of their sins.

That is why God allows temporal law and authority on earth such as your court. Otherwise being the sinful people we are there would total chaos here on earth. (pause)

Today we will offer one of the Lutheran sacraments, the sacrament of Holy Communion. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

In your bulletin please find your insert titled Holy Communion and take it out as we look at it together. (pause)

There are ten questions that we should all be asking ourselves as we prepare to take communion. Open the insert and you will the questions on page 3.

They are:

1. Have you been baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

2. Do you understand the meaning of Holy Communion?

3. Have you self examined your self prior to coming to the Lord’s Supper?

4. Do you confess being a sinner and ask for forgiveness?

5. Do you believe Jesus Christ the only Son of God is your savior?

6. Do you believe in the true presences of our Lord Jesus Christ in, with and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion?

7. Are you at peace with everyone, if you are not are you seeking God’s comfort, presence and strength through this Holy Meal to resolve them?

8. Are you willing to share the burdens of others who receive this Holy Communion with you?

9. Do you desire and intend to lead a more Godly and Christ like life?

10. Are you hungry to take, eat and drink the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins?

As you can see some of these questions are quite easy to answer and some may be not be so easy. So let’s go through then together this morning.

1. Have you been baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

Why do you think this is necessary to receive Communion?

Matthew 28: Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples to all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

This is the second sacrament that the Lord commanded for us to do, be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Then He later commands us to take eat and drink which is the second sacrament.

2. Do you understand the meaning of Holy Communion?

This is a tad harder question. Do you know what Scripture says if you take communion in an unworthy manner?

1 Corinthians 11: Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on him self.

That is why this morning we discussing what Holy Communion is all about. Because taking communion in an unworthy manner is mocking Christ and brings judgment on one self.