Lord’s Supper
Exodus 12:1-30, Matthew 26:17-30
Introduction
Much of our news this past week has focused around the death of Anna Nicole Smith. Apparently she died of a drug overdose of some kind and it has caused quite a stir. Even Brittany Spears went to rehab for a day or two for fear she too would be found dead of drug overdose. What I find amazing about Anna Nicole’s death is most people are not "shocked" by the news. Interviews with fellow celebrities indicate that it was her lifestyle and the outcome of that kind of lifestyle is death.
If you look at the real tragedy in her death it is this, a human life with all of its potential has been wasted She will be remembered as a person who had the opportunities afforded by money, fame, and at one time good looks, and a youthful drive to become someone. But, as the writer of Ecclesiastes says it was vanity, meaningless, all meaningless, and why? Her lasting legacy by which she will be remembered as one of waste and abuse and there is absolutely no way to change that perception.
Today, in our church we are going remember a person’s death, the death of Jesus Christ. We are going to remember the legacy that He left behind, a legacy of everlasting life. It is called the Lord’s Supper. In other churches it is called communion. What is important for us today is its meaning.
Dangers
There are some dangers to having this service this morning. The Corinthians were having difficulty understanding the meaning and intent of the meal. They were sinning during the Lord’s Supper, a meal meant to testify of the life and death of Jesus. We too can miss the meaning if we are not careful. Thus Paul says in 1 Corinthians says,
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. (11:27)
Owen Bourgaise said, "When I was in business it was the accepted practice, for employees to have an annual appraisal. It can be painful, but let’s face it, no-one like to be told that they’re less than perfect! I think believers in Jesus need it more often than once a year, even if it’s only a self-appraisal. The apostle Paul wrote concerning the Lord’s Supper,
“A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28).
Ignorance
First we need to avoid the ignorance of the Corinthians and know what and why we are participating this morning. Tommy Ellis says "If you give a street drunk a bottle of expensive alcohol, he will appreciate it the same as he would a cheap bottle of booze. Why? He does not know what he has. Likewise, whoever eats and drinks the Lord’s Supper in ignorance, fails to enjoy the true richness of what they are consuming!"
Ordinance and Symbol
It is one of our ordinances. In our church we observe two ordinances. The two are the Lord’s Supper and baptism. Both are found in Scripture and both are commanded. An ordinance is defined as a command or custom. We observe these two because we are commanded to in the New Testament.
So we as believers have been commanded to observe this time. You might ask, is it essential to my salvation? The answer is no. Jesus and Jesus alone redeems us from our sin and shame.
However, the evidence of that redeemed life is you will obey scripture. Jesus said "if you love me, you will obey my commands." It is not a part of our salvation but it is a result of our salvation. When Jesus is received as Lord we begin to do His will as revealed in His word. Therefore we observe the Lord’s Supper and baptism this morning.
The Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of what Jesus did for us on the cross. He died for us and paid the penalty for our sin. Baptism is a symbol of what follows, His burial and resurrection. Thus in these two acts we recognize and give public testimony of what Jesus has done for us by His death burial and resurrection.
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:27
Feast of Unleavened Bread/Passover
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?" And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ’The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples." ’ " And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover. 17-18
Jesus was being obedient to the law. Each year they gathered for the meal. Jesus sent the disciple to make preparation. Exodus 12 explains the meaning for the Israelite community.
“Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.
24“Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’
There had been nine plagues each one worse than the one before. We come to the tenth and final plague and God tells them to prepare a special meal, including unleavened bread. They are also to take a lamb, slaughter it, and prepare a meal of unleavened bread, bitter herbs, and lamb roasted over a fire.
Before they ate the lamb they were to slay it, take the blood and spread it over the door posts. That night, the Angel of Death also called the Destroyer would pass over the land of Egypt killing all of the firstborn son of man and animal except those with blood over the door.
Thus, we have the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a meal representing the flight from Egypt, and Passover. They were to remember this from generation to generation.
This is the meal that Jesus sent the disciples to prepare. As they were eating the meal of unleavened bread, bitter herbs, and roast lamb, Jesus told them that one of them was going to betray him. Judas departed to betray Jesus.
Jesus then began the meal. Instead of the usual words associated with the Feast, Jesus began to give the new meaning to the disciples. He in essence "changed the script". He said,
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
He changed what they were to remember. It is still about freedom from slavery and it is still about avoiding the destroyer who brings death. But instead of the freedom from slavery in Egypt, it is recognizing the freedom from slavery from sin.. When He hung on the cross and cried out "Father, why have You forsaken Me?", He was separated for the first time from His Father in Heaven. He was paying the price for your sin, separation from God.
The blood that poured from His body was for the forgiveness required for the payment of sin. The wages (payment) of sin is death. "Without the shedding of blood" there is no forgiveness. Jesus paid the price of our sin with His blood.
Our gathering this morning is a remembrance of what Jesus did for each one of us on the cross. For all who receive Him there is freedom from sin and death.
Robert Tinsky was reared in Judaism. Dissatisfied spiritually, he visited a Christian Church for the first time, seeking some religious truth. He was astounded by the observance of the Lord’s Supper. He didn’t understand it. He asked some young people seated near him what it meant. They faithfully told him the gospel story as portrayed in the loaf and cup. He was amazed that there was a God who loved mankind enough to give His Son to die for us and at the wisdom that originated such a living memorial. He became a Christian and a faithful preacher of the gospel. (Christian Standard)
Disciples
If you noticed in your scriptures Judas had left. The eleven disciples were still in the room with Jesus. Why, the meal is only for those who recognize, receive, and follow Him. If you are not a follower of Jesus, don’t partake of the meal. Simply let the cup pass you by and leave he bread in the plate.
Deference
Those of us who have been believers and have observed that Lord’s Supper maybe a little inured to the impact of the meal. It is not intentional on our part it is normal. Like the Pharisees we must be careful never to let the Lord’s Supper become a ritual we follow.
As you wait to be served, remember anew the sacrifice of our Lord. Realize the pain and suffering of our Lord. The depth of His love for us is bound up in the cross. His sacrifice meant life to you and me. Because of Him we have the benefits and blessing of knowing our heavenly Father.
Denial
The unworthy manner also includes our sin. Even the best of believers slips in his surrender to Christ. All of us allow our will to become "our will". We need forgiveness of that sin. 1 John 1:8-9 says,
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
As you hold the bread and cup, allow the Holy Spirit to search out your heart. Allow him to reveal the inner most of your being and reveal to you any unconfessed sin. Our remedy is still Jesus Christ.
A small country church in Wisconsin has a special tradition that they have used at the close of their communion services for a number of years. It is adapted from an ancient Jewish closing of the Passover meal. Since it is the hope of every devout Jew to celebrate the Passover at least once in David’s city, the Jewish custom is to end the meal with a toast. Passover participants raise the cup and say, “Next year, in Jerusalem!”
The cup in the Lord’s Supper serves as two reminders: we are to look back to the shed blood of Christ and forward to the Lord’s second coming. In other words, for all Christians, there will be a last sharing of the bread and the cup on this side of eternity: when they meet once again, they will be in Christ’s presence. At the close of communion, the members of this church raise their cups in anticipation and say, “Next time, with Christ!” (Today in the Word, May, 1996, p. 26)
We are going to adapt this a little. Our desire is to live each moment this year for Christ. From this moment on, in word and deed do the will of Jesus Christ. Thus at the end of the supper we will proclaim loudly,
"The year, for Christ!"
