Dakota Community Church
February 8, 2009 pm
Communion in Every Direction
Matthew 26:17-30
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"
He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ’The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ "So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me."
They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely not I, Lord?"
Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."
Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?"
Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you."
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. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom."
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
On the night before his crucifixion Jesus institutes what we now know as communion or “the Lord’s Supper”.
This ritual sets in stone the basic message of the gospel.
The substitutionary sacrifice – His death in our place
His blood of the covenant – poured out for the forgiveness of sins.
Tonight I want us to celebrate as the Lord has instructed us by reverently looking at the Lords supper in every direction.
1. Looking back
When Jesus mentions the covenant in His blood, the disciples do not say anything; they are not confused, this is not a strange idea to them because they understand the concept of a blood covenant.
A blood covenant is an agreement between two parties, a lesser and a greater in which each party becomes owner of the others possessions.
In this case everything I have, my sin, my stuff, my very life literally is purchased from me, I am bought at a price, and everything that Jesus has, righteousness before God, heaven, peace, becomes mine. All that is required of me is faith in the blood sacrifice.
In this next passage looking back I want you to notice the good works that Abram is required to do in order to earn the blessings of the covenant (Land in this case).
Genesis 15:9-18
So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon."
Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.
Now looking a little less far back let’s examine how the early church viewed the blood sacrifice.
Hebrews 9:22-26
In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
I John 1:7-10
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
I Peter 1:17-21
Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
He was chosen before the creation of the world, the spotless lamb, not a recent invention, not a doctrine the cooked up by Augustine or some other church leader. The plan of salvation by sacrificial lamb has been the cure for original sin from the beginning!
2. Looking up
Next I want us to look upward to where the resurrected Jesus is now seated in heavenly places. He has suffered and died on our behalf, but He will suffer no more, He is now in His rightful place at the right hand of the Father, our glorified King of kings, and LORD of lords.
I think we have become to earthly minded.
In our quest to be inoffensive and inclusive we have lost sight of the true Christ.
Where is Jesus living now?
Philippians 2:1-11
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
We love to think and talk about gentle Jesus meek and mild these days don’t we? Our culture is warm and fuzzy with a suffering serving Jesus who feeds the hungry and comforts the distressed… and Jesus most certainly is all of that… but He more than that as well!
Luke 22:66-69
At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. "If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us."
Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."
Colossians 3:1-4
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Oh my, set our minds on things above… NOT ON EARTHLY THINGS.
Ephesians 1:17-20
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Acts 7:48-59
"However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says:
“‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?’
"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."
When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
Stephen is proclaiming the ruling Jesus, the coming KING JESUS, the one who will judge all men, his anti-seeker message enrages the listeners and cost Stephen his life; But, it brings Jesus to His feet!
3. Looking within
As we stand in awe of the heavenly Jesus how can we help but stop to look within ourselves. His light exposes every bit of our darkness and our need of Him becomes so apparent… if salvation is not by substitutionary atonement… I am lost, we are all lost.
1 Corinthians 11:28-29
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 himself.
What does it mean to eat and drink unworthily?
This does not mean that those who are sinners and know it should not partake, that would mean no one is ever able to partake. The passage has two meanings and both are meant and important.
First we must not partake without understanding the significance of the broken Body, we need to be careful not to cheapen or make common this sacred thing. Secondly we are instructed to examine ourselves in relation to the body, the blood bought church. We need to partake realizing that what Christ has done for one of us, He has done for all of us… we all partake in our need of mercy, grace, and forgiveness and we must not withhold these from each other.
2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
Let’s take just a moment right now to reflect on our need of a savior, to repent of our sin, and to release anyone from whom we have withheld forgiveness.
4. Looking ahead
Acts 1: 7-11
He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Revelation 1:12-18
I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lamp stands, and among the lamp stands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
He came as a peasant, He returns as a King
He came in humility, He returns in glory
He came to occupy the cross, He returns to a throne
He came to extend mercy, He returns to judge the nations
He came and bowed the knee to wash feet, He returns to see every knee bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father!
Conclusion
We have looked back, we have looked up, we have looked within, and we stand looking ahead; now let us partake of these emblems with a fresh awareness of Who and What they represent.
Thank-you Lord.
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
