The Lord’s Supper Service
Matthew 26:26-30
Sermon by Rick Crandall
McClendon Baptist Church - March 28, 2010
Welcome and Invitation to Participate:
-As we observe the Lord’s Supper tonight, remember that the Lord’s Supper is for everyone who has received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. So, if you know Jesus, we invite you to share.
Meet and Greet
“There Is Power in the Blood” (191)
“Let Us Break Bread Together” (323)
Prayer
Special Music “There Is a Fountain” Sanctuary Choir
Scripture Reading and Devotion: Picture the scene on the night before the cross. Jesus was gathered with His disciples to introduce the Lord’s Supper we are about to take. Matthew 26:26-30 tells us that:
26. As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body.''
27. Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
28. "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29. "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom.''
30. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
*Think about all that we have in common with these first disciples.
1. We share fellowship.
*There they were -- gathered together with Jesus, and so are we. Yes it was a night of troubles, but they were sharing their troubles together, and so can we. There is a special bond between us, because we belong to Jesus.
*One of the most high and holy times I ever had in Ukraine was the Lord’s Supper service we had at the children’s camp in Kaniv. We were upstairs from the craft room that afternoon. Junk and dirty clothes were scattered everywhere around the room. Some people sat on rough benches, some sat on the floor, and many stood around the edge of the room. I gave my testimony that day, Pastor Sergei preached, and then we took the Lord’s Supper.
*I had almost nothing in common with those people. We spoke a different language. We lived on opposite sides of the world. Most of them had grown up in poverty under the heavy hand of Communist oppression. I grew up with most everything I ever wanted, in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
*We had nothing in common, -- but we had everything in common, because of Jesus. As Christians, we share fellowship.
2. And we share forgiveness.
*In vs. 27&28, Jesus gave them the cup and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission (the forgiveness, pardon, freedom and deliverance) of sins.
*Jesus was about to die on the cross for our sins, and He did die so that all of our sins might be forgiven. Tonight we remember that Jesus gave His life, so that we could be forgiven. He took the death penalty for our sins. Christians, we share forgiveness.
3. And we share the future.
*In vs. 29, Jesus said: “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom.” What a future we have together, because of Jesus!
4. But as Christians we also share the same call to follow.
*In vs. 30, they “sang a hymn” and followed Jesus “out to the Mount of Olives.” God’s call on all of our lives is to follow Jesus, so we sing hymns like “Wherever He Leads I’ll Go.” Every day our goal should be to follow Jesus more and more. And tonight we are here to follow His command to remember Him in the Lord’s Supper.
*The Apostle Paul told us how to do it in 1 Corin 11:23-32:
23. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24. and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.''
25. In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.''
26. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.
27. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.
29. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
31. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
32. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
*Paul tells us here that before we take the Lord’s Supper, we need to examine our hearts. Listen to it again in vs. 27-29:
27. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.
29. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
*The only way to properly receive the Lord’s Supper is to search our hearts, repent and confess our sins to the Lord. -- Please join me in a time of silent prayer, as we search our hearts before the Lord.
Deacons come forward to serve the elements.
Breaking of the Bread: “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.’” (John 6:35)
Prayer to Bless the Bread
Passing Of the Bread.
1 Cor 11:23-24 / Taking the Bread
23. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24. and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.''
The Blood of Jesus Christ:
5. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
6. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)
Prayer to Bless the Cup
Passing of the Cup
1 Cor 11:25: In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.''
Taking the Cup.
1 Cor 11:26: For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.
Benediction “Blest Be the Tie That Binds” (386)
