The Lord’s Supper – What Is It?
Our text for today is from First Corinthians chapter eleven. Please follow along as I read:
"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; 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." 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." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes." 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NKJV)
"On the 19th of November 1967, in Viet Nam, Chaplain Charlie Waters was moving with one of the companies of his Battalion when it became engaged with heavily enemy fire. As the battle raged and the casualties mounted, Chaplain Waters rushed forward to the line of contact. Unarmed and completely exposed, with complete disregard for his safety, he moved among the wounded giving aid, assisting in their evacuation, giving words of encouragement, and administering the last rites to the dying. When a wounded paratrooper was standing in shock in front of the oncoming enemy forces, Chaplain Waters ran forward, picked the man up on his shoulders and carried him to safety. At least 6 more times Chaplain Waters went outside the perimeter to rescue wounded soldiers, exposing himself to both friendly and enemy fire. Chaplain Waters was giving aid to the wounded when he himself was mortally wounded."
Wounded! We are the wounded – wounded by our own sin. Our scares run deep. The Bible says:
"There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one." Romans 3:10-12 (NKJV)
The Bible goes on to say:
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 (NKJV)
But the one who rescues us was wounded Himself. Isaiah 53:5 says this of our rescuer – Jesus:
“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)
Jesus has come to rescue us. "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." That’s what we remember as we come to the communion table – our rescuer crossed enemy lines – coming to earth, being mortally wounded so that we can be completely healed from our wounds.
Jesus never asked His disciples to remember His birth. But He did instruct them to remember His death and resurrection. The Lord’s Supper is an object lesson that represents great spiritual truth for believers.
What is the Lord’s Supper?
1. It is a SIMPLE ACT
"The Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;" 1 Corinthians 11:23 (NKJV)
Isn't that a simple act? Jesus - "took bread". He is there with his disciples and on this evening he picks up bread. I wonder how many times he had picked up bread before. I am sure there were perhaps hundreds of times maybe even thousands. But something was different this night and the Bible tells that this night was different when it says:
"On the same night in which He was betrayed he took bread...."
On this special night - on this important night - on the night in which he was betrayed. Jesus preformed a simple act. He picked up some bread.
I can't tell you how many times I have pickup up bread and I do not even dare to estimate it. Dozen to times - hundreds of times - perhaps thousands of times too. It is a common act isn't it? I can't even tell you how many types of bread I have picked up. White bread, wheat bread, sourdough bread, flat bread, pita bread, lots of different types of bread. Even though it is a simple act - a common act - today we will pick up bread and it will be different. Because:
2. It is a REMINDER
The scripture tells us:
“...and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; eat it in remembrance of me.’” 1 Corinthians 11:24
We are here this morning to remember. To remember what Jesus has done for us. To remember how He prayed in the garden - "Father if there is any way that You can take this cup from me please do it - but not my will but Yours be done." We remember that as these words were leaving His lips they arrived to arrest Him. We remember that He was bounced around that evening from on court room to another. We remember that beaten. We remember that He was crucified. We remember that He died.
Yes as we come to the table this morning it is a reminder of what Jesus has done for us.
But that is not all:
3. It is a SYMBOL
The Bible says:
“In the same way, He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; drink it to remember me.’” 1 Corinthians 11:25
"This is my body - this is my blood". I do not believe that this bread literally becomes the body of Christ. I do not believe that the elements in the cup literary becomes the blood of Christ. But I do believe that they are symbols of both the body and the blood of Christ.
Folks, symbols are powerful. I get upset when I see an American flag burning in protest or disrespect. Why? Because the flag represents our country. It stands for freedom. It stands for liberty. It stands for everything that is good about our country. It is a symbol of the land of the free and the home of the brave. Symbols excite the emotions. Symbols can bring back memories. Symbols are important. Symbols are powerful.
Today we see symbols. The bread. The cup. They are simple items and we are reminded for they are symbols of our faith - and so the Lord's Supper:
4. It is a STATEMENT OF FAITH
Our text says:
“For whenever you eat the bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes back.” 1 Corinthians 11:26
How do I prepare to participate in the Lord's Supper? By – SELF-EXAMINATION.
“A person ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.” 1 Corinthians 11:28
State employment officials in Tucson, Arizona, posted an interesting sign over a full-length mirror. It was directed to all job hunters. It read, “Would you hire this person?”
Self-evaluation was what the Apostle Paul called for in 1 Corinthians 11.
Believers in Christ need to examine themselves. Paul teaches that the Lord’s Supper should not be taken in an unworthy manner. We should not just “go through the motions.” We should not take it lightly. Christ gave His live for our salvation. We should take the Lord’s Supper seriously. The Lord’s Supper is a time to examine our own spiritual life. It is a time to look deep into our own soul and see what our daily walk with God consists of.
MAX LUCADO, in his book, Six Hours One Friday, tells the story of a missionary in Brazil who discovered a tribe of Indians in a remote part of the jungle. They lived near a large river. The tribe was in need of medical attention. A contagious disease was ravaging the population. People were dying daily.
A hospital was not too terribly far away. It was just across the river. But the Indians would not cross it because they believed it was inhabited by evil spirits. To enter the water would mean certain death. The missionary explained how he had crossed the river and was unharmed. They were unimpressed. He then took them to the bank and placed his hand in the water. They still wouldn’t go in. He walked into the water up to his waist and splashed water on his face. It didn’t matter. They were still afraid to enter the river. Finally, he dove into the river, swam beneath the surface until he emerged on the other side. He punched a triumphant fist into the air. He had entered the water and escaped. It was then that the Indians broke out into a cheer and followed him across.
That’s exactly what Jesus did! He told the people of His day that they need not fear the river of death, but they wouldn’t believe. He touched a dead boy and called him back to life. They still didn’t believe. He whispered life into the body of a dead girl and got the same result. He let a dead man spend four days in a tomb and then called him out and the people still didn’t believe Him. Finally, He entered the river of death and came out on the other side. He had won the victory. As we prepare to partake of the Lord’s Supper – we need to remember. We need to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.
“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)
But we also need to remember – that we serve a risen savior – who will return again someday! There is an old hymn that goes like this:
I serve a risen Savior, he's in the world today;
I know that he is living whatever men may say;
I see his hand of mercy; I hear his voice of cheer,
And just the time I need him, he's always near.
He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way.
He lives, he lives, salvation to impart!
You ask my how I know he lives?
He lives within my heart.
The Lord's Supper - what is it? It is a simple act, it is a reminder, it is a symbol, it is a statement of our faith.
The Bible says:
“For whenever you eat the bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes back.” 1 Corinthians 11:26
