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this evening we are going to take communion together so as we prepare to do this I would like you to turn with me to
1 Cor 11:23-32
23For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall 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 that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
1 Cor 10:16-17
16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
When we come to the Lord’s table, to participate in this holy communion we need to take a fourfold look.
1. WE NEED TO LOOK BACK -
we need to remember the Lord’s death
when we look back to the cross.
We are reminded of our Lord’s sacrifice
how He gave himself unselfishly and completely, for the atonement of our sins.
The marvelous thing about the sacrifice Christ made for us is that He did this "while we were still sinners"
Romans 5:8
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us
It is easy to love the lovable
but so hard to love the unlovable
Our Lord did just that
what Christ did for us all he did without exception
he did it for us all while we were unworthy sinners
we need to always keep that in mind and always give him his proper praise
2. WE NEED TO LOOK WITHIN -
we need to examine ourselves before we eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
1 COR 11:28
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
The second look we need to take is within ourselves.
here and now.
We need to look at ourselves:
we need to ask ourselves
What are we doing with our lives?
How are we living?
Are we striving for holiness?
I know that none of us are perfect or ever will be this side of Heaven but are you trying to be.
or are you using Grace as a crutch to just mess up
our we putting Jesus first in our lives
are we totally committed to him?
Let us truly examine ourselves,
look deep into our own hearts
1 Corinthians 11:28, 29
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
God wants us to acknowledge our sins and humbly ask for his forgiveness.
ILLUSTRATION - (Self Evaluation)
State employment officials in Tucson, Arizona, posted an interesting sign over a full-length mirror. Directed to all job hunters, it read, “Would you hire this person?” In another office a mirror and sign posed this question: “Are you ready for a job?”
Self-evaluation was what the apostle Paul called for in 1 Corinthians 11.
Paul told us that as Believers in Christ we need to judge ourselves in order to avoid being judged by the Lord as unfit for His service.
you see In the Corinthian church, they had an “appearance problem”
as Christians they "looked” awful.
They were actually getting drunk and fighting among themselves all while they were going through the motions of celebrating the Lord’s Supper.
So Paul told them basically,
just Look at yourselves.
What a mess!
If you don’t get your lives straightened out, the Lord will have to do it for you.”
Then he added the fact that God had already began cleaning the church by sending some of them to an early grave.
That was a hard truth, but one the church still needs to hear today.
so look at your own lives in your own hearts and then do what needs to be done to settle the question before we take communion this evening.
3. WE NEED TO LOOK AROUND -
1 COR 10:17
17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
The third look is to the brothers and sisters around us –
as we take communion this evening let us give thanks to God for our Christian family.
No man is an island
we need one another.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Proverbs 27:17:
17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
I thank God for this Church and the family that God has given me
I love you all and am so thankful for the privilege of being your Pastor
we need each other and are there for one another if I have a need you I can call you all and know that you are praying for me and you can do the same with me
worldly groups can't do that for one another only the body of Christ
4. WE NEED TO LOOK AHEAD -
“until he comes”
1 COR 11:26
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
The fourth look is to the future.
Are we looking forward to the time when Jesus will come again
to when we will have Communion with our Lord in His kingdom?
we should be
we should get excited that one of these days all of our troubles will be no more
because Jesus will split that eastern sky and take us to be with him in Heaven forever and ever
Are we looking forward to His coming with joy or with fear?
Someone once asked D. L. Moody, "If you knew the Lord would return tonight, how would you spend the rest of the day?" Mr. Moody replied without hesitation, "I wouldn’t do anything different than I do every day."
How wonderful it would be if we all could say that!
Then we could, with confidence, pray, "Come, Lord Jesus!"
Revelation 22:20
20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
he could come today, maybe tomorrow, but for those of us that are redeemed it makes no difference because we are ready
if your not sure now is the opportunity to know that you know
thats why I want to invite you all to examine yourself
then we will all take communion together.
