Introduction
As you can see, set before you in our presence is the Lord’s Supper. Every fifth Sunday, we participate in this Feast, set forth by Jesus our Savior.
I have served you for over 3 ½ years so that would make this my 14th Lord’s Supper celebration with Keys Valley Baptist Church. While the Lord’s Supper is one of the two observances of our church, the other being baptism, there is very little written about the supper. The synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:17-20) mention this meal, and Paul’s epistle to the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), adds some additional background. The Gospel of John details most of the discussions around the table:
• Jesus washes the feet of the disciples (13:4-17)
• Jesus announces His betrayal. (13:21-30)
• A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (13:34)
• Jesus declaration that Peter would deny Him three times. (13:36-38)
• The promise of Christ building a house for them in heaven. (14:1-3)
• Jesus proclamation that “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man commeth unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
• Jesus promises that the disciples would do greater works than He performed. (14:12)
• The Promise of the Comforter (14:16-17)
• Jesus promises that He will come to them after His resurrection (14:18-20)
However, with all this information surrounding this meal, there is very little information concerning the supper itself. The Synoptic Gospels lead us to believe that Jesus and the disciples were eating the Passover and Jesus’ instructions for the Lord’s Supper followed that meal. But there is no mention of eating the Pascal lamb. There is no mention of eating the bitter herbs. Most commentators simply jump to this being the Lord’s Supper taking place after the Passover meal was eaten.
We know that Jesus utilized two items on the table: unleavened bread and the cup, which is on our table today.
What is commemorated by the Lord’s Supper?
We Remember the Sacrifice of Christ – Christ went willingly to His own torture and sacrifice. We are to remember the beatings, trials, the scourging, and God’s wrath poured out on Him for our sins.
In Mark 14:25, Jesus makes an interesting statement.
Mark 14:25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
The cup that Jesus would drink from was not the cup of the vine, but the cup of the wrath of God. Jesus would consume the sins of all the sons of man. The cup is filled with
Romans 1:29-31 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
We Remember the death of Christ - The Passover was the remembrance of what God did for the Children of Israel in Egypt. The Lord’s Supper is the remembrance of what Christ did for the believers; His death. God the Father observed the death of Christ:
John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
And we are told that in heaven the great event which is celebrated is the death upon Calvary.
Revelation 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Therefore, we, believers in the Christ, should remember that death.
We Remember the return of Christ – Jesus promised to partake of the bread and cup in heaven.
We Remember How we should we observe the Lord’s Supper.
We should remember the life of Christ. His miracles, teachings, and promises.
We should remember what Jesus did for us personally.
We are to approach the table with great joy and gratitude
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We are to enjoy it together.
1 Corinthians 11:24 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.
“…brake” - The breaking of the bread involves its distribution.
“…my body broken for you” - "given" (Lu 22:19) for you (Greek, "in your behalf"), and "broken," so as to be distributed among you. The bread had two meanings, physical and spiritual. The physical bread is for your bodily health. The spiritual bread if for the spirit inside the believer.
1 Corinthians 11:25 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.
Once again there is a physical and spiritual meaning applied to the cup. The physical cup would wash the palate and quince the thirst after eating the bread. The spiritual would be the applying of the “blood of Christ” to our account for salvation to quince the wrath of God against us.
Conclusion
Instructions: If you are of like faith, have participated in believer’s baptism, you may participate in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper with us today.
