Come To The Table
(Thanksgiving Communion Message)
1 Cor. 11.23-29
11/20/16 CFBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
A Thanksgiving, for many of us, is both a memory in our past and a moment we look forward to.
1 I can remember all the smells of stuffing, pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes w/ marshmallows, turkey baking in the oven.
a My grandparents would straggle in around 11 PM.
aa I’d occupy myself by playing Atari 2600 while I waited to hear those four magical words, “Come to the Table.”
bb I knew the food was going to be on point, the family would be in their spots and we were going to have a good time.
b This morning, Jesus has set a table himself and has said to us, “Come to the table!”
aa 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 (NASB) 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the
same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.
bb He’s inviting us, but He’s also commanding us.
cc IL. This Thursday we’ll be packing up the family truckster and heading to Springfield to enjoy Thanksgiving with Pam’s family. Lake doesn’t want to go, but what he doesn’t get is that he is not only invited to go to the meal . . .he’s been commanded to go to the meal.
2 With Jesus’ invitation and command to us to come to the table, there are some assumptions made on how we come to the Lord’s Table: your hands must be clean, come ready, and come to enjoy the meal.
a Jesus put a lot of work & preperation in this meal . . .sacrifice, blood, sweat, and tears . . . very expensive.
aa At mom & dad’s house they made sure my brother and I were clean, hungry (no eating on the morning of Thanksgiving) and be nice to our guests so everyone can have a good time.
bb I believe Jesus has similar expectations on us as we come to His Table today.
b This morning, in about 13 minutes, you’ll have an opportunity to come to the table, The Lord’s Table, and eat from His supper.
aa What a privilege, honor, reward, blessing to be invited to sup with our Savior.
bb I want you to prepare (get ready) for the most precious of meals . . .the Lord’s Supper
cc Prayer
I We need clean hands as we come to the table.
Psalm 24:3-4 (NASB) 3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully.
1 We should never presume upon our host, to approach His Table without having “clean hands.”
a When I finishing smoking the turkey on Thursday morning, my hands will be covered in black soot.
aa I’ll spend about 5 minutes taking the soot off with Dawn, get out the only manicure tool a man needs and clean under my nails.
bb In a few hours I’ll be at the table and I want my hands to be clean.
b The Lord wants us to come with clean hands this morning.
2 1 John 1:9 (NASB) 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
a Confess (present subjective active: which means it must be done by the subject of the verb . . .US.)
aa And it refers to a continuous/repeated action.
bb We should never stop confessing.
b What’s confess mean? Agree with someone, in this case, we are agreeing with God.
aa Romans 3:23 (KJV) 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
bb You’re right, God. . .I have sinned, I have unclean hands/hearts.
c When we confess, agree with Him that we are sinners, He’ll cleanse NOT from some unrighteousness, but all unrighteousness: NOT some sin, but all sin.
3 Today, before you come to table . . .come clean with God.
a Confess your sin (habits, addictions, attitudes, hurts, usual defiance) by saying, “God, you’re right. I am a sinner. Rom. 3.23 has my name written in it.
b Rom. 3.23 revisited, “For I have sinned and come short the glory of God.”
aa 1 John 1:9 (NASB) 9 I am confessing my sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive me of my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.
bb Jesus then removes, frees us from sin by cleansing power of His shed blood. That’s an expensive meal!
TS: Just as sin will defile our hands, sin will take away an appetite an appetite for the things of God.
II We need a good appetite as come to the table.
1 On Thursday morning, what would happen if I drank a 32 oz. Milkshake, a Twinkie 3-pack with a Snicker chaser before I sat down for the Thanksgiving meal?
a I would have tanked up on junk food & ruined my appetite and I won’t get to enjoy the good stuff.
b When we satisfy ourselves with the pleasures of sin we have precious little room for the good things that comes from the Lord’s house.
2 Philippians 4:8 (NASB) 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
a Sin is junk food that is pleasurable for a moment but offers no nourishment value.
b We should be choosing to “Hunger & thirst for righteousness” (Matt. 5.6) instead of stuffing ourselves with the delicacies of sin.
aa Hebrews 11:25 (KJV) Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
bb When we stuff ourselves with what the enemy has to offer (sin) there is less room for us to receive the things God has for us.
T.S.: We need clean hands, good appetite and lastly we . . .
III We need to take time to enjoy the moment as we come to the table.
1 We’ll not rush through the meal this Thursday, will we?
a Nope, we’ll take our time to enjoy the meal.
aa Have a good gravy to mashed potato ratio. . .
bb Engage in the conversation, laugh, and enjoy each others’s company.
cc We won’t treat it like a drive-thru experience at McDank’s.
b You can’t enjoy a meal when you’re in a rush and the Lord’s Table is no different.
2 Paul, in giving instruction for us as we come to the table said, 1 Corinthians 11:28 (KJV) “28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.”
a We come by invitation to the Lord’s Table and by His provision.
aa We come in response to His grace, mercy, & love.
bb We aren’t invited because of who are, what we’ve done, or on our own goodness/merit.
b Because we’re sinners in need of a Savior to forgive us, we should examine ourselves to see if we are coming in faith to the Table . . . are we coming to the table “cleaned up” and prepared to partake of the meal.
Conclusion:
A In a minute, the Deacons will be passing the bread and cup down your row.
1 Today, “Come to the Table” ready.
a Clean hands.
b Good appetite
c Take the time to enjoy the meal.
2 Allow Jesus to clean you up: “Heb. 10.17: “Their sins and lawless acts I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.”
a Isn’t that an incredible promise for our Host to make to us.
b IL. A nun went to her Bishop for her confession and she told him about a vision she had about Jesus coming to her in person.
aa The Bishop was doubtful and asked her if the next time Jesus appeared to her that she ask him about the sins of his boss, the Archbishop.
bb The nun agreed and in a few weeks she had another vision and she went back to her Bishop.
cc He asked her, “Did you have another talk with Jesus? Did you ask Him about the sins of the Archbishop? She replied, “Yes I did.”
dd Jesus said He didn’t remember what the sins of the Archbishop were.
B INVITATION to Come To The Table
1 From where your at or from this alter, would you examine your heart and confess your sin.
a Get your hands clean, come hungry and take time to enjoy the Lord’s Table this morning.
b According to 1 Cor. 11.24, The Lord gave thanks as he broke and distributed the bread.
aa For us, this gathering & table is time to be thankful and to reflect on the goodness of God in our lives.
bb In a way, this table is a Thanksgiving feast of our Savior, the Cross, and our salvation.
2 Let’s enjoy ourselves, celebrate our Lord, and rejoice in our salvation as we come to the Table.
Notice to Sermon Central Users:
My name is Mike Fogerson, and I pastor a Southern Baptist Church in Chester, Illinois. I have been a long-time user of Sermon Central and truly appreciate its content and contributors. Some of the best sermons I’ve ever preached have been reworked material from this website. As you use the material from my sermon bank, understand that it is work that has been done from not just myself, but from hundreds of other pastors as well. If you see part of your message, or a bunch of your message with my name on it and this upsets you, please email me and I will quickly respond and cite you as the main source. My intent is not to claim someone’s work as my own. I am disclaiming up front that I use the resources from Sermon Central and appreciate the tool. I simply want all those who use my work to know that some of these messages were inspired by the Holy Spirit working through other pastors. Because I do use the messages of other pastors I waive all claims of originality or origin of creativity for the messages posted under my messages. I pray God blesses your preaching ministry for the glory of His Kingdom.
Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
