THE LORD’S SUPPER
1 CORINTHIANS 11:`17-34
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS WE CAN CONSIDER THE SERVICE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER, MUCH MORE THAN WE CAN COVER IN ONE MESSAGE. TODAY, I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE CORPORATE ASPECT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER THAT PAUL TEACHES IN THIS PASSAGE.
I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT A PROPER OBSERVANCE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER : CREATES THE LOCAL CHURCH
CONTROLS THE LOCAL CHURCH
COMMUNITY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH
HISTORY OF THE LORD’S SUPPER:
WE KNOW THAT JESUS INSTITUTED THE LORD’S SUPPER, OR WHAT WE CALL COMMUNION, AS PART OF THE LAST SUPPER. IT WAS AN OBJECT LESSON OF WHAT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN TO HIM. HE GAVE US THE INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTINUE TO OBSERVE THIS SERVICE UNTIL HE COMES AGAIN.
THERE ARE THREE BASIC VIEWS OF COMMUNION. THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION FOLLOWS THE “REFORMED DOCTRINE” WITH REGARDS TO COMMUNION. WE BELIEVE THERE IS NO SALVIFIC VALUE TO THE ELEMENTS. THIS MEANS THAT WE ARE NOT SAVED BY TAKING COMMUNION, NOR DO THE ELEMENTS BECOME ANYMORE THAN WHAT THEY ARE NOW, JUST BREAD AND GRAPE JUICE. THIS DOES NOT NEGATE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SERVICE IN ANY WAY, BUT PUTS THE FOCUS ON OUR SPIRITUAL WALK WITH THE LORD.
JESUS WAS SHOWING THE DISCIPLES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PASSOVER AND THE SACRIFICE HE WAS ABOUT TO MAKE ON THE CROSS. IT IS HERE THAT WE ARE INTRODUCED TO THE NEW COVENANT, NOT BECAUSE THE OLD COVENANT OR SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM WAS FAULTY, FOR IT WAS NOT, BUT THE OLD COVENANT WAS COMPLETED WITH THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS. THEREFORE A NEW COVENANT WAS ESTABLISHED.
THIS NEW COVENANT WAS SPOKEN OF IN THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY.
DEUTERONOMY 30:6: “The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.”
NOTE THE OLD TESTAMENT SYMBOLISM HERE. GOD’S PEOPLE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WERE MARKED BY CIRCUMCISION. HERE THE WRITER IS TELLING US THAT GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH A SPIRITUAL MARKING OR CHANGE IN THEIR HEARTS, NOT BY AN OUTWARD SHOWING. IT WOULD NOT BE IN CIRCUMCISION OR THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM THAT WOULD CREATE A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. IT WOULD BE THE NEW COVENANT SEALED IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.
THE FORM OF COMMUNION HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS. THE EARLY CHURCH OBSERVED THE LORD’S SUPPER ON A WEEKLY BASIS. SOME DENOMINATIONS STILL PRACTICE THIS. THE SUPPER ASPECT OF THE SERVICE HAS BEEN DROPPED BY MANY. SOME CHURCHES HAVE THE COMMUNION SERVICE ONCE A MONTH, OTHERS LESS FREQUENTLY. SOME CHURCHES PRACTICE “CLOSED COMMUNION” WHERE THE SERVICE IS ONLY OPEN TO CHURCH MENBERS, OTHERS “OPEN COMMUNION” FOR ANY PRESENT WHO HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR. THE COMMUNION SERVICE CAN BE PLANNED FOR ANY PART OF THE CHURCH SERVICE, BUT IN MOST CASES IT IS AT THE END OF THE SERVICE.
THE DANGER TO AVOID IS TO BECOME SO CAUGHT UP IN THE METHOD, THAT WE FORGET THE REALITY OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SERVICE. HEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM FOR THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH.
CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE:
THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH WAS A SOURCE OF GREAT CONCERN FOR BROTHER PAUL. WE KNOW THAT IN THE FIRST 10 CHAPTERS PAUL WAS ADDRESSING MANY SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH, RANGING FROM INCEST TO IMMORALITY. LET’S NOT BE TOO CRITICAL OF THE CORINTHIANS AT THIS POINT. AS A NEW CHURCH THEY BROUGHT MANY OF THEIR BELIEFS OF LIFE WITH THEM, WHICH WOULD TAKE TIME AND TEACHING FOR THEM TO SORT OUT. THIS IS THE SAME FOR US WHEN WE CAME TO CHRIST. THE SPIRITUAL MINDSET IS NEW TO US AND TAKES TIME TO DEVELOP.
THE PROBLEM IN CHAPTER 11 THOUGH IS A DIFFERENT MATTER. TO UNDERSTAND THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS, TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE ALL SAVED ONLY BY HIS BLOOD, IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD CLEARLY UNDERSTAND AT THE TIME OF OUR CONVERSION.
TO DELIBERATELY SIN IN THE OBSERVANCE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER IS A SIN THAT BROUGHT WITH IT SEVERE DIVINE DISCIPLINE. THIS IS THE MATTER THAT PAUL WAS ADDRESSING HERE IN CHAPTER 11.
THE CORINTHIAN CHRISTIANS WERE GATHERING TOGETHER TO OBSERVE THE LORD’S SUPPER, OR WHAT SOME HAVE CALLED “THE AGAPE MEAL OR SUPPER”. THE MORE AFFLUENT WOULD BRING ELABORATE DISHES AND WINE TO THE MEAL. THE POORER PEOPLE WOULD COME LATER, MOST LIKELY NOT BRINGING MUCH IF ANYTHING AT ALL.
WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS THAT THE MORE AFFLUENT WOULD NOT WAIT FOR THE POORER PEOPLE OF THE CHURCH. BY THE TIME THE POOR CAME TO THE SUPPER, MUCH OF THE FOOD WAS GONE, AND MANY OF THE AFFLUENT WERE DRUNK. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN THEIR ONLY GOOD MEAL FOR THE WEEK FOR THE POOR OF THE CHURCH, AND IT CREATED DISUNITY AT A MEAL DESIGNED BY GOD TO BRING PEOPLE OF THE CHURCH TOGETHER.
ACTS 2:42:47
“42 ¶ They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
THE WARNING WAS CLEARLY PRESENTED TO THEM IN THE ACCOUNT OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA THAT THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE DIRE TO THOSE WHO WOULD SIN AGAINST GOD BY HOLDING BACK FROM THE POOR.
PAUL’S CALL TO THE CORINTHIANS TO EXAMINE THEMSELVES WAS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL BUT A CORPORATE CALL. IT WAS A CALL TO THE ENTIRE CHURCH. IT IS A CALL TO THE BAPTIST CHURCH IN CAMPBELLTON.
AS WE COME TO THIS TABLE TODAY ARE WE AS A CHURCH GUILTY OF THE SIN OF PRIDE THAT BEFELL THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH? DO WE THINK THAT WE ARE BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE? JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE A PARTICULAR STYLE OF WORSHIP, DOES NOT MEAN THAT OTHER STYLES ARE WRONG, AND THAT WE SHOULD NOT WORK TOGETHER FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST.
LETS LOOK AT THESE THREE POINTS AND SEE HOW THE LORD’S SUPPER CAN HELP US FUNCTION AS GOD’S CHURCH HERE IN CAMPBELLTON.
POINT ONE: THE LORD’S SUPPER CAN CREATE THE LOCAL CHURCH:
WHEN THE LORD CELEBRATED THE FIRST COMMUNION SERVICE IT WAS TO HELP US REMEMBER HOW JESUS WAS GOING TO ESTABLISH A NEW COVENANT.
1 CORINTHIANS 11:25: “In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."”
PAUL IS USING JESUS EXACT WORDS FROM THAT NIGHT.
THIS NEW COVENANT WAS PROPHECIED IN JEREMIAH 31.
JEREMIAH 31:31-33:
“31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. 33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
THE NEW COVENANT IS GOD’S PLEDGE TO FORGIVE THE SINS OF HIS PEOPLE AND TO WRITE HIS LAWS ON OUR HEARTS. IT IS THE CREATION OF A PEOPLE OF GOD WHO WILL NOT FORSAKE HIM. THEY WILL BE HIS PEOPLE AND HE WILL BE THEIR GOD, FOREVER.
THIS NEW COVENANT SOLVES TWO PROBLEMS THAT SEPARATE PEOPLE FROM GOD THAT THE OLD COVENANT COULD NOT:
1. THE PROBLEM OF GUILT BECAUSE OF SIN. JESUS SOLVED THIS PROBLEM BY SHEDDING HIS BLOOD TO TAKE OUR SIN AND GUILT ON HIMSELF.
2. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS REBELLION – OUR TENDENCY TO RUN FROM GOD AND FOLLOW THE DESTRUCTIVE NOTIONS OF THE WORLD. GOD SOLVES THIS PROBLEM BY WRITING HIS LAW ON OUR HEARTS.
THE NEW COVENANT CREATES A NEW RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND HIS PEOPLE. IT ALSO ALLOWS GOD’S PEOPLE TO RELATE TO EACH OTHER IN A NEW AND EQUAL WAY. THE LOCAL CHURCH IS A GROUP OF BELIEVERS SAVED UNDER THE NEW COVENANT.
HEBREWS 13:20-21:
“20 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
WE THEN AS A LOCAL CHURCH WERE CREATED NOT BY THE HANDS OF MEN, BUT BY THE NEW COVENANT, SEALED IN THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS.
POINT TWO: THE LORD’S SUPPER CONTROLS THE LOCAL CHURCH:
PAUL IS USING THE LORD’S SUPPER TO HELP DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF DISUNITY IN THE CHURCH IN CORINTH. A BETTER WORD FOR THE PROBLEM IS PRIDE.
1 CORINTHIANS 11:18: “In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.”
THE SAD PART OF THIS IS THAT THE DIVISIONS WERE NOT CAUSED FROM OUTSIDE THE CHURCH, BUT FROM INSIDE, NOT OVER IMPORTANT THEOLOGICAL ISSUES, BUT OVER FOOD.
JUST AS GOD CHOSE TO USE THE NEW COVENANT TO CREATE THE LOCAL CHURCH, THE NEW COVENANT CAN ALSO BE USED TO CONTROL THE LOCAL CHURCH.
THE NATURE OF THE NEW COVENANT SHAPES THE NATURE OF THE COMMUNITY IT CREATES. PEOPLE WHO ARE SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS AND UNDER THE NEW COVENANT, HAVE THE LAW OF CHRIST WRITTEN ON THEIR HEARTS, AND THE DESIRE TO FOLLOW IT. IF THE PEOPLE OF CORINTH WOULD TRULY OBSERVE THIS COVENANT RELATIONSHIP THEY HAVE WITH GOD AND EACH OTHER, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
PAUL USES THE PROPER EXAMPLE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER IN THIS TEXT TO BRING THE CORINTHIAN PEOPLE FACE TO FACE WITH THEIR OWN SIN. I WONDER AS WE3 PREPARE TO COME TO THE COMMUNION TALBE TODAY, WHAT DOES IT BRING US FACE TO FACE WITH?
POINT THREE: THE LOCAL CHURCH AS PART OF A UNIVERSAL COMMUNITY.
LET ME BEGIN BY STATING THAT I AM IN NO WAY ADVOCATING ANY FORM OF ECUMENICAL SYSTEM HERE. THERE IS TRUTH TO THE FACT THAT THE NEW COVENANT JOINS US TOGETHER AS A LOCAL CHURCH, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DENOMINATIONS WHO BELIEVE AS WE DO CONCERNING THIS COVENANT RELATIONSHIP. WE CAN AND SHOULD HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH THEM.
NO DENOMINATION HAS THE ULTIMATE OR BEST FORM OF WORSHIP. WHEN WE BEGIN TO LOOK DOWN ON OTHER DENOMINATIONS AND THEIR WORSHIP PRACTICES, WE BECOME GUILTY OF THE SAME SIN THAT WAS PRESENT AT THE CHURCH IN CORINTH.
IF THE LAW IS WRITTEN ON OUR HEARTS THEN AUTHENTIC WORSHIP WILL BE DETERMINED BY OUR HEARTS DESIRE TO WORSHIP CHRIST, NOT WHAT MAKES US FEEL COMFORTABLE. THIS IN FACT IS PRIDE, WHICH HAS NO PLACE IN AUTHENTIC WORSHIP. WE SHOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO FELLOWSHIP WITH CHURCHES WHO SHARE IN THIS NEW COVENANT COMMITMENT WITH US.
CONCLUSION:
THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL AS WELL AS A CORPORATE ASPECT TO THE LORD’S SUPPER. THE CALL TO EXAMINE OURSELVES BEFORE WE COME TO THE TABLE IS NOT A CALL TO THE INDIVIDUAL BUT TO THE LOCAL CHURCH.
WE AS INDIVIDUALS ARE NEVER “WORTHY” TO PARTAKE OF COMMUNION. CHRIST SACRIFICIAL DEATH WAS FOR US BECAUSE WE ARE UNWORTHY.
NOTE ALSO THE DISCIPLINE PAUL SPEAKS OF IN THIS PASSAGE. IF THE PASSAGE WAS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL, THEN THE DISCIPLINE WOULD BE INDIVIDUAL AS WELL. HERE THE WORD TELLS US THAT “MANY” ARE SICK AND SOME HAVE DIED. IT ALSO TELLS US THAT PAUL IS SPEAKING TO THE CHURCH HERE BECAUSE HE USES THE WORD “SLEEP” INSTEAD OF “DEAD.”
NO, THE CHURCH WAS TO EXAMINE THEMSELVES TO SEE IF THEIR PRACTICE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER WAS REALLY IN CONTEXT WITH THE SUPPER THAT CHRIST INSTITUTED.
THIS IS THE CALL TO REFLECTION THAT PAUL DEMAND OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN CAMPBELLTON TODAY. WE MAY NOT BE GUILTY OF THE FOOD PROBLEM THAT CORINTH HAD, BUT WE ARE CHALLENGED AS A LOCAL CHURCH TO EXAMINE OURSELVES ON THE THREE ASPECTS WE HAVE STUDIED TODAY.
1. IS FIRST BAPTIST CAMPBELLTON A LOCAL CHURCH CREATED UNDER THE NEW COVENANT OF CHRIST’S BLOOD?
2. IS FIRST BAPTIST CAMPBELLTON A LOCAL CHURCH CONTROLED BY THE NEW COVENANT OF CHRIST’S BLOOD.
3. IS FIRST BAPTIST CAMPBELLTON A CHURCH ENJOYING THE COMMUNITY AND FELLOWSHIP OF LOCAL CHURCHES BONDED TOGETHER BY THE NEW COVENANT OF CHRIST’S BLOOD.
AS WE COME TO THE COMMUNION TABLE TODAY I CHALLENGE YOU TO EXAMINE FOR YOURSELF THESE THREE AREAS OF OUR CHURCH LIFE AND WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE AUTHENTICALLY CELEBRATING THE LORD’S SUPPER.
