In Remembrance of Me
Observing the Lord’s Supper
Harvest Fellowship Community Church PCG
Dale Carter Sr.
August 1, 2021
Observing the battle ridden faces of those that set before me today, one can presume that there are many memories behind those beautiful eyes that gleam with thoughts of tomorrows’ soon coming King. Though sometimes, periods of past hard times loom in our thoughts the hope of the return of our Lord and Savior never dimmed the sparkle nor the gleam in the eyes of those that have looked upon the Lord. Many years may have passed and fierce storms have darken the night, never has faith been so sure and hope so strong in the hearts of those that truly love Him. As our eyes become fasten and our minds become more and more focused on Him, Joy engulfs us with great expectations as we listen for the sound of the Trump and the Voice of the Arch Angel echoing around the world, through the lowest of valleys, over the highest of mountain tops as we hear the words, “come home, come home my good and faithful servants.
With the excitement of Gods’ assured destiny being just over the horizon bubbling up as a fountain in our hearts, there are events that we may look back upon with wonder. If I had only known different. Sometimes looking back is a much needed part of our journey to help keep us on the narrow road that leads to our final destination. Looking back at our past with great appreciation for Gods’ miraculous grace, can give us the needed strength to keep moving and pushing forward. The Holy Bible itself is full of history which actually is looking back. The Old Testament lays a foundation and gives us direction that will lead us forward to the mysteries given to mankind by the Spirit of God which are also found in the New Testament. Each mystery that is understood strengthen our faith, builds our hope, infuses and inspires our love for God that constantly and continually saturates every aspect of our life.
Directions or rules is what I’d like to discuss today. Not so much directions or the mystery of salvation or the baptism of the Holy Ghost but one directive given by Jesus Himself and restated by the Apostle Paul. It has various names or titles. We may know it as the Lord’s Supper, Sacraments or just Communion. It is one part of worshiping God that is very important and has much to gain or much to lose. There are those that take its meaning very lightly then on the other hand there are those that think it so holy that they could never be worthy enough to partake of its sacraments.
In the latter days there will be multitudes of people that will reject direction or simply said, training. They will earnestly seek a church that will tickle their ears giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. What if a baseball team had no coach or manager? The third baseman just threw the ball at the runner instead first base. To keep it short, there would be no winners, no victory shouts, no World Series to win and no home town parade. Without direction or training there would be only confusion and disunity. So the Lord gave us direction so that there would be unity and relationship.
In observing the directions given by the Lord and Paul, there are four points that can be recognize or identify about the Lord’s Supper. And I’d like to point out, for your consideration those four and the profoundness of each. 1) Go Backward, 2) Go Inward, 3) Go Upward, and 4) Go Forward. Why? Because I believe that it is very important that each individual know how to spiritually, righteously and faithfully observe the Lord’s Supper and that our participation in the Lord’s Supper would be accomplished as close as we can get to the commandment of the Lord.
Introduction: Our text for today is found in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26:
23 For 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. KJV
About the Text:
The church at Corinth was not observing the Lord’s Supper correctly. Like the church of today, they were divided when they were supposed to be united. We are informed that it is great for the brethren to dwell together in unity. It doesn’t take a whole lot for churches to become divided. For to many times it’s over just a word or two. But the case here was the how the Corinthians had using the Lord’s Supper for their own delight. Paul had to write to them so that they would understand the correct way to observe the supper. From reading Pauls’ letters to them he apparently had several issues with this church but Paul thought it most important that the Lord’s Supper was observed and accomplished correctly. So from Paul’s instructions we learn the Scriptural way to observe the Lord’s Supper.
Upon the First Day of the Week
1 Cor. 16:1-2 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
In Acts 20:7, we read that upon the first day of the week, Christians came together to break bread. “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread…..” Not only did they take Communion but there was preaching going on and a lot of it. On this particular day Paul preached past midnight.
This was an observance of the Lord’s Supper. Many in the denominational world around us do not observe the supper but occasionally. Are we to observe the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week? Would that be just too much to impose on people or would it be the Scriptural thing to do? Is this the part of why we gather on the first day of the week? Do we need to give more attention and time to observing such a holy part of worshiping?
These questions may give up lots to think about. My thoughts for today concern the hidden yet obvious points found in our Scripture. If we read slowly we can find our directions for observing the Lord’s Supper.
1. GO BACKWARD: The Lord’s Supper is a memorial. Jesus instituted this memorial the night of his betrayal and arrest. In Luke 22:19-20 “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” We are to observe in remembrance of Jesus sacrifice. We remember the death of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 11:26. “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come”
Go backward and remember…
1) The betrayal of Jesus at the hand of his disciple Judas.
2) The prayer that Jesus uttered in the Garden of Gethsemane.
3) The arrest of Jesus by the soldiers and the kiss of Judas.
4) The mock trial at the hands of the Jews.
5) The scourging.
6) The carrying of the cross
7) The nails.
8) The crucifixion
9) .The spear.
10) His death
2. GO INWARD: The Lord’s Supper is also a self-examination.
1 Corinthians 11:28 “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” In examining ourselves, we think about the need for Jesus’ death on the cross. Our sins separated us from God. (Isa 59:2.) “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Jesus died for our forgiveness while we were enemies (Rom 5:10.) “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Through Him we have forgiveness and hope of eternal life. (Eph. 1:7) says, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”
In examining ourselves we think about the church.
Ephesians 5:25 says, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”
Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
In examining ourselves we think about our unity.
The Lord’s Supper is a communion. It is a showing of unity both with Jesus and with one another. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 “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? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.” Jesus prayed, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” John 17:17-23.
6. Our second direction in observing the Lord’s Supper is to go inward.
3. GO UPWARD: The Lord’s Supper is worship of God and Jesus as God’s Son. It was love that sent Jesus to the earth. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world…” It was for love that Jesus gave His life for us. John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus sacrifice for us, however, would have been meaningless without his sinless life. The fact that Jesus was wholly innocent made him the perfect sacrifice. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 1 John 3:5 “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” Because Jesus was both God and man He is the perfect mediator for us. 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:27 “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” 1 John 2:1-2 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Our third direction when we observe the Lord’s Supper is to go upward.
4. GO FORWARD:
The Lord’s Supper speaks of the future as well. 1 Corinthians 11:26 “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.” In the Lord’s Supper we’re reminded that Jesus is coming again. Acts 1:10-11 “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
CONCLUSION:
1. In our directions for observing the Lord’s Supper in our mind and in our heart we must
1). Go backward. Remember what the Lord did. 2). Go inward. Examine our own heart. In other words, judge ourselves as if we were standing in front of the Lord. 3). Go upward. Our Father which art in Heaven hollowed be thine name. 4). Go forward. Take this message unto all the world with sign following. It will be hard to convince anyone the truth of which I have spoken and the following Scripture unless there is evidence to back it up.
1 Thess 4:13-18;
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. KJV
I'd like to give thanks to several ministers though I can't remember their names, for their messages which was very helpful in preparing this account of that great day and all the days that have followed and will be followed in remembrance of our Lord.
