Introduction
Video Ill.: Zach Williams - To the Table
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What would it look like if the disciples valued worship and community like many believers do their church gatherings?
Peter - "My mother-in-law came in for the weekend."
Andrew - "I was up kinda late last night."
James (the son of Zebedee) - "Really needed some 'me' time."
John - "I was there last week. Besides, I'm not really being fed."
Philip - "Finally had a sunny day to hit the lake."
Bartholomew - "Had brunch scheduled with my Uncle Zed."
Thomas - "I doubt it would have been any good today."
Matthew - "I had to get my taxes done."
James (the son of Alphaeus) - "My dad (Alphaeus) wanted to fish today."
Thaddaeus - "The kids needed a rest day."
Simon - "I didn't hear my alarm. Because I didn't set it. Because I don't have one."
Judas - "Getting tired of hearing the same old message."
Going to church is not about checking a religious box off your "make God happy" list. It's about being invested in the lives of others — Participating in the mission of the gospel — Loving and being loved.
Following Jesus was never meant to be a solo experience. So, this morning, pull up a seat at the table. It is a level table and there is room for all of us. There was even room for Judas at the table.
So why are so many not devoted to being around the table? It is so important that we gather around the table.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night 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, 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." 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks || the cup of the Lord in unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks || judgment on himself. (1 Corinthians 11, NIV1984)
In Acts 2:42, we read:
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2, NIV1984)
We are continuing our study this morning looking at why it is so important for us to gather together for church.
One of the very important reasons for coming is that it allows us to commune with God and each other. Communion involves commitment, shared experiences and a focus on Jesus.
Let’s start, this morning, by examining the Meaning of Communion in the Early Church.
As we read just a couple of moments ago, the early disciples were devoted together to the breaking of bread.
There are two aspects of breaking bread together — the Lord’s Supper and shared meals. This morning, we are going to look at the Lord’s Supper. We will look at the idea of shared meals when we look at the importance of fellowship.
The Lord’s Supper was a reminder of the meal that Jesus had with His disciples before He died. It was an observance of the Passover Feast.
But Jesus took a feast that all Jews understood, and gave it a new significance — a new importance — a new meaning.
In Luke 22, we read:
14 When the hour came, Jesus and His apostles reclined at the table. 15 And He said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
|| 17 After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, || and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray Me is with Mine on || the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to the man who betrays Him.” (Luke 22, NIV1984)
The Passover was a Feast for the Jews to observe to remember how God had saved them from the Egyptians. In Egypt, they sacrificed a lamb and put the blood of the lamb on the door frame of their homes. This was a sign for the Death Angel to pass over the house, sparing the first born from immediate death.
For thousands of years, the Jews celebrated the Passover annually.
It was in this context that Jesus did something different. He gave new meaning to the emblems used during the meal.
Going forward, the emblems, the meal, the feast, would be for Jesus’ followers to remember that Jesus gave His life for us. He became the sacrificial lamb, taking away the sin of the world.
After Jesus’ resurrection on the first Easter Sunday, the disciples would begin gathering together on the first day of the week to remember all that Jesus had done.
It was in this gathering that the disciples would partake in the breaking of bread together — the Lord’s Supper — as a reminder of all that had happened.
Communion was not just a ritual for them — it was a willful act of remembrance and unity, bringing the believers together in shared faith.
Because we are forgetful people, we need reminders to help us remember.
Leslie Weatherhead Tells Of A Little Boy Who Was ...
By Tim Zingale
Copied from Sermon Central
"Leslie Weatherhead tells of a little boy who was admitted to an orphanage after his parents were killed. One of the first items on the agenda was to find him a new set of clothes. He was given a new pair of pants, a new shirt, and a pair of shoes that shinned as he saw his face in its glow.
Lastly, he was offered a new hat. But he refused to take it. He hung on to his worse- for the-wear—hat. Finally the Sister was able to coax him into trying on the new cap. He tried it on, liked it, but then did something very funny. He reached inside his old cap and tore the lining out and placed it in his pocket.
Noticing the Sister had a puzzled look on her face, he said, "The lining is a part of my mother’s dress; it’s all I’ve got left of her and somehow it seems to bring her back."
Communion is a way to bring what Jesus did back into our lives each week. It is our reminder of how much we are loved and how much we mean to God.
2. Communion is also a Participation in the Mission of the Gospel.
Participating in communion is more than attending church; it's being actively involved in the mission of spreading the gospel.
Remember what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11?
26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. (1 Corinthians 11, NIV1984)
That’s right. We are proclaiming what Jesus did for us to the world!
The act of worship through the Lord’s Supper — through Communion — is not just about us. It’s not just a checkbox that we can mark each Sunday when we gather together.
The Lord’s Supper is a call to action! It’s a call to spread the good news of what Jesus did with the rest of the world.
A Lunar Lord's Supper
Source: Dennis Fisher, "Communion on the Moon," Our Daily Bread (June/July/August 2007)
https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2007/august/1082007.html
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Apollo 11 landed on the surface of the moon on Sunday, July 20, 1969. Most of us are familiar with astronaut Neil Armstrong's historic statement as he stepped onto the moon's surface: "That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind." But few at the time knew about the first meal eaten there.
Buzz Aldrin had brought aboard the spacecraft a tiny Communion kit provided by his church. Aldrin sent a radio broadcast to Earth asking listeners to contemplate the events of that day and give thanks.
Then, in radio blackout for privacy … [Aldrin] read, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit."
He gave thanks and took the bread and drank the cup.
What a message that sent around the world — what a proclamation of the gospel — through what many would consider a simple act.
Buzz Aldrin was proclaiming to the world that Jesus had died for him, saving Buzz from his sin.
It’s a message that we proclaim every time we partake. We are sinners saved by a mighty grace. We’ve received mercy. We’ve been forgiven. We are loved!
Essentials of Communion
By D.A. Carson
https://www.preachingtoday.com/skills/themes/doctrine/200403.26.html
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In an article for Preaching Today, D. A. Carson writes:
[Communion is] … a kind of visible word. I can introduce you to churches where in mixed assemblies with Christians and non-Christians present, whoever is leading takes a few moments to say something like this:
If you've never seen a Christian communion service, you're going to think this is a little bizarre. So let me explain what's going on here. We believe that Jesus gave his body to bear our sin, that he shed his blood, giving his life, that we might be forgiven. And he gave us a simple rite like this by which to recall what he gave that we might be forgiven. If you're not a Christian, don't take the elements. It's a contradiction in terms for you say "I remember" when you don't remember. But you ought to watch how Christians think about the death of Christ, on which they fasten all their hopes for reconciliation to God, for the removal of their sins, for forgiveness, for their hope of eternal life. Watch now as the people of God remember his death.
That becomes a visible proclamation to unbelievers who are present. It can be a very powerful proclaiming.
It’s just one way that we participate in the spreading of the good news that Jesus died for your sins and for mine.
3. Finally, Communion is a Call to Invest in Each Other’s Lives.
The early disciples were committed to each other. They had established a sense of community where they looked out for each other, protected each other, encouraged each other, and communed together.
Unfortunately today, many have a casual attitude toward our brothers and sisters in Christ. That casual attitude also flows to our relationship with Jesus.
That’s not the attitude that Jesus had for us.
The Feast That Cost Everything
Source: Victor Pentz, from the sermon "The Gourmet God," delivered at Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, Georgia (11-23-03)
https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2004/june/15379.html
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There's a wonderful story by Isak Dinesen called Babette's Feast, about a strict, stern, fundamentalist community in Denmark. Babette works as a cook for two elderly sisters who have no idea that she once was a chef to nobility back in her native France. Babette's dream is to return to her beloved home city of Paris. So, every year she buys a lottery ticket in hopes of winning enough money to return to France. And every night her stern employers demand that she cook the same dreary meal: boiled fish and potatoes, because, they say, Jesus commanded, "Take no thought of food and drink."
One day the unbelievable happens: Babette wins the lottery! The prize is 10,000 francs, a small fortune. And because the anniversary of the founding of the community is approaching, Babette asks if she might prepare a French dinner with all the trimmings for the entire village.
At first the townspeople refuse: "No, it would be sin to indulge in such rich food." But Babette begs them, and finally they relent, "As a favor to you, we will allow you to serve us this French dinner." But the people secretly vow not to enjoy the feast and instead to occupy their minds with spiritual things, believing God will not blame them for eating this sinful meal as long as they do not enjoy it.
Babette begins her preparations. Caravans of exotic food arrive in the village, along with cages of quail and barrels of fine wine.
Finally the big day comes, and the village gathers. The first course is an exquisite turtle soup. The diners force it down without enjoyment. But although they usually eat in silence, conversation begins to take off.
Then comes the wine: the finest vintage in France. And the atmosphere changes. Someone smiles. Someone else giggles. An arm comes up and drapes over a shoulder. Someone is heard to say, "After all, did not the Lord Jesus say, love one another?"
By the time the main entrée of quail arrives, those stern, pleasure-fearing people are giggling and laughing and slurping and praising God for their many years together. This pack of Pharisees is transformed into a loving community through the gift of a meal.
One of the two sisters goes into the kitchen to thank Babette, saying, "Oh, how we will miss you when you return to Paris!"
And Babette replies, "I will not be returning to Paris, because I have no money. I spent it all on the feast."
Can you think of anyone else who gave his all to make us a loving community through the gift of a meal?
That’s right. It was Jesus.
This morning, may we be more invested in our time together. After all, we are gathering to celebrate something far greater and more important than anything else in the world.
Jesus gave His all. Why would we not give ours?
Conclusion
This morning, may we be more invested in the lives of our fellow believers. Communion is a shared experience, where we all partake together as a family, an experience that goes beyond just the action of breaking bread. Communion is all about living life together in Christ. I hope that we will see church as a family rather than just a place to visit.
This morning, I pray that we will as a family “pull up a seat at the table”.
No one is any better than anyone else. We are all equal at the table There’s always room at the table. As someone once said, there was even room for Judas, who would betray Jesus. There was room for Peter who would deny Jesus. There was room for Thomas who would doubt Jesus’ resurrection.
And, there’s room for you and me.
May we be devoted to each other the way the early believers were so many years ago.
May we devote ourselves to breaking bread together. After all, it was for us that Jesus gave His life, which the emblems represent.
It's Meant for Sinners
Source: James S. Stewart, "The Rending of the Veil," Preaching Today, Tape No. 57.
https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1998/march/4272.html
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Old Doctor John Duncan taught Hebrew in Edinburgh long ago. He was sitting one day at the Communion in a church, a Highland church, and he was feeling so personally unworthy that when the elements came 'round, he felt he couldn't take them. He allowed the bread and wine to pass. As he was sitting there feeling absolutely miserable, he noticed a girl in the congregation whom, when the bread and wine came 'round, also allowed them to pass, and then broke down into tears. That sight seemed to bring back to the old saint the truth he had forgotten. And in a carrying whisper that could be heard across the church, he was heard to say, "Take it, little girl, take it. It's meant for sinners." And he himself partook.
The Lord’s supper was meant for us. Let us together devote ourselves to the feast that Jesus instituted. May we never forget.
May God guide us to grown in community and devotion to one another, just as those early disciples did.
