The Body and Blood of our Lord
Lord’s Supper Message
1 Corinthians 11. 23-30
Paul gives us a very stern warning in this text about the need to correctly discern the Lord’s body. Not to do so is to bring judgment and condemnation upon ourselves.
diakrino--discern, distinguish, estimate (warned against under estimating)
A look at the cross. Jesus’ instruction: “Do this in remembrance of me.”
I. UNLEAVENED BREAD AND WINE
Leaven a type of sin. It is what causes bread
to rise, to puff up.
Jesus warned, Beware the leaven of the
Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt 16. 6)
Phil 2. 5-8
Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7
But made himself of no reputation, and took
upon him the form of a servant, and was made
in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death
of the cross.
No room for pride, arrogance, self-seeking.
Jesus was a servant.
Matt 16. 24 deny self, take up cross, follow.
This was done for you. It was our sins that
put Jesus on the cross, that cost Him is blood.
We must put out the leaven.
1 Cor 5. 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven,
that ye may be a new lump, as ye are
unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is
sacrificed for us
Heb 4. 15 He was in all points tempted like
as we are, yet without sin.
2 Cor 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.
Lev 20. 26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I
the LORD am holy
Confess all known sin. Examine self (v. 28).
(1 John 1. 9)
Cannot come to the Lord’s table casually,
thoughtlessly.
Consider the sacrifice of our Lord.
Confess sin. Get right.
Come in a worthy manner (27).
II. THE BREAD
vv. 23-24 Unleavened bread (matzot)
Three matzot placed together in a special
napkin.
Many traditions among the Jews.
Priests, Levites, and Israelites. Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob
Three crowns, learning, priesthood, kingship.
Two weekly loaves, and one special Passover
loaf (the bread of affliction).
Baked in darkness, free from leaven, on a
grill, pierced.
Isa 53. 4-5 Surely he hath borne our griefs,
and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him
stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But
he was wounded for our transgressions, he was
bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement
of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.
Zech 12. 10 and they shall look upon me whom
they have pierced, and they shall mourn for
him, as one mourns for his only son,
These three loaves are wrapped together, three
in one.
Middle loaf, called the Afikomen (from the
Greek ikneomai--2nd aorist, “the one who
came”).
Stolen, taken out, hidden, then returned after
the meal. Broken.
Several matzot are on the table, broken,
crushed.
Jesus was broken for us. (v. 24)
Our need for brokenness.
(Contrite=crushed). Isaiah 57.15, 66.2.
III. THE CUP, WINE.
vv. 25-26 The wine on the Passover table had
to be red.
It was undeniably fermented wine, as
fermentation is the process by which
leaven (which is inherent in the husks of
grapes) is purged from the juice.
The blood of the New Covenant.(Matt 26. 27-28)
A Covenant was always confirmed with blood.
Four cups:
The cup of blessing (kiddush)
The cup of thanksgiving (eucharist)
The cup of redemption, in memory of the blood
of the passover lamb.
The cup of anticipation, the kingdom,
rejoicing.
Matt 26. 29—Jesus did not drink this cup that
night.
John 6. 53-58 Then Jesus said unto them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat
the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his
blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whosoever
eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, hath
eternal life; and I will raise him up at the
last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and
my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eats my
flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and
I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent
me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats
me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that
bread which came down from heaven: not as your
fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that
eats of this bread shall live for ever.
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.
Justified by His blood (Rom 5. 9)
Eph 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his
blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to
the riches of his grace.
The third cup, the cup of redemption, in
memory of the blood of the Passover lamb.
Hebrews 9. 12 Neither by the blood of goats
and calves, but by his own blood he entered in
once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption for us.
Matt 26.28 This is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many for the
forgiveness of sins.
[Hebrews 10. 19-31]
Heb 10. 29 counted the blood of the covenant,
wherewith he was sanctified, a common thing,
and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
IV. “THE BODY” (v. 29)
The church is called Christ’s body.
Hebrews 10:
v. 23 hold fast our profession
v. 24 provoking, stimulating one another to
good works
v. 25 not forsaking the assembly
v. 26 no willful sin—(fornication, spiritual
and physical is a sin against
the body, 1 Cor 6. 18)
v. 29 counting the “blood of the covenant” a
common thing.
v. 30 The Lord will judge His people. A
fearful thing (v. 31).
1 Corinthians 11.29-31 Don’t bring sin into Christ’s
body.
The church, the Lord’s table—a holy
place.
Do not enter unworthily.
Do not treat His body, His blood, His
table as “common.”
1 Cor 10.16 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?
vv. 27-28 Examine yourself.
Psalm 139. 23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting
