Adoration AT this time in your life.
In a sense, today we are having a “thanks dinner”. We are recalling what Jesus did for us on the cross by rejoicing at a sacred time which Jesus gave us to do.
We are going to Worship around the Table. Our whole lives are to be an act of adoration, based on Romans 12:1-2, and so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.
Our participation at this Table should also be an act of adoration. We should never come to the Lord’s Table carelessly.
1 CO 11:23-34.
I. Adoration at this time is to be a time of reflection - 23-25
Adoration involves our memory. When we remember what the Lord has done for us that is when we are ready to adore Him. Psalm 143:5 “When I remember the days of old” Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, just, pure, lovely, of good report; if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Paul begins his discussion of the Lord’s Table by nudging our memories. Paul was shared what he had received from the Lord. He is trying to cause us to think about things which most people already know. The night Jesus was betrayed, which was also the night that Jesus was arrested. It was in the evening that Jesus in the Passover feast instituted a memorial service for His church. Twice during this little service, Jesus says “Do this in remembrance of me.” Worship at the Lord’s Table is to be a reflection. Thinking back to what Jesus has done for us. Jesus took the bread and broke it. He distributed that bread and said this is my body. Do you think Jesus literally meant that the bread was literally His body? When Jesus said “I am the door”, did He mean He was door? Jesus meant that bread was a representative for His body. We are to take the bread in remembrance of Him. As you partake take time to think about the body of Jesus. Jesus’ body was given of you. 2 CO 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.
Jesus body was broken down for you. Yet not a bone was broken in his body. The suffering in his body was of the utmost passion. For on that cross He was exhausted for the punishment for the sins of the entire world.
1 Co 11:25 - 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. The cup when it is passed reminds us of the shed blood. It was Jesus’ shed blood that made safe for us a new contract with God. For all who put their faith in Christ and in His shed blood have eternal life! Because we are unrighteous someone had to pay for our sins. Jesus gave His life for our sins. I often think of those who are over there in battle fighting a war that keeps us safe. We have a freedom to speak for I heard a man say just the other night, “Do you know how many people you are offending by saying we are a Christian nation.” Anyone who chooses Christ as Savior is forgiven and has eternal life. When we worship at the Lord’s Table we are to reflect what he has done for me. We are to remember Him.
II. Adoration AT This Time IS to be a confirmation of your faith vs. 26
If you were asked on Wednesday to preach today would you be able to? If you partake of the bread and the cup this morning, you are preaching. And you are preaching the greatest message anybody could possibly preach. The word “show” means to state publicly. When we state publicly we are preaching. When you take of the bread you are stating publicly that you have faith in the broken body of Christ for your sins. When you take of the cup you are showing your own faith in the shed blood of Christ for you. By taking of the bread and the cup you are stating publicly a expression to all who can see you. You are stating publicly your faith to them! Therefore it is very important that what you are professing by your actions is actually true in your life. You should only take communion if your faith is in Christ as Savior. Otherwise you are being deceitful! Make sure that your heart matches your evidence. If you are not sure of you that Jesus is the manager of your life do not eat this bread and cup. Now if for the first time you want to show your faith in Christ let someone know you have let Christ come in this morning and this is your witness.
We not only testify to the death and burial of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we testify to His resurrection and the fact that He is coming again. Not only do we look backward to the cross, but we look forward to His coming again to take His children home. Are you ready?
III. Adoration AT This Time IS to be a visible action for all to see. 11:27
We know that there is not one person in the world who is worthy of the Lord Jesus. There is not one person in the world that is worthy of the broken body and the shed blood. We are not worthy. That’s why Jesus died of us. When Paul talks about being unworthy here, he means to partake of the bread and the cup in an empty manner. It is to participate in the Lord’s Table and not forgiving other people. It is to participate in the Lord’s Table and have your mind a million miles away in daydreams. It is to participate in the Lord’s Table and to have unconfessed sin in your life. When we come to the Lord’s Table, God wants us to be transparent. He sees our heart anyway vs.28 before you participate in the Lord’s Table, the Lord wants you to examine yourself for sin and confess it. There are two requirements for taking communion. First, you must know Jesus as you Savior. Second, you are to confess all known sin. You are to be transparent, honest with God about your failures or sins as a Christian. Let me lead you in prayer---- “God, I know I have sinned. I believe Your Son, Jesus Christ, died to take the punishment for my sin. I believe Jesus came back to life from death and has the power to forgive my sin and change my life. Forgive me. Come into my life and change me. I want to live for You and follow Your plan for my life. I believe You have forgiven me, and I thank You for hearing my prayer, in Jesus’ name.” IV. Adoration AT This time IS an examination – Vs. 29-24
When there is a trial there is a judge. We are told here that there are two possible judges. First of all we are to judge ourselves. If we are transparent before God, we will judge ourselves. That is what God really wants us to do. The other judge is God himself. We are inviting God’s judgment when we eat and drink in an unworthy manner. We would have to say that not all sickness is due to specific sin. If we take the Lord’s Table lightly, we can become, weak, sickly and even asleep, that is dead spiritually. Why does God judge us this way? 11:32. God will go to great lengths to wake up his sinning or disobedient children.
There was a man named Antonio who lived from 1644-1737. He was a violin maker. He did not make these from valuable pieces of wood. In fact they were carved from lumber that had been thrown away. This man was poor and could not afford to get precious wood. So he used what was available to him. He would go down to the harbor where he would pick up dirty waterlogged pieces of wood and take them to his shop. It was discovered while that wood lay in those dirty waters little microbes went into the wood and ate out the center of the wood. Because of that all that was left was the fibrous infrastructure of the wood. From this wood he produced violins that everyone wants even today. His last name is Stradivarius. From the trashed wood he created rare instruments of beauty and sound. I have told you this story to let you know just as this man took trash and turned it into treasure Jesus Christ is able to take us from sin and dirtiness and make us beautiful. As you come to partake in the Lord’s Supper think of how beautiful you are in His sight because of His broken body and His shed blood.
