The Principles of Communion
For
The Believer and unbeliever
“Should I or should I not partake”
Luke 22: 14-23
John 13:18-30
Intro: Communion is a time of celebration, remembrance, fellowship and recommitment to God and to one another. I think we take the “Lord’s Supper” to lightly in the life of the “modern Church”; in so doing we diminish the spiritual impact on our lives as individuals. We often wonder why the church seems so powerless and impotent; consider this, Paul teaches all of us through scripture that to partake in the table which is the Lord’s without first examining ourselves is to negate the understanding of the Lord’s body.
I. The Principle of regeneration
1. Communion is for the Elect of God only
Note: In our text the personal pronoun “you” is used five times in speaking of the eleven disciples, Judas excluded.
Exodus 12:43-45
43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: 44 But every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. 45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.
Note: The Old Testament Passover focused on the physical, as a sign of the spiritual, circumcision, as an outward sign of the heart’s obedience to God’s command.
2. Communion is for those who have experienced salvation by Grace
Note: We will leave this principle with this thought, regeneration takes place in the heart of the elect through the venue of grace, grace is the venue for faith “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” which starts the process of regeneration in the heart of the recipient, that recipient is converted by the exercise of faith which has been bestowed upon him by the spirit of God.
3. All unregenerate Sinners are forbidden to partake
II. The Principle of preparation
Note: It may be said, that all of God’s elect is not even entitled to approach the table of the Lord, there is much to be said about this topic.
1. Many believers are ill prepared to partake
1 Corinthians 11:27
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
A. Each believer must understand the devastating effects of unconfessed sin
By the term “unworthily” we have not taken all of our actions into account, and examined them under the microscope of scripture.
B. Each believer must understand the consequences of partaking “Unworthily”
1 Corinthians 11:29
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
a. Judgment falls on the ill prepared
1 Corinthians 11:31
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
(a) The penalties of partaking unworthily
1 Corinthians 11:30
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
(1) Spiritual weakness
Spiritual weakness in short is the lack of nutrition from the bread of life, when e feed on Him at the table we gain spiritual energy.
(2) Physical sickness
Physical sickness is a form of Judgment placed upon the believer to gain his or her attention and to draw them back to God.
(3) Physical death
There is a sin unto death for the child of God. 1 John 5:16
16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
2. The method of preparation
1 Corinthians 11:28
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
A. Examination of ones on worthiness to partake in the Lord’s Supper
B. Confession of sin
C. Acceptance of forgiveness
III. The principle of separation
1 Corinthians 10:16-22
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? 17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
1. We are called to be separated from the people of the world
Note: Although many take separation to mean isolation, they hold the basics of the scripture at heart; we should abstain from those who hold the views of the world as in the act of fellowship and not the act of common respect so as to approach them with Gospel of Christ.
A. The lifestyle of the world
B. The ideology of the world
C. The religion (‘) s of the world
2. Those who partake at the table of the world are excluded from the table of the Lord.
IV. The principle of fellowship
Quote: For the early Christians, koinonia was not the frilly “fellowship” of church-sponsored, biweekly bowling parties. It was not tea, cookies, and sophisticated small talk in Fellowship Hall after the sermon. It was an almost unconditional sharing of their lives with the other members of Christ’s body.
RONALD J. SIDER
The term “fellowship” used in 1 Corinthians 10:21 is translated from the Greek term koinonos {koy-no-nos’} to mean “comrade, a partner with, or in anything
1. Fellowship should be confined to the “elect of God” believers or followers of Christ
2. Partakers of the Lord’s Supper should be those who have been in Good standing with:
A. Church Membership of said local body
a. Tithes and offerings
b. Love (benevolence)
c. Etc…
3. The Lord’s table should be forbidden to those who live in:
A. Open sin against God
Note: In the arena of the just, we have not been given the command to judge our brethren so as to cast him into outer darkness but we have been exhorted to approach a brother in sin and do everything within our power to help him see the error of his way.
Matthew 18:15-17
1 Corinthians 5:1-5
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
V. The Principle of remembrance
1 Corinthians 11:24-25
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.
1. We partake in a memorial service (An act of symbolism)
A. We are to remember the Body of Christ which was broken for “US”
B. We are to remember the blood of Christ which atoned for (OUR) sins
C. We are to rejoice in the benefits of the atoning work of Christ
a. Salvation form sin’s destiny (hell)
b. Salvation to Christ’s eternity (heaven)
c. Absolute forgiveness of prior sin as an:
(a) Action
(b) And state of being
VI. The principle of fulfillment
Note: Partaking in the Lord’s Supper is one of benefit, the physical man may gain little, but the spiritual man is nourished by the live giving bread (manna) from heaven, which is Christ.
1 Corinthians 11:24-25
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.
1. The hungry inner man is feed through the act of partaking in the Lord’s Supper
2. The dry and thirsty inner man is refreshed in the live giving blood of Christ
3. The inner man is nourished by Christ’s eternal spirit
VII. The Principle of anticipation
Note: There must be a heavenly longing for all of God’s children, it’s a spiritual effect on the heart of the believer to long for his or her master; so we long with anticipation for the day when we shall sit down at the marriage supper of the lamb and He himself will gird his loins and serve “US”.
Matthew 26:29
29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
1. All of God’s people long for His coming
A. We shall see Him as He is
B. We shall be forever with Him
C. We shall Eternally Fellowship with Him
