The Lord's Supper Series

The Last Supper

Sermon by CH (CPT) Keith J. Andrews

1 Corinthians 11:27-34

All Scripture marked NKJV: The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 (1 Co 11:23). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Nearly five years after the 9-11 attacks people continue to argue about how to memorialize the people who died in the World Trade Center in New York. On the 13th of March construction workers began to build the memorial.

According to the BBC, the winning design was selected from 5,201 submissions. The footprints of the twin towers will contain two reflection large pools. Ramps will give access to memorial spaces around pools, where names of dead engraved and a staircase will gives access to artifact displays, an exhibition area and library. There will also be space for memorial services and room for unidentified remains.

How we memorialize someone is a very important aspect in how we look back and remember their life.

This comes into play when we think of the Lord’s Supper.

In my concrete mind, I have always been uncomfortable with the Lord’s Supper. For years, I have been in church after church, who went through the motions of the Lord’s Supper simply because it was commanded to. The Lord’s Supper became as stale to me as the bread that was served.

It wasn’t until I began pastoring and leading in ministry that I began to reevaluate the meaning of the Lord’s Supper. I read articles and theological books on why it was important. My thought was, why are we wasting our time with this little ritual? I like to plan services that are meaningful and that ultimately lead people to know God in a real and personal way.

That is when I began to understand that the Lord’s Supper is much more than just a ritual—it is proclamation. The Lord’s Supper is worship—

John Piper writes:

“Worship is a way of gladly reflecting back to God the radiance of His worth.” (Desiring God, p. 92)

When we remember what Christ accomplished on the Cross, we are reflecting back to God’s glory in the cross. This was the central moment of God’s love for us.

The Bible says;

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. (1 Cor. 11:26, NKJV)

When we take of the Lord’s Supper, we proclaim His death—we share with God the good news! You say, “God already knows the good news”, that is true, but that doesn’t mean that He doesn’t like to hear it again and again. We also share it with each other, reminding each other of the great God that we have and how he sent his son to die on the cross for us. Each of us are sinners, the Bible teaches that sin is anything that you think, say, or do that makes God unhappy. The Bible also teaches that the punishment for this sin is death and that His son died on a cross to pay that penalty in our place.

Today, you may be here and wish to accept the payment Jesus paid on the cross for you. This payment is available, we must simply accept it.

Through the Lord’s Supper, we remind each other of that price He paid for us.

Given such importance, I think that we would agree that we should look at the Lord’s Supper differently. The Lord’s Supper should not be taken lightly but with all of the honor and dignity expected at the remembrance of Christ’s Death on the Cross.

So, tonight I want us to take a few minutes to hear what Paul has to say about the Lord’s Supper.

Take your Bibles and open them to 1 Corinthians 11: 27. If you don’t have a Bible with you—there is one under your seat. 1 Corinthians 11:27 is found on page 1020.

Paul is writing this passage in his letter to the Corinthians because they are not taking the Lord’s Supper seriously. It has become a party for them. Paul explains in verse 30, that the Corinthians are to the point of making themselves sick—in effect bringing upon themselves God’s supernatural judgment for completely misusing the Lord’s Supper.

In 1 Corinthians 11:20-22, Paul gives us some clues of what was happening.

The members began having a fellowship meal followed by the Lord’s Supper. In the case of the Corinthians they were making it into a wild party. The food would be brought in and some would rush to the table and fill themselves up while others would go hungry. At the same time some would become drunk with the amount of wine they consumed. Paul takes the people to task for their behavior. He scolds them in verses17-22. He then retrains the people how to conduct themselves during the Lord’s Supper.