The Lord's Supper: What Is It?

The Lord’s Supper

What is it?

Instituted by Jesus just hours before His death.

We are commanded to repeat it at frequent intervals until the 2nd coming.

1. It takes the place of the Passover for Christians.

a. Christ is our Passover lamb, Sacrificed to rebuke the Destroyer 1 Cor 5:7

2. It is commemorative: Do this in remembrance of me – Luke 22:19

a. It is a time when we should deeply consider the atoning death of Christ.

i. The death is the focal point of all history.

b. This is my body and this cup is the new covenant in my blood:

i. The elements are symbolic only to serve as reminders.

3. It is inspirational:

a. We are reminded that by faith we may enter into the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection

b. By participating, we are repeatedly identifying ourselves with Him and his death and resurrection.

c. We are reminded that we have the victory over sin and can avoid every kind of evil. (1 Th 5:22)

4. It promotes Thanksgiving:

a. It is an opportunity to thank God for all the blessings that are ours because of Jesus’ death on the cross.

5. It promotes Fellowship:

a. With the Father and His Son

b. Jesus was the host at the original supper, and today He is the unseen host of every Lord’s supper.

c. With other believers

6. It proclaims the new covenant:

a. By participating we assert our purpose:

i. to make Jesus Lord

ii. To do His will

iii. Take up our cross daily to follow him

iv. To fulfill his great commission.

7. It points to his return:

a. Jesus promises to “drink it anew” Mark 14:25

i. Reference to his return

We must partake worthily. With proper attitude and frame of mind. It should cause us to focus on the sacrifice and holiness of Christ.

Selected Bibliography

Special thanks and acknowledgement to Sermon Central and their contributors. Points and or illustrations may have been drawn from materials found on their website: www.sermoncentral.com.

A Treasury of Great Preaching. Austin, TX: WORDsearch Corp., 2005. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

Brown, Francis, S.R. Driver, Charles A. Briggs. The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1906. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

Eims, LeRoy. Be the Leader You Were Meant to Be: Growing Into the Leader God Called You to Be. Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 1996. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

Gaebelein, Frank E. Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1976-1996.

Harris, R. Laird, Gleason L. Archer, Bruce K. Waltke, ed. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Chicago: Moody Press, 1980. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

Jamieson, Robert, A.R. Fausset, David Brown. A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, and Practical on the Old and New Testaments. Toledo, OH: Jerome B. Names & Co., 1884. WORDsearch CROSS e-book. Commentary contained as a single volume.

Life Application Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1988. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

McGee, J. Vernon. Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1983. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

Meyer, F. B. Expository Preaching: Plans and Methods. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

Peters, Ruth. Bible Illustrations – Illustrations of Bible Truths. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1998. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

Tan, Paul Lee. Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Dallas, TX: Bible Communications, 1998. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

Thayer, J. H., trans. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament New York: Harper & Brothers, 1889. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

Thompson, Frank Charles. Thompson Chain Reference Bible. Indianapolis, IN: B. B. Kirkbride Bible Co., 1997. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

Vine, William E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1940. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.