The Principles Of Communion

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?