Why We Partake Of The Lord's Supper

Why We Partake in the Lord’s Supper

10-27-02

1 Corinthians 11:17-14

Sunday AM

Intro: Little girl trying to find out why her mom cuts of the end of the ham – b/c her mom did it – little girl discovers from Nana the pan was too short.

Note: Sometimes we do things for the wrong reason or out of habit and tradition yet we neither ask nor understand why.

Idea: Many churchgoers partake in the Lord’s Supper, yet most don’t know why.

Trans: The Corinthian Problem

Verse: In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead w/out waiting for anybody. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? No!

1 There was division among the body.

2 Some were getting drunk.

3 Some were glutton-ness and inconsiderate.

4 Some were unable to partake due to the gluttony of others.

Note: The bottom line – the Corinthians did not understand the Lord’s Supper.

I REMEMBER

Verse: For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

A Remembering the OLD (Passover)

B Remembering the NEW (The Cross)

II REJOICE

Verse: For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Def: Proclaim – to announce publicly; to make known

1 We proclaim His death – which gives salvation.

2 We proclaim His return – which gives us hope.

III REPENT

Verse: Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment

Note: To turn from sin and self to Christ – Communion is a time of reflection about out human condition.

Note: We should never partake in the Lord’s Supper with an extensive reflection upon our own lives.

IV RECONCILE

Verse: When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.

Def: To restore friendship or harmony and to resolve or settle a dispute.

Note: Communion is not just a time to get things straight b/w you and God, but it is also a time for you to get right w/ others.