Bro.Daniel Pasaribu
Sermon for LJUSC, June 11, 2012
A PORTRAIT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER - THE HOLY COMMUNION
(1 Corinthians 11:23-32)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Without blood there cannot be life in the physical body. That is just as true in the Bible. Blood flows through the Bible just as it does through our veins. The blood of Christ keeps Christianity alive. Someone has said, “Cut the Bible anywhere and it will bleed.” The blood is spoken of 427 times in our Bible, so it is easy to see, this is not a minor theme. Without the blood, the Gospel is dead and we are deprived of eternal life.
Jesus said, “For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Matthew 26:28
Paul added, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission.” He also explained, “We have redemption through the blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:14.
Peter added, “We are not redeemed with silver and gold, and precious stones, but with the precious blood of Christ.” I Peter 1:18
Then John agreed with Peter and Paul, He wrote, “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.” I John 1:7
The early church understood the blood for the 22 sermons recorded by the four preachers in the Book of Acts all give the same message, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They understood that His death and the provision of “covering by the blood” was the essential ingredient of the Gospel. [“there, that should cover it!” – The idea of payment to cover as well as hiding it from sight.]
Can you see this portrait of the blood? It’s hard to see blood…it’s internal. To make it external hurt you have to be cut or injured. But the Bible paints in broad strokes the blood on a canvas, and then in minute detail God’s Word breaks it down to the cellular level—the importance of the blood of Christ! We can see this today…but even more important is that God sees the blood applied to our lives, and passes over us!
Let’s put the blood of Christ under the microscope and do some forensic study then we’ll get the complete picture and that is a portrait of the blood of Christ.
I. IN ANALYSIS : THE BLOOD IS PERFECT
The virgin birth of Christ established His righteousness.
Judas cried out. “I have betrayed innocent blood.”
Paul explained, “For He (God) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
Pilate said, “I find in him no fault at all.” John 18:38
Jesus Himself said, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” John 8:46
He was spoken of as, “Holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” Hebrews 7:26
Again, “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.” I Peter 2:22
John added, “in Him is no sin.” I John 3:5
A natural father would have imparted the sin-nature of Adam to Christ and His death would not have provided redemption. The virgin birth is absolutely essential to the salvation of our souls.
The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus was born of a virgin and did not have original sin. Matthew quotes Isaiah the prophet saying,
Matthew 1:23
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us”.
Jeremiah the prophet had spoken years before on this. He said, “The Lord hath created a new thing upon the earth, a woman shall compass a man.” (Jeremiah 31:22)
It certainly was a new thing for a woman without a man to give birth to a child. The Adamic nature is passed to the offspring by the blood line of the man. There were no impurities in the blood of Christ. Everything about Christ was perfect including His blood.
II. IN APPLICATION : THE BLOOD IS PURE
One of reasons we use grape juice in our Communion Service instead of wine is because wine has to go through a process of fermentation. The process of fermentation is actually bacteria working in the juice. It is a rotting process. This could never give a proper picture of the sinless Blood of Christ. For all that is holy, Satan has his counterfeit…and communion is no exception! Pure grape juice is the true symbol of the pure Blood of the Lord Jesus, just as the bread is to be w/out leaven.
The writer of Hebrews stated, “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:13,14)
When the pure blood of the Saviour is applied to the sinner, it provides cleansing. John explained, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”( I John 1:7b)
The song writer wrote:
“What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus”.
Peter wrote, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things…but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (I Peter 1:18, 19)
III. IN ACTION : THE BLOOD IS PERPETUAL
The animal sacrifices of the Old Testament were continuous year after year. The blood of bulls and goats provided forgiveness and pardon temporarily only because it pointed to the sacrifice of Christ and His blood being shed for the covering of our sin.
The writer of Hebrews speaks of Christ as one, “Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when He offered up Himself.” (Hebrews 7:27)
Again Paul tells us that it was, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Hebrews 9:12)
Then again, “But now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:26)
The Bible states, “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” (Hebrews 10:12)
The death of Christ set into motion a continuous cleansing for those who trust in Him. We are given the gift of eternal life that He purchased with His blood. Thank God we are washed once and for all, forever.
The Bible speaks of the “blood of the everlasting Covenant.” (Hebrews 13:20). Our faith in His blood is all it takes to settle it forever and ever.
IV. IN ACCOMPLISHMENT : THE BLOOD IS POWERFUL
The song writer wrote:
Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There is power in the Blood
Would you over evil a victory win?
There’s wonderful power in the Blood
There is power, power wonder working power
In the Blood of the Lamb
There is power, power wonder working power
In the precious Blood of the Lamb
John wrote, “Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.” Revelation 5:9
It takes amazing power to do that! We are told that they overcame the wicked one, Satan, by the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 12:11
It takes a lot of power to do that, too!
False religion has always denied the blood and its power.
Mary Baker Eddy of the Christian Science movement wrote, “The material blood of Jesus is no more efficacious to cleanse from sin when it was shed upon the cursed tree than when it was flowing through His veins.”
R. B. Theime, a Bible teacher in Texas, declared, “The red liquid that ran through the veins and arteries of Jesus’ mortal body is not related to our salvation.”
Of course, these teachers and many like them stand in complete opposition to the Bible that declares, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission.” Hebrews 9:22
V. IN ACQUITTAL : THE BLOOD IS PERMANENT
Joke—woman at photography studio: “do me justice”/photographer replied, you don’t need justice, you need mercy!
“Acquit” is a heavy word…it means to pay off, to free, to clear, to absolve. It has a far reaching meaning extending from the past all the way to the future.
Ill.—OJ Simpson was acquitted of murder, and it can never come back on him now in a court of law. Not even “new evidence” can be presented.
You say, yeah, but I don’t believe justice was done. Well, neither do I… but you and I are guilty and we know it…and we don’t want justice, we want mercy! And we need it to be permanent…sins forgiven AND forgotten! “His mercies are new every morning,” the Bible says.
Not only our past sin was covered but also our present and future sins are put under the blood when we trust in Christ as Savior.
Jesus’ blood cleanses from our past sins. Isaiah said, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.” (Isaiah 44:22)
David spoke to this when he stated, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12)
He promised not to remember them again. “I will remember them no more against you forever.”
Jesus’ blood covers our present sins, both the sins of omission and the sins of commission. Whether it be things we ought to be doing and are not doing or whether it be things we are doing that we ought not to be doing. These are covered fully by His Blood atonement.
sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:26)
The Bible states, “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” (Hebrews 10:12)
The death of Christ set into motion a continuous cleansing for those who trust in Him. We are given the gift of eternal life that He purchased with His blood. Thank God we are washed once and for all, forever.
The Bible speaks of the “blood of the everlasting Covenant.” (Hebrews 13:20). Our faith in His blood is all it takes to settle it forever and ever.
VI. IN APPRAISAL : THE BLOOD IS PRECIOUS
We love to sing, “Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know. Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.”
Peter used the term precious to describe the Blood of Christ. He said, “But with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”( I Peter 1:19)
Recently I read a story of a very wealthy old man who had an elaborate collection of Van Gogh and Monet paintings. His only son shared his father’s interest in the rare paintings. They traveled around the world buying these painting wherever they could find them.
The son enlisted in the army and was placed in the medical corps. In a severe battle, while carrying a wounded soldier to safety, the son was seriously wounded himself and died. The mother was dead already and the news of the tragedy devastated the old father. He grieved in loneliness for months.
One day a knock came at his door and when he responded he found a young man with a package. The young man explained that he was one of the several soldiers that the son had carried to safety. Knowing of his interest in paintings he had painted a picture of the son and presented it to the father.
The painting was not rare but was very precious to the old man because it was a good resemblance of his son.
The man moved a very valuable painting from the mantle and placed the picture of his son in its place. Hour after hour he sat in a rocker and gazed up at the image of his beloved son.
When death came the art collection was put up for sale by auction. Hundreds of collectors came to bid. The auctioneer announced that the will stated that the picture of his son was to be auctioned first. A moan of disappointment could be heard from the crowd. “Let’s get on with the real paintings,” one was heard to say.
The son’s picture was held up and the auctioneer cried, “Who will give $100.00, $50.00, $25.00. There was no response. A kind old gentleman in the back asked, “Will you take $10.00.” “Sold,” said the auctioneer. “Good”, cried the crowd. “Now we can get on with the auction.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes the auction,” announced the auctioneer. The crowd was puzzled and upset. Then the statement was given. The will declared that the son’s picture was to be sold and the person who took it would get all the rest. The old man who paid $10.00 for the picture of the son was suddenly amazed at the fact that he now owned all the valuable paintings.
When a person takes the Son of God, everything God has is included. We become heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus. The precious blood has made it all possible.
VII. IN AGGRESSION : THE BLOOD IS PROTECTIVE
In Exodus 12 the blood was sprinkled on the door posts of the Jewish homes just as the Lord had instructed them. When the death angel came on that faithful night with the awful judgment of death to the first born the Jews were protected by the blood.
It was actually their faith that brought protection. They believed the Word the Lord had given to Moses. They believed it enough to act on it. By following the directions just as the Lord instructed they reaped a great benefit.
God had said, “The blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:13)
We still speak of being “under the Blood.” The judgment will not fall on those who have placed their faith in Christ and accepted Him as their Savior.
If you have not gotten under the protection of the Blood of Jesus Christ, I beg you to do so now before the death angel comes to your house.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Do you get the picture today? Can you see Christ’s blood? More importantly, can God see it? If not, all He sees is your sin. Make sure you’re covered…one application will do!
HOLY COMMUNION MEDITATION
(1 Cor 11:23-32; 1 Cor 10:16-17)
1 Cor 11:23-32
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 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.” 25 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.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 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. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. (NIV)
1 Cor 10:16-17
16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf
THERE ARE FOUR THINGS TO LOOK ON THE LORD’S TABLE
1. WE LOOK BACK - “you proclaim the Lord’s death” (1 COR 11:26)
First, we look back to the cross. We are reminded of our Lord’s sacrifice; how He gave himself unselfishly and completely, for the atonement of our sins. The marvelous thing about this is that He did this "while we were still sinners" (Romans 5:8). It has been said, "It is easy to love the lovable, but so hard to love the unlovely." Our Lord did what he did for all mankind without exception.
2. WE LOOK WITHIN - “A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.” (1 COR 11:28)
The second look is to the present or within — here and now. We look at ourselves: what do we see? What are we doing with our lives? How are we living? Are we striving for holiness? Do we put Jesus first in our lives – are we totally committed to Him. Let us truly examine ourselves, look deep into our hearts (1 Corinthians 11:28, 29).
God wants us to acknowledge our sins and humbly ask for forgiveness.
3. WE LOOK AROUND - “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.” (1 COR 10:17)
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The third look is to the brothers and sisters around us – we give thanks to God for our Christian family. No man is an island, we need one another.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Proverbs 27:17:
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
4. WE LOOK AHEAD - “until he comes” (1 COR 11:26)
The fourth look is to the future. Are we looking forward to the time when He will come again and we will have Communion with our Lord in His kingdom? (Matthew 26:29; 1 Corinthians 11:26). Are we looking forward to His coming with joy or with fear?
THE LORD’S SUPPER IN THREE TENSES
Luke 22:7-18
INTRO: On the front of the communion table are usually found the words, “This do in remembrance of Me.” When we come to observe this ordinance, it should be a time of remembrance. Remembrance in three things: PAST—Show the Lord’s death; PRESENT—Communion with Christ now; and FUTURE—Till He comes.
I. PAST TENSE—SHOW THE LORD’S DEATH.
In the Old Testament worship centered in the sacrifice of unblemished lambs. Jesus was to be the Passover Lamb. He was God’s provision for our redemption.
He desired to have a few last hours with His disciples to instruct them of some last things. This do—was the way of showing forth his death.
At the Lord’s table we call to mind the high cost of our Salvation. While it is free to us, it cost Christ dearly—His very body and life’s blood.
Sometimes, in the things we do, we don’t show forth His death as much as He requires. Instead, we try to crucify Him anew.
II. PRESENT TENSE—COMMUNICATION WITH CHRIST NOW.
The word communion is an action word which means: “fellowship, participating in, sharing together, having in common.” The observance is not simply keeping a dead memory alive. It is entering into the presence of one who lived, died, was raised from the dead by the power of God, and is alive forevermore. Above all that He is present with us here and now—at the table.
Jesus wanted to have communion with His disciples. He wanted them to think often of Him.
We are a fellowship of believers. When we sit at the Lord’s table, it is as if we were present with Jesus during that final meal. Most definitely, he is with us.
III. FUTURE TENSE—TILL HE COMES.
1 Cor. 11:26 says: “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord’s death till he comes.” You proclaim the Lord’s death “Till He Comes.” Did three words ever tell more?
Jesus spoke of His coming kingdom. He was preparing the disciples for the work ahead. They did not fully understand what Jesus was telling them, but they were faithful.
Dear Precious Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We have come to understand the conclusion of this sermon about the Lord’s Supper – The Holy Communion that as the Christian believers, we may know the truth in partaking of the Holy Communion according to His instruction in the Word of God. In addition to this, through this sermon and teaching we will note some of the Biblical statements which explain the significance of the Lord's Supper for Christians in every age. Perhaps these observations will serve to reinvest the act of participating in the Lord's Supper with new meaning in your life, as they have in mine.
1.AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE
Jesus said to His disciples, "Do this in remembrance of Me? (I Cor. 11:24,25). This is an imperative, a command. Jesus obviously wanted His followers to perpetuate this observance. In fact, it seems to be the only act that Jesus asked His followers to do in His memory, So it is that the Church throughout the centuries of Christian history has observed the Lord's Supper in one form or another, regarding the observance as an act of obedience to Jesus' command. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15), soon after partaking of the Last Supper with His disciples.
Misinterpretations of the Scriptural record have caused some to make commandments and imperatives beyond what Jesus intended. For example, when Jesus took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to His disciples, the King James Version translates His statement as "Drink ye all of it" (Matt. 26:27-KJV). Some have understood this as a command to drink every last drop of juice in the cup, to lick it clean or wipe it out with a cloth. The "all" does not refer to "all of the juice," but rather to "all of the disciples." Newer translations make this clear by translating Jesus' statement, "Drink from it, all of you" (Matt. 26:27-NASB).
Others, such as the Christian Churches mentioned previously, have considered a particular frequency of observance of the Lord's Supper to be an act of obedience. Desiring to "restore" the practices of the New Testament church, and noting that Paul and the other Christians in Troas "were gathered together to break bread on the first day of the week" (Acts 20:7), they have determined that it is imperative to do so on every "first day of the week." This is not a direct command of Scripture, and therefore not an essential act of obedience. Earlier in the historical narrative of Acts, Luke reports that "day by day they were breaking bread from house to house" (Acts 2:46). Are we to make daily observance a commanded act of obedience? No. Paul records Jesus as having said, "As often as you drink, do it in remembrance of Me" (I Cor. 11:25). The frequency of observance of the Lord's Supper is not a direct command of Scripture. It is more important that Christians properly remember Jesus Christ in the midst of partaking of the bread and wine, whenever it is observed.
Jesus did indeed ordain that Christians should remember Him through the observance of the Lord's Supper, but we must beware of making additional commandments of varying details. The fact that Jesus did ordain this ongoing act of remembrance is the basis of the Church's regarding it as one of its "ordinances" throughout its history, and encouraging Christians to partake as "an act of obedience."
2.AN ACT OF IDENTIFICATION
Paul indicates that part of the reason of Christians assembling together was to "eat the Lord's Supper" (I Cor. 11:20). The partaking of the food items in the observance of the Lord's Supper will have little or no meaning to those who have not identified in spiritual union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from such they will not be able to "remember" the significance of what the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ means to their lives. Those who have not consented to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives would be participating in a commemorative supper of One who was a stranger to them. The Lord's Supper is intended for those who know Jesus Christ as the Lord of their lives, and for whom the continued remembrance of His sacrifice reminds them of their identification with Him.
Such spiritual union and identification with Jesus Christ is not an externally visible reality. "The Lord knows whose are His" (II Tim. 2:19). Therefore, it is not the place of other Christians or the collective church community and leadership to develop man-made criteria of who has or has not identified with Jesus Christ. When they do so, they take it upon themselves to "judge" another's spiritual identification. "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matt. 7:1). Some ecclesiastical organizations practice what has been called "closed communion," allowing only those who have identified with their denomination or congregation to partake in the Lord's Supper observance. They seem to have mistakenly made the Lord's Supper into an act of identification with a particular organization, rather than an act of remembering our spiritual identification with the Lord Jesus Christ.
3.AN ACT OF COVENANT
Jesus explained to His disciples that "this cup is the new covenant in My blood" (Luke 22:20; I Cor. 11:25). Covenants are contracts or agreements between two or more persons. In many societies such covenants have been ratified by the letting of the blood of those entering into the agreement in order to serve as a visible seal of their consent. God's agreed arrangement of His dealings with mankind is in like manner referred to as a "covenant." After the exodus and the receiving of the Ten Commandments on Sinai, Moses "took the blood of sacrificed animals and sprinkled it on the people, and said, 'Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you" (Exod. 24:8). That agreement, which mandated that the Israelites keep the Law, is referred to as the "old covenant," the record of which is contained in the Old Testament, which simply means "old covenant."
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God indicates that He "will make a new covenant" (Jere. 31:31). When Jesus said that "the cup is the new covenant in My blood," He was explaining that the shedding of His blood in His death by crucifixion would serve as the ratification of the "new covenant." The new covenant is not based on the "letter of the Law," but on the Spirit of grace (II Cor. 3:6). In the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ, He took the death upon Himself which mankind deserved, in order to give His spiritual and eternal life to man, and be the expression of that life through man. The "new covenant" agreement involves God "putting His laws into our minds, and writing them upon our hearts" (Heb. 8:10: 10:16), providing us with the gracious provision of the dynamic of the life of the risen Lord Jesus in order to function as God intended. When we partake of the Lord's Supper we remember the "new covenant" arrangement which God has effected, ratified by the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross, and energized constantly by the dynamic of God's grace in Jesus Christ.
4.AN ACT OF PARTICIPATION
Paul explains that the partaking of the cup and the bread in the Lord's Supper are "a sharing" in the blood and body of Christ (I Cor. 10:16). The word for "sharing" is the Greek word koinonia, and can be translated "participation" or "fellowship." The King James Version translates the word as "communion," from which we get the designation of the Lord's Supper as "Communion." The Greek word koinonia and the English word "communion" both refer to something that is the basis of a "common union." Christians gather together and partake of the Lord's Supper because of a "common union" with the Lord Jesus Christ, and thereby they participate and fellowship and share together in the remembrance of such.
When Christians "come together" (I Cor. 11:18) and "meet together" (I Cor. 11:20) to observe the Lord's Supper, they must put aside all thoughts of selfish individualism. Recognizing our "common union" with Christ in the Body of Christ, the Church, we participate together in the remembrance of Christ's having united us and made us "one Body" (Eph. 4:4) in Him. The Lord's Supper observance is no place for "lone ranger" individualism, but is a participatory act of sharing and fellowship with other Christians who desire to remember Jesus Christ. Does this call into question the practice of partaking of the Lord's Supper as a family or small group outside of the context of a church service? Not necessarily, for the Lord's Supper is not to be regarded as an exclusively ecclesiastical rite administered by the leadership thereof. Jesus said, "Where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst" (Matt. 18:20)
It is important, however, to recognize that the Lord's Supper is an act of participation and sharing and fellowship. When gathered together remembering Jesus Christ through the Lord's Supper, we indicate our "common union" in Him.
5.AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING
Luke records that during the Last Supper of Jesus with His disciples, Jesus "gave thanks" prior to encouraging the disciples to partake of the bread and the cup (Luke 22:17,19). The Greek word which is translated "to give thanks" is eucharisteo. This word is a composite of two other Greek words, eu meaning "good," and charis meaning "grace." To "give thanks" is to recognize and express the "good grace" of God. It is on the basis of this word that the Lord's Supper is often referred to as the "Eucharist," but few Christians who use this term seem to understand its meaning. When we partake of the Lord's Supper we "give thanks" by recognizing the "good grace" of God in the "finished work" of Jesus Christ. From the cross, Jesus exclaimed, "It is finished" (John 19:30), implying that He had accomplished what God Had intended (John 17:4), taking the death of mankind in order to restore the life of God to man. We "give thanks" for such in the Lord's Supper. "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 15:57).
In Matthew's account of the Last Supper, the King James Version translates that "Jesus took bread, and blessed it" (Matt. 26:26-KJV). Such a reading seems to provide justification for a priest "blessing" the substances used in the Lord's Supper. Newer translations recognize that Jesus was not investing the bread with any particular significance or benefit. He was "blessing God" rather than "blessing the bread," or more literally, He was saying "good words" unto God in thanksgiving for what the bread signified. "Jesus took bread, and after a blessing, He broke it" (Matt. 26:26-NASB).
Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper as an act of thanksgiving, and expressed "good words" about the "good grace" of God.
6.AN ACT OF REPRESENTATION
In the various accounts of the Last Supper, Jesus is recorded as explaining to the disciples as He gave them the bread and the cup that "This is My body" (Matt 26:26; Mk. 14:22; Lk. 22:19; I Cor. 11:24) and "This is My blood" (Matt. 26:28; Mk. 14:24). The fact that Jesus was handing His disciples one substance and referring to it as another substance has led to various theories as to what is represented in the Lord's Supper.
Roman Catholic theology developed the theory of "transubstantiation," whereby they assert that the substance of the bread and wine is transformed supernaturally into the actual substance of the body and blood of Jesus. So convinced are they of this transformation of substance that Catholic adherents have sacrificed their lives rather than spill the wine of the Eucharist, fearing that they would be spilling the sacred blood of Jesus. A young Catholic boy was appalled when he saw Protestant Christians take the bread of the Lord's Supper and bite it. "Look," he said, "They're chewing on Jesus!"
After the Protestant Reformation, Lutheran theology developed the theory of "consubstantiation." Denying the actual transformed substance of the bread and wine, it is somewhat ambiguously argued that the substance of the body and blood of Jesus is somehow present "along with" the bread and wine, in some mystical manner.
The majority of Protestant theologies reject both "transubstantiation" and "consubstantiation," indicating that there is no miraculous or mystical change in the substance of the bread and wine. Rather, these food items are emblems or symbols which represent the spiritual significance of the death of Jesus Christ when His body was broken and His blood was shed. These serve only as a tangible, physical substance designed to draw out attention to the Person and Work of Jesus. Partaking of the bread and wine serves only as a picture of assimilating Christ's life into our lives. When Jesus said, "I am the bread of life...The bread which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh...He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life" (John 6:48-58), we can be quite certain that His Jewish followers did not think that they were going to chew and digest Jesus' physical body. Such an idea would have been abhorrent to Jewish thinking, for they eschewed the eating of human flesh and the drinking of any blood. They knew that Jesus was speaking figuratively of receiving the spiritual reality of His life, using the technique of hyperbole. Likewise, at the Last Supper the disciples of Jesus, who were very familiar with the metaphorical word-pictures that Jesus employed, would have understood that the bread and wine represented the significance of receiving Jesus Christ, and in the ensuing days after the crucifixion and resurrection would have understood the symbolization even more completely.
As an act of representation in order to focus one's attention on the significance of Jesus Christ, the observance of the Lord's Supper does not convey any spiritual reality or benefit. It is not a "sacrament," in the sense of having any "saving significance." It does not save a person, nor serve as a work of performance to maintain one's salvation. It is not a "means of grace," whereby participation therein allows God to do what He could not otherwise do. All that God has for us is in the action of His grace realized in Jesus Christ (John 1:17). The Lord's Supper is an act of representation wherein the emblems symbolize the significance of Jesus Christ and cause us to remember Him.
7.AN ACT OF COMMEMORATION
When Jesus commanded the disciples to continue the observance of such a representational supper, He told them to "Do this in remembrance of Me" (Lk 22:19; I Cor. 11:24,25). The act of remembrance involves "bearing in mind," which also enhances the idea of representation.
There are many historical memorials to persons throughout history. Examples might be the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., or Napoleon's Tomb in Paris, France. They serve to draw people's memories back to these personages. People today also carry photographs in their wallets and purses as pictorial memorials of their loved ones who have died. Thereby they can remember their loved one, ever aware that the picture is not the reality. Neither are the Lord's Supper emblems the reality of Jesus. Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper as a perpetual memorial, not in stone or in photographic image, but in a form that would last through the ages, an observance of commemoration.
Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of Me." Some Christians have inadvertently allowed the focus of their remembrance to be shifted to concerns other than Jesus Christ. In many evangelical circles the leadership has so emphasized the admonition to "let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (I Cor. 11:28), that the Lord's Supper has become a time to "remember their sins" rather than remembering Jesus Christ. This is a tragic mis-emphasis and abuse of the Lord's Supper! The Lord's Supper is not a time to bring up the dirty laundry of the sins of one's life, but a time to remember the forgiveness of all our sins in the work of Jesus Christ; a time to remember grace, not sins. It is not an "altar of confession;" it is an act of commemoration.
8.AN ACT OF EXAMINATION
What, then, did Paul mean when He said, "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (I Cor. 11:28)? The context both prior to and following this verse must clarify the interpretation for us. We shall note that the self-examination is not an introspective navel-gazing of our sinfulness, but an examination of our mind-set within the partaking of the Lord's Supper, and a discernment of our right relation with the Body of Christ.
The comment just previous to the admonition to "examine ourselves" refers to the manner in which we partake of the emblems of the Lord's Supper. "Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord" (I Cor. 11:27). The King James Version created a misunderstanding that caused many Christians to avoid partaking of the Lord's Supper. It reads, "whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord" (I Cor. 11:27-KJV). Many conscientious Christians took this to mean that if they considered themselves "unworthy," they should not partake lest they incur the wrath of God. We are all unworthy! But the good news of the gospel and the remembrance of the Lord's Supper is the recognition of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Many Christians forgot to study their grammar. Most English words which end with the suffix "-ly" are adverbs, not adjectives. That means they describe the action of the verb, not the noun-subject.
The word used in the original Greek language is an adverb, not an adjective. Paul was not referring to the worthiness of the partaker, but rather to the manner of our partaking. We are to "examine" the mind-set and manner of our partaking, so that we do not partake frivolously, unthinkingly, or irreverently. We are to "examine" whether our thoughts are focused on the remembrance of Jesus Christ and the meaning of the Lord's Supper emblems, rather than drifting off on the superficialities of mundane concerns which cause the Lord's Supper to become just a religious ritual of participation. God hates religious triviality, and will judge such.
The comment which follows the admonition to "examine ourselves" likewise indicates that our "examination" pertains to the mind-set which considers our proper relationship to the Body of Christ. This is not something to be taken lightly or flippantly. Christ died on the cross so that His life might be manifested in individual Christians and in the collective Body of Christ, the Church. Paul explained, "He who eats and drinks, eat and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly" (I Cor. 11:29). Failure to discern our rightful functional place in the Body of Christ, and how this was effected by the redemptive purchase of Christ's life on the cross, is cause for God to bring discipline and judgment upon us (I Cor. 11:29-32).
The Lord's Supper is an act of examination wherein we "examine ourselves" concerning whether we are focusing on the meaning of what the Lord's Supper signifies. We are to examine our mind-set so that the manner of our partaking will rightly discern the meaning of what we are doing.
9.AN ACT OF PROCLAMATION
Paul explains to the Corinthians that "as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death." (I Cor. 11:26). The Lord's Supper is an act of proclamation, for in partaking of the emblems of the bread and wine we proclaim that we believe in the efficacy of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. This is foundational to the good news of the gospel.
Since it is an act of proclamation, the Lord's Supper is intended for believers who want to proclaim the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the living implications of His life operative through us. Many Christians claim to have a difficult time proclaiming the gospel and giving a "testimony" of their faith in Jesus Christ, but little do they realize that they do so every time they partake of the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper is an act of proclamation.
10.AN ACT OF ANTICIPATION
The complete statement of Paul indicates that "as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes" (I Cor. 11:26). The Lord's Supper is not only an act of remembrance of the first coming of Jesus Christ and His redemptive work, but it is also an act of anticipation of the second coming of Jesus Christ when He will consummate His restorative work for mankind. In this eschatological connotation of the Lord's Supper we recognize the confident expectation of hope that Christians have for the return of Jesus Christ.
When Jesus partook of the Last Supper with His disciples, He said, "I will never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God" (Luke 22:16), and "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes" (Luke 22:18). Jesus was anticipating the completion of His redemptive work and the inauguration of the kingdom. That has already taken place, for we have been "transferred into the kingdom of the beloved Son" (Col. 1:13), and in a spiritual sense Jesus is partaking of the Lord's Supper with us today. At the same time there is the "not yet" consummation of the kingdom wherein we will commune with Jesus Christ "face to face" (I Cor. 13:12). In that sense the Lord's Supper remains an act of anticipation "until He comes."
The Lord's Supper must not be allowed to become merely a repetitive ritual. It is not a sacramental rite that conveys spiritual benefit simply because one goes through the motions of partaking of bread and wine. By maintaining a disciplined mind and attitude, the Lord's Supper can continue to be a meaningful act for every Christian. In order to be such, we need to gather together with other Christians in "communion," and together remember the significance of Christ's taking the death that we deserved, in order to give us His life.
Though the Lord's Supper draws our attention primarily to the death of Jesus Christ on our behalf, since the emblems point to the broken body and shed blood of Jesus, it is important to remember that His death by crucifixion was but the remedial action of God to pay the price of our redemption. That serves as the foundation for the gracious provision of Christ's life made available through the resurrection. We are "born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (I Peter 1:3). Jesus said, 'I came that you might have life, and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). The dynamic life of the risen Lord Jesus indwelling our spirit and expressed through our behavior is the essence of the gospel and of the Christian life. We rejoice in such when we remember the basis on which His life was made available in the partaking of the Lord's Supper.
HOW OFTEN WE HAVE TO DO OUR HOLY COMMUNION
I believe in the scripture in John 6:51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven, if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever…” Although it was not mentioned how often we should do it in 1 Cor.11:26 but the most important is why are we doing it? In my church, we often celebrate the breaking of bread or the holy communion at least once a week because we believe that as we partake the bread and drink the cup we remember that Jesus offered himself for our salvation. In today’s application, the bread and the cup is our protection against the works of the enemy like sickness, depression and other schemes of the enemy.
In my 4 years experience in partaking the personal holy communion when I and my wife take the holy communion at everyday, my life has been more closer and closer with the Lord Jesus and my family is protected against sickness, curse and sudden accidents and many more things by the Blood of Jesus. So, I believe that breaking of bread and drinking the blood is not the question of when but why? If you believe in Jesus and in what He has done for you then, whenever you remember Him in the breaking of bread, you are in divine communion with Him. And if you are with Him then who can be against you?
The Lord’s Supper is a new covenant ceremony, and it is not restricted by old covenant rules about the Passover. And since the new covenant does not specify when the Lord’s Supper should be observed, we are free to make our own decisions about it. It is our personal decision that members may observe communion as often as they wish by faith which should be led by the Holy Spirit. This may be done by small groups without any need for prior approval from church leaders. Many Churches have a weekly or monthly Communion Service and some also have an annual service that includes a voluntary foot washing service.
Some people think that once a year is often enough. Other people think that it is not often enough. How often should we remember the Lord’s death? Very often, it means this could also even daily and could be at every night. All we are doing is taking it in remembrance of what Jesus did for us. If we wanted to do it 3 times a day, I’m sure God wouldn’t be upset about it. It’s like telling someone you love them and we can’t put a limit on it, or only do it at certain times on certain days. It’s a spontaneous thing, done out of love and remembrance. Nobody will blame you how often you commune with God to participate in the Lord’s Supper as long as you do it because you love the Lord Jesus more than anything on this earth.
HOLY COMMUNION PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I (we) come to You now in the Name of my (our) Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.
Heavenly Father, I (we) thank You that we can enter in Holy Communion at this time. We thank You that YourWord says in 1 Corinthians 11:27, that “Whoever shall eat of the Bread of Life and drink of the Cup of the Lord, in an unworthy manner shall be guilty of the Body and the Blood of Jesus Christ.” Your Word says let every man examine himself, so let each of us examine ourselves now (pause). Heavenly FatherI(we) ask You to forgive me (us), ____, and _____, of our sins, transgressions, iniquities, and our trespasses, cover each of us with the Blood of Jesus Christ and cleanse us each of all unrighteousness.
Heavenly Father, I (we) thank You that we are now able to enter into communion with You at this time. I (We) thank You that the Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross for us, that Jesus took my sins, my transgressions, our iniquities, and our trespasses to the cross with Him. I (We) thank You that we can take this piece of bread (body) in remembrance of Jesus. We thank You Lord Jesus that Your body was broken for our sins, our transgressions, our iniquities, and our trespasses. Lord Jesus, we love You. We remember Your suffering, and how You were beaten and marred, spit upon, whipped and crucified for each of us.
Your body was broken so that our body may be healed. I (we) thank You that with Your stripes we are healed in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Dear Jesus, thank You for loving us, touching us, and healing us. We thank You that You took the bread and broke it and said take, eat, this is my body which was broken for you and partake in faith in the Name of Jesus.
Dear Jesus, we now take this piece of bread (your body) in remembrance of You in faith. Your Word says in 1 Corinthians,
that after, Jesustook the cup and said this to His disciples: “This is the Blood of the new testament shed for you.” We thank You Lord Jesus that You shed Your Blood for us, that Your Blood is our atonement. It justifies us, sanctifies us, redeems us and cleanses and washes away all our sins, all of our iniquities, all of our transgressions, all of our trespasses and Your Blood heals us in the Name of Jesus. I (we) now take this in remembrance of You. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, we pray with thanksgiving. Amen!
To God Be The Glory And Honor, Forever And Ever, A m e n .
Daniel Pasaribu
End of Sermon
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