The Lord's Supper - 10/8/2023

The Lord's Supper | October 8, 2023 WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS OFFERING Sermon: Good morning, today, we have the privilege of coming together to observe the Lord's Supper - also known as communion. The Lord's Supper was instituted by Jesus Himself with His disciples during the Passover meal towards the end of His public ministry. Jesus spoke these words to His disciples during that last meal in Luke 22:17-19: 17 AND HE TOOK A CUP, AND WHEN HE HAD GIVEN THANKS HE SAID, "TAKE THIS, AND DIVIDE IT AMONG YOURSELVES. 18 FOR I TELL YOU THAT FROM NOW ON I WILL NOT DRINK OF THE FRUIT OF THE VINE UNTIL THE KINGDOM OF GOD COMES." 19 AND HE TOOK BREAD, AND WHEN HE HAD GIVEN THANKS, HE BROKE IT AND GAVE IT TO THEM, SAYING, "THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH IS GIVEN FOR YOU. DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME." So, you see, when we observe the Lord's Supper, we are following through on a command from Christ Himself. The Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 11:26, FOR AS OFTEN AS YOU EAT THIS BREAD AND DRINK THE CUP, YOU PROCLAIM THE LORD'S DEATH UNTIL HE COMES. Immediately following this reminder, he gives us a warning: 27 WHOEVER, THEREFORE, EATS THE BREAD OR DRINKS THE CUP OF THE LORD IN AN UNWORTHY MANNER WILL BE GUILTY CONCERNING THE BODY AND BLOOD OF THE LORD. 28 LET A PERSON EXAMINE HIMSELF, THEN, AND SO EAT OF THE BREAD AND DRINK OF THE CUP. 29 FOR ANYONE WHO EATS AND DRINKS WITHOUT DISCERNING THE BODY EATS AND DRINKS JUDGMENT ON HIMSELF (1 Corinthians 11:27-29) So, we see from these two passages, that this meal is reserved for followers of Jesus. And these followers are to approach and participate in this observance with reverence, obedience and in a worthy manner. The worthiness referred to here speaks to the heart of the individual. We're going to spend the next several minutes on a passage from 1 John. In this passage, we're going to briefly discuss six themes of the Lord's Supper. Follow along as I read 1 John, chapter 1: 1 THAT WHICH WAS FROM THE BEGINNING, WHICH WE HAVE HEARD, WHICH WE HAVE SEEN WITH OUR EYES, WHICH WE LOOKED UPON AND HAVE TOUCHED WITH OUR HANDS, CONCERNING THE WORD OF LIFE- 2 THE LIFE WAS MADE MANIFEST, AND WE HAVE SEEN IT, AND TESTIFY TO IT AND PROCLAIM TO YOU THE ETERNAL LIFE, WHICH WAS WITH THE FATHER AND WAS MADE MANIFEST TO US- 3 THAT WHICH WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD WE PROCLAIM ALSO TO YOU, SO THAT YOU TOO MAY HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH US; AND INDEED OUR FELLOWSHIP IS WITH THE FATHER AND WITH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. 4 AND WE ARE WRITING THESE THINGS SO THAT OUR JOY MAY BE COMPLETE. 5 THIS IS THE MESSAGE WE HAVE HEARD FROM HIM AND PROCLAIM TO YOU, THAT GOD IS LIGHT, AND IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL. 6 IF WE SAY WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM WHILE WE WALK IN DARKNESS, WE LIE AND DO NOT PRACTICE THE TRUTH. 7 BUT IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT, AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT, WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS HIS SON CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN. 8 IF WE SAY WE HAVE NO SIN, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN US. 9 IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. 10 IF WE SAY WE HAVE NOT SINNED, WE MAKE HIM A LIAR, AND HIS WORD IS NOT IN US. A brief word before we get into the themes: * Here at Thornydale Family Church we ask that those of you who have not received the free gift of faith in Jesus for salvation, or if they are living in a sinful lifestyle, that they refrain from taking the elements during the service. However, we urge you to participate in the rest of the service. The first theme is REMEMBRANCE (1:1): * The Apostle John, in his sermon style letter, reminds the church of their personal relationship with Jesus. * He reminds them that they have heard, they have seen, and they have touched the Lord Jesus Himself. * Obviously, we have not done those things, but we do have a personal relationship with Jesus. * Notice, John is referring to the physical aspects to this relationship. * So, when we gather, and observe the Lord's Supper, we are given physical elements, the cup to represent the blood, and the bread to represent the body. * What does John do next? He connects it with life. * This verse invites you into a relationship with Jesus. * When Jesus passed out the elements, He said, "THIS IS MY BODY" and "THIS IS MY BLOOD," reminding us that He has promised that He will return for His Church. * That's why Paul said earlier that we are to do this until Christ comes. * The next theme is ... PROCLAMATION (1:2-3) * The Apostle John reminds us that because our relationship with Jesus results in fellowship, we are living testimonies and witnesses to the saving work of Christ. * Recall, Paul reminded us earlier that we are proclaiming Jesus's death. * This means that for each of us gathered here this morning, and as we partake of this meal together, we are testifying to Jesus' saving work on the Cross and His victory over death at the empty tomb. * Did you catch that? Gathered. * That's our third theme: FELLOWSHIP (1:6-7) * Not only did Jesus illustrate this for us directly as He literally reclined at the Passover table with His disciples during the Last Supper, He also - as we saw earlier - commanded us that when we are gathered, we were to observe and remember Him. * This means that o one: we're required to gather, and o two: when we gather, Jesus must always be primary. * What's really important about this passage is that John focuses on fellowship, not only with God, but also with one another. * Now, before I move on. What is fellowship? * Another word for this, according to the Greek, could be participation or even contribution. It helps us to understand two things: o We were created to be in relationship, and two o The Lord's Supper is something that is intended to be done together. * Finally, one of the men on Monday said that the Lord's Supper is the great equalizer. It brings us all together, all sinners - saved by grace, dependent on the same Lord, consuming the same meal, all as children of God. * So, later, when we take the elements, we will take them together. * The fourth theme is ... SELF-EXAMINATION (1:8-10) * Another word we can use here could be confession. Verse 9 makes this very clear when John says: IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. * But what do verses 8 and 10 remind us of? The fact that we do sin. * Paul reminded us in our earlier passage that we are to examine ourselves. * Here, John reminds us that we are to confess our sin before God. * As Christians, we've already been forgiven of our sins, but when we confess our sins, we are effectively agreeing with God that our sins separate us from Him and are seeing sin through His eyes. * John addresses this further with his picture of light and darkness. * John says that God is light and in Him there is no darkness. * Confession, paired with repentance, brings us into fellowship with Him, once again. The more we engage in sin, the further we stray from God, so we confess and repent, drawing nearer to Him, once again. * Finally, verse 9 reminds us of God's faithfulness to forgive us. This is assurance. * Before we take the elements a little later, we'll provide a time for you to reflect on this further. * But next, the theme of ... THANKSGIVING * This theme is not tied up in 1 John 1, however, all we have seen so far: relationship with Christ, a living testimony, fellowship with God and others, and the assurance of faith should lead us to thanksgiving. * Recall what the cup and the bread represent. His body, which was broken for us. His blood, which was shed for us. o Blood, in the bible represents life, and the body is that physical representation of life * So, now, we have two prayer points as we partake of the elements shortly: confession and thanksgiving * Finally, the last theme of the Lord's Supper is ... EXPECTATION * We saw earlier where Paul stated that we are to observe this until the Lord comes. * So, there is our final prayer point when we partake of the elements, participating in this meal together. A prayer of expectation. In fact, that is exactly how the Bible closes. John, writes these words in Revelation 22:20-21: 20 HE WHO TESTIFIES TO THESE THINGS SAYS, "SURELY I AM COMING SOON." AMEN. COME, LORD JESUS! 21 THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS BE WITH ALL. AMEN. I'm going to invite the worship team to come up at this time, and as they get ready to lead us through worship in song, please join me a word of prayer as we prepare our hearts in our participation in the Lord's Supper. PRAYER Invitation to come up and retrieve the bread during the first song. LOVE RAN RED (AT THE CROSS) Prayer/Reflection/Eating of the Bread with Luke 22:19 reading Invitation to come up and retrieve the cup during the second song. BROKEN VESSELS Prayer/Reflection/Drinking of the Cup with Luke 22:20 reading O THE BLOOD NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD CLOSING PRAYER 2