Sermon Tone Analysis

Living Together = Fellowship Together

I think by now you have the idea of our living together as a family

We have fellowship together

We are intimate and relational

We know the body does the body good

We know we fellowship when we give together

We are looking at fellowship in the various acts of worship right now, last week in our giving, our offering and how that is an act of fellowship that

Helps supply the needs of the saints to continue to work

Helps build fellowship between the givers and the receivers

Tonight we are looking at the Lord’s supper

In Act2:42 it is called the breaking of bread

In 1Cor10:16 it is called communion

People often have questions on why do we do this so often, every week?

Or what is this really about.

You maybe asking what does this have to do with fellowship.

Tonight we will look at the meaning of the Lord’s Supper, some reminders to us all.

And the fellowship of the Supper and the preserving it.

I.

The Lords Supper - the meaning

Where as for us this may be a reminder, but reminders are good to help us to remember and be able to share with others that it is a

It is a memorial (1Cor11:23-25, Mt26:26-28)

Instituted by the Lord Himself

It was to commemorate the death of Jesus on the cross

It is a proclamation (1Cor11:26)

Proclaimed with a promise - until He comes, which means He is coming

Proclaim the proficiency of the Lord’s work on the cross

It is a period of reverence (1Cor11:27, 29)

I know I left the middle verse out, and will get there shortly.

Observe in worthy manner

Observe in reverence to what the Lord went through

It is a time of self-examination (1Cor11:28)

Examine our own spiritual condition

Examine are acceptance of the Lords grace (2Cor5:18-6:1)

2Cor5:20-21

2cor6:1

To accept Gods grace and by living for Him (2Cor5:14-15)

It is a communion (1Cor10:16)

We can easily see the vertical relationship exemplified when we take the Lord’s Supper, and the communion, the fellowship with each other when we do it together.

II.

It is fellowship together

It is fellowship together as one body (1Cor10:17)

Though we are many parts we make up one body that partakes together on the Lord’s day by the pattern set in the N.T.

Partaking together reminds us we are one body

Partaking together strengthens our oneness, our fellowship

Vertical act of worship - between us and God personally

Horizontal act of worship - our fellowship, communion with one another

One of the key components of our Lord's Day Worship service is the Lord’s Supper.

We make earnest effort to share this meal together as a family living together.

when we come together, wait for one another (1Cor11:33)

The key is together, we do it together, maybe that is not possible on Sunday morning, we make it available on Sunday night, we take it out to those who are sick and shut ins, though that is not found in the scripture to do that.

So we should make our efforts to be together for the assembly so we can do it together.

So we have the meaning, we have the fellowship, now how do we prepare and protect this act of worship, this family act while we live together?

III.

Preparing, protecting the fellowship of the Supper

We prepare by special songs, to prepare our heart

We prepare by special talks, to bring scripture in (supper talks)

We prepare by special directed prayers

It is remembering the reconciliation that happens because of His body, His blood that was shed for us.

Eph2:13-14

By the body, by the blood, by the cross we have been reconciled to God; and have peace with God; and God is our peace!

That is what we remember when we come together to fellowship at the Supper when we remember together and partake together.

(1Cor10:17)

We should think not only as our personal communion with God when we take the supper but our fellowship together as the body when we take it together.

The secret of the Supper is the fellowship; We oftentimes think of it as the fellowship between us and God but it is also fellowship with one another.

(time permitting only)

Go back and expand on worthiness.

We all fall short of the glory of God

So we all can truly answer the question they were wondering if they were the betrayer of Jesus.

We betray Him when we break His commands

We betray Him when we don’t trust Him at His word; In all things and for all things.

We all betray Him but even on that fateful night he washed the feet of the one betraying Him then.

He invites us to come to Him now when we come to the supper

It’s not about our perfection, not about our performance it is remembering His perfection as God’s perfect sacrifice and His performance on the cross that made our way possible to be reconciled to the Father through the blood of the Son.

so can we take this in a worthy manner?

Yes, when we realize our worthiness is only found in Him so we need to be in Him and then remember Him and His perfection and as He dwells in us and we allow Him we are being perfected!