Instructions concerning The Lord's Supper

Introduction:

1. Little Johnny, came home from Sunday school and his mom asked what did you learn. Little Johnny says, we read about Moses and the Egyptian army. How that Moses was in battle and running from the Egyptians, when they had to helicopter a bridge to go over the Red Sea. Then they blow up the bridge with the Egyptian Army on it and won”. The mom says, Little Johnny is that really how the story went?” He said no but if I told it like my teacher then you would never believe it.” Little Johnny had the right idea concerning wanting to make people believe but failed to realize that adding to God’s word was wrong. When we say that Christmas is a Holy day or a part of the Christian’s life we make a mistake.

2. All of us keep some form of memorials. We all have anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, and other such special occasions we keep as tradition. Christmas is one such holiday, in which there is no religious authority given by the Bible to celebrate, yet many of us celebrate it as a religious memorial. Today I want to talk about the greatest Bible memorial given to us as Christians: The Lord’s Supper.

3. When the Israelites were being held in bondage as slaves after the time of Joseph. God sent the Pharaoh of Egypt 9 plagues before He told Moses of the final plague, the first borne. He warned the Israelites of the 10th and final plague. He told them to kill a perfect Lamb without blemish and put its blood on the doorposts and lintel of their houses. Because the Lord was going to take all of the 1st borne children except those with the Lamb’s blood.

4. When the Jews or Israelites came out of Egypt and were set free, God instituted a memorial feast. Each year the Jews had to participate in the Passover Feast. God wanted His people to remember what great things He did in order to redeem them from the Egyptian bondage. It is human nature to forget and we, especially us guys forget important stuff like birthdays, anniversaries, and so on. We all forget and when we do not take time to remember our commitments, our goals, our family, and then sometimes we forget why we are doing things.

5. God knows that and He instituted a Memorial feast to cause the Jews to remember being delivered out of physical slavery. As Christians today, God has done the same for us. We have been given the Lord’s Supper to help us remember and treasure being delivered from Spiritual bondage or slavery. In this lesson, I want to talk about the Institution, The Significance, The Frequency, and the Focus of the Lord’s Supper.

I. Institution

A. The Time of the Jewish Passover

1. It was during the time of the Jewish Passover that the Lord instituted the Lord’s supper

2. The Jewish Passover Explained

a. The Passover was one of the 3 great feasts for the Jew (Passover, Pentecost, Booths or tent)

b. Accompanying the Passover was the feast of unleavened bread which was a 7 day observance. On the 14th day of Nisan was the paschal meal observed. (Nisan was the Jewish month that relates to our time period of mid-March and mid-April 30 days total)

3. The order of Events (Ex 12:1-14)

a. The Lamb without blemish was sacrificed in the Temple (The Law required the Lamb be slain between the evenings, which were from 3pm to Sunset and from Sunset to 9am).

b. It then was roasted and cooked

c. Unleavened loaves were made (unleavened = without yeast)

d. Wine was prepared

e. Herbs were provided

f. They would eat the Paschal Meal which was prepared and eaten around sunset.

B. The Lord’s Command

1. The Passover for the Jew was a reminder to their freedom of their physical bondage

a. It was a shadow of the Lord’s Supper or an anti-type. It was a deliverance from death by a sacrificial Lamb and was a symbol for the real thing to come in the future.

2. The Event (Mat 26:26-29)

a. Took unleavened bread and blessed it, broke it, and then gave it (unleavened due Passover requirements) (26)

b. This is my body, took the cup and gave to those there

3. This is the blood of the New Testament

a. It was an Eastern practice to confirm a covenant with blood (Ex 24:6-8)

b. Jesus represents Himself as the victim to which the blood was taken as a seal

c. The fruit of the vine represents the sealing blood of the covenant of man and God

d. The Forgiveness of sins shows us the purpose of the Lord being our Paschal Lamb

e. Luke 22:19 adds, “This do in remembrance of me”

II. The Significance

A. The Representation for us to remember

1. It reminds us of the shedding of blood for our own sins

a. It is a reminder that Jesus took our pain and suffering so we could live.

2. The Bread is a reminder of Jesus physical body being beaten, bruised, and slain

a. Jesus took our punishment on the chin, so you and I would not be punished.

3. The Fruit of the Vine is the symbol for His atoning blood shed for us

a. Heb 10:1-4, says that the blood of bulls and goats could never fully remove sin

b. Jews had to offer up yearly the blood of bulls and goats for sins

c. Jesus being more perfect offered His blood once for all time and for all of mankind

B. It Proclaims the Lord’s Death until He comes (1 Cor 11:26)

1. Each time the Christian takes of the Memorial Feast, he says the Lord died for me!

a. Each time we participate, we say the Lord is the One that died so I could be forgiven

2. When the non-Christians see the observance, they ask questions.

a. They will want to know what is going on. Then once understood, they realize Christians are remembering and reliving the sacrifice Jesus made for them.

3. By participating the Christian is saying thank you Jesus for dying for me

C. It is a time of Self-Examination (1 Cor 11:28-29)

1. The Memorial if for those who are Christians only

a. For those who have not obeyed the Gospel of Christ, it is a time to think about Jesus and why He died.

b. It is a chance to take seriously, the death of Jesus. To reflect on their sins and weigh the question, Did Jesus do that for me and do I want to be forgiven?

2. The Christian before he takes needs to examine Himself

a. The Lord died in order to forgive us and cleanse us. When a Christian is not living like a Christian then we are laughing at what Jesus did for us. We disrespect the greatness of a sacrifice the Lord made to save us.

b. It is a time to remember the punishment and power of our personal sins. He died so I could live a better life, why then I am living like those in the gutter?

3. Our Self-Examination causes us to Love the Lord More

a. By remembering the sacrifice, we realize each time we have sinned, we have put the stripes on his back and the nails in his flesh.

b. It creates a sense of conviction of sin and a commitment to avoid sin at all costs

c. It causes us to repent of any un-confessed sin and seeking to be forgiven.

d. We can say I may have sinned, but because I became a Christian I have been forgiven

III. The Frequency

A. The Apostles Teaching

1. After the church was established on Pentecost they continued in breaking of bread (Acts 2:42)

a. The Apostles clearly taught the observance of the Lord’s Supper (vs. 42, and also had fellowship meals vs. 46). The 1st Christians observed the Lord’s Supper.

2. The Approved Example of When to Observe the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7)

a. The first day of the week. Sabbath was the day of rest and was the last day of the week

b. Sunday is the first day of the week.

c. The Disciples came together to break bread and Paul preached

d. They were having church service

3. Since we have an example of an Apostle and the disciples observing we do the same

a. The Apostles taught to observe the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 11. Acts 2, and Acts 20)

b. This is the only example of which day they observed it on and so that is why we come to service on Sundays because it is the first day of the week.

c. Since there is a first day of the week, each and every week: We meet every Sunday to observe and remember the Lord’s Supper and Sacrifice for our sins.

IV. The Focus

A. It is a time to look up to God

1. We remember God and His Love for us (John 3:16-17)

a. It shows that we are worthy in God’s eyes. God counts you so worthy that He was willing to die for you.

b. God loves us and wants what is best for us that is why He died for you. Because you are worthy of His love and sacrifice.

2. It is a time of communion with Jesus and our Father

a. We can all look up to God and realize that He thinks we are precious to Him

B. It is a time to look inward

1. Time to take self-inventory and evaluate

a. Again we can see if we are living up the price paid for our freedom

b. We can re-position our lives back at the foot of the cross

2. Time to look inward at our love for God and His love for us

a. We can thank God in gratitude for the second chance on our spiritual lives

b. The church of Christ is the hospital for the sin sick and Jesus gives us all a second chance on life. We should be grateful for the opportunity to be an heir of eternal life.

C. It helps us to look forward

1. As we participate we know one day the Lord will come back and take us home

a. The day is coming when the Lord will come and measure out justice and vengeance on them, that do not know the Lord and obey not the Gospel of Christ(2 Thes 1:7-8)

b. For those who are prepared and living right it is day to look forward to and pray for.

c. For those who are not it is day to run from and be fearful of.

2. It helps build expectation and hope of the Day of the Lord

a. The Christian builds his hopes on things eternal. As we participate in the Lord’s Supper it is a time to realize the value of eternal life and the punishment of sin

Conclusion:

1. The Lord’s Supper causes us to be reminded of the value God places on each Christian. It shows the Love of a Savior and the need of the sinner. It reminds of how we would end up if Christ had not died for us.

2. It carries us back to the cross:

a. Jesus was mocked by the courts, Annais, and Caiaphas

b. Where Jesus said I am the Son of God (Mark 14:62) and because of that was then Struck by the officer of the High Priest, after having false witnesses accuse Him Then Was delivered to Pilate as an evil doer though He was innocent.

c. In front of Pilate He was accused of: (1) Forbidding to pay tribute (Mk 12:17) (2) Making himself a king, Jesus was the spiritual king and never intended to be a physical king.

d. Sent from Pilate to Herod,who wanted to see a sign and then sent back to Pilate

e. Then was scourged

f. Given a crown of thorns, purple robe, and a reed to be mocked as king by Roman soldiers that hit and spit on Him

g. The robe then taken off ripping the dried blood off from the scourging

h. Due to the loss of blood fell beneath the load of the cross as he carried it to the place of His death

i. Hung Him to an open shame by nailing His feet and hands to the cross.

j. Then Jesus suffocated for our sins. Our sins caused Jesus to no longer breathe and in agony He died for our sins.

3. Jesus suffered more than we will ever know. It is God’s will for us to live for Him and not ourselves. Jesus died for you because you are worthy of His love and sacrifice. Let us all take hold of eternal life before it is too late.

Did you know it is wrong to covet or to want someone else's stuff?

What are the minimum requirements of being a Christian?

Paul converted some gentile and people from Jerusalem claiming to be with the church, in Jerusalem said they had to obey Moses. There was a meeting and this was the end result of the meeting, instructions on the minimum requirements of Christianity:

Act 15:28-29 KJV For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; (29) That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

This instruction was inspired and given to the newly converted gentiles. This was all they had to do after being baptized into Christ (Gal 3:27).

a. No idolatry: no eating anything offered to an idol (stay faithful to Jesus)

b. No drinking blood, or things strangled

c. No fornication and adultery is a type of fornication (stay faithful to your spouse)

Do you want pure religion?

Jas 1:26-27 KJV If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. (27) Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Purest form of religion to take care of or to visit in times of affliction widows. Orphans and widows have none to help them except God upon who they call on for provision. So when you help one of these, then you have helped God feed and take of one that has Him as their only hope. To visit means to supply their needs in times of affliction. If one helped orphans and widows, then stayed faithful to Jesus or kept himself unspotted, then this man would be called pure religion.

Do you want to be instructed as if you were about to be persecuted or were questioning your faith?

Rom 12:1-3 KJV I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (3) For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

The Roman Christians were told to present their bodies as a living sacrifice. They were about to be persecuted and some even burned at the stake, when the persecution began. This being their reasonable service: To stay faithful during a trial of death or any other trial, stay faithful to Jesus. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by renewing your mind. Do not think I am dying but think I will be in heaven! Change the way you think. Prove what is good acceptable and perfect will of God. Will this send me to heaven? Or to Hell? You have test things and try things in order to prove it true or false. There is only one way to beat the devil, not wanting what the world offers you, Jesus has got to be your only source.

Father, we pray Jesus would be our only desire and source, please meet our souls deepest needs and heal our souls that we may be forgiven and whole, in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen.