The Lord’s Supper
Introduction: The night before Jesus died on the cross. He instituted the only celebration, feast, etc. that we as Christians are to celebrate in religion, and that is the Lord’s Supper.
Body:
I. What are the elements of the Lord’s Supper?
A. Bread.
1. Scriptures:
a. Matthew 26:26
b. Mark 14:22
c. Luke 22:19
2. It was “unleavened bread.”
a. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper during the
Passover Feast. Luke 22:1, 7-8, 11, 13, 15
b. During the Passover Feast, no leaven was to
be in the house.
(1) Exodus 12:15; 13:6,7.
3. Jesus said, “This is my body.” Surely we can’t
think of any element that would better picture
to us the broken body of the Son of God on the
cross than pale, lifeless, unleavened bread.
Bread is grain that has been harvested, crushed,
and baked. The life has been taken from it.
B. The Cup
1. Scriptures:
a. Matthew 26:27
b. Mark 14:23
c. Luke 22:20
2. Jesus gave us a clear definition of the cup in:
a. Matthew 26:27 – they were to drink it.
b. Matthew 26:29 – Fruit of the vine.
c. Matthew 26:28 – His blood.
C. The Doctrine of Transubstantiation.
1. This doctrine teaches that when the priest
blesses the literal bread and fruit of the vine,
they are immediately turned into the literal
body and blood of Jesus.
2. They also base this on John 6:48-56.
3. Jesus was using symbolic language.
a. John 6:63
b. John 10:9
c. John 14:6
d. John 15:5
II. Who is to partake of the Lord’s Supper?
A. The Lord’s table is in His Kingdom. Matthew 26:29
B. According to John 3:3-5, only those who have been
born again are in the Lord’s kingdom. Hence only
those who are born again, only children of God, can
eat at the Lord’s table.
C. One who is not in the Lord’s kingdom can no more
eat at the Lord’s table than one could eat at my
table without being in my house.
III. What is the proper manner of partaking of the Lord’s
Supper?
A. Those in the church at Corinth were corrupting the
Lord’s Supper; some were making out of it simply a
meal.
1. 1 Corinthians 11:22
2. While it is hardly possible that we would be
guilty of such today, yet there is a possibility
of us not properly discerning the Lord’s body. 1
Corinthians 11:27, 29.
a. Unworthily – 1 Corinthians 11:27, 29
b. verse 29 tells us how.
3. So we are to look back at the body of Christ
hanging there on the cross so we can live.
B. We are to engage in self-examination. 1 Corinthians
11:28
IV. Why should we partake of the Lord’s Supper?
A. It is a memorial service. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25
1. This nation has all kinds of memorials.
2. Throughout the Old Testament, there are all
kinds of memorials.
a. rainbow
b. Passover feast
c. Sabbath day
3. As mentioned earlier, the Lord’s Supper takes
us back to Calvary and Christ hanging on the
cross on our behalf.
B. It is a proclamation. 1 Corinthians 11:26
1. Proclamation or show the Lord’s death.
2. How long?
a. Till His coming.
b. Thus, not only we look back, we look forward
to the Lord’s coming back.
C. It is to have communion with Christ.
1. 1 Corinthians 10:16.
2. Same word (koinonia koinwnia) means fellowship.
V. When are we to partake of the Lord’s Supper?
A. Acts 20:7
B. But some say we are not commanded to partake every
first day of the week.
1. Remember the Sabbath day. Exodus 20:8
2. Lay by in store on the first day of the week.
Conclusion:
I. In the Old Testament, one of the greatest rewards that
a king could give a subject is to eat at his table.
A. An example – Saul and David.
II. We, who are Christians, have the opportunity to gather
around our King’s table to eat with Him.
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