Transcript The Lord’s Supper (an Overview)

The Lord’s Supper
(an Overview)
“The cup of blessing
which we bless, is it not the
communion of the blood of
Christ? The bread which
we break, is it not the
communion of the body of
Christ?”
1 Corinthians 10:16
The Meaning of the Supper
• It is a Memorial
1 Corinthians 11:23-25;
Matthew 26:28
1 Corinthians 11:23-25
For I received from the Lord that
which I also delivered to you: that
the Lord Jesus on the same night
in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and
when He had given thanks, He broke it and
said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is
broken for you; do this in remembrance of
Me." 25 In the same manner He also took the
cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new
covenant in My blood. This do, as often as
you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
Matthew 26:28
“For this is My blood of the
new covenant, which is shed for
many for the remission of sins.”
The supper is a memorial of the Lord’s
death, which makes our delivery from the
bondage of sin possible!
The Meaning of the Supper
• It is a Memorial
1 Corinthians 11:23-25;
Matthew 26:28
• It is a Proclamation
1 Corinthians 11:26
1 Corinthians 11:26
For as often as you eat this bread
and drink this cup, you proclaim the
Lord's death till He comes.
• We proclaim our faith in the efficacy of
the Lord’s death
• We proclaim our faith in the eventual
return of our Lord
The Meaning of the Supper
• It is a Memorial
1 Corinthians 11:23-25;
Matthew 26:28
• It is a Proclamation
1 Corinthians 11:26
• It is a Communion
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
The cup of blessing which we
bless, is it not the communion of
the blood of Christ? The bread
which we break, is it not the communion of
the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many,
are one bread and one body; for we all
partake of that one bread.
The Observance of the Supper
• To be Done with Reverence
1 Corinthians 11:27, 29
1 Corinthians 11:27,29
(27), Therefore whoever eats
this bread or drinks this cup of the
Lord in an unworthy manner will be
guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
(29), For he who eats and drinks in an
unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment
to himself, not discerning the Lord's body
Refers to the action of observing, not
the worthiness of the person.
The Observance of the Supper
• To be Done with Reverence
1 Corinthians 11:27, 29
• To be Done with Self-Examination
1 Corinthians 11:28
1 Corinthians 11:28
But let a man examine himself,
and so let him eat of the bread and
drink of the cup.
The only way to know if your
observance is acceptable is by selfexamination. (Note: It is accurate to say
that the rebellious will not be accepted of
God in their offering of worship). cf.
Matthew 5:23-24
Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore if you bring your gift
to the altar, and there remember
that your brother has something
against you, 24 leave your gift there before
the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled
to your brother, and then come and offer your
gift.
The Observance of the Supper
• To be Done with Reverence
1 Corinthians 11:27, 29
• To be Done with Self-Examination
1 Corinthians 11:28
• To be Done with Other Christians
Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:33
Acts 20:7
Now on the first day of the week,
when the disciples came together
to break bread, Paul, ready to
depart the next day, spoke to them and
continued his message until midnight.
1 Corinthians 11:33
Therefore, my brethren, when
you come together to eat, wait for
one another.
The supper is to be taken in the
assembly… if providentially hindered
from the assembly, then the obligation is
removed.
The Observance of the Supper
• To be Done with Reverence
1 Corinthians 11:27, 29
• To be Done with Self-Examination
1 Corinthians 11:28
• To be Done with Other Christians
Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:33
• To be Done Often
Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
Acts 20:7
Now on the first day of the week,
when the disciples came together
to break bread, Paul, ready to
depart the next day, spoke to them and
continued his message until midnight.
1 Corinthians 16:1-2
Now concerning the collection
for the saints, as I have given
orders to the churches of Galatia,
so you must do also: 2 On the first day of the
week let each one of you lay something
aside, storing up as he may prosper, that
there be no collections when I come.
Lutheran Scholar
“As we have already remarked, the
celebration of the Lord's Supper was still held
to constitute an essential part of divine
worship every Sunday, as appears from
Justin Martyr (A.D. 150)…”
Augustus Neander, History Of Christian
Religion And Church, Vol. I, p. 332
Presbyterian Scholar
“This ordinance (the Lord's Supper) seems
to have been administered every Lord's day;
and probably no professed Christian
absented themselves…”
(Thomas Scott, Commentary On Acts 20:7)
Episcopalian Scholar
“This also is an important example of
weekly communion as the practice of the first
Christians.“
A. C. Hervey, Commentary On Acts 20:7
Congregationalist Scholar
“It is well known that the primitive
Christians administered the Eucharist (the
Lord's Supper) every Lord's day.”
P. Doddridge, Notes On Acts 20:7
Conclusion
The Lord’s Supper is a very special
memorial that Christians are
privileged to participate
in on each Lord’s day.
The first century
Christians were steadfast
in their observance of it…
as we should be as well!