1Corinthians 11:17-34
The Lord’s Supper
The context of this chapter is that the Lord’s Supper had lost its right
emphasis. Instead of being held up as a special service of the Lord, it had
fallen into a riotous feast \\#1Co 11:20-22\\. Paul was writing to correct
that.
In our day, the Lord’s Supper has also lost the right emphasis. Most simply see
it as a ritual. It is far more. We need to see this service as the Lord saw it
and keep it sacred and special.
I. The Lord’s Supper is a union with Christ \\#1Co 10:16-17\\.
A. Notice the word "communion." It comes from 2 Greek words meaning
"union with."
B. The desire of God is to have us in union with Him.
John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in
thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou
hast sent me.
C. This desire is seen in God’s acts toward man.
1. Creation
2. Cross
3. Communion
4. Coming again
D. God has given us a service that supernaturally bonds us with the
Savior!
1. It is the bond that we have with Jesus that makes this service so
important and so powerful.
a. Jesus, being in us, makes this service far more than just a
ritual. This service makes what we do part of an intimate
relationship.
b. Yet, the service strengthens our bond. It keeps our bond with
Jesus fresh and vibrant.
c. So in keeping this service, we both build up and enjoy our
relationship with our Savior.
2. Jesus Christ Himself desires to sit down at your side to love
and embrace you.
a. And He will if you will allow Him to do so.
b. Would you take just a moment and invite Him to sit with you?
c. Would you reach out to Jesus, your Savior and Redeemer, in
your spirit and heart?
II. The Lord’s Supper is a service of remembrance \\#1Co 11:24-25\\.
A. God places quite an emphasis on remembering.
1. The word is used 27 times in the New Testament.
2. 22x it is a command to do it!
B. Remembering keeps the heart tender!
2Peter 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off,
and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
1. The first danger to a Christian is not committing some wicked
sin or outright quitting on God. The first danger is just
forgetting who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for us.
2. The point of this service is to give you an opportunity to stir
your own heart.
3. But if you have a weak memory or just a cold heart, fear not.
4. Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit will bring things to
remembrance as He joins with you.
C. In remembering Jesus, we should remember…
1. What Jesus gave up to come to earth for us.
2. What Jesus endured on the cross for us.
3. What state we were in when Jesus found us.
4. What sins He has forgiven since finding us.
5. What love Jesus has shown to us.
6. What good things Jesus has given to us since finding us.
7. What promises we have made to Jesus.
III. The Lord’s Supper is a service of self-examination \\#1Co 11:28-30\\.
A. Oh, what a battle we fight against sin!
B. We must resist temptation from without and within.
1. Satan, with his traps and illusions, seeks to sift us.
2. Our flesh, with its weakness and corruptions, seeks to soften us.
3. The world, with its pressures and demands, seeks to shift us.
C. One of the reasons we commit ourselves to attending church is so the
preacher can preach against sin and carnality, with the hope of
awakening our sleeping conscience to our own sinful condition.
1. But this service is different.
2. We do not need the preacher.
3. When we come into Christ’ presence, we are made aware of our own
wretchedness and driven to our knees in contrition.
4. His holiness, His purity, His glory is enough to make us see what
a thousand sermons could never show us.
Is 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean
lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have
seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Job 42:5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth
thee.
6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Daniel 10:8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there
remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption,
and I retained no strength.
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart
from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Revelation 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his
right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
D. We have preachers preaching all across America but with little
success.
1. We could retire the whole lot of them for one good sighting
of our Savior.
2. That is what the Lord’s Supper is all about.
VI. The Lord’s Supper is a service of repentance \\#1Co 11:31-32\\.
A. While most of the Lord’s Supper is summed up as a fellowship with
the Christ, there is a required act on our part.
1. Our required act is mentioned in verse 31.
2. But first, notice the warning of judgment given in verse 30 if we
do not faithfully heed Him.
3. We may suffer physical sickness or death.
4. What must we do to avoid this judgment?
a. \\#1Co 11:30\\ We must judge ourselves.
b. That is, we must examine our own hearts and deal accordingly
with ourselves over what we find.
B. No service portrays more clearly than the Lord’s Supper the decision
some believers have made.
1. We may either cling to our known sin and sacrifice our union
with Christ…
2. …or we may sacrifice our known sin and experience the joy of
union with Christ…
3. …but we may not do both.
C. \\#1Co 11:32\\ If we attempt to draw near Jesus in this service with
our sinfulness in tact, we risk the same wrath of God upon our lives
that the lost world risks everyday.
D. So comes God’s council, "judge yourself" instead of waiting to be
judged.
1. If you are not right with God, choose.
2. You can have sin or Him, not both.
3. If you choose sin, do not partake of the Lord’s Supper.
4. If you choose Him, do not partake of sin.
V. The Lord’s Supper is a service of anticipation \\#1Co 11:26\\.
A. The Lord’s Supper is to be celebrated until Jesus returns.
B. This service, as unique and powerful as it should be in the life of
every believer, is only a taste of what lies beyond the door of
Jesus’ return.
C. This memorial service, at least as we know it, will be retired to
the mothball closet when we get to heaven.
1. As the Jews no longer needed a special service to tell them of
Messiah’s coming (the Passover), so we will no longer need a
special service to join ourselves to our Savior.
2. We will be forever joined with Him.
D. Perhaps the service that will replace this Lord’s Supper will be a
Marriage Supper, and from time to time, we will gather at the Lord’s
table to enjoy in our glorified bodies what we can only do in our
spirits tonight.
If things are not right, do something!
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