July 2, 2023 – “Communion: The Highpoint of Worship ”

Bible Text: 1Corinthians 11:17-26 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Above are the
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July 2, 2023
“Communion: The Highpoint of Worship ”
1Corinthians 11:17-26
The Lord Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances for us to follow: Water Baptism and Communion.  At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus came to John the Baptist and was baptized, setting an example for us to follow.

In baptism, Jesus identified with all who believe in Him, for He came to save us.  Those who have been saved from sin’s condemnation through Christ, publicly identify with and declare their belief in Jesus Christ as God the Son.

At the close of His ministry, Jesus turned the Passover meal into the Last Supper, or Communion (a believers’s identification with Christ as Lord and Savior), we are told to do this in remembrance of Him.

Passover celebrated Israel’s freedom from the bondage of slavery in Egypt under the Old Covenant, made for Israel; the Lord’s Supper celebrates our freedom from the curse and penalty of sin under the New Covenant, made for the Church.

Church [ekklesia] means the community or body of genuine believers worshipping God, it never means a building or meeting place in the NT.

See Acts 2:42…  At the birth of the Church believers came together for:

Apostle’s teaching [God’s Word revealed to us]

2Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is [God-breathed] and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.”

2Peter 1:20-21, “Know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

Fellowship [koinonia = participatory sharing of lives]. Ephesians 4:1-3, “I implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” 32, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

     Breaking of bread (Lord’s Supper, his declares the spiritual and eternal oneness we have in Christ].

Ephesians 4:4-6, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”

 

Prayer [Communicating with God through His Spirit].

1Timothy 2:1-2, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” 1Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

See Acts 2:42-47…  It was the practice of those first Christians to have a meal together on Sunday, a potluck fellowship that closed with Communion, celebrating Christ’s death on the cross as payment for all our sins, now and forever, and the unity we have in Him.

1Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

1Corinthians 12:12-13, “For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”  18, “But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.” 20, “But now there are many members, but one body.” 27, “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.”

See 1Corinthians 11:20-22…  The Passover meal was celebrated once a year; the Lord’s Supper is to be celebrated often, to remember what God has done to save us from the penalty of sin and unify us as one body, one family, one nation of people who belong to God.

And yet, the church in Corinth had evidently turned the potluck meals into something unholy, and it was becoming much to common for this so-called “love meal” to be more reminiscent of a pagan gathering, where everybody was in it for themselves, causing quarreling and hurt feelings, dishonoring to the Lord. It would seem that the wealthy among the people brought their favorite expensive foods; but they would consume them before the less fortunate arrived, for they were unwilling to share, if it meant they had to eat the less flavorful and more common food of those who were poor.

The impoverished believers would come to the meal expecting to share in some of the delicacies brought by the wealthy, only to find that the food and drink had already been consumed; this created division in the church, instead of the unity that God desires.

The focus here (1Corinthians 11:20) is on the the Lord’s Supper, which was being dishonored by the indulgent and selfish behavior of those who perverted the holy sacrament of Communion by being unwilling to share with one another.

Paul says (1Corinthians 11:21) they were coming together for the meal before Communion, but not thinking about the needs of others, eating and drinking indulgently until some were not able to get any food or drink, while others were taking in excess, even to the point of drunkenness.

This is supposed to be about unity, sharing with one another, so Paul rebukes them (1Corinthians 11:22) saying, don’t you have houses to eat and drink in?  Do you despise the church of God? Are you purposely shaming those who have nothing?

Communion is a special occasion for the church any selfish indulgence or lack of brotherly love is out of place.

See 1Corinthians 11:23-26…  This is not Paul’s opinion or original creation, this is the word of the God, recapping the night Jesus was betrayed and then arrested.  Notice that Jesus gave thanks, broke the bread and said (verse 24), “This is My body, which is for you, do this in remembrance of Me.”

The body represents the whole person of Christ, everything about Him, the prophecies foretelling His coming, His immaculate conception, the announcement of His birth in Bethlehem to the shepherds, His name and incarnation, His sinless life, His ministry, His sacrificial death and sovereign resurrection: the plan, purpose and provision of forgiveness and eternal life from God.

Hebrews 10:10, “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” 12, “He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God.” 14, “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” 17-18, “‘And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’ Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.”

Paul goes on to tell us (1Corinthians 11:25), that after the meal, Jesus gave thanks, saying this is the new covenant made effectual through His own shed blood.

That we are to do this in remembrance of Him. This is a command for us to follow, just as being baptized is also commanded by the Lord that we should obey.

Neither of these ordinances (water baptism or the Lord’s Supper) will save us, but they identify us as believers and followers of Christ, as those who have trusted in the sovereign work of Jesus

 

See again 1Corinthians 11:26…  Clearly this is talking about when Christ returns, for He has already come, was crucified for our sins, buried, then on the third day He rose from the grave and showed Himself to His followers over a 40 day period, after which He ascended back into heaven before the 11 Apostles.

Celebrating the Lord’s Supper causes us to remember His great sacrifice, while proclaiming His sovereign authority over sin, death, and judgement; thus making eternally effectual both, the forgiveness for our sins, and eternal life with God.

Whenever we eat the bread and drink the cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death, resurrection, and His return to take us to be with Him forever..

John 14:1-3, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

The angel of the Lord said to John (Revelation 1:8), “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty,” (17-18), “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.”

When John was given this final Revelation from God, the the Canon of Scripture was made complete.

Note: Canon is from the Greek word kanōn (lit. ‘rod’), it was used to mean ‘rule’ or ‘standard,’ here it refers to the Bible (the 66 Books of Holy Scripture), through which God sovereignly speaks to our faith, belief, and practice.

1Corinthians 1:18, “The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1Corinthians 2:4-5, “My message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”

1Corinthians 15:1-5, “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”

In a moment we will pass out the elements for the Lord’s Supper/Communion: the bread symbolizes the body of Jesus which was put to death for our sins; the juice symbolizes His shed blood that covering our sins.

If you are a believer and follower of Jesus Christ (crucified, resurrected, coming again), please prepare your heart before the Lord, considering your relationship with God, God’s Word, and God’s people.

If you are unsure of your salvation through Jesus Christ, please, settle that with God right here, right now.

Acts 4:12, “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved,” only Jesus Christ.

Don’t wait any longer!  Have your life forever changed by repenting of your sins and believing in Jesus Christ.

Admit to God that you are a sinner (we all are).

Romans 3:23 says we have all sinned and we are unacceptable to God. God only sees two groups of people on the earth: forgiven sinners, and unforgiven sinners.

Repent of your sins, ask God to forgive you (He turns no one away).

Acts 2:21, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord [for the forgiveness of sin] will be saved.”

Believe in Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior. He died for your sins, was buried, and He rose from the grave to proclaim victory over sin, death, and judgement.

Romans 6:23 says the penalty for sin is death, but we are justified, made acceptable to God through Jesus Christ and granted eternal life with Him.

2Corinthians 5:21, “He [God the Father] made Him [God the Son] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Romans 8:1, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

1John 5:11-13, “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

 

 

 
Pastor Mike
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