LORD’S SUPPER - OUR OBSERVANCE

1 Cor. 11:17-34 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. [18] For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. [19] For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. [20] When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. [21] For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. [22] What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. [23] For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: [24] And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. [25] After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. [26] For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. [27] Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. [28] But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. [29] For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. [30] For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. [31] For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. [32] But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. [33] Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. [34] And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Matthew 26:26-29 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. [27] And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; [28] For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. [29] But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

1 Cor. 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 being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

Acts 20:11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.

Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Parallel Verses: Mark 14:22-25 Luke 22:17-20

So many questions have been asked and pondered over for over two centuries with regards to the Lord’s Supper , Breaking of Bread or Communion.

On Sunday? Every Sunday? Only on Sunday? When on Sunday? What does it mean? Who is it for? Why the Bread? What kind of Bread? Why the Grape Juice? What kind of Juice? Why not French bread? Why not soda pop? Should we use Wine? Was the Fruit of the Wine Fermented? What about our preparation before partaking? Is the Bread and Juice after we pray turn to the actual Body and Blood of the Lord? Can I take the Communion and go home before service are over and be right? Is Communion more important than Singing, Praying or the Sermon by a Preacher?

These are real questions asked by sincere people as well as members of the church.

Too often we as members of the Lord’s church take for granted this blessed privilege paid for by the our Savoir Jesus the Christ.

Let’s spend a little time to refresh our memories and perhaps learn a little about this great privilege that we exercise each Lord’s Day.

WHEN: That’s a good question asked by a lot of people. The Denominational world obviously does not practice this every Sunday and only on Sunday.

In order to be a New Testament church we must use the New Testament as our guide.

What did the apostle teach on the subject? What is our example from the Apostles?

What is the significance of partaking the Lord’s Supper on Sunday and Sunday only? Jesus was resurrected on Sunday.

Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

The New Testament church meet on Sunday

Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

1 Cor. 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Obviously Sunday has considerable religious significance. But only on Sunday? It really boles down to wanting to follow only the Bible and the Apostles teaching.

This practice, I believe is a sign a congregation is trying to follow what the Bible says.

One might argue all day about what I think might be ok, but what does the book say.

Now, when, on the Lord’s day, must we participate in the memorial feast? What time of day? Can we or should we offer it in the morning and/or evening?

The scriptures are silent on these questions. We are at liberty to decide.

Some say it is wrong not to offer the Lord’s supper on Sunday evening.

Question. Where in the Bible does it say they worshipped twice on Sunday? WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

1 Cor. 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

Matthew 26:26-28 Take, eat; this is my body. For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

1 Cor. 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

One writer said: “By partaking of the supper (commemorating His death) on Sunday (which memorializes His resurrection), the intimate connection between these historical events is preserved. We are not at liberty to ignore divine precedent and divorce these two events.”

Another very important aspect of the Lord’s supper is my remembrance when I was baptized and I remember my death to sins and my resurrection from the watery gave of baptism, could not have taken place without Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

Some will say that partaking every week will make this memorial too common and it will lose it’s power. So taking it monthly or quarterly will give more meaning to it.

Yet on the other hand they will tell you, you must meet every week and for sure you need to give every week. Maybe if we met monthly and gave monthly it would mean more.

WHO IS THE COMMUNION FOR?

Obviously it is not for those who not Christians, because it is a celebration for those who have be buried and resurrected in baptism. It’s the Christian’s remembrance of the price paid for our salvation. The bread for our remembrance of his body on the cross and the fruit of the vine for our remembrance of the blood he shed for our sins.

The question needs to be asked. Why would one who has not been baptized take the Lord’s supper? What would the purpose be for partaking?

Now the question comes up, does it hurt someone who partakes and is not a Christian. The answer to that is simple. They would simply be eating a cracker and drinking a little juice and it does not make them any more lost than if they did not take it. WHY THE BREAD AND FRUIT OF THE VINE?

1 Cor. 10:16 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?

What kind of bread should we use?

Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

The bread represents the body of Jesus as he hung on the cross.

Remember his life!!

1 Peter 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

Remember our life!!

Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Remember what the Lord was doing with the disciples when instituting the supper.

Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Eating what?

Matthew 26:17-19 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? [18] And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. [19] And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

Unleavened Bread or the Feast of Unleavened Bread: It was instituted to commemorate the wonderful preservation of the Jewish deliverance from Egyptian slavery. Genesis 15:13-14 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; [14] And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

Exodus 12:1-8 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, [2] This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. [3] Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: [4] And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. [5] Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: [6] And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Christ was without blemish: Christ was perfect: His body was free from sin:

The bread was Unleavened. No impurities in it. Christ’s body was perfect, clean.

The emblem we use must be without impurities. No preservatives.

We do not just eat some saltine cracker. It is made without yeast. So as we partake we can bring to our minds the perfect lamb of God.

1 Cor. 10:16 The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

What kind of Drink should we use?

1 Cor. 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?

Matthew 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

That statement pretty much settles the matter. It was not fermented wine. It was simply Fruit of the Vine. In it’s simplest state.

Think about what the fruit of the vine is representing. The blood of Jesus. Jesus shed his blood for the forgiveness of our sins. Just as his body was the perfect Lamb of God his blood was perfect and clean. If the Cup of blessing is the communion of the blood of Christ, then what we drink must be pure.

We don’t drink just any juice. It does not have any preservatives in it. It is the pure fruit of the vine.

Some say grapes will turn into wine if left on the vine. Read: Bible Wines Page 15

Wine must be made: Read: Bible Wines Page 14

The Lord’s Supper: Read Bible Wines Page 69

WHAT ABOUT OUR PREPARATION

1 Cor. 11:27-30 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. [28] But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. [29] For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. [30] For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

It’s a serious think to eat the Supper in an unworthily manner. What does that mean?

Well let’s get right down where the rubber meets the road. If one is not faithful to the Lord, how can one be worthy to partake of the Supper. Now this gets right to the root of our problem in the church. How can one feel he is worthy and fails to attend the services of the church? I want you to seriously think about your preparation when taking the Lord’s Supper. What does the verse say?

1 Cor. 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

That’s a serious sickness, but it can be cured, with one’s faithfulness. So if we come only to take the Supper and rush out, we really are sickly and sleep. The Lord’s Supper is a wonderful time to commune with our Lord. Yet it is a serious spiritual problem not to be properly prepared.