Pastor Allan Kircher
1 Corinthians 11:23-32
THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME
11 August 2013
Intro:
• Only two ordinances/Baptists recognize.
• Ordinance means, “A law, or something prescribed.”
• Baptists recognize two rituals prescribed by Word/God.
• ordinance of baptism by immersion
• Lord’s Supper or Communion.
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Baptism/symbolic act/portrays what Jesus has done for the believer in salvation.
• Picture/person dying out/old life of sin
• Rising again to a new life of service to the Lord.
• Outward symbol/inward work/God/human spirit.
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The Lord’s Supper/symbolic act/calls to mind the death, resurrection and promised return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Take the bread/cup, we are remembering the day when Jesus Christ died for our sins on the cross, was buried, and rose again from the dead.
• Communion/symbol/eternal work God did through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
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This morning, we will do what Christians have been doing for over 2,000 years.
• We will remember Jesus; what He did
• Why He did it and what it means for us.
• More than anything else
• The Lord’s Supper service is a time of remembrance.
That is why Jesus said, “This do in remembrance of Me.”
And, that is the thought that I wish to magnify for a few minutes this morning.
Allow me to share three facts regarding the nature of the Lord’s Supper as we think on the thought:
This Do In Remembrance Of Me.
I. IT IS A TIME OF COMMEMORATION
The word Commemorate means “to honor the memory of somebody or something in a ceremony; to serve as a memorial to something.”
• If the Lord’s Supper is anything, it is a memorial.
• Time to remember Jesus and what He did for us.
• The following is what we commemorate today.
A. We Commemorate His Sufferings
• V. 24/25 talks “broken body”/“blood”/Jesus.
• These vivid phrases bring to mind suffering and pain.
When we take the elements/Lord’s Supper, we are to remember Jesus Christ suffered horribly for us to save us from our sins.
• Jesus suffered at the hands of man – Isa. 52:14.
• Suffered at the hands of God, Isa. 53:1-12; Matt. 27:46.
B. We Commemorate His Sacrifices
Fact/Jesus Christ was/human body speaks/sacrifices He made to redeem us.
• God became/man, lived/died/world/redeem/lost, John 1:1,
• He suffered shame, Matt. 27:39-44;
• rejection, John 1:11;
• poverty, 2 Cor. 8:9; pain, 1 Pet. 2:21; death, John 19:30.
In fact, the goal of giving Himself as our sacrifice was His whole purpose in coming to this world in the first place, Luke 19:10.
When the bread/juice are passed around in a little while; stop to remember what Jesus did for you.
We are here to commemorate His sufferings/sacrifices for us!
II.IT IS A TIME OF CELEBRATION
• Just as much/Lord’s Supper service is a commemoration
• It is also a celebration!
• Celebrate means, “to mark a special occasion or day by ceremonies or festivities.”
• Latin word that means “To attend a feast.”
• That is what we are here to do today!
• We are here to attend a feast celebrating what Jesus did for us!
There should be a heart of thankfulness, happiness and joy within every saved person today because of Who Jesus is and what Jesus has done!
Here is what we celebrate.
A. We Celebrate His Compassion
• Notice/words “for you” in verse 24.
• remind us/Jesus did what He did
• suffered what He did all because He loved us, John 3:16
• He had no sin of His Own to die for, 2 Cor. 5:21
He willingly took our sins upon Himself that we might be delivered from our sins and from the penalty of our sins.
What love that Jesus Christ; the sinless Lamb of God would give Himself for you and me! But, He did, Rom. 5:6-8!
B. We Celebrate His Conquest
What is not mentioned in these verses, but what is clearly implied, is the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead after His death on the cross, v. 26!
• anyone could have died
• But only the God-man could have paid for sins through His death
• then guaranteed eternal life by rising again from the dead
• That is just what Jesus did, Matt. 28:1-6; Rom. 5:10!
• Thank God, because He lives, all those who believe in Him will live also, Rev. 1:18; 1 Cor. 15:20.
C. We Celebrate His Coming
We are clearly told that when we observe the Lord’s Supper, we are telling this world that we believe Jesus is coming again, v. 26.
• That is His promise to us, John 14:1-3!
• That promise was reaffirmed by Paul in 1 Thes. 4:13-18.
• It was also reaffirmed by Jesus Himself in the closing words of the Bible, Rev. 22:20!
• He is coming and that is a truth we can celebrate with joy today!
III. IT IS A TIME OF CONTEMPLATION
• Lord’s Supper service/time/commemoration/celebration
• Also a time for contemplation.
• “To think about something seriously and at length.”
When I think:
• what Jesus suffered for me
I want to worship Him.
• all the things we are here to celebrate
I want to shout His praises.
But, when I understand the message of verses 27-32;
• I understand/Lord’s Supper/very serious time.
• Time for us to reflect upon/condition of our lives
We need to be sure we are where we need to be with the Lord, before we participate in the service.)
A. We Must Contemplate Our Salvation
• In spite of all their sins/failures
• Paul is writing to saved people in this chapter.
• talking about himself and his fellow believers.
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• Some people practice "Closed Communion.”
• Means/church only allows members/church who are in good standing to participate Lord’s Supper.
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• Others practice what is called "Open Communion".
• That church everyone who is present is encouraged to participate in the observance/Lord's Supper.
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What I believed practice "Close Communion”
• Everyone who is present is invited to participate
• Only after they have been warned consequences of partaking/Lord's Supper/unworthy manner.
Since neither you nor I know anyone’s heart, each person is urged to practice self-examination and then they can participate if they choose to.
In other words, only those who are in close communion with the Lord are encouraged to participate.
B. We Must Contemplate Our Sanctification – Notice verse 27.
• Word in that verse that bothers me.
• “Unworthy.”
• If we take in an unworthy manner…..
• We bring God’s wrath upon our lives by not reverencing the Lord’s body.
• In fact, the phrase “not discerning the Lord’s body,” has the idea of treating Jesus like the mocking and jeering crowds did at His crucifixion.
It means that we treat His broken body and His shed blood as if they were nothing!
• The Lord/telling us/“examine” our own lives.
• We need to be sure that we are clean, before we come to His table.
When we partake of His table with an unclean heart, we need to be aware that there will be a price to pay.
1. Some are sick because of it – verse 30a
2. Some are dead because of it – verse 30b
3. All will be chastened because of it – verse 32
• What are we to do? The answer is in verse 31!
• examine ourselves
• bring our sins to His altar in confession and repentance
• 1 John 1:9.
• When we do that, we can expect His forgiveness.
• When we do not, we can expect His chastisement!
Is it that serious? Yes it is!
In fact, it is so serious that I would say to you that if you have sin in your life and you do not plan to confess it and deal with in this altar; then you should let the bread and the juice pass you by!
Conc: We are almost ready to come to the Lord’s Supper table.
We are almost ready to commemorate/celebrate our wonderful Savior’s life, His death, His resurrection and His return.
But, before we do, we need to have a time of contemplation.
I am going to extend a challenge to you today to examine your heart.
I want you to look deep within yourself and see just where you stand with the Lord.
Here is what I want you to ask yourself:
1. Am I really saved? Is Jesus my Savior? Am I sure?
2. Am I clean before Him today? Have all of my sins been confessed and brought out into the open?
Can I take the Lord’s Supper with a worthy heart?
3. Am I ready to partake of the Lord’s Supper with a focused heart?
Are my thoughts centered on Jesus, His worship and what He has
done in my life?
Am I ready to do this in remembrance of Him?
If there are needs, this altar if the place to bring them today!
Let’s get ready to meet Him at His table this morning!
