A visit to the Dr’s Office
1 Corinthians 11:27-34
Our text tells us to examine ourselves. What to you think about when you think about examining yourselves?
One thing I dislike is a visit to the Dr’s office, for any reason. But whether it is a Dr. examination to determine what is causing you to feel bad, or just a physical examination just as a preventive maintenance, something as I am approaching the age of 50 that I dread.
You have eye examinations, head examinations, and even school examinations. What is Paul talking about when he tell us before we partake in the Lord’s supper that we are to examine ourselves.
Webster’s Dictionary defines the word examine as to observe or inspect; to test by questions.
So tonight that is what I want us to do. I want us to observe, inspect, and to test by questions.
First we will observe.
When we partake in communion we are observing the death of Jesus Christ.
When we look back to the cross we are reminded of our Lord’s sacrifice; how He gave himself unselfishly and completely, for the atonement of our sins. The marvelous thing about this is that He did this "while we were still sinners" (Romans 5:8). It has been said, "It is easy to love the lovable, but so hard to love the unlovely." Our Lord did what he did for all mankind without exception.
Not only are we observing His death, we are also observing the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am sure that anyone when given the right circumstances would give our lives for someone. Every death on the battlefield is really a death for us and the freedom we enjoy.
I would give my life for my family, I’m not so sure as much as I love each one of you that I would do the same for you.
But what made Jesus’ death on the cross for each one of us so special is not only did He die, He rose again. Some one can give your life for you once, but unless they rise up from the dead then they are done. But when Jesus died, He rose up again that we might have life. And not just any live but eternal life.
1 Corinthians 15:12-14 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.
So not only did He have to die, but also we have to observe the He rose.
But the last thing that we ate to observe is that He is coming again.
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.
So He is coming again. We don’t know when, but I can tell you that everything that needed to happen, that was prophesied to happen before He could come back has already happened. So it could be anytime.
John 14:2-3 In My Fathers house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
So tonight we observe the death, resurrection, and the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The second definition that Webster gives for examine is to inspect.
When I think about the word inspect then I think about something that is done to make sure that everything is in the proper place.
For example if you get your car inspected to see if it is in the proper order to make it safe. If you are in the military you can have inspections to make sure that you have the proper things in order. As a parent you may ask your kids to do something then you follow it up with I will be back latter to inspect your work.
So what should we inspect before we partake in the sacrament of Holy Communion? We need to inspect ourselves to make sure that we have no unconfused sin in our lives.
You should take time before you take Communion to spend time examining our lives to make sure that we are ready to enter into God’s presence. Confess any sins that we know of. Ask God to bring to remembrance any sins we might not have confessed.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The last thing that we need to do to examine ourselves is according to Webster’s definition is to ask questions. What are some of the questions we need to ask ourselves?
In our text it refers to eating the bread or drinking of the cup in an unworthy manner, so what questions do we have to ask ourselves before we take communion?
The first and most important question we need to ask ourselves is…
Am I a Christian? Have I entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
That is the most important question in life.
Jesus said in John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
The question is not how much money do I give to the church. The question is not do I live a good life or am I a good person, but am I saved by grace through faith.
The next question that we need to ask ourselves is…
Do I have the right relationship with Christ?
Are we straddling the fence, acting one way on Sunday and another way on Monday? Have we confessed all of our sins? Did we turn away from those sins or did we tuck away our sins till a more convenient time? We need to make sure that when we come into the Lords presence, we do so with a pure heat and mind.
The last question that we should be asking ourselves is…
Am I living my life for Him?
You see a sin that is unnoticed is the sin of disobedience. When God gives you something to do and you don’t do anything necessary wrong, you just don’t do what He ask you to do. That is the silent sin.
When I ask my kids to brush their teeth, not much labor there. I’ve never heard about someone dieing from losing their teeth. But I tell them to brush their teeth because I love them and I know what is best for them.
What are you doing for God? If you are not doing anything than I can almost assure you that you have the sin of disobedience. God did not put us here for our good looks but for our good works.
So before we partake in the Lords Supper this evening, let’s make a visit to the Great Physician, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Let us observe His death, resurection, and return.
Let us make sure that our hearts and minds are in the right place by confessing all of our sins and asking the right questions.
