This is the seventh sermon in the ‘Liturgy for Life’ series.
Scripture Reading: 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:17-26
In the sacraments, God has given us signs and seals for our spiritual growth and nourishment. Last week we studied baptism, and this week we will study something that we do bi-weekly at Trinity: The Lord’s Supper, also known as Communion.
The Priority of the Lord’s Supper
There are many gray areas in scripture concerning what we do when we gather for worship, but the priority of the Lord’s Supper being a liturgy in the life of the Christian is not one of them. Three of the Gospels record the Lord’s Supper. At this meal, Jesus commands his disciples to eat this meal together again and to do it in remembrance of him as often as they do. The Lord’s Supper is nonnegotiable for the Christian.
In 1 Corinthians 10 and 11, Paul shows how the Lord’s Supper is a counter liturgy to the sinful liturgies which the Corinthians haven’t broken free from– this included suing, irreconcilable conflict, sexual immorality, disorder within the church. Taking the Lord’s Supper habitually can transform all areas of life.
Eating and Drinking…
… in the biblical context
Eating and drinking in biblical times did not have the same connotation that eating and drinking have in modern, Western society. To eat and drink with someone meant you accepted their friendship and were unified with them. Jewish people of the time would never eat with Gentiles or a fellow Jew that they thought was living an unfaithful or unrighteous life. To eat and drink with them would mean you approved of their life and status before God, and that you shared status.
The act of eating and drinking is everywhere in the Bible. In Isaiah 55 the invitation to come to God is pictured as an invitation to eat and drink with Him. Jesus shocks the Jews when He eats with tax collectors and sinners in Luke 5. When Jesus returns, He plans to have a wedding feast with His bride. The end goal of the Bible is for us to eat and drink with God. This means fellowship and communion as we share in who He is.
..the Lord’s Supper
At the Lord’s Supper, the Lord is the host and He is the one serving us. This meal is not about what we do to prepare ourselves to take it. It’s not our supper, but His supper– and He is present at His supper. What happens at the Lord’s Supper happens – not because of what’s in our mind, our heart, our actions. Jesus is truly spiritually present at His Supper.
…the Body and the Blood
Recounting the words of Jesus when he establishes this meal, Paul writes:
“This is my body…this cup is the new covenant in my blood” – 1 Corinthians 11:24-25
We call these the words of institution because these words that Jesus spoke over the bread and wine are what make this meal special and powerful.
During Jesus’ time, bread and wine represented the two main staples of human sustenance and the two gifts of God to sustain human life. Just as bread and wine are God’s gifts to nourish and strengthen us physically, this meal is God’s gift to nourish and strengthen us spiritually. The Lord’s Supper is how the life and death of Jesus get inside us.
…in Remembrance
The background for the Lord’s Supper is the Jewish Passover feast. At the Passover meal with his disciples before he died, Jesus transformed the most important biblical feast/meal into His supper. At the institution of the Passover, God told the people of Israel:
“This day is to be a memorial (Day of remembrance) for you, and you must celebrate it as a festival to the Lord. You are to celebrate it throughout your generations as a permanent statute.” – Exodus 12:14
In scripture, remembering is not just mentally recalling facts and information. When we remember the words of God we remember who Jesus is and who we are. We fix our eyes on something true for us.
…the One Bread
In 1 Corinthians 10:17, Paul encourages the church to share in one bread, yet in chapter 11 Paul writes about wealthier people who were eating and drinking with each other before the poor could arrive. Rather than partaking as a family and as equals, some Christians in Corinth were showing partiality. Paul is clear that those who divide the church are unworthy to come to the Lord’s Supper and are eating and drinking judgment upon themselves. We must partake together and allow the Lord’s Supper to build unity among us as we remember our reconciliation to God and man.
… until He Comes
As we wait for the second coming of Christ and the wedding feast, we remember what Christ has accomplished in the past and what he has given to us in the present to spiritually nourish and strengthen us.
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” – 1 Corinthians 11:26
REFLECT OR DISCUSS
Did not taking the Lord’s Supper during Covid-19 make a difference in your life? Do you miss the Lord’s Supper when you go for a while without taking it?
How does this overview of the Lord’s Supper change your thinking about it? how might it change your experience of it?
How can our need for physical nourishment teach us about our need for the Lord’s Supper?
How is the Lord’s Supper a sign and seal? How does this assure us?
Which aspect of the Lord’s Supper – as described above – do you most need at this time in your life your right now?
YOUR DAILY LITURGY
In this series, we will be encouraged to “take ownership” of our daily liturgies (patterns, habits). Saying, “I’m so busy,” “I go with the flow,” or “I just go about my day” are examples of not taking ownership of the shape and structure of our lives. How can the shape and pattern of my daily life be built around the gospel of Jesus Christ?
What are some ways you can let the Lord’s Supper nourish you during the service?
What is an aspect of your identity that can be strengthened by remembering Christ when you take the Lord’s Supper?
Have you ever talked about the importance of the Lord’s Supper with your friends or family? If not, have a conversation about this.