THE LORD'S SUPPER
Mat 26:20-30; Mark 14:17-25; Luke
22:14-30; John 13:12-30; 1 Cor 11:23-34
INTRODUCTION: The Lord's
Supper is one of the most beautiful and significant doctrines
of the Bible.
It is the picture left by the Bridegroom (Christ) with His fiancee
(the church) to be viewed in every age until His return for the marriage.
Mat 26:20-29
The order of events on the night of the Passover supper appears to
have been:
1. The taking
by our Lord and the disciples of their places at the table;
Mat 26:20; Mark 14:17; Luke 22:14-16
2. the contention
who should be greatest;
Luke 22:24-30
3. the feet washing;
John
13:1-29
4. the identification Judas as the traitor;
John
13:2; Mat 26:21-35; Mark 14:18-21; Luke 22:21-23; John 13:21-29
5. the withdrawal of Judas , the others profess loyalty.
John
13:30-38; cp Mat 26:31-35; Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-38
6. Jesus institution of the supper;
Mat 26:26-29;
Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20
7. the words of Jesus while still in the upper room
Mat 26:26-29 Luke
22:35-38 John 13:3-35; John 14; Mat 14:1-31
8. the words of Jesus between the upper room and the garden of Gethsemane
Mat 26:31-35 Mark
14:26-31 John 15:16,17; John 15-16; .
it seems probable that the high-priestly
prayer John 17:1-26
was uttered after they reached the garden;
9. the agony in the garden;
Mat 26:30;
Mat 26:36-50; Mark 14:26, 32-52; Luke 22:39-53; John 18:1-12
10. the betrayal and arrest;
see verses in 9.
I. The origin of the supper
A. Initiated by Jesus, Matthew
26:26-29
1. This supper took place just prior to Jesus' arrest and crucifixion.
2. It was the last intimate gathering of Christ and The Twelve. Matthew
26:20
3. Jesus was burdened about the sorrow that would come to His disciples
after He
would depart, John 14:1-3.
An apostle is a person sent on a special mission . The twelve were commissioned
by
Christ Directly for a divine work. Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles.
4. He was concerned about the tribulation that they would face in the world,
John 17.
B. The purpose of the
supper
1. It was given to the Disciples to remember His death until He returns.
2. The supper is a picture that we have to ease the sorrow and the tribulation
in every age, fortifying our hope of His soon return.
C. Paul gave it its name
1
Cor 11:20
II. The recipients of the supper
A. The recipients are
Jesus' called out assembly, gathered together in one place with
Christ as the Head of that body.
1. Not all the saved, but only His Disciples (Later called Apostles), was
gathered together at
the time Christ instituted the Lord's Supper.
2. It is important to understand that the supper is a picture for the Believers.
The
significance of the picture applies only in reference to the relationship
of Christ
and His Bride. All who accept the Gospel invitation (
Luke 14:15-24) are
sure to be present at the marriage supper of the Lamb,
Rev. 19:7-9.
In the meantime the believers can enjoy the remembrance of the Lord’s Supper.
a. An engaged man taking a far journey does not leave pictures with several
women but only with his fiancee.
b. The Lord's Supper deals with the shed blood and broken body of Christ,
which is the means of Salvation for all mankind. However, the picture that
He gave to His Believers reveals the entire purpose of His sacrifice which
proclaims in a special way His death for His Bride,
Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25.
c. The Lord’s Supper has its roots in Exodus 12:1-11.
For Christ is our Passover sacrifice. 1 Cor 5:7
Beginning the night of the Passover the Passover Lamb’s Blood was
Shed, The people begin a Feast that was to bring to remembrance that
they were saved by the blood of the Lamb.
(John 1:29; John 1:36; 1 Peter 1:19; Rev 5:12 )
The souls at the feast then and now at the Lord’s Supper communion service.
Are to reflect back on the past And look forward to the fulfillment
of
God’s promises. It is a time of Love, A memorial of Faith,
A prophecy of Hope.
Believers can meditate on a crucified Saviour’s Love, A Living risen Saviour’s
intercession, and a coming Saviour’s Glory.
(2 Tim 2:10; 1 Peter 1:7-24; 1 Peter 5:10-11;
Rev 4:11; Rev 5:12; Rev 19:1; Rev 21:11,23-26).
B This is an assembly of believers
( Called Out) ordinance, and we are told as often as
we observe it, do it in remembrance of Him, It is for remembrance a memorial.
There is not any mention of how frequently to observe the Lord's Supper.
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.
The Lord’s Supper was instituted as a symbolic presentation of the believer’s
participation in the benefits of Christ death
1 Corinthians 11:23-26.
1. Each individual must cleanse himself before participating in the supper,
1 Corinthians 11:28-29.
2. As this ordinance pictures the Bridegroom, it draws our attention to
the need of
being faithful to Him.
III. The elements
of the supper
A. Unleavened bread
1. Luke 22:19 does not say that the bread
was unleavened, but we know that He
was using a loaf from the Passover, which, according to Exodus
12:15,
Mat 26:17 was commanded to be unleavened bread; violation of this
brought
the penalty of death. If the Bread had leaven in it, the bread would
have sin in it.
Romans 6:23
2. Leaven in the scriptures represents sin, 1 Corinthians
5:6-8.
3. The supper cannot be taken without purging the body of sin, 1
Corinthians 5:7.
4. The loaf represents the body of Christ, comprised of members of that
body
1 Corinthians 10:17; 1 Corinthians 12:12, 14.
B. The fruit of the vine
1. This represents the blood of Jesus, shed for us, Matthew
26:28.
2. It also represents the abundant life that the believer can have in the
church
(His body), John 10:7-15.
.
John 10:7-15
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves
and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter
in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find
pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might
have
life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good
shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not
the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf
coming,
and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth
the
sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is
an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know
my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so
know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the
sheep.
Who does Christ say he is? The
Good Shepherd.
What Does the Good Shepherd Give His Sheep? Abundant
Life.
Does the Good Shepherd give his life for his sheep?
Yes
Who are the Sheep? His
Flock ( Followers)
Does the Good Shepherd know his Sheep? Yes.
In verse 9 Christ says he is the door Then how does
a new sheep get into the fold?
Through Jesus ( the Good Shepherd.)
Then how does a sheep leave? Can anyone pluck
the from the fold?
No if Jesus is the door And the protector.
IV. The restrictions
of the supper
A. It can be observed in church capacity the preferred, 1
Corinthians 11:18.
B. Only Born again believers that has their heart and souls right with
the Lord.
Themselves can participate. 1 Cor 11:26-34
1. Remember, it is the Lord's Table, 1 Corinthians
10:21.
2. The Lord makes the rules, determining who can sit at His table.
This heart searching is between the believer and God through the Saviour
Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 11:26-34; 1 Cor 11:28-34.
3. If any brother is a fornicator, covetous, an idolater, a railer, a drunkard,
or an
extortioner, we are commanded not to eat the supper with him,
1 Corinthians 5:11. (In fact, we are told
to put him out of the membership,
verses 4 and 5.) 2 Cor 6:14
4. We are instructed not to observe the Lord's Supper if there are divisions
in the
among the Body Of Believers, 1 Corinthians
11:18.
5. We are not to eat with those who are not doctrinally sound,
1 Corinthians 11:19; Romans 16:17.
6. The Lord's Supper is not to be taken with those of other faiths,
2 John 1:9-11
.
The Romans Catholic doesn’t believe as a Baptist does, they are of difference
faith.
7. Some bring these restrictions in view, to say it becomes evident that
it is not
possible to take the Lord's Supper with other churches even though they
are of
like faith and order.
a. How can we know if the members of this local church are in unity?
On the surface they may look in unity. In reality they are a few that are
not.
b. How do we know whether they are excluded or not?
c. If they are members of another church body, how can this church
discipline their lives?
d. How can we invite those who are not part of the body to participate
if
there can be no divisions in the body when the supper is taken?
e. How can any church partake in the Lord’s Supper?
Answer to all of the question . The Believer is the one to suffer
if their heart and soul is not right with their Lord. To be right with
God
you have to be right with your fellow believer that is saved by the blood
of Jesus Christ to be right with the Lord for the partaking of the
Lord’s Supper. 1 Cor 11:26-34.
d. The Lord's Supper is for all believers. 1 Cor
10:16-17
1 Cor 10:17 KJV For we being many are one bread,
and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
V.The blessings of the
supper
A. It is a time of cleansing and renewing the individual and the believer.
Fellow members and a time to draw closer in our union with Christ and our
fellow believers.
B. It is a time to look at the picture of the Bridegroom in anticipation
of His soon return and
the marriage of the Lamb, Revelation 19:7-8.
C. Rewards.
Romans 4:4; 1 Cor 3:8-15; Heb 11:6; 2 Peter 2:13;
2 John 1:8; Rev 11:18; Rev 22:12
There is many verses that talk about the rewards of the believer. That
would be a study in its self.
VI. This Is Not
The Lord Supper
The early Christian Voluntary shared
Acts
4:32 ¶ And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and
of one soul:
neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was
his
own; but they had all things common.
33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of
the Lord
Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors
of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that
were
sold,
35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made
unto every man according as he had need.
36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being
interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles'
feet.
Acts
2:42-47 more sharing.
Acts 6:1
¶ And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied,
there
arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their
widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and
said, It is
not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report,
full of
the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry
of the
word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a
man full
of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor,
and
Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid
their
hands on them.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied
in
Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to
the faith.
VII. Is Given to the Believer's.
Paul Was Talking to the Believer's and talking about partaking of
the Supper
in the Church. If any man hunger, Let him eat at home
1 Cor 11:23 ¶ 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.
VIII. Christ Meet with his
disciples ( The Called out – the Church.)
Mat
16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona:
for
flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is
in
heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I
will build my
church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou
shalt
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was
Jesus the
Christ.
IX. The Lord’s Supper
is another reason for believers to assemble themselves.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is;
but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there
am I in the
midst of them.
The Lord’s Supper in the memorial of the unleavened bread
that it is Showing Forth the Sinless body of Christ .
The ultimate sinless, the spotless Lamb’s body that was given in
Sacrificial offering.
The other element Show’s the blood of Jesus Christ that us offered
up for all of the sins of the world.
If only the lost of the world would accept Christ as the ultimate
Sacrifice.
The Wine ( not Pasteurized Grape juice ). The Blood of Christ
is every working of itself.
The Fresh Grape Juice will ferment on its on. That is why they wire
the cork on to the wine bottles.
If they were not wired on the cork would blow off.
The fermenting Grape juice will tear to old Sheep skin because the
old has lost its elastic nature
and thinned with age.
They both need to be new, the Sheep skin and the wine. Mat
9:17; Luke 5:37-38
The early churches used wine (oinos in the Grk.). The reason
I bring this up is because there are churches that claim to got all of
the way back to the New Testament times or a period before the
Turn of the 20th century. ( 1900).
This is the problem Paul was having with the Church at Corinth with
Christians getting drunk
in observance of the Lord's Supper. 1 Cor
11:21.
Luke 5:37 And no man putteth new wine into
old bottles; else the new wine will burst the
bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
Luke 5:38 But new wine must be put into
new bottles; and both are preserved.
Acts 2:13 Others mocking said, These men are
full of new wine.
New wine-- [Grk. 1098] gleukos (glyoo'-kos)
akin to 1099; sweet wine, i.e. (properly) must (fresh juice),
but used of the more saccharine (and therefore highly inebriating)
fermented wine:--new wine.
Mat 26:29 Fruit of the vine.; Mark 14:25;
Luke 22:18
At this time they did not have ice or refrigeration
in these parts of the world. Neither did they have pasteurization
.
1869 Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch, a physician
and dentist by profession, successfully pasteurizes
Concord grape juice to produce an "unfermented sacramental wine"
for fellow parishioners
at his church in Vineland, N.J., where he is communion steward.
His achievement marks
the beginning of the processed fruit juice industry.
This is the start of Welch’s Grape juice.
http://www.welchs.com/company/company_history.html
Until then all juices fermented.
This is not to be taken to say it is all right to drink and become
drunk.
Or that the Churches should change to wine. But if you church says
that it is doing everything Like the
New Testament Churches were in the New Testament time and they are
using pasteurized
unfermented Grape Juice. One might need to look at some other things
they teach.
KJV AV 1769
Luke 5:37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else
the new wine will burst the bottles,
and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
Luke 5:38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both
are preserved.
CEV
Luke 5:37 No one pours new wine into old wineskins. The new
wine would swell and burst the old skins. Then the wine would be lost,
and the skins would be ruined.
Luke 5:38 New wine must be put only into new wineskins.
The new Wine (AKA Grape Juice - Fruit of the Vine) is Fermenting
growing in size and pressure from the Gases of fermentation.
Luke 13:21 It is like leaven, which a woman
took and hid in three measures of meal,
till the whole was leavened.
1 Cor
5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth
the whole lump?
I understand that Churches try
to be as doctrinal as possible. But when they teach
a lie.
One needs to
look at the others things they teach.
The
Lord’s Supper is a memorial the elements are symbolic.
X. What did Paul teach?
1. Paul taught
that it is a time of heart searching.
2. Paul taught
that it is a Time of confession of sin.
3. Paul taught
that it is a Time of restoration.
4. A
reminder of the wonder benefits and rewards that come to every
believer through the death on the Cross of Jesus Christ.
Why Did the
early church partake of the Lord's Supper?
The early Christians meet on the
first day of the week. Acts 20:7
Acts 6:2
This is thought by many to be the distribution of food.
I do not Know it is just
food for thought.
Churches today have it every Sunday . OK
some have it once a month of ever three months ect. for fear of
it becoming common place and losing
its importance and meaning.
XI. What other Faiths Say about The Lord's
Supper.
A. The Roman Catholic
Church Has upheld the doctrine of transubstantiation Meaning
that the bread and the wine are literally the body and blood of Christ.
B. Another View that
is sometimes called consubstantiation holds that while the bread
remains bread and the wine remains wine , the presence of the body of Christ
is in both
elements and one still partakes of Christ's body and blood in observing
the Lord's Supper.
C. The view Held by John
Calvin, who held that Christ was Spiritually in the elements.
D. There are another
view that some hold that the Lord's Supper some how enhances Grace.
Grace being wholly of God through His son can not be any greater enhanced.
E. Zwingli view is called the memorial view.
The scriptures support this latter view.
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