Text: Matthew 26:26-29, Luke 22:19-20, I Corinthians 11:23
By: Bro. Joel Uto
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Matthew 26:26-29 26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” Luke 22:19-20 19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 1 Corinthians 11:23 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread.
INTRODUCTION
The lesson may have presumed or presuppose that some baptized members in Christ when in worship on the first day of the week, do not eat the Lord’s Supper or do not commune with Christ. This might be deliberately out of conscience and sin. The worship is a spiritual and truthful affair to God in obedience. Let it be established that the conscience is not a good basis to serve God but His written word which each one’s conscience should agree with. The elements of the communion or the Lord’s Supper are symbolic or emblem of the body of Christ and blood that was bruised pierced and shed on the cross of redemption.
Truly, the communion should not be eaten in the Old Leaven – 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
However, by being baptized which is the spiritual birth, a person become a new creature having been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:17 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Every Christian gathering or church fellowship is not to eat the Lord’s Supper – 1 Corinthians 11:20 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. But upon the first day of the week when Christians come together for a complete worship, nothing stops any Christian in Christ from keeping the memorial.
A – FACTS ABOUT THE LORD’S SUPPER – Matthew 26:26-29
- The Lord’s Supper is a divine institution established by Christ also called the Holy Communion.
- Two elements were used – the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine which are symbol of His body and blood.
- The bread was blessed then the fruit of the vine also blessed and given to the disciples. The position or posture of praying was not revealed. It is therefore not a sin should the church prays sitting down, standing up, kneel down or alternate posture. Traditions of method or posture should not be established in the thanksgiving of the communion.
- The early Christians with Apostle Paul ate the Lord’s Supper upon the first day. This is the regularity example of the memorial
- Apostle Paul corrected the wrongdoing of the memorial and He re-enacts or restates the celebration as it should be. 1 Corinthians 11:20-26 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
- The purpose of the Lord’s Supper is to do this in remembrance of Christ – 1 Corinthians 11:26
On a general note, Paul warned against unsolemnity and untoward manner of behaviour in observing the communion with Christ.
B – THE LORD’S SUPPER IS A COMMAND – I Cor. 11:24-26
All Scriptures are either instructional guide or rules for the Christian to do, live by or should not do or live by. These commands are also specific, general or exemplarily seen, implied when reading and studying the Bible.
The Lord’s Supper is a specific command or order – do this in remembrance of Me. Commandments to Christians are meant to be kept or obeyed.
A Christian in worship should not miss out the communion – James 4:17 17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. Is it not good to remember the death of Christ on the cross than the birth the world celebrates? Refusing to participate in the Lord’s Supper is an act of lawlessness – 1 John 3:4 4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. It is telling Christ I can’t do Your memorial ordained.
The communion is a cup of blessing according to Paul. Therefore abstinence from the bread and cup of blessing is denying yourself the blessing there in. You need to unwrap the blessing into your life.
Abstaining from the Lord’s Supper in worship, means missing the rare privilege of sitting with Christ at that hour. He said I will not drink it with you now until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom. The kingdom is the church of Christ, purchased with His blood – Matthew 16:18-19 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Acts 20:28 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
It is very delightful dining with the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Those who would not keep the memorial feats are non-Christians in the church of Christ, believers and unbelievers in the worship gathering.
Could there have been any sin hindering you from eating and drinking in the memorial? The communion does not forgive sin, cure sickness e.t.c.
Possess godly sorrow to repentance, confess to God and pray for the forgiveness of your sin to enable you participate in the memorial – 1 John 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Proverbs 28:13 13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
Finally, eating in the Lord’s Supper is participating in the full, wholeness and completeness of worship on the first day of the week. The Christian worship is complete by full participation in all activities of the worship – Acts 2:42 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Christians are urged to be in the assembly of the saints worship – Hebrews 10:25 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Abstinence from one item of worship particularly the Lord’s Supper in this case implies that such individual worship is incomplete.
CONCLUSION
Christians should observe the memorial of the death of Christ by participating in the Lord’s Supper. To obey is better than sacrifice. Not eating is breaking the order of do this in remembrance of Me.
If you are not a Christian, you can’t partake, so believe, repent, confess Christ and be baptized into Christ and His church.
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