THE LORD'S SUPPER, A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH: 1 Corinthians 11:23-32

DOCTRINE: The Lord’s Supper is an institution of Christ wherein we remember and proclaim His death, and it must be received in the way Christ commands.

I. THE LORD’S SUPPER IS AN INSTITUTION OF CHRIST HIMSELF (1 Corinthians 11:23a)

II. IN THE LORD’S SUPPER, THE SAINTS EAT THE BREAD TO REMEMBER CHRIST’S BODY THAT WAS WILLINGLY GIVEN FOR THEM (1 Corinthians 11:23b-24)

III. IN THE LORD’S SUPPER, THE SAINTS DRINK THE CUP TO REMEMBER CHRIST’S BLOOD THAT WAS WILLINGLY SHED FOR THEM TO PURCHASE THE NEW COVENANT (1 Corinthians 11:25)

IV. IN THE LORD’S SUPPER, THE SAINTS ARE PREACHING A VISIBLE SERMON OF CHRIST CRUCIFIED (1 Corinthians 11:26)

V. IF YOU TAKE THE LORD’S SUPPER IN AN UNWORTHY MANNER, IT IS AS EVIL AS NAILING CHRIST TO THE CROSS (1 Corinthians 11:27)

QUESTION: What does it mean to take the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner?

ANSWER I: Paul is not only talking about receiving the Lord’s Supper when you are not a Christian, though that would of course be included. He is talking to Christians. ANSWER II: Paul is not saying that the worthiness or the unworthiness is dependent upon your feelings before or after. ANSWER III: It is an unworthy receiving of the Lord’s Supper when evil dispositions and beloved sins are not laid aside and forsaken. ANSWER IV: It is an unworthy receiving of the Lord’s Supper when you do not prepare yourself to remember and celebrate Christ’s costly death in your place. ANSWER V: It is an unworthy receiving of the Lord’s Supper when you do not partake of the supper with the assembly of the saints, but go on ahead without regard to the rest of the body. (1 Corinthians 11:20-22). ANSWER VI: It is an unworthy receiving of the Lord’s Supper when you do not act faith in Christ, but somehow are depending on your own righteousness.

VI. YOU MUST EXAMINE YOURSELF BEFORE YOU EAT THE BREAD AND DRINK THE CUP (1 Corinthians 11:28)

VII. IF YOU EAT AND DRINK IN AN UNWORTHY MANNER, YOU EAT AND DRINK THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD ON YOURSELF (1 Corinthians 11:28-32)

QUESTION: How should we take of the Lord’s Supper? ANSWER I: By adequately preparing ourselves individually beforehand by self-examination, repentance, and by acting faith in Christ and Him crucified as we partake (1 Corinthians 11:20-32). ANSWER II: By ridding ourselves of any distractions that would lead us away from thinking on Christ’s death as we partake (1 Corinthians 11:29). ANSWER III: By taking of the Lord’s Supper together, at the same time, as we commune both with Christ and one another (1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 1 Corinthians 11:33-34).

Therefore, given these truths of Scripture, moving forward we are going to partake of the Lord’s Supper on the Lord’s Day after the singing and before the catechism and benediction, so that we can all partake together, and so that we will be free from any distractions in our minds or hearts.

CONCLUSION (2 things for you to see)

I) See the blessing of the Lord’s Supper.

(I) God has invited us to His dinner table in order to feast on His Lamb that was sacrificed in our place. (II) Christ has invited us to His banquet to commune with Him in a mystical way by partaking of the symbols of His body and blood. (III) Christ could have left us with the Scriptures only and that would been sufficient to help us remember and celebrate His death for us, but He loved us enough to give us this visible sermon of His bleeding mercy.

What a blessing the Lord’s Supper is. Never neglect it! Never partake in an unworthy manner! Partake in the way He says, and it will be food for your souls. In the Lord’s Supper Christ says, “Take and eat; take and drink.” Can you imagine looking Him in the eyes and refusing to take what He offers? or refusing to partake in the manner which He says to partake? May we all do as He bids and simply respond with, “Thank you.”

II) See the preciousness of the body and the blood of Christ.

So valuable is the Lamb of God that those who profane even the symbols of His death have the vengeance of the Lord engaged against them, causing weakness, sickness, and even death. So valuable is the Lamb of God that His death could redeem ten million worlds. But His blood was not spilt for ten million worlds; His blood was spilt for you, believer. For me. For us.