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THE LORD’S SUPPER…IT’S TIME TO…

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   True worship should be a very important part of the Christian’s life.

1.    It is the time when we pay homage and adoration to our heavenly Father.

2.    It’s the time when we honor Him through the five acts of worship He has authorized in the New Testament.

 

B.   Some believe that focusing upon the five acts of worship is legalistic.

1.    They are more concerned with the emotional aspect of worship than they are about the legal components of worship.

2.    They have convinced themselves that the spirit of the law is more important than the letter of the law.

3.    Worship for them is an action that pleases man first, and, hopefully, God in the process.

 

C.   This does not change the fact that worship must be in harmony with truth (John 4:24).  As we study the truth, the five acts of worship are set forth:  singing (I Cor. 14:15: Eph. 5:19), prayer (I Tim. 2:8), teaching (Acts 20:7), Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7), and giving (I Cor. 16:1-2).

 

D.   Each one of the acts of worship has its own focus.  Each element has something that is it designed to do.

 

E.   The title of our lesson this morning is:  “The Lord’s Supper…It’s Time To…”  Let’s remind ourselves what the Lord’s Supper is designed to do.

 

I.             IT IS TIME TO REMEMBER THE LORD’S DEATH

 

A.   Recently, I was reading a discussion on FB and there were some preachers commenting on the Lord’s Supper.

1.    They thought that focusing on the Lord’s death was looking at the dark side of the Lord’s Supper. 

2.    They wanted to focus upon the Lord’s resurrection.

 

B.   Let’s listen to Paul’s words in I Corinthians 11:26.

 

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

 

1.    The purpose of the Lord’s Supper is to declare the Lord’s death.

2.    The elements reflect the body and blood of Christ as He hung on the cross of Calvary.

a.    I Corinthians 11:24

 

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.

 

b.    I Corinthians 11:25

 

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.

 

C.   Perhaps the death of our Lord is a dark and dreary thing to remember, but He exhorts and commands us to remember His suffering every Lord’s Day. 

 

D.   Christianity came with a cost, the death of the Son of God upon a rugged tree.

 

II.           IT IS TIME TO REFLECT ON THE MEANING OF JESUS DEATH

 

A.   When you study the subject of redemption, you will sometimes hear the words:  “The work of redemption.”

 

B.   Jesus often spoke of doing the works of God.

1.    John 4:34

 

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

 

2.    John 9:6

 

I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day:  the night cometh, when no man can work.

 

C.   Jesus died to accomplish something.  As we look at the cross in partaking of the Lord’s Supper, we need to reflect upon its meaning.

1.    The satisfaction of divine justice.

a.    Another way of saying this is that Jesus is the payment for sin.

b.    Man sinned (Rom. 3:23).  The sentence of death is upon sin (Ezek. 18:20), unless a payment is made.

c.    The payment had to be of like substance and had to be sinless.

1)    Jesus was made in the image of man (John 1:15; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 2:9, 14-15).

2)    He was sinless (Heb. 4:15; 7:26; I Pet. 2:22).

d.    When Jesus died on Calvary, the penalty for sin was paid (Isa. 53:11).

 

He shall see the travail of his soul, and be satisfied…

 

2.    The forgiveness of sins

a.    Since Jesus has paid the debt for sins.  Man can be forgiven.

b.    This forgiveness comes with conditions and with a cost, that is, a sacrifice.

1)    The reason:  God will not force Himself upon anyone.  Man must choose God’s forgiveness.

2)    The conditions:  Obedience to the terms of the gospel.

3)    The cost:  Yielding our life completely to God’s will.

c.    Three verses:

1)    Acts 5:31

 

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

 

2)    Acts 13:38

 

Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that though this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.

 

 

 

3)    Ephesians 1:7

 

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.

 

3.    The sealing of the New Testament

a.    Matthew 26:28

 

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

 

b.    The blood of Jesus made the New Testament operative.  It is now the authoritative document of the Christian religion.

1)    This is God’s final Word to mankind.

2)    This covenant cannot be changed or altered.

c.    To violate it is to count the blood of the covenant wherewith we were sanctified an unholy thing (Heb. 10:29).

 

III.         IT IS TIME OT REVIEW OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES

 

A.   I Corinthians 11:28

 

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

 

1.    Examine

a.    Strong (1381):  to test

b.    Thayer:  to test, prove, examine, scrutinize (to see if a thing is genuine or not), to approve, deem worthy

2.    Barnes (e-sword)

 

“Let him search and see if he have the proper qualifications - if he has knowledge to discern the Lord’s body (note, 1Co_11:29); if he has true repentance for his sins; true faith in the Lord Jesus; and a sincere desire to live the life of a Christian, and to be like the Son of God, and be saved by the merits of his blood. Let him examine himself, and see whether he have the right feelings of a communicant, and can approach the table in a proper manner. In regard to this we may observe:

(1) That this examination should include the great question about his personal piety, and about his particular and special fitness for this observance. It should go back into the great inquiry whether he has ever been born again; and it should also have special reference to his immediate and direct preparation for the ordinance. He should not only be able to say in general that he is a Christian, but he should be able to say that he has then a particular preparation for it. He should be in a suitable frame of mind for it. He should have personal evidence that he is a penitent; that he has true faith in the Lord Jesus; that he is depending on him, and is desirous of being saved by him.

(2) this examination should be minute and particular. It should extend to the words, the thoughts, the feelings, the conduct. We should inquire whether in our family and in our business; whether among Christians, and with the world, we have lived the life of a Christian. We should examine our private thoughts; our habits of secret prayer and of searching the Scriptures. Our examination should be directed to the inquiry whether we are gaining the victory over our easily besetting sins and becoming more and more conformed to the Saviour. It should, in short, extend to all our Christian character; and everything which goes to make up or to mar that character should be the subject of faithful and honest examination.”

 

 

B.   Question:  Is a weekly self-examination too much?

1.    The denominational world says that it is.

2.    They tell us that taking the Lord’s Supper once a week is too much.

3.    Are they so holy and righteous they only need to examine themselves once a month, or, once a quarter?

 

IV.         IT IS A TIME TO REJOICE IN WORSHIP

 

A.   When we think about and understand what our Lord did on Calvary, it should cause us to want to

1.    Give thanks for all the blessings He gave us.

2.    Shout for joy because of His great love for us.

3.    Rejoice in praise because we can stand before God justified.

 

B.   Hebrews 13:15

 

By him therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

 

V.           IT IS TIME TO RESOLVE TO BE FAITHFUL

 

A.   I Corinthians 11:26

 

…ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.

 

B.   As we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we know that this avenue of worship will continue till He comes.

1.    Jesus is coming!!!

a.    When He comes, what will He find us doing?

b.    When He comes, what will be the condition of my soul?

c.    When He comes, will I be serving righteousness or will I be serving sin?

 

C.   Every Lord’s Day at the Table of the Lord we should resolve again to be faithful (Luke 9:23-25).

 

And he said to them all, If any will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:  but whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast out?

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We do not engage in acts of worship just to have something to do.

 

B.   Each element of worship serves many purposes.

1.    When we get to a particular act of worship, we must focus on what it intends to accomplish.

2.    When we partake of the Lord’s Supper, it is time to remember, reflect, review, rejoice, and resolve.