08/05/2012 God-lines Concerning Communoin!
Text: 1 Corinthians
11:17-34 (NKJV)
17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since
you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For first of all,
when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you,
and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, that
those who are approved may be recognized among you. 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 you. 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. 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of
the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the
Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink
of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks
judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this reason many are
weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we
would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord,
that we may not be condemned with the world. 33 Therefore, my brethren, when
you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let
him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set
in order when I come.
“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also
received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that
He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the
Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3)
Intro: The book of 1st Corinthians is broken
down into two parts, the first part chapter 1 – 6 deals with the 8 corruptions
in the Corinthian church. The last part of the book covers chapters 7 – 16 and
the six questions submitted by the Corinthian
Church. My message
focuses only on one question: What about church conduct and to break it down
even more; rules concerning communion. If there was ever a messed up church the
Corinthian Church was that. It is very rare that
any of the many problems that churches face today can’t be dealt with through
the experience of the Corinthian
Church. So what is so
important about Guidelines for Communion?
The most important fact involved in
the table of the Lord is the Lord of the table. It is his table. He sanctioned
it and suffered for it.
1. Inward look to the Conscience: vs. 28
"But let a man
examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup."
The
bread and wine are memorials and not sacraments. The first (a memorial) takes
place because one has already obtained grace, while the second (a sacrament) is
performed to obtain grace. The bread and wine are symbolic in nature and not
changed into anything. "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth
and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this
cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." Vs. 29-30
This
is a lot more serious than the local church realizes! I’ll make a simple
statement; the Christian cannot take lightly the relationship with Jesus Christ
nor afford to take the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner. Damnation is
translated, judgment. (1 Peter 4:7) “But the end of all things is at hand;
therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.” The Corinthian Church
was being judged with physical sickness and physical death, “and many sleep.”
The
Christian must confess of their sins an allow Christ to forgive all
unrighteousness because He is faithful and just to forgive. The Corinthians at their
communion service were fickle and self-centered they had so involved themselves
in the supper that they had totally ignored both other saints and the Savior. The
point that needs to be made is "in remembrance of me" It is
remembering the Lord.
The God Line for Communion places the believer with a clear
conscience in the presence of the Holy Spirit sins forgiven and thankfulness
for what Jesus has done!
That brings me to my next point, what has Jesus done?
2. Backward
look to the Cross: vs. 26
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this
cup, you proclaim the Lord's death.”
He died on the cross so our sins can be
forgiven: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (KJV)
Are you
proclaiming the Lord’s death? Who have you told lately? Paul did not receive
his information concerning the historical details of the Last Supper from any
of the apostles who attended, but from Christ himself. This was also true
concerning the details surrounding the preaching, death, and resurrection of
the Savior.
“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received:
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was
buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1
Corinthians 15:3-4)
The God line for communion explains the backward look to
the cross and the Christians instructions to take up their cross daily follow
Him.
3. Forward Look to the Crown: vs. 26
"For as often as you eat this bread and
drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes."
The backward look
and forward look are very close in many ways; it is all about the cross and the
reminder of the cup and the crown that is waiting for the faithful ones who
follow God’s line!
- The purpose: at the Lord’s Table we are told to: Look
backward. "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do
show the Lord’s death." Look inward. "But let a man examine
himself." Look forward. "Till he comes."
- The partakers: What
group is invited to this table? The Lord’s Supper is only for believers, but it
includes all believers.
- The prerequisites: Two kinds of individuals are
forbidden to partake: the unsaved and the unclean. To the unsaved, he offers John
3:16, and to the unclean backslidden Christian, he extends 1 John 1:9.
- The penalty:
"For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation
to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and
sickly among you, and many sleep." Vs. 29-30
God’s line gives us
everlasting peace, let’s not forget!
In : Sermon
Tags: communion
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