“THE LORD’S SUPPER”

 

1.  I was teaching an adult Bible class one evening in a place other than church.

2.  After the class a brother said, “I have a question for you: Is the word “communion” a scriptural word.”

3.  “Should this word be used to describe the Lord’s “communion”?  In this passage, “communion” 

4.  Describes the Lord’s Supper.  Long ago someone came up with an easy way to remember the.

5.  Definition of Communion.  “Communion” ends with the letters. Union.  Put on board.

6.  The remaining letters of “communion” are C.O.M.M. Put on Board. All we need to do is add

7   Two more letters – O.N. “communion: is a common union.

 

I    THIS LETTER IS BASED ON   1st Cor. 10:16  ONE OF MY GOALS IS TO ESTABLISH THAT “COMMUNION” (THE LORD’S SUPPER) IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT CHRISTIANS UNITE THEMSELVES WITH CHRIST, AND THE BENEFITS OF HIS  DEATH..

 

A. As you look at vs. 16 you see the word “communion” is used twice.

B. Also, the word translated “comm.” is used in other parts of the New Testament.

C. One of these other places happens to be vs. 20 of this chapter _ READ.

D.KJV uses word “fellowship” in vs. 20; the ASV again uses “comm.”

     (1)  The KJV rendering offers an illustration.  These translators took the same word,

     (2)  And they translated it differently.  In vs. 16 they rendered it “communion.”

     (3)  In vs. 20 they translated it “fellowship.”

E.  When we speak of “communion” we are speaking of fellowship.  I checked the definition of this

F.  Original word Sources such as Thayer say that this word means:  Joint participation, association,

G. Partnership or as on the board.  I have more to say about this and vs. 16.

H. Before this is done I want to go back to 1st Cor. 1:9 also contains this word which is translates

I.     “communion.” & “fellowship. 1Ist Cor. 1:9 READ

     1) According to Paul the Corinthians bad been called.

     2) Their calling had come through the gospel, 2nd Thes: 14.  This is how all people are called to Christ.

     3) In addition to saying that these brethren were called, Paul states what these people were called to.

     4) The Corinthian” are called into the “fellowship of God’s son.”  Notice the word “fellowship”

     5)  It is translated from the same word that is used in 1st Cor: 10:16, 20.

     6)   Is it possible for man to fellowship with God? Yes!  Remember what this word fellowship means.

     7)  Joint participation, association, partnership.  The Corinthian’s were not equal to God,

     8)   But they were joint participants.  A union – a common union – existed between them and God.

     9)   I am going to put this information on the board.  Man God fellowship.

     10) Draw a circle which has the words “God, man, Fellowship.”

J.  Let’s return to 1st Cor. 10:16 and read it one more time.  READ

K. Paul said we can have “communion” fellowship/partnership) with someone.

L.  In this text, what do we have fellowship with?

     1)   Our “communion” is with Christ’s Body.  Our fellowship is with Christ’s blood.

     2)   What is this verse saying?  We can assoc. ourselves w/Christ’s body and blood.

M.      This is a fact, but what does this fact mean?  What did Paul mean when he said we can fellowship?

N. Christ body and blood.  Let’s move to the first part of vs. 18 in this chapter 18A.

     1)   Read 18A this is a reference to the nation of Israel.

     2)   Paul describes the people who worshipped by Moses’ law.  18B READ

     3)   When sacrifices were offered under the OT law, people communed were partakers of the alter.

     4)     Sacrifices expressed friendship and fellowship with God.  The sacrifices helped maintain a

     5)   Good relationship between, during the sacrifices it was if the Jews were God’s guests.

     6)     Sacrifices showed that the Jews were connected to God.  The circle on the board represents

     7)   What took place; God and man were fellowshipping together.

O. The Lord’s Supper is very similar to this.

 

II  WHEN WE PARTAKE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER, WE ARE FELLOWSHSIPPING WITH GOD.  PARTAKING OF THE SUPPER IS ONE EXPRESSION OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE A CHILD OF GOD.  LOOK AGAIN AT VS. 16: READ.

 

     A. Draw on the board a chart. – Bread & cup up top with arrows to circle.

     B.   The “cup of blessing” allow us to fellowship Christ’s blood.

     C.  The bread allows us to “fellowship” Christ’s body.

     D.  The supper of the Lord keeps open our relationship with Christ.

     E.   This is not THE thing which keeps open our relationship with the Lord.

     F.     Scripture does not call it the most important thing.

     G.  The supper has a definite part in the Christian system.

     H.  As you are looking at 1st Cor: 10:16, we want to read some other verses

     I.    Think about these another references in light of which has been said.

     J.    IE when we partake of the supper, we fellowship with deity.

     K.  The first reference come from Mt: 26:28 READ.

           1)  Jesus spoke of his blood.

           2)   His blood is what allowed the covenant to be changed.

           3)   His blood is the means by which sins are forgiven.

     L.   Do we want to be under the New Testament?  Do we want forgiveness of sins?

     M.  If so, we must somehow connect ourselves to Christ’s blood.

     N.  We must some how establish fellowship with deity, and then we must   

     O.  Rom: 6 teach how we get connected to Christ – share in his death.

     P.   Once we enter into Christ’s fellowship, how do we maintain fellowship?

     Q.  How is our union with the Lord continued? Several things are involved.

     R.   One of these things is found in 1st Cor. / 10:16.  We partake of the “cup”.

     S.   “The cup is communion with Christ’s blood”, vs. 16.  Partaking of the cup.

     T.   Is part of keeping our relationship with Christ right?  Being in fellowship w/His blood allows us

     U.  To continually receive communion with Christ, and His blood and His body is essential. 

     V.  This done through the Lords Supper. Returning to Mt: 26, I also want to note vs. 29.  READ

     W. Jesus said He would “drink the cup with the disciples in the kingdom”.

           1)     Before I started to seriously study scripture, I believed that this verse referred to heaven.

           2)     This idea is rather common.  There are even pictures which suggest this.

           3)     This understanding of Mt. 26: 29 can not be correct. We partake of the supper,

           4)   “Till Christ comes”, 1st Cor. 11: 26.  There is a time limit on the supper.

           5)     After Christ returns, the supper ends. After the earth is destroyed, the supper ceases.

     X.  The supper is for now, and it is to be eaten by the church.  How does this material tie in with?

     Y.  Jesus’ Statement about the kingdom?  The word “kingdom” is a metonymy.  It stands for the

     Z.   Church, the Lord was saying exactly what Paul said in 1st Cor. 10:16.  When we

           Partake of the supper, Deity is present.

           1)     Paul describes this presence by the word “Communion.”

           2)     Jesus described this presence by the words, “I drink it anew.”

           3)     Both passages are making a similar point.

     A.  During the Lords’ supper we “commune” (fellowship) with God.  Hence, Jesus said to the

     B.     Disciples, “I will drink it anew with you.”  The Lord did this in the first century and He still does.

    

     III  WHEN THE LORD’S SUPPER IS EATEN, THE LORD IS WITH US.  HE IS PRESENT.  IT IS CERTAINLY TRUE THAT THE LORD IS PRESENT THE WHOLE TIME DURING WORSHIP.  THIS MORNING WE ARE CONCENTRATING OUR ATTENTION ON JUST ONE ASPECT OF WORSHIP.

 

     A.  This part of our worship allows us to fellowship with God.  This is the main point from this text.

     C.  Though this is Paul’s point, some have not understood it.  Through the years there have been a          D.  Broad range of ideas about some brethren have expressed concern over the bread.

           1)     Should it be a whole loaf of bread?  Is it okay for the bread to be sliced,

           2)   Or must it be in 1 piece.  Should the bread be broken before it is passed?

           3)     Should we pray first and then break the bread or break the bread and pray?

     E.   Good and sincere people have been concerned over the cup.  These have asked, “Do we have

     F.   “The right to use more than one cup?  “Are we bound to use only one cup for the Lord’s Supper?

     G.  Some of you may never face these questions.  I hope you never do.  Some of us who are here have    I     Already plowed these roads.  Needles time and energy has been used on these questions.

     J.    Based upon what has been presented today, this much shall be clear.

     K.  The Lord’s Supper is not about cups and loaves of bread.

           1)   The issue is fellowship with deity.  The issue is being connected to Christ.

           2)   The one through whom we have all spiritual blessings.

     L.   It is tragic that fusses have erupted over drinking vessels and the bread.

     M.  Or what people should wear at the table (I have heard heated discussions on this)

     N.  Or what color the juice should be.

CONCLUSION:

1.  Never conclude that communion is the one act that makes us pure and clean.

2.  Some seem to view the Lord’s Supper as an almost magical activity.

3.  As we avoid this extreme we… Want to bear in mind what the Bible says about this part of worship.

4.  God says that this activity is one of the ways to fellowship Him.  When we partake of the Supper,

5.  This is to be remembered.  If you are not a Christian, you are not in fellowship with God.

 

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