The Observance Of The Lord’s Supper

To those who have requested this information, I hope it helps…This is a typical Baptist church service in which we observe the Lord’s Supper…

The Message: 1Cor 11:20-34 (KJV)

20) When ye come together therefore into one place, [this] is not to eat the Lord's supper.

Although they were claiming to meet with the intent to glorify God by observance of His supper…

21) For in eating every one taketh before [other] his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

22) What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise [you] not.

They could not have been meeting with the right motives in mind for the supper.

Their actions clearly revealed this… each selfishly ate without consideration of the others.  They brought their own suppers to church to eat in front of others.  Some ate to fulfill their own fleshly desire of hunger, others drank to excess causing drunkeness.  In both cases, this was selfish behavior not behavior that desires the Lord’s glory.

Desires and Intentions are very important in the observance of the Lord’s Supper.  Our motives should be:

vs 23-24 - To remember His physical suffering for us

23) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread:

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.

Paul’s instructions were based upon the example that Christ Himself set as He led the first observance of the Lord’s Supper.

The bread is symbolic of the body of Christ (His sufferings on the cross).  As we chew the bread it is a picture of Christ’s body being abused, torn and broken on our behalf.  As we swallow the bread it is picturing that His work has been applied to us.

vs 25 – To remember His shed blood for us.

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.

Paul’s instructions continue …

The fruit of the vine is symbolic of His shed blood (His life given on the cross – the life of the flesh is in His blood).  His shed blood is the basis of the convenant of salvation by grace that the Lord has given to us.  As we pour the fruit of the vine from the cups to our lips it pictures the His blood being poured form His body.  As we swallow the fruit of the vine, we are picturing His blood being applied to us.

vs 26 – To remember His death and His second coming.

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

Paul now summarizes what he has covered so far….

A combination of His body being abused, torn and broken along with His blood being shed is symbolic of the process of death that He went through on the cross.

4.  vs 27-34 - To drink of it worthily  

27) Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

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

29) For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

30) For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

Paul gives ample warning about the need to take care in the partaking of the Lord’s Supper.  To eat of it in an unworthy fashion is sinful and, therefore, makes one guilty of the body and blood of Christ.  He suffered to pay the price for our sins.  Some of those sins He died for were the sins of partaking of the Supper unworthily.

How do we eat of it unworthily?

1. Selfishly partaking of the Supper by having the wrong desires and motives for partaking of it. (context above)

2.    Selfishly partaking of the Supper by having known, unconfessed sin in our lives, those sins have caused His death and suffering.  Lord sent sinful away before eating.  (John 13:18-30)

1. a.    Jesus at sop (before Lord’s Supper) says that one will betray Him’


2. Disciples ask Him who it is…

John 13:26-30 (KJV)

26) Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped [it]. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave [it] to Judas Iscariot, [the son] of Simon.

27) And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

28) Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

29) For some [of them] thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy [those things] that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

30) He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.

Therefore, we are to take time to give all opportunity to examine ourselves to be sure we have right motives and desires in the supper and that we have no unconfessed sin in our lives.

By partaking of the supper unworthily, we are harming ourselves and may face sickness or even death.  This is a big deal, no small issue.

  31) For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

32) But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

 How do we avoid this type of judgment, by taking the time to judge ourselves and take care of our known sins, our desires and intentions in observing the supper.

 33) Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

34) And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

 Therefore, we are to make sure we give all the needed time to examine our lives and to prepare our hearts properly for the supper.  No selfishness by hurrying the self examination or fulfilling hunger.

 The Observance of the Lord’s Supper

 

1. Message


2. Invitation and Time of      Examination combined


3. Uncover Table


4. Read :

1 Cor 11: 23 - 24) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread: 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.

 

5. Prayer For Bread


6. Distribute Bread


7. Hold Up Bread and      Read:

1 Cor 11: 23 - 24) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread: 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.

 

8. Eat Bread


9. Read:

1 Cor 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.

 

10. Prayer For Cup


11. Distribute Cup


12. Hold Up Cup and Read:

1 Cor 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.

 

13. Drink Cup


14. Read:

Matt 26: 29) But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

1 Cor 11:26) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

Matt 26: 30) And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

 

15. Closing Prayer of      Thanksgiving


16. Sing      Closing Song


17. Dismissal      – Everyone quietly leave church