Each week I write an article for our worship guide. What follows is my article for this weeks worship guide (09.18.16). Last week and again this coming week, I preached on the Lord's Supper (or communion). I have been stunned at the number of people who have come to me and said they have never heard a sermon on this topic.
The following article is a very brief summary of the content of the two sermons. I just thought (hoped?) it might be helpful to some...
Today we observe the Lord’s Supper. This is one of two ordnances that the Lord left us, the other being baptism. The Lord’s Supper is
a beautiful ceremony that reminds us of both the body and the blood of Jesus
Christ. His body was pierced for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5) and His blood
shed for the remission of our sins (Hebrews 9:22). As we come to this time of
remembrance, I pray that it will be a powerful time for both you personally and
for us as a church.
There are three things that you need to keep in mind this
morning as we participate in this ceremony. First, look back at what Christ has
done for you. Jesus told us that this was to be done in remembrance of Him
(Luke 22:19). What are we to remember? We are to remember that we are sinners
and that sin requires a sacrifice. However, instead of us having to provide
this sacrifice, Jesus became the sacrifice for us.
Next, we need to look within. We are told in 1 Corinthians
11:28 that we are to examine ourselves. We must deal with any sin that is
within us. This is the time to lay those things before the Lord and to quit
hiding them. We are given strong warnings about approaching the Lord’s Supper
in an unworthy manner (1 Corinthians 11:27, 30).
Finally, we are to look ahead. It is with a sense of
anticipation that we approach the Lord’s Supper. Jesus said that He would not
eat this meal with us again until “it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God” (Luke
22:16). In other words, we will dine with Him only after His victorious return.
One commentator called this meal that we look forward to the “great
eschatological banquet.”
I trust that today will be a meaningful day of worship for
you. I pray that you are reminded of the depth of Christ’s love for you. If you
have come into this place struggling, I pray you will find victory. And
finally, I pray that you will leave here with the greatest expectation of all,
the great expectation of the glorious return of Christ.
