Invited to of the Lord’s Supper

I Corinthians 11:23-34

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; 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.” 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.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

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. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 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

We, as Believers are encouraged to obey the Lord’s ordinance of Communion. Communion is the act of remembering the sacrificial death and burial as the only means to satisfy the sin death owed to a holy God. On the night in which he was betrayed by Judas, the Lord sat down with the twelve. He shared with them some of his most intimate details regarding his death and Father’s plan. Even knowing all of what was about to take place, he attempted to comfort and encouraged the men who had followed his ministry over the past three years. They were filled with all kinds of emotions, but the Lord wanted to settle them and remind them that this moment had been told to them all along. On the night before he was crucified, he invited his disciples to partake in what is commonly called, “The Last Supper”.

There are three important elements we abide in when we remember and participate in the Lord’s supper:

• Obedience – According to Paul’s writings to the church at Corinth, he stated, that as often as you eat this bread and drink of this cup, we will be remembering the Lord’s death till he returns (I Cor. 11:26). Faithful obedience to the Lord’s words are the most respectable way to give him glory and honor. It is trusting and obeying him that pleases Him (Heb. 11:6). So when we participate by taking of the bread which represents his broken body and the juice his shed blood we are obeying him, bringing glory to Him.
• Judgement – In agreement with the element of obedience is the need to be judged. Judgement is basically the reckoning of an offense against the rule of authority, in this case it is the authority of the Lord God. God allows us to examine our own life, by comparing it with the life of is son. And in every case, we will come up short. Jesus was in complete obedience with everything his Father (Col. 1:19). So in our willful obedience to judge ourselves, we are offered the opportunity to identify areas of sin, confess them and be reinstated in a right relationship which qualifies us to participate in the communion supper. God holds a separate judgement for the unsaved world.
• Fellowship – One of the greatest witness to the world of the family of God is shown in the fellowship and union that exists among the saints. We are strongly admonished to be in fellowship with each other in the family of God but it can only be done when we are in fellowship with our Father. After we examine ourselves and make things right through repentance and confession, we can truly have fellowship one with another.

The beauty of being in fellowship with each other brings honor to the Lord. Join us as we honor the Lord in worship through participating in the Lord’s Communion. So this resurrection Sunday, wherever you are and with whoever, honor the Lord and remember his death in communion.