Sharing the Lord's supper, the bread and the wine, is a beautiful reminder of what Jesus did for us on the Cross. As He approached His death, He shared this bittersweet meal with His closet disciples (fully knowing one would betray, one would deny, all would scatter), sealing His covenant with them and with us. Mom did a short study on this topic in her journal. Here is what she learned.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord Himself. On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then He broke it in pieces and said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember Me." In the same way, He took the cup of wine after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant between God and His people--an agreement confirmed with My blood. Do this to remember Me as often as you drink it." For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until He comes again.
"Each observance of the Lord's Table is a powerful occasion for faith's confession. In the ordinance the Christian confesses before all heaven that he not only believes but that he has not forgotten. In remembrance involves more than just memory. The word suggest "'an active calling to mind.'
The above verse begins with 'For' and introduces the reason the Lord's supper is continually repeated. It is an "acted sermon" for it proclaims the Lord's death. The outward act of faith as the bread and cup is taken is explicitly said to be an ongoing, active confession--literally, 'you are proclaiming.' Each occasion of partaking is an opportunity to say, proclaim, or confess again.
I herewith lay hold of all the benefits of Jesus Christ's full redemption for my life--forgiveness, wholeness, strength, healthy, self-sufficiency. The Lord's supper is not simply a ritual remembrance, but an active confession by which you actively will to call to memory and appropriate today all that Jesus has provided and promised through His Cross." Spirit Filled Life Bible
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God's approval will be recognized! When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord's Supper. For some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk. What? Don't you have your own homes for eating and drinking? What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this! For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord Himself. On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then He broke it in pieces and said, "This is My body, which is given for you. Do this to remember Me." In the same way, He took the cup of wine after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant between God and His people--an agreement confirmed with My blood. Do this to remember Me as often as you drink it. For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until He comes again. So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread and drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world. so, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord's Supper, wait for each other. If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won't bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I'll give you instructions about the other matters when I arrive.
These verses give us the institution of the Last Supper and what our conduct should be like. Loving reverential, and with a clear conscience.
Mark 14:22-25 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take it, for this is My body." And He took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, "This is my blood which confirms the covenant between God and His people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God."
The Lord's Supper: Celebrate it often. Approach it with faith, receiving the life and healing it provides. Covenant: An agreed upon plan to which both parties agree.
God initiated the action, set the conditions, defined as a decree, a made declaration of purpose. The new covenant was ratified by Jesus' death on the Cross
From me.
A lot to think about. The Lord's Supper is a beautiful tradition. Sometimes we forgot what a truly wonderful, meaningful practice it is to take part in the Lord's supper. I pray that this small study causes us to approach the Lord's Table with a new and reverential attitude.
Lord, thank You for giving us a reminder of Your love. I know for me a visual, physical reminder truly makes something more real in my heart. The fact that You came to us, You reached out to us, You made the covenant with us is nothing short of amazing. Such love! Oh Lord, help us to follow Your instructions, help us to come to Your table with awe and fear and amazement and humility. Let us remember how truly blessed and loved we are. Let us come with clean hearts because You died to make them so. I thank You. I praise You. In Jesus name, always. Amen
Read through the above verses and spend time thanking Jesus for His sacrifice and the lovely reminder of the Lord's Supper.
Mom took a lot of here information from the Spirit Filled Life Bible's Kingdom Dynamics.
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