1 Corinthians 11:23-26, “The Lord’s Supper”

[hmp_player playlist=’1Cor11:23-26′]

Sermon Notes Below:

February 2, 2014,

“The LORD’S Supper”

God instituted “Passover” when He rescued His people (the Hebrews) from Egypt after 400 years of captivity. The Passover is named after the Death Angel’s Passing Over Egypt. God commanded that the door frames of the houses be smeared with the blood of a year-old lamb, as a sacrifice to God. In all the houses that did not obey God, the firstborn males, human and animal died.
Throughout her history Israel celebrated this meal in remembrance of God’s sovereign deliverance of them out of Egypt; and so, the Jewish Passover celebrated the temporary, physical deliverance of the Hebrews from their bondage of slavery under Pharaoh, to their covenant with God under the Law.

The Lord’s Supper celebrates the permanent, spiritual deliverance of all true Believers from their bondage of slavery under the Law, to their covenant with God through Christ, under Grace. Jesus transformed the Passover meal into the Lord’s Supper.
Instead of a ritual centered Passover that sought to appease the God of heaven, as did the Jews, the Lord’s Supper proclaims forgiveness for our sins and eternal life with God through Christ’s once for all sacrifice for all sins.

Read 1Corinthians 11:23-25…

The bread originally eaten during the first Passover meal when God freed the Jews from their bondage in Egypt, now represents the sinless and sacrificial body of Jesus Christ, through whom we have received freedom from the bondage of sin – forgiveness and eternal life through Christ’s sacrificed body.

No wonder Jesus says, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

The cup was filled with fruit of the vine [grape juice or diluted wine], this represented the lamb’s blood that was originally smeared on the doorposts of each house in Egypt, it now represents the sacrificial blood of the Lamb of God, shed for the salvation of the whole world.

No wonder Jesus says, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
God’s Word declares (Look these up: Hebrews 8:8-10, 13; 9:15, 22, 27-28; 10:5-10, 15-18) apart from the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness for sins; and only through the shed blood of God’s Son could the sovereign and final payment for all sins be made; our punishment was put upon Christ, in Him God’s eternal forgiveness is given to all men, women, and children of age who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus for their salvation.

The old covenant (before Christ) was under the Law, continual sacrifices and offerings for sin were given, but God says those sins (before Christ) were left unpunished.

The new covenant (through Christ) is under Grace, only one sacrifice for all sins – past, present, future: Christ’s shed blood is God’s fulfilled payment for sin, and so it takes away the penalty of sin from every person who trusts in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, having received Christ’s payment on the cross, we are saved.

What had been celebrated as Passover for centuries before the coming of God’s Son, is now to be celebrated as the Lord’s Supper, until such a time as Christ returns to gather all true Christians to Himself.

The bread and the cup are taken in remembrance of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross through which He made the full and final payment for all sin.

So, when Jesus says “do this in remembrance of Me,” we are to remember His sanctified service and sacrificial suffering, His life and His death.


When we partake of the Lord’s Supper we celebrate the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ: the Lamb of God; and this is to be observed by everyone who has personally and genuinely trusted in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins and the salvation of their souls.

Why did Jesus have to die for us? Because (Romans 3:10-12), “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, no even one.” In fact, (v. 23) says “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” [i.e., everyone is a sinner, no one is acceptable to God]” and therefore (Romans 6:23) says, “the wages of sin is death [our payment for sin, what we deserve, is the death penalty], but the verse goes on to say, “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” [eternity in heaven with God, along with all those who belong to Him, through faith in Christ].

Have you believed and received this “free gift” from God? Romans 10:9-10 states: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

2Corinthians 5:17, ”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”
We are forgiven our sins, past-present-future, and granted eternal life. What are we then supposed to do?

Romans 12:1-2, “I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God –this is your spiritual act of worship [reasonable service]. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

The Bible teaches clearly that God changes people. You can come to God “Just as you are,” but you will not remain that way if you have truly been born of God.

When you repent of your sins and trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you are a new creation, you belong to God, and you purpose to bring honor and glory to God.

Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

The Holy Spirit transforms our life day by day, as we apply God’s Word (2Timothy 3:16-17), “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

You and I must make choices daily to know and obey God’s Word, Paul commands us (Ephesians 4:22-24), “to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

James 1:25, “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it– he will be blessed in what he does.”

God’s greatest demonstration of LOVE is Jesus Christ. John 3:16 puts it this way, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Man’s greatest demonstration of love for God is his obedience to God’s Word and conformity to Christ.

2Corinthians 13:5, ”Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test?”

Are you a Christian? Do you pass the test? Is Christ Jesus in You?

How can you tell whether or not Christ is in you?

You will know that you love God and belong to Christ because you will desire to
both know and do that which pleases God.

John 14:23-26, “If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not My own; they belong to the Father who sent Me. All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” LOVE = OBEDIENCE Read 1Corinthians 11:26… The sacrament of Communion [the Lord’s Supper] is a testimony to the world that we believe and have faith in what Jesus accomplished at His first coming, and that we trust Him for what will be fulfilled at His second and final coming.

When Jesus came on the scene (Mark 1:15-17), He gave this command, “Repent, Believe, and Follow Me!” For He is (John 14:6), “the way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father accept through [Him].”

If you confess Jesus as Lord and believe Him to be your Savior, you should partake of the Lord’s Supper.

All Genuine believers are fully equipped to proclaim the Gospel of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, and His sovereign resurrection from the grave. 1John 5:11-13, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write this to you who believe so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

As you receive the bread and the cup today, you ought to quietly examine your own heart attitude toward God, God’s Word, and God’s people. If there are sins you are holding on to, give them up, confess them to God.
In your heart this morning, make the determination to read God’s Word daily and obey what it says, pray to God continually, actively seek fellowship, participation, and service in a local body of believers where God’s Word is taught, obeyed, and honored – this is God’s command.

Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day [of the Lord’s Return] approaching.”