8-18-10 1 Cor Message 46 The Lords Supper

The Lord’s Supper

I.          It is the Communion of the Body of Christ

(see Message 36; 1 Cor. 10:16-17) This is the fellowship of the blood and the body of Christ.  This is our unity.  This is our common ground and it supersedes all our differences; therefore any division is a slap in the face to the thing that unites us.

II.        The light of the above Truth shows us why God chooses to introduce the information about the Lord’s Supper with an indictment against divisions and heresies. (verses 12-19)

III.       God tells them how “not” to administer the Lord’s Supper. (verses 20-22)

IV.       Don’t mess around with ordinances.

Exodus 25:10-14 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. ¹¹And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. ¹²And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. ¹³And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.

2 Samuel 6:3-7 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. ⁴And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. ⁵And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

⁶And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. ⁷And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

V.        The proper manner of administration of the Lord’s Supper (verses 23-26)

VI.       Proper participants in the Lord’s Supper

A.        Outwardly right – Church is responsible for this

1.         Must be a Brother in good standing  with God –

1 Corinthians 5:11 ¹¹But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

2.         We can only know this about those with whom we are responsible

B.        Inwardly right (honest self examination) – God takes care of this. (verses 27-32)

VII.     Conclusion of the matter (verses 33-34)

A.        In partaking of the Lord’s Supper, we should all eat the same