A.Men have always built memorials and monuments to commemorate certain persons and events.
1.The transient nature of man on earth causes him to forget and to be forgotten.Even the most significant people and events are often forgotten in a single generation.
2.Therefore, time-enduring memorials are erected to maintain the memory.For example, Washington D.C. is filled with memorials to those people who contributed to the foundation and the preservation of the United States.The memorials stand to continually remind us of those people.
B.Throughout history, God has given memorials to commemorate significant events in the history of His people.Some of these memorials are:
1.The rainbow, given to Noah after the flood (Gen. 9:11-17);
2.Circumcision, given to Abraham after he received the promises (Gen. 17:10-14);
3.The Passover, given to Israel after God delivered them from the tenth plague (Ex. 12:1-47);
4.The Sabbath, given to Israel after God delivered them from Egypt (Ex. 20:8-11).
C.The most significant events in the history of the world are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
1.Christ did for us that which we could not do for ourselves.He saved us from the condemnation of sin.“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6).
2.These significant events occurred at what the Scripture describes as the “fullness of time” (Gal. 4:4), for the coming of Christ was the culmination of all history.
D.Therefore, Christ is worthy of an everlasting memorial to be cherished and faithfully observed.This memorial is the Lord’s Supper.
II.GOD HAS GIVEN US A MEMORIAL OF CHRIST
A.Men have commemorated Christ in many different ways.
1.Many have constructed cathedrals filled with elaborate decorations and precious materials.
2.Others have created sculptures, paintings, poems, songs, and other forms of art as memorials.
3.Still others have travelled to the land of Palestine where Jesus lived and died in order to commemorate Him.
B.However, God has revealed to us that which He desires as a memorial for Christ Jesus, which is the Lord’s Supper.
1.Christ Himself ordained the Lord’s Supper as a memorial on the night before He was crucified (Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19-20; 1Cor. 11:23-25).Jesus said specifically of the Lord’s Supper, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”
2.Other memorials may be helpful and pleasing to men, but they are not alternatives to God’s given memorial.The Lord’s Supper is the only memorial that Christ directed His disciples to observe.
C.In His infinite wisdom, God gave us a simple memorial of Christ that can be observed all over the world.
1.Christ used the elements from the Passover Feast, unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine.These elements are available worldwide.
2.The memorial act is a simple matter of eating and drinking.There is no great show or display required.Anyone is capable of observing the memorial.
III.THE MEANING OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
A.Despite the simplicity of the memorial, the Lord’s Supper has tremendous depth of meaning.
1.The elements of the Lord’s Supper are symbolic, for the unleavened bread represents the body of Christ and the fruit of the vine represents His blood, as Jesus ordained.
2.These elements serve as perpetual witnesses to the purchase price of our redemption, the body and blood of Jesus Christ.Those who observe the memorial remember the price that was paid for them.
B.The foremost purpose of the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of Christ.
1.As a commemoration, the Lord’s Supper is an observance by which we express that we remember the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
2.We do not observe the Supper in order to remember Christ, but rather we observe it because we do remember Him.The observance of the Supper is not the only time that we are to remember our Lord, but rather it is to show that we remember Him always.
C.Another purpose of the Supper is to make a proclamation of the Lord’s death.
1.Paul wrote, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1Cor. 11:26).
a.We proclaim His death because it was by His death that He saved us from our sins.
b.We proclaim Him to be the Lord because He was raised up out of death and ascended to the right hand of God.
c.We proclaim our faith that we believe that our risen Savior will come again.
2.If we refuse or fail to meet with the saints on the Lord’s Day to observe the Lord’s Supper, then we are failing to proclaim His death and all that it means for us.
D.The Lord’s Supper is also a communion with Christ and other Christians.
1.A communion is a sharing in common (1Cor. 10:16-17).It is not something that we take, but rather it is something that we do.
2.When we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we show our participation and unity with one another in the body of Christ.
IV.THE OBSERVANCE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
A.All evidence indicates that the Lord’s Supper is to be observed each week on the first day.
1.Foremost, Biblical evidence shows that the early church gathered on the first day of the week for the Lord’s Supper.
a.In Acts 20:7, Paul assembled with the church at Troas to “break bread,” a term that in certain contexts indicates the observance of the Lord’s Supper (see Acts 2:42).The text states that the purpose of their gathering was specifically to bread break, which gives evidence that this was indeed the observance of the Lord’s Supper.
b.The church at Corinth gathered pretentiously to observe the Lord’s Supper (1Cor. 11:17-22), and instructions regarding the collection suggest that they were gathering on the first day of the week (1Cor. 16:1-2).
2.Early historical evidence (writers such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement, Cyprian, etc.) confirms that the Lord’s Supper was observed by the church on the first day of the week.
3.Contrary to some arguments, a weekly observance does not diminish the importance of the Lord’s Supper.If anything, the weekly observance increases the importance, for “as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death” (1Cor. 11:26).
B.The weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper is to endure faithfully until the Lord comes again (1Cor. 11:26).
1.Until the Lord returns, there should be no suspension of the Supper for any reason.As long as we remember Him, we should observe His memorial.
2.Therefore, every observance of the Supper should be done with joyful anticipation of His return.
C.Notice a few more elements necessary for a pleasing memorial to Christ.
1.The Supper is to be observed with reverence (1Cor. 11:27).To make light of this memorial puts one in equal standing with those who mocked Christ as He hung on the cross.
2.The Supper is to be observed with self-examination (1Cor. 11:28-29).It is a time to reflect upon one’s own spiritual condition.
3.The Supper is to be observed with other Christians in the assembly of the church.The examples of the churches at Jerusalem (Acts 2:42), at Troas (Acts 20:7) and at Corinth (1Cor. 11:33) show that observance of the Lord’s Supper is an activity of the church, not the individual Christian.
D.The observance of the Lord’s Supper is a privilege.
1.This privilege is reserved for faithful believers in Christ.Only those who have known Christ as Lord can rightly remember Him.
2.Participation in the Supper is a blessing to be cherished and a time to draw nearer to God.Nothing can diminish its importance for a faithful Christian.
3.Christ wants us to observe the Lord’s Supper.He said, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”Therefore, let us do that which pleases our Lord and properly commemorate Him through the Lord’s Supper.
