The Lord’s Supper

1Co 11:23-26
(23) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
(24) And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
(25) After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
(26) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.


Intro
Paul wasn’t there when Jesus first instituted the Lord’s Supper. Therefore a revelation was giving to Paul on the significance of the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
This part was written to correct the abuses or disorders in the preceding verses. Partaking of the Lord’s Supper is to put away our greed and indulgence (being excessive) for self. This means that we have to remember as well as to put on Christ’s nature of self denial when He carried the Cross to Calvary. Luke 9:23 is not just about reducing but more importantly that Christ increase as John the Baptist said in John 3:30.
Self denial without increasing the Christ nature in us will result in false humility which will eventually lead to pride which God opposes. Less is not best, but rather more of Christ is required to take over the lessening of other things that superseded Jesus in the first place.
This correction is very important as the practice of the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion is not to be taken lightly. 1 Cor 11:29-30
The Lord’s Supper is about remembrance about Jesus death on the Cross. Remembrance of Christ submission to the Father’s will. For us it means that we have to come to the same place where Jesus abandoned Himself. Abandonment is like leaving the place of sin, pride and self; burning the bridge to cross over totally to God’s will and purposes for our lives. This means our trust in the Lord has to increase and allowing Him to be Adonai (my Lord).
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Gen 3:1-5) – The devil will always come to us to bring us to circumstances to question God’s supremacy – ‘Have God said?’ Don’t argue with him, this means we have to trust God fully to satisfy us, protect us, provide for us…..
Paul said that it was the night the Jesus was betrayed that the institution of the Lord’s Supper took place. Paul reminds us of the circumstances for this memorial, that is in not submitting to God’s will which leads to mistrust in God is liken to betrayal. It’s a serious accusation especially if it comes from the Lord Himself. Similar to a husband and wife relationship where trust is an important key to a firm marriage relationship.

The Bread
1. Matt 6:11, in the prayer the Lord taught us, the bread mentioned is to be asked for daily. All that is necessary for daily strength. As much as we need physical break for strength, we need daily spiritual bread to be over comers. Psa 119:11: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
2. We need the break of Heaven for our spiritual life which is our daily sustenance. Life means growth, any child that doesn’t grow will bring grief to his or her parents. Same with our Father in Heaven, he wants us to grow in wisdom and in stature as Jesus did (Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.)
3. The evidence of our receiving the bread of Heaven is obviously seen by how much we obey God’s Word. Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
4. Rev 3:20 speaks of Jesus coming and wanting to sup with us. A relationship that Jesus wants to share with us daily, that He can break the bread and give it to us.
5. The broken bread was blessed (Matt 26:26), which means that the Word that we receive from God has to be blessed by Him and must be consumed whole. We eat what He gives us because it’s blessed. It is our duty to take every word: 2Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: which means we even have to ready to take God’s reproof (rebuke) and correction. Don’t just take God’s promises and blessing but also His rod of discipline because He loves us.
6. We are not meant to be spiritually over weight. In order to nourish others, we must first be broken. This means we have to be broken before God can use us to bless others. God has to take us to the place of brokenness for our sin, pride, self and what ever that stands in the way of blessing others. We know that we are broken when we are able to take rebuke for our wrong and willing to be corrected.

The Cup
The cup was given by Jesus after the supping; therefore the cup will be given to us once there is a communion we share with the Lord. The Covenant is then given to us, with the blood showing the final seal or confirmation by His ultimate sacrifice.
How much of God’s covenant or promises are being realized in our lives will depend on how much of a communion life we share with Jesus. Not forgetting that it is out of a constant receiving of the bread of heaven first that will take us to receiving the fullness of His promises.
His promises are the Will of God for our lives. A rich man will have a will written out on whom to leave his wealth with after he passes on. It some sense it’s the same kind of will, that the God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psa 50:10) wants to bless us. More than physical blessing it is His Presence that He want us to bear. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13).
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (1Jo 1:3-6) There is a tremendous joy in knowing that we are accepted in God. This world seeks acceptance and recognition by dressing better, driving larger cars or living in bigger homes, lavishing in great wealth. Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. God’s will for us to receive our inheritance is when we living in His Presence where there is everlasting joy.
The cup which contains the wine which signifies joy and healing.
Neh 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. God’s joy is the secret to being an over-comer over our loneliness, low self-esteem, sin, whatever that brings sadness and depression upon our lives.
The Good Samaritan applied wine to the wounds of the man hurt by robbers. Let us not look at the physical healing only, which is just as important. And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. (Mat 9:2-7). God wants us to be whole in not just the body but also the mind and spirit. 2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Jesus wants us to remember His death often because we have to be reminded daily that following Jesus means we have to bear our own cross daily (Luke 9:23). It’s something no one can bear on our behalf. It is His desire that when He returns, He will be able to find us as faithful to the end. The taking of the Lord’s Supper must also serve to remind us that we are to live like the early church in great anticipation of our ultimate home in heaven. In other words, we are but sojourners on this earth.