Acts of the Assembly: The Lord's Supper I. Introduction A. In the New Testament we see examples of brethren assembling and engaging in various activities 1. These activities include singing, praying, the Lord's Supper, hearing a lesson, giving, and studying the Bible 2. Such, then, are the things we do as we assemble together with one another B. It is good for us, then, to spend some time examining the nature of these activities so that we can engage in them more properly and more profitably C. We have already examined singing, having seen that we are to sing songs to encourage, teach and admonish one another, and therefore must give all diligence to what we sing D. We have also looked into praying and how our prayers in the assembly are to function, giving thanks to God, making requests of Him, and in so doing encouraging one another E. Let us continue by looking into the Lord's Supper F. Before we begin, let us keep two important truths in mind: 1. In the New Testament, "worship" is not limited to practices inside an assembly; the "assembly" and "worship" are never explicitly connected in the New Testament. Our lives of spiritual service-- being a living and holy sacrifice-- according to God's will represents our worship to God in spirit and in truth (Romans 12:1, John 4:20-24). Assembling with the saints is a part of that spiritual service, but not the sum of our worship to God 2. Likewise, we have seen from 1 Corinthians 14:12, 26 and Hebrews 10:24-25 that the purpose of what we do in the assembly is to edify and encourage one another-- everything we say regarding the Lord's Supper must be considered in that light G. Having established such things, let us explore from the Scriptures the memorial of the Lord's Supper II. The Institution and Continuance of the Lord's Supper A. Let us begin by examining the origin of the Lord's Supper B. Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:19-20 1. Here on the eve of His death Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper 2. He offers it as part of the Passover meal to His disciples 3. He distributes bread, representing His body, and fruit of the vine, representing His blood, the new covenant C. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 1. When discussing the Lord's Supper with the brethren in Corinth, Paul describes that which he received regarding it 2. Paul explicitly demonstrates that the partaking of the Lord's Supper is to be continued 3. v. 20 indicates that the assembly is under discussion, so we can be assured that the Lord's Supper was done in an assembly context D. Acts 20:7 1. Here Luke indicates that the brethren assembled "to break bread" a. "break bread" is metonymy for some form of a meal, and we deduce from all available information that it here refers to the Lord's Supper b. that this was a continual observance can be seen in how this particular first day of the week did not have any special significance... c. ...and that the assembly was something of value by the fact that despite his haste (Acts 20:16), he tarried seven days at Troas 2. From this example and its surrounding circumstances, then, we can safely conclude that the brethren assembled to partake of the Lord's Supper on this first day of the week, that they were not in the habit of assembling on other days of the week for this purpose, that it held significance, and that it was done on a continual basis on the first day of each week E. Now that we have seen the institution of the Lord's Supper, let us see that which the Lord's Supper consists III. What is the Lord's Supper? A. The Lord's Supper is a ceremonial meal 1. It is not, as some allege, a full, "agape", or "love" feast; Jesus offers the bread after the regular Passover meal 2. While brethren certainly ate meals together (cf. Acts 2:46, Acts 20:11), the Lord's Supper was a separate, ceremonial meal 3. It is not designed to fill the one partaking B. Jesus "took bread" 1. The bread which He took was most certainly unleavened bread 2. Luke 22:7: it was during the Passover, the day of unleavened bread 3. The original command is from Exodus 12:15, where there is to be no leaven in the house C. Jesus "took the cup" 1. The cup that is "poured out" is said to represent the "new covenant in Jesus' blood" (22:20) 2. The cup in that reference seems to be a reminder of Himself, since it was His poured out blood that is the basis of our covenant (Hebrews 9:15-27) 3. Regardless, the cup is speaking metonymically for its contents-- the fruit of the vine 4. While some desire to contend that it was fermented-- i.e., wine-- the command in Exodus paired with the knowledge that the Israelites could have preserved grape juice lends credence to the belief that it was unfermented grape juice D. Such, then, represent the nature of the emblems in the Lord's Supper E. Let us not believe that the emblems really become body and blood in some way 1. The intention is for the emblems to signify the body and blood of Jesus 2. We see no indication that the New Testament authors considered the Lord's Supper to refer literally to body and blood 3. It makes little sense for Jesus to be in person taking bread and fruit of the vine and call it His body and blood when His body and blood are present! 4. Finally, Acts 15:29 enjoins Christians to abstain from blood, which we could not do if the fruit of the vine becomes blood 5. It ought to be manifest, then, that there is no mystical change in the nature of the emblems E. Having seen such things, then, why, then, do we partake of the Lord's Supper? IV. Why Partake of the Lord's Supper? A. To memorialize and remember the Lord's death 1. This is the primary reason for the Lord's Supper, and the reason given in 1 Corinthians 11:25-26 2. The Lord's Supper is to be a time that we reflect on the great sacrifice that Christ made on our behalf 3. The bread directs our minds to His body, nailed to the cross without just cause 4. The red grape juice directs our minds to His blood, shed for many for the remission of sin 5. There is no statue, no other form of commemoration of His death in the Scriptures-- the meditation of His followers on a weekly basis has been a far more lasting monument to His death than stone could ever be B. To rejoice in the Lord's resurrection 1. The Lord's Supper is not to be a "funeral", so to speak; it does not only commemorate Christ's death 2. The greatness of Jesus is not only in that He died, for all men die; the greatness of Jesus is that although He tasted death, He rose again 3. While His death was necessary for us to have remission of sin, as Paul says: if Christ was not raised, then we are still in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:17)! 4. By necessity, the resurrection is a part of our memorial of Christ Jesus 5. This is made manifest by when we partake of the Lord's Supper a. If we were to follow the example of Jesus, we would partake on a Thursday evening b. if it were all about His death, it would be on a Friday c. yet we see the disciples assembling to partake on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7) d. this is significant, for it was on the first day of the week that the Lord was raised (Matthew 28:1-10) e. Hence, the first day of the week as the Lord's day (Revelation 1:10) 6. It is manifest, then, that our proclamation of the Lord's death also involves the proclamation of His resurrection, through which we have the hope of our own resurrection and eternal life C. To jointly participate in Christ-- communion 1. Another reason for partaking of the Lord's Supper is to share in the communion of believers 2. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 3. We can be called rightly the "People of the Bread" or "People of the Fruit of the Vine" 4. By all partaking of the same bread and fruit of the vine, we demonstrate ourselves to all be one in Christ Jesus 5. This is not commanding simultaneous eating nor demands only one loaf and cup a. it is important that Paul uses the first person plural here-- "we" b. Paul is not in Corinth; he is probably in Ephesus c. how, then, can he use the first person plural if he is not with them? d. This indicates that the point is that since we all partake of the bread, and the fruit of the vine, in our individual locations at some point on the first day of the week, we demonstrate our communion with one another 6. While the passage would seem to require the same nature of bread and fruit of the vine, it demonstrates how it is significant that the Lord's Supper is a communal action a. the Lord's Supper is an individual action done collectively b. We each must judge ourselves and then take (1 Corinthians 11:27-32)-- this is an individual matter; likewise, we must all purpose to assemble to partake (Acts 20:7) c. yet, unlike singing or praying or giving or preaching, the Lord's Supper cannot be done individually and collectively-- it demands the collective setting of the assembly, or else it cannot be a joint participation in Christ's body and blood! D. The return of Christ? 1. Many take the tail end of 1 Corinthians 11:26, "until He comes", to mean that the Lord's Supper is also there to remember His return 2. This is not entirely accurate-- Paul is simply providing a temporally limiting factor: we partake of the Lord's Supper until He returns, for then there will be no further need to proclaim His death 3. The fact that we are still here and partaking, nevertheless, does remind us that His return has not yet occurred, and that we are still awaiting that glorious day E. Such, then, are the purposes of partaking of the Lord's Supper V. Conclusion A. We have seen the nature of the Lord's Supper B. Jesus instituted it just before His death and the church perpetuates it on the first day of the week C. He distributed unleavened bread and fruit of the vine to represent His body and blood, so that we may give consideration to and memorialize His great work on the cross D. We partake, however, on the day of His resurrection, the first day of the week, and have the opportunity to proclaim His death and have remission of sin thanks to His resurrection E. We partake of similar bread and fruit of the vine together to demonstrate our joint participation in Christ, that we are the people of His body and His blood, all around the world F. Let us soon partake of the Lord's Supper, giving thanks to God for all He has done for us, remembering the Lord's death and proclaiming it, and sharing together in the feast of our Lord G. Invitation/songbook H. The Lord's Supper as the memorial of Christ's death is only valuable for those who can discern the body and blood: Christians (1 Corinthians 11:27-29) I. The joy of the joint participation in Christ can only be for those who are in Christ 1. All, however, are called to this feast: you have the opportunity to join this band today, and be able to participate in this feast together with us today! 2. Come to obedient faith in Christ Jesus J. Or perhaps you are a Christian, but some difficulty has caused you to not be able to discern the body and blood as you ought K. Or perhaps you simply require encouragement to continue in the faith L. However we can help you, please allow us to do so now; come to the front as we stand and sing