There is a story told of a little church that had an unusual ritual every Sunday morning.
When they sang the Gloria Patri they stood, turned to the right facing a blank white wall and sang.
Every Sunday without fail they did this.
A visitor to the church was puzzled by this and asked,
“Why do you do this?”
No one knew.
The only answer they could come up with was, “we’ve always done it this way.”
That answer did not satisfy the visitor.
(Pause)
Other people were asked the same question.
Finally an older gentlemen who had gone to church longer than anyone else
remembered the reason.
It seems that at one time they didn’t have hymnals
and the words to this song were painted on the large white wall.
Everyone stood, turned to the right facing the wall and sang.
Over the years the words faded and the wall was repainted numerous times
yet no one remembered the significance for standing and turning toward the wall.
Often we lose the real significance of why we do certain things
such as coming together for the Lord’s Supper.
Just what is the significance of communion for us in the 21st century?
(Pause)
We live in a fast-paced technological society
where we rush through our days failing to look back at the reasons why.
We just go through the motions and go on to something else.
We don’t often stop to think about the meaning behind things
that are a part of our worship.
It’s always been DONE THAT WAY.
Can we give an explanation for it?
(Pause)
Today on World Communion Sunday
let’s see what we can then understand from our scripture.
Understanding the History of the Lord’s Supper:
In Luke chapter 22 the traditional Passover was approaching
and Jesus’ disciples had made preparation for the occasion.
The Passover was a Jewish festival commemorating their exodus from Egypt.
It was repeated annually.
The bread and the wine were traditional parts of the Passover.
They understood this, but Jesus gave these elements new meaning.
(Pause)
In verse 14 he said,
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
For I tell you I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
The reason why this was so important to Him was that
He was ready to go to the cross
and He was going to use the bread and the wine
to explain the significance of what he was about to do on the cross.
He used things that they were already familiar with
to lead them into a new spiritual dimension.
(Pause)
The Passover was under the Old Covenant,
but Jesus’ death on the cross seals a New Covenant between God and people.
The Old Covenant involved forgiveness of sins through the blood of animal sacrifices.
In the New Covenant or agreement between God and man,
Jesus, Himself, would become the Lamb of God and die on the cross in place of sinners.
John the Baptist who baptized Jesus,
“cried out at the time of his baptism,
Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).
(Pause)
His blood would be effective in removing the sins of all
who placed their faith and trust in Him because He is God.
Jesus sacrifice would not have to be repeated over and over again.
It would be good for all eternity.
This new covenant was to be an
“everlasting one” effective for all time (Hebrews 9:22-28).
God wasn’t going to change his mind.
(Pause)
Jesus was in his message to the disciple to understand
the last meal there were going to have together,
was drawing from their knowledge of the past—
the Passover and the old sacrificial system to open up
their eyes and understanding of the significance
of a new everlasting covenant or agreement.
This new covenant was prophesied in the Old Testament.
The disciple could recognize this
and try to understand they are not just having a ordinary meal
and just going through the motions.
One account was in Jeremiah 31:31 where the prophet looked forward
to the time when the new covenant would fulfill the old sacrificial agreement.
“The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt” (Jeremiah 31:31-32).
(Pause)
The importance of this particular Passover Last Supper with them is that
the time had come for the long awaited
New Covenant and Jesus wanted them to understand it.
Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper which we still observe today.
(Pause)
He said, “do this in remembrance of me” (v. 19).
He retained the emblems off the bread and the wine (juice)
by giving them a brand new meaning.
He said, taking the bread,
“this represents my body which was given for you.”
He took the cup and said,
“this cup is the New Covenant in my blood which is poured out for you.”
Every time I hear this, it drives a deep for Me?:
(Pause)
Jesus is saying
“every time you take the bread and the cup I want it to remind you of me and of what I did for you.”
(Pause)
Sometimes we don’t stop to think about that.
He did this for me, for all my faults, for all my sins,
for me and whom I am out of unconditional love.
ILLUSTRATION:
At different times we might think of someone who has gone on to be with the Lord—
a wife, grandmother, grandfather, etc.
You look back at something they gave you or you look at their picture.
Some symbol or moment reminds you of this person.
I have two things that my Jennifer made for me.
One is this penguin. It is round, simple, complex,
but it reminds me of Jennifer who loved to make crocheted animals—
I have this picture of Jennifer and her prayer to be thankful in uncertain times.
Jennifer she was a Christian, she was a Methodist,
she was cat
and she loved with all her heart to all she talked to.
She even talked to me on a blind date
and put up with and made me who I am today.
(Pause)
Today is remembering about the importance of this moment….
Today on World Communion Sunday we all need a greater awareness of the significance of this service.
We need to wake up when we come together at our Lords table…
How do we then Approach the Communion Table:
Communion is a means of grace to us.
We come into Jesus’ presence with a thoughtful attitude.
We may ask ourselves when being thoughtful---
In what ways have I been missing the point?
In what way am I overlooking the significance of the New Covenant
and the benefits that are there for me?
Come and receive new cleansing from sin.
It is for you.
Come and receive peace with God.
Come and receive freedom and liberty from the power of sin over your life.
Come and receive His healing.
Because it is an everlasting covenant, we have hope for our future.
As a believer today we observe the Lord’s Supper until he comes again (I Corinthians 11:26).
Today let us come to this table with all our brothers and sisters around the world,
our Saints of the past,
Come and let us apply it to ourselves and receive the benefits and comfort of it.
Let it strengthen our faith
as we REMEMBER Christ’s death on the Cross as the Lamb of God