1 Cor.11:23-29

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In

the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this

bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the

body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone

who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself

Questions And Answers

• Question 1: What Is The Lord’s Supper All About? • Toward the end of Passover, Jesus created a new memorial

Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:14-20• A memorial of His death Bread is body which is for you.

See depth of suffering. See pain, sacrifice, death.• A reminder of our covenant Cup is new covenant in His

blood. (Hebrews 9:11-12; Hebrews 8:10-13)• A proclamation We directly proclaim His death. We

indirectly proclaim His return. Power for the saved & lost• A partnership (I Cor. 10:16-18; Exodus 12:6-10; 1 Cor. 11:26)

where we share in the altar as we partake of the emblems

• Question 2: How Do You Do The Lord’s Supper?• What can we do to make it better? A sincere question, but

misguided zeal. What does Jesus want us to do?• Simple Steps: Took bread, blessed it, ate it together. Took

cup, blessed it, ate it together. While they sang a hymn this doesn’t appear to be part of it (1 Cor. 11:23-26)• Why is it referred to as a meal… it’s such a small amount of

food? Only time meal is used isn’t positive (I Cor. 11:21). It is a spiritual meal… don’t force it into physical standards• Does the bread need to be broken first? Some see a specific

patter, some a coincidence (I Cor. 11:24; 8:11-13)• It is something done in the assembly. There is no authority

for it outside of the assembly. The pattern & instructions take the assembly (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:17-18, 33)• It is to be taken on the first day of the week. A regular

weekly meeting was held by the saints for this purpose. How many Sabbaths? (1 Cor. 16:1-2; Acts 20:7; Rev. 1:10)

• Question 3: Does It Really Matter What We Use?• Remember, it is the Lord’s memorial not my memorial. As

such, it isn’t about what like, but what Jesus wanted. • Jesus chose two elements present at the Passover meal…

unleavened bread & fruit of the vine. If this was just a coincidence we are free to choose whatever we want. If there is more to it, we are not free to make substitutions• In 1 Corinthians 11 it is these elements and only these

elements Paul speaks of. Any other food introduced by these Christians was condemned and to be left at home!• There was a continued usage of these emblems (I Cor. 5:6-8)• These two emblems are loaded with Biblical imagery…• Unleavened bread (Exodus 13:3; Galatians 5:9)• Fruit Of The Vine (Isaiah 5:1-7; Isaiah 65:8; Amos 9:13-15;

John 15:1-2; Matthew 20:1-16)• Perhaps there’s something to the physical appearance of

these items, but there is so much more!

• Question 4: I know I shouldn’t take in an unworthy manner but what does that mean? (1 Cor. 11:27-32)• Common misconception places focus on the worthiness of

the person. So if I sinned last week, I refrain from taking.• This is NOT what Paul says… He speaks of partaking in an

unworthy MANNER, not as an unworthy PERSON• Paul defines what he means when he says, “Not discerning

the Lord’s body.” Now, is this body His physical suffering or is this body His church? (1 Cor. 10:16-17)• An unworthy manner is serious business! Makes you guilty

of the body and blood Jesus. Means you eat and drink judgment on yourself (Hebrews 6:6; 10:29)• Did God really make people sick and die over this? Perhaps.

Remember Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5)? Could also be speaking of their spiritual state that resulted from this.

• Question 5: I have heard people question this 2 serving concept, what is the big deal about that? • Some churches offer the Lord’s Supper on Sunday night to

those who missed on Sunday morning. Usually it is one or a few who take. Sometimes they take it in a back room.

• Some say it is right: Still first day of week (Acts 20:7), still taken in the assembly, those who have already taken are waiting on those who haven’t (I Cor. 11), the OT allowed a

second observance of the Passover (Numbers 9:10-11)• Some oppose it: Pattern is more than day, but how assembly

took it together (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:33-34), Lord’s Supper is partly a communion between saints (I Cor. 11), some say purpose of the assembly matters (Acts 20:7), can’t use OT as specific authority, why did Paul stay in Troas? (Acts 20:7)

• Putting people in a back room does not solve anything… • Three Solutions: Don’t offer it for sake of your brother (1

Cor. 8:1-13), Offer to everyone a 2nd time (Acts 20:7), Since I’m not 100% sure, I allow room to exercise their faith

• Some miscellaneous questions that have arisen…• What about transubstantiation? The idea that the bread and

juice literally become flesh and blood (See John 6)• Since Jesus did the LS at the end of the Passover shouldn’t it

be part of a big meal? (1 Cor. 11:20-22, 34; Jude 1:12)• What about those who insist on one cup? See emphasis on

the container not the contents (I Cor 11:25-26, Lk 22:17-20)• Does the order of the emblems matter? Do we have to do

the bread before the cup? (1 Cor. 11:23-24)• Should I take the Lord’s Supper if I have been wrestling with a

child? See taking the LS in an unworthy manner. • What if I have fallen away and come back to church? See taking

the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner.• Can it be any fruit of the vine or does it have to be grape juice?

Sufficient evidence that Jesus used grape juice• Can children take the Lord’s Supper? Are children in need of

the blood of Jesus? Are they in covenant relationship? No• What if we assembled and only did the Lord’s Supper? Not

the only thing we are to do! While central, it isn’t all we are to do (Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:1-2; Heb. 10:24-25; I Cor 14)

• Question 6: What can I do to improve the way I keep this memorial? • Be careful about misguided zeal. It is Jesus’ memorial and

He kept it simple. The power isn’t in the pomp and show. Just like His ministry. Be content with it! (1 Cor. 11:23)• Don’t use the Lord’s Supper as an opportunity to take a shot

at your brother (1 Cor. 8:11-13)• Focus on the cross and the covenant through the power of

the word (Psalm 22 & Isaiah 53; the gospels accounts of the last night & day, Romans 3-5; Hebrews 8-10)• Remember the death of Jesus through the eyes of one who

was there (Mark 15:39)• Think about others. Remember the body that His body hung

there to create! (1 Cor. 10:17)• Focus on what Jesus has done for you. Count the spiritual

blessings you have in Jesus (Ephesians 1:3)• There are some great hymns written about the death of

Jesus and our covenant. You can read and reflect on these