Sermon Lord’s Supper Names

Sermon: Lord’s Supper Names

Matthew 26:26-30 (New International Version)

²⁶Wh= ile they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." 27Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink fr= om it, all of you. ²⁸This is my blood of the^[a] covenant, which is poured out for man= y for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you = in my Father's kingdom." ³⁰When they had sung a hymn, th= ey went out to the Mount of Olives.

I. This morning, we have the privileg= e of sharing together in the Lord’s Supper—a simple act of worship a= nd remembrance that followers of Jesus Christ have participated in since that first time Jesus shared this meal with His disciples in the Upper Room. Christians continue to share this = meal today in churches all over the world.

While in Ireland recently, though, I was reminded that we don’t all go about this serv= ice in the same way. Two Baptist churches, yet the way our brothers and sisters in Carrickfergus share the supper is different from how we do it—and Ill say more about this lat= er.

But in Ireland, the Lord’s Supper is called “The Table,” not what we call= it, which reminds us that it goes by many different names. I’ll mention a few of these = during our service today. Each of th= ese names has a special truth to convey, and I trust that each one will add something= to the meaning, the understanding, and the significance of this meal for our lives.

Let’s begin with a name that’s not very fa= miliar to us as Baptists: THE EUCHARIST. This name makes sense only when we understand what it means. The Greek word—and thus, the= New Testament word—for thanksgiving is ‘eucharisteo.”

So, to call this meal the Eucharist simply reminds us = that it’s a time to give thanks. In the Scripture that _____________ read, we’re told that ‘Jesus t= ook the bread…and the cup…and He gave thanks.’

It should be obvious to us all why the offering = of thanks should be part of this service.&nbs= p; Think of the blessings we’re reminded of as we gather around t= his table. Here, we receive both physical and spiritual blessings.

The bread and wine remind us of God’s provision for us. Together, t= hey form a very simple meal of food and drink.= This is needed for our physical survival, and we are dependent upon = our Heavenly Father for these basic necessities of life, just as are the birds = of the air and the flowers of the field.

But, of course, this bread and this cup point us also to deeper spiritual blessings—grace, mercy, forgiveness, eternal life--through faith in Him whose body was broken and blood shed for us all.

How can we say thanks for the things He has done= for us? Through our love for Chri= st and others, and our faithful service to Christ and others in His Name. Travis will come now and lead us i= n a prayer of THANKSGIVING.

Prayer of Thanksgiving…………………….Travis=

Serving the Bread

1 Corinthians 10:16-17 (New International Version)

¹⁶Is not the cup of thanksgiving= for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? ¹⁷Bec= ause there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

II. Do you hear what read to us about the bread and the cup, that they are a “participation” in the body and blood of Christ? Well, if _ had been re= ading from the King James translation, instead of participation, the word would h= ave been “communion”—‘the communion of the body and blo= od of Christ.’ =

Now, this IS a word that we know and associate w= ith this meal: COMMUNION; or as it is often called, HOLY COMMUNION. In my home church in Simpsonville, SC= , this is what the Lord’s Supper was often called. We had communion.

This is an interesting word. It’s the translation of the = Greek word ‘koinonia’ which in other places is translated as “fellowship.” Communion, fellowship, participation—they all point to the same reality. We gather in the Nam= e of the Lord, as His people, His body, to share together this holy meal. We don’t do this individuall= y, but together, in communion with Christ and with one another.<= /h2>
Why? Paul explains in = verse 17: “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.&#= 8221; He is talking about a relationship= not to be taken lightly, the fact that we are all one body in Jesus Christ.

Perhaps we lose something with these little individual wafers we just ate. Jesus took a whole loaf of bread and blessed it and broke it and sai= d, “Eat this. It’s m= y body broken for you.” At the= very least, we need to understand the symbolism of the one loaf—and the one cup too, for that matter.

Look around and notice the persons who are participating in this communion meal with you. It’s a precious bond that we= share together here. It’s a s= acred connection that we often take far too lightly and fail to protect sufficiently.

Together, we are the body of Christ. Together, we commune around this t= able; and the food and drink we consume here represent none other than the body a= nd blood of our Lord.

When we leave here, we’ll eat all kinds of different things; but this is OUR meal, set before us by the Lord Jesus Chr= ist Himself; and it cost Him His very life to provide it for us. So don’t take it lightlyR= 12;not the sacrifice that Christ made, nor the call He issued for us to be one in = Him.

No wonder we would conclude those Communion serv= ices in my home church by singing: “Blest be the tie that binds our hearts= in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.̶= 1; At its best, and we’re not a= lways at our best, but in those Spirit-led moments, this is the church, the body = of Christ, the sweet fellowship that is like unto that above.

Glenn will lead us n= ow in our Prayer of Fellowship.

Serving of the Cup

III. Before we conclude our service, and as a way of reflecting on the experience we just shared together, I want to mention one other name for th= is observance—one that we know about but certainly never use as Baptists: The MASS. We relate this term to our R= oman Catholic friends, of course.

But what does it mean? Well, let me tell you how the Bapt= ists in Ireland<= /st1:country-region> did “The Table.” = After a worship service that lasted about an hour and ten minutes, there was a closing hymn and prayer, and visitors, along with some members who needed t= o do so, would leave.

The rest of the congregation would then reassemb= le for Communion. There were Scr= ipture readings, prayers, and hymns, and then the bread and the cup were served. No one was asked to leave, but it = was understood that this was for baptized believers only. And this happens every Sunday.

Now, here’s the thing: this is much the sa= me as what took place in the early church.&nb= sp; The service was divided into two parts. The first part was open to everyone. It included singing= and praying, Bible reading and preaching.

When this was over, the worship leader would say, “Ite, missa est,”—“Go, you are dismissed.” Some would leave. Baptized believers, though, would = stay around for the second part of the service, the Lord’s Supper.

Over time, “missa est” was shortened= to simply “missa” and then “mass.” And the word “mass” ca= me to be associated with the Supper itself, not just the dismissal before the supper.

Now, over the centuries, many things were added = to the observance and understanding of the mass. The Reformers found some of these = understandings to be unscriptural, so this term is not generally used in Protestant church= es.

But here’s a thought. If we go back to its original mean= ing, “the dismissal,” we may find some relevance to what we do. I invite you to listen, please, to= what the writer of Hebrews says:

“…we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day eve= ry priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers = the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered fo= r all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:10-12

One sacrifice—once for all. Partaking of the Lord’s Supp= er does not make us right with God. If you did not receive this supper as a person of faith, this won’t make= you one.

For those of us who believe, though, this supper= -- every time we share it together--it serves to remind us of what Jesus Christ did = for us “once for all; once for all!”

1) The need for any further sacrifice—no more--dismissed.

2) The need for any priest or intermediary betwe= en us and the Father—no longer--dismissed.

3) The need for us to try to work our way back to God, being good enough or doing good enough to gain His approval, that̵= 7;s over too--dismissed.

“What can wash away my sin, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make= me whole again, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

“Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing good t= hat I have done…THIS is all my hope and peace, This is all my righteousne= ss…”

“…Nothing but the blood of Jesus.= 221; (Hymn No, 135)