OceanSide church of Christ
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WHAT ARE WE REALLY SAYING?
The Lord’s
Supper
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCITON
A.
In harmony with the example
of the early church, we gather upon the first day of the week to partake of the
Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7).
And upon the
first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul
preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and he continued his speech
until midnight.
1.
The denominational world
tells us that a weekly observance is too much. They assert that is causes the Lord’s
Supper to become commonplace.
2.
This view puts human
reasoning above the authority of God’s Word.
B.
Having said this, we now
must agree that the Lord’s Supper can become a mindless ritual in which we
engage for a few minutes during the worship service.
1.
This problem has nothing to
do with the frequency of observance.
2.
It has everything to do with
the heart of the believer.
C.
To overcome a lackadaisical
attitude during the Lord’s Supper, we must really engage the mind and temper the
body.
D.
To assist us, we want to ask
and answer this question: “When we
partake of the Lord’s Supper, what are we really saying to the
world?”
I. JESUS
IS THE SON OF GOD
A.
Jesus was not just a unique
man. He was not just a wise
teacher. He was not just a special
servant of God.
B.
He was the very Son of
God. In essence, He was God in the
flesh (Matt. 1:23).
Behold, a virgin
shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name
Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
C.
This proclamation may seem
trivial to us, but the vast majority of the world does not believe this
fact.
D.
In light of Jesus’ words in
John 8:24, it is of vast importance.
I said therefore
unto you, that ye shall die in your sins:
for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your
sins.
II. GOD SENT HIS SON
INTO THE WORLD
A.
At least 10 times this fact
is declared in the NT (John 3:17, 34, 8:42; 10:36; 17:3; Acts 3:26; Gal. 4:4; I
John 4:9-10).
1.
Galatians
4:4.
But when the
fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under
the law.
2.
Love was the motivating
force behind the sending of Jesus to earth (I John
4:9-10).
In this was
manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten
Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God,
but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our
sins.
B.
It is difficult for us to
comprehend that deity took the nature of human beings.
1.
John 1:14, 18. See also Philippians
2:5-8.
In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….And the Word was
made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the
only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
2.
In order to satisfy the
demands of divine justice, God knew that the death of a perfect sacrifice was
needed. Thus, He sent forth His
precious, only begotten Son.
III. JESUS, DEITY, TASTED DEATH
ON THE CROSS OF
A.
I
Corinthians 11:26.
For as often as
ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s
death…
B.
This is another fact that
some have had difficulty accepting.
1.
How can deity die? Yet, we know that He
did.
a.
Luke 23:46.
And when Jesus
had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my
spirit: and having said thus, he
gave up the ghost.
b.
His death was confirmed by Pilate at the hands of a Roman centurion (Mark
15:44-45).
2.
Jesus’ death is part of His ceasing to be equal with God (Phil. 2:6) and
is part of the mystery of godliness (I Tim. 3:16).
IV. JESUS ROSE FROM THE
DEAD.
A.
Had the grave held the body
of the Son of God until this day, we would not be assembling around this
table.
B.
It was the Lord’s
resurrection that declared him to be the Son of God with power
(
C.
Let’s examine the words of
Jesus found in Matthew 26:29.
But I say unto
you, I will no drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I
drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
1.
The kingdom was established
on the Pentecost following our Lord’s crucifixion (Acts
2).
2.
Jesus said that He would
drink the fruit of the vine anew in the Father’s kingdom. It He were dead, his would be
impossible.
3.
Jesus lives and every Lord’s
Day He communes with his disciples around the Lord’s
Table.
V. JESUS IS
COMING AGAIN
A.
I
Corinthians 11:26.
For as often as
ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he
come.
1.
The word “till” marks the
point in time when the Lord’s Supper will come to an end.
2.
We will take of the bread
and the fruit of the vine “till” the Lord comes.
B.
Each Lord’s day when we
assemble around the table of the Lord, we do so in anticipation of the Lord’s
coming.
1.
He promised it. I will come
again… (John 14:3).
2.
The angelic hosts declared
it (Acts 1:10-11).
And while they
looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in
white apparel; which also said, Ye men of
3.
The NT writer promised it
(II Peter 3:10).
But the day of
the Lord will come as a thief in the night…
4.
We believe this fact and
proclaim it to the world as we observe the Supper.
CONCLUSION
A.
One has said: “I would rather see a sermon than hear
one any time.”
B. As we partake of the simple elements of the Lord’s Supper, we are proclaiming a marvelous sermon to all who are present about the Christ, the Son of God.