1. WHY DO WE CELEBRATE THE LORD'S SUPPER ?
The Bible Says -
1 Cor. 11:23-25.
(a)The Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed
took bread;
(b) And when he had given thanks He brake it, and said, take
eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of
me. After the same manner He took the cup, when He had supped, saying,
This cup is the new testament in my blood:
(c) this do as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. (see
also, Matt. 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:15-20)
From This We Learn -
We celebrate the Lord's Supper because:
(A) Christ, on the same night in which He was betrayed;
(B) Gave to His disciples, bread and wine;
(C) And instructed them to do likewise, often, in remembrance
of Him.
2. WHAT DID CHRIST SAY ABOUT THE BREAD AND WINE ?
The Bible Says -
(a) Luke 22:19,20. This is My body which is given for you
... This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you.
(b) Mark 14:24. This is My blood of the new testament.
(c) Matt. 26:28. For this is My blood of the new testament,
which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
From This We Learn -
Christ said:
(A) That the bread is His body, the same body given for us.
(B) That the cup is His blood, the blood of the new testament,
the same blood that was shed for us.
(A,C) That this body was given for us, and this blood was
shed for us, for the remission of sins.
3. ARE THE BREAD AND WINE CHANGED INTO CHRIST'S BODY AND BLOOD ?
The Bible Says -
(a) 1 Cor. 11:26-28. As often as ye eat this BREAD, and drink
this CUP, ye do show the Lord's death till He come. Wherefore, whosoever
shall eat this BREAD, and drink this CUP of the Lord, unworthily, shall
be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself,
and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
(b) 1 Cor. 10:16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is
it not the communion of the blood of Christ ? The BREAD which we break,
is it not the communion of the body of Christ ?
From This We Learn -
The bread and wine are not changed into Christ's body and
blood because the Bible plainly tells us:
(A,B) That what we break and eat is BREAD not flesh.
4.WHY DID CHRIST SAY THAT THE BREAD AND WINE ARE HIS BODY AND BLOOD?
The Bible Says -
(a) Matt. 26:26. He took bread, and gave thanks and brake
it and gave it unto them, saying, "This is My body which is GIVEN FOR YOU."
(b) Matt. 26:27. Drink ye all of it; for this is My blood
of the new testament, which is SHED FOR MANY for the remission of sins.
(c) Rom. 10:8-9. The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth
and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach.
(d) 1 Cor. 15:2-3. Ye are also saved if ye keep in memory
what I preached unto you ... how that Christ died for our sins.
(e) Gal. 3:22. Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
From This We Learn -
(A) Christ wants us to believe that His body was given for
us, and that we truly receive that body which was given for us.
(B) He also wants us to believe that His blood was shed for
us for the remission of sins, and that we truly receive that blood which
was shed for us.
(C,D,E) For our faith in Christ rests on the assurance that he died for our sins [i.e. that His body was given for us, and that His blood was shed for us for the remission of sins],and we receive what is promised us in the Lord's Supper through that faith.
(E) In other words, through faith in Christ's sacrifice we receive His body and blood, not as something to chew on, but as the atonement of our sins.
5. DO ALL WHO PARTAKE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER RECEIVE FORGIVENESS ?
The Bible Says -
(a) 2 Cor. 13:5. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith;
prove your own selves.
(b) 1 Cor. 11:28-29. Let a man examine himself, and so let
him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh
unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the
Lord's body.
(c) Heb. 11:6. Without faith it is impossible to please Him
(God).
From This We Learn -
(A,B) All who receive the Lord's Supper are to examine themselves,
whether they believe that Christ died for their sins or not.
(B,C) For all who eat and drink without faith receive condemnation,
not forgiveness, because they do not recognize Christ's body and blood
as the atonement for their sins.
6. WHO ARE UNWORTHY TO PARTAKE ?
The Bible Says -
(a) Gal. 5:4. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever
of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
(b) Heb. 10:26. For if we sin willfully after that we have
received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice
for sins.
(c) 1 Cor. 11:29,31. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily,
eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the lord's body
... For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
From This We Learn -
(A) All who look to, the law to make them righteous are unworthy
of God's grace.
(B) All who are willfully impenitent are unworthy of Christ's
sacrifice.
(C) All who do not recognize Christ's body and blood as the
source of their salvation, or refuse to admit and condemn their own sins
are unworthy to partake.
7. WHAT SHOULD ONE WHO ADMINISTERS THE LORD'S SUPPER SAY AS
HE DISTRIBUTES THE BREAD AND THE CUP ?
The Bible Says -
1 Cor. 11:23-25. The Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed ...SAID ...THIS DO in remembrance of Me."
From This We Learn -
He who administers the Lord's Supper should do what Christ
did when He administered the Lord's Supper.
(A) As Christ said, "Take, eat; this is my body which is
broken for you:" he should say, "Take, eat; this is Christ's body which
is broken for you."
(B) Likewise, as Christ said, "Take drink ye all of it; this
cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the remission
of sins:" he should say, "Take drink ye all of it; this cup is the new
testament in Christ's blood which is shed for you for the remission of
sins."
BEFORE THE NEXT LESSON
FILL OUT Work Sheet No. 19
MEMORIZE the Bible Passages marked with an asterisk (*).
READ Psalms 32, 46, 51, 73, 84, 90 and 91
(A) Is he a worthy communicant ? ................................................