SERMON #1069
Title: "THIS
DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME"
Text: I
Corinthians 11:24
"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."
Subject: The Purpose of the Lord's Supper
Date: Sunday
Afternoon -
Introduction:
The only purpose of our gathering this afternoon is that we
might once more observe the Lord's Supper. What a blessed ordinance of the
gospel this is. We are commanded to do it often. And we have chosen to keep
this feast in memory of our Savior every Sunday evening, as the early church
did. Yet, I like to take these afternoon services we have every fifth Sunday
and devote them strictly to the observance of this ordinance. I want our minds
to be focussed only on this one thing. I want us to
keep this ordinance in memory of our beloved Lord and Redeemer.
The title of my message today is taken directly from my text
in I Corinthians 11:24. "THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE
OF ME."
Proposition: The purpose of the Lord's Supper is to keep the
Person and work of our Savior constantly before our hearts and minds.
Through the centuries, men have perverted this ordinance
terribly. Some have made it a piece of superstition and idolatry. Others make
it to be nothing but a sentimental rite and ceremony of religion, having
nothing to do with the remembrance of Christ.
Those who pervert the ordinance are without excuse. The
Scriptures are not the least bit obscure about it. The Word of God is very
plain. When talking about the Lord's Supper, nothing is ever said in the Bible
about a sacrifice, an altar, or a priest. When it is presented in the
Scriptures, the Supper is always very simple. It is a service of remembrance,
an ordinance of testimony and communion, nothing more. No pompous ceremony is
involved with it. We are not even told what posture we are to be in when
receiving it. We are not told to sit or stand, to kneel or to bow. Nothing is
prescribed except bread and wine, eating the bread and SERMON #1069 "THIS DO IN
REMEMBRANCE OF ME" Page 2
drinking the wine, and remembering.
Nothing more.
The spiritual action particularly prescribed,
the act of remembering Christ is what I want to talk to you about today, as we
prepare to observe this ordinance. When we eat the bread and drink the wine, we
must remember our Redeemer, or we have failed to keep the ordinance.
Divisions: Let me briefly point out four things to direct
our thoughts in the worship of Christ.
1. It will be profitable for us to remember many things as
we come to the Lord's Table.
2. The ordinance is designed to turn our memories to Christ
himself.
3. The remembrance of Christ is most needful.
4. This blessed ordinance, when properly observed, does
exactly what it is supposed to do.
I. IT WILL BE PROFITABLE FOR US TO REMEMBER MANY THINGS AS
WE COME TO THE LORD'S TABLE.
The primary thing to remember is Christ himself. We must let
nothing turn our minds from him. But there are some secondary things that might
assist us in remembering him.
A. Let us remember OURSELVES WHEN WE WERE WITHOUT CHRIST.
B. Remember THE FIRST TIME YOU CAME TO THE TABLE.
C. We might do well to remember OUR DEPARTED FRIENDS WITH
WHOM WE OFTEN KEPT THIS FEAST.
D. Let us each now remember OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WITH WHOM
WE NOW BREAK BREAD.
- What
Grace Has Done For Them.
- Their
Usefulness and Benefit to the
- Their
Needs and What You Can Do for Them.
E. Remember THE APOSTATES, like Judas, WHO ONCE SAT HERE
WITH US.
- Do not
become presumptuous.
- Thank God
for his grace.
-
Consecrate yourself anew to Christ.
II. However, THIS ORDINANCE IS DESIGNED AND INTENDED TO TURN
OUR MEMORIES TO CHRIST HIMSELF.
SERMON #1069 "THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF
ME" Page 3
A. The Bread and the Wine set
before us are Representative of our Savior's Person.
B. Placed here on this table, in our very presence, the
Bread and Wine suggest our Lord's Nearness to us and His Familiarity with us.
"The Lord is at hand!"
C. The Broken Bread and the Wine
Poured Out show the Sufferings of Christ as our Substitute.
D. The Bread and the Wine, the Body
and the Blood, Separated declare our Savior's Death.
E. Eating the Bread and Drinking the Wine are Pictures of
Faith, Receiving Christ and Living upon Him.
F. Even the Fragments that Remain, the Bread and Wine that
is Left Over are Significant.
- Christ is
an Abundant, All-Sufficient Savior! There is plenty in him for all who come to
him.
- Every
Particle of this Ordinance Points to Christ. Here we behold the Lamb of God for
sinners slain!
III. Thirdly, I want you to see that THIS REMEMBRANCE OF
CHRIST IS VERY NEEDFUL.
It is shameful on our part that we should need this
ordinance, but blessed and gracious on our Lord's part that he gave it.
A. It is given to help SUSTAIN OUR FAITH.
B. It is given to STIMULATE OUR LOVE.
C. It is intended to STRENGTHEN OUR HOPE.
D. It is designed to CALL US TO OUR SAVIOR.
By this blessed ordinance our Savior calls us away from care, away from
strife, away from labor, away from the world, away from ourselves to him.
"My beloved spake, and said
unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is
past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of
the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the
vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and
come away." -- Song 2:10-13
SERMON #1069 "THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF
ME" Page 4
The object of Christ in this ordinance is to keep his name
engraved upon our hearts.
IV. Lastly, I want you to see that THIS BLESSED ORDINANCE,
WHEN PROPERLY OBSERVED, DOES EXACTLY WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO DO.
A. IT LINKS THAT WHICH IS MATERIAL WITH THAT WHICH IS
ALTOGETHER SPIRITUAL.
We have a tendency to either too much emphasize the material
or to too much emphasize the spiritual. Here the remembrance of Christ is
directly connected to bread and wine. Our God, who is the infinite Spirit,
actually did assume human flesh. And you and I shall dwell with him in the
spirit world in bodies of human flesh forever in the resurrection.
B. CHRIST, KNOWING OUR FORGETFULNESS, APPOINTED THIS FEAST
OF LOVE TO KEEP OUR HEARTS CLINGING TO HIM, TO KEEP US FROM FORGETTING HIM.
How I bless him and give him thanks for accommodating my
weakness. Often I do forget him. But here, every Lord's day, I am made to
remember him!
C. WHILE REVIVING THE MEMORIES OF THE SAINTS, THIS ORDINANCE
HAS ALSO BEEN USED OF GOD TO DRAW SINNERS TO CHRIST.
Oh, may our God be pleased to draw some of you now to him
who loved us and gave himself for us!
Application:
It is the privilege and duty of all believers to observe
this blessed ordinance often. It is a reveille call. It calls our hearts up to
heaven. It is the prelude to the great marriage supper of the Lamb. It is the
glorious celebration of redemption. Yet, it is useful only as it reminds us of
Christ. Seek grace now to lovingly remember him.
- His
Person!
- His Work!
- His
Grace!
- His
Promises!
This is the ordinance of our Lord. "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 also he took SERMON #1069 "THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF
ME" Page 5
the cup, when he had supped,
saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye
drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink
this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. -- 1 Cor