The Lord's Supper

Unleavened bread and Fruit of the Vine

THE LORD’S SUPPER

INTRODUCTION: The Lord’s Supper is one of the most beautiful and significant doctrines of the Bible. It is the picture left by the Bridegroom (Christ) with His fiancee (the church) to be viewed in every age until His return for the marriage.

I.       The origin of the supper

A.   Initiated by Jesus, Matthew 26:26-29

1.     This supper took place just prior to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion.

2.     It was the last intimate gathering of Christ and His church.

3.     Jesus was burdened about the sorrow that would come to His church after He would

depart, John 14:1-3.

4.     He was concerned about the tribulation that they would face in the world, John 17.

B.   The purpose of the supper

1.     It was given to the church to remember His death until He returns.

2.     The supper is a picture that we have to ease the sorrow and the tribulation in every

age, fortifying our hope of His soon return.

II.     The recipients of the supper

A.   The recipients are Jesus’ called out assembly, gathered together in one place with Christ

as the Head of that body.

1.     Not all the saved, but only His church, was gathered together at the time Christ

instituted the Lord’s Supper.

2.     It is important to understand that the supper is a picture for the church. The signifi-

cance of the picture applies only in reference to the relationship of Christ and His

Bride.

a.  An engaged man taking a far journey does not leave pictures with several women
      but only with his fiancee.

b.  The Lord’s Supper deals with the shed blood and broken body of Christ, which
      is the means of salvation for all mankind. However, the picture that He gave to
      His church reveals the entire purpose of His sacrifice, which proclaims in a spe-
      cial way His death for His Bride, Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25.

B.   This is a church ordinance, and we are told as often as we observe it, do it in remem-
        brance of Him, I Corinthians 11:23-26.

1.     Each individual must cleanse himself before participating in the supper,

I Corinthians 11:28,29.

2.     As this ordinance pictures the Bridegroom, it draws our attention to the need of

being faithful to Him.

III.    The elements of the supper.

A. Unleavened bread

1.     Luke 22:19 does not say that the bread was unleavened, but we know that He was

using a loaf from the Passover, which, according to Exodus 12:15, was commanded to be unleavened bread; violation of this brought the penalty of death.

2.     Leaven in the Scriptures represents sin, I Corinthians 5:6.

3.     The supper cannot be taken without purging the body of sin, I Corinthians 5:7.

4.     The loaf represents the body of Christ, comprised of members of that body,

I Corinthians 10:17; I Corinthians 12:12,14.

B.   The fruit of the vine

1.     This represents the blood of Jesus, shed for us, Matthew 26:28.

2.     It also represents the abundant life that the believer can have in the church (His

body), John 10:10.

IV.    The restrictions of the supper

A.   It can only be observed in church capacity, I Corinthians 11:18.

B.   Only faithful members of the local church can participate.

1.     Remember, it is the Lord’s table, I Corinthians 10:21.

2.     The Lord makes the rules, determining who can sit at His table.

3.     If any brother is a fornicator, covetous, an idolator, a railer, a drunkard, or an extor-

tioner, we are commanded not to eat the supper with him, I Corinthians 5:11. (In
        fact, we are told to put him out of the membership, verses 4 and 5.)
 4. We are instructed not to observe the Lord’s Supper if there are divisions in the
        church, I Corinthians 11:18.

5.     We are not to eat with those who are not doctrinally sound, I Corinthians 11:19;

Romans 16:17.

6.     The Lord’s Supper is not to be taken with those of other faiths, II John 9-11.

7.     With these restrictions in view, it becomes evident that it is not possible to take the

Lord’s Supper with other churches even though they are of like faith and order.

a.  How can we know if the members of another church are in unity?

b.  How do we know whether they are excluded or not?

c.  If they are members of another church body, how can this church discipline
      their lives?

d.  How can we invite those who are not part of the body to participate if there can
      be no divisions in the body when the supper is taken?

V.      The blessings of the supper

A.   It is a time of cleansing and renewing for both the church and the individual members
        and a time to draw closer in our union with Christ.

B.   It is a time to look at the picture of the Bridegroom in anticipation of His soon return and
        the marriage of the Lamb, Revelation 19:7,8.