The Lord’s Table

Sermon Notes: 1 Corinthians 11:23-33 (KJV) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: [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. [25] After the same manner also he took 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. [26] For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. [27] 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. [28] But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. [29] For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. [30] For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. [31] For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. [32] But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. [33] Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

I always love the times we take the Lord’s Table. It is a time where we as a Church are to be the closest to one another and to Christ.

I remember years ago when I was just starting in ministry my mentor served the Lord’s Table backwards. He didn’t mean to, but had a senior moment like we all have. He served the “Cup” first, then the “Body”. Afterwards he told me he was so ashamed that he had done so, but I don’t think anyone noticed but we two. The order of the Table is important. Christ is the Vessel in which the Blood is in. The Body is broken, the Blood spilled. The Body of our Lord was beaten and bruised and whipped to bear the penalty of our sins.

Isaiah 53:5 (KJV) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

The Lord’s Table Is A Time Of Self Examination

The Lord’s Table is a time when we do two examinations.
We examine what Christ did for us, but we also must examine our own lives.
Not our neighbor’s, but ours.

The Apostle says:

[28] But let a man EXAMINE himself, and so let him eat of that bread,
and drink of that cup.

The word translated “EXAMINE” is the Greek δοκιμάζω dokimazō, a Present Active Imperative. This is a command. This word is used in the testing of something precious to determine whether it is genuine or not. I have often seen sales clerks who have been given a large dollar bill, a denomination like a 50$ or a $100, and mark on it with a felt tip marker. If the bill is genuine the mark will look a certain way. If they don’t have the test pen I have seen the clerk hold the bill up to the light to look at the watermarks that are supposed to be there. They test the bill because they are responsible for the till. That’s what dokimazō means – to test yourself. To take out your faith and hold it up to the light. Is the watermark of Christ in your life? If it is, then your faith is valid. If not, your faith may only be a feeling, and feelings do not save.

Do I have a genuine relationship with God in Christ? Is Jesus Christ real to me in good times as in bad? The Psalmist David said:

Psalm 26:2-7 (NKJV) Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart. 3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth. 4 I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, Nor will I go in with hypocrites. 5 I have hated the assembly of evildoers, And will not sit with the wicked. 6 I will wash my hands in innocence; So I will go about Your altar, O Lord, 7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all Your wondrous works.

David prayed “Lord, mark on me with that ‘test pen’. Prove me. Show me that I am yours.” If God is yours then your faith is genuine, and genuine faith reflects in the life that we live. The Church at Corinth was not showing love for God and love for one another, but divisiveness, such divisiveness that Paul had heard it through the grapevine though he was imprisoned and unable to cone to them. The Apostle said:

1 Corinthians 11:18-19 (KJV) For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. [19] For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

There were divisions and heresies manifested in the Church. The Lord’s Table is a time when the Family of God comes TOGETHER in LOVE, remembering what Christ did for us. God’s Children are not to be divided but in one accord following one Lord. A “heresy” is a false doctrine manifested in bad behavior. The Corinthians had turned the Lord’s Table into a greedy Roman Banquet. The Apostle said:

1 Corinthians 11:20-22 (KJV) When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. [21] For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. [22] What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

They were bringing more than bread and the cup to the Table. They were fighting over food, and drinking wine to drunkenness. It was a Roman feast! And it was not honoring to Christ.

The Lord’s Table is not a time to fill your belly, but a time to remind yourself of the great Sacrifice of Christ. His Body was broken for us. He willingly chose the nails. He did so to bring us together as family, the Family of God.

Lamentations 3:40 (NKJV) Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord;

2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV) Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

If Christ is in you then you will not greedily seek the table, nor live your lives in selfishness. As we humble ourselves before God He will bless us. But if we live as if we are part of the world and not part of His Kingdom God will chastise us. This is what was happening in Corinth.

[29] For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. [30] For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
[31] For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

Jesus gave us the Lord’s Table to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith or not. The Corinthians were not passing the test. They were mocking the test.

Our God is patient, and our Heavenly Father loves us. But if we who are His do not heed His direction, then He withdraws His blessing. Many of the Corinthians were weak and sickly. Sickness is not always a punishment from God, but it can be. When we forget the God of our Salvation He can withdraw His blessed hand. Sickness can come. Disease can consume us. Many of the Corinthians slept, that is, they died a Christian death. The Christian does not “die” but “sleeps”. His body sleeps, and his soul goes to be with Jesus. They were dying because they would not pass the test.

[32] But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

God punishes His Children when they stray from the path of love. If we are “in the faith” we will love one another and love the Lord Who saved us.

[33] Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

Christian love decrees that we “wait on one another”. At the Lord’s Table I am not there to feed myself, but to serve as Christ served. To sacrificially love.

The Lord’s Table Is A Time Where
We Examine What Christ Did

[23] … the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: [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.

Jesus is LORD. He is “The LORD Jesus”. He is the Creator God, the One of Whom the Scripture says:

Colossians 1:16-18 (NKJV) For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

No one took Christ’s life but He laid it down for us. He gave Himself for us. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus. Our Lord sent him from the Table BEFORE He served it. The Betrayer was gone. Then Jesus broke the Bread. Jesus broke the Body. He knew that there was no way that we could come to the Father, no work that we could do, that we were sinners, lost and undone. So He willingly gave Himself over to death. The Scripture says:

1 Timothy 2:6 (NKJV) {Jesus} GAVE HIMSELF a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,

He gave Himself. He gave Himself at that Table, and gave Himself at that Cross. What did He say?

“No man takes My life, but I lay it down of Myself, and I have power to take it again”
John 10:18

Jesus laid His life down for you and for me. Blessed be His name, the One Who …

Galatians 1:4 (NKJV) … who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

Jesus gave Himself for us. We break bread together to remember and examine what He did.

[25] After the same manner also he took 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.

The Blood of the Lamb paid for sin from the time of Adam until the time of Calvary. Lamb after lamb was slain, its blood shed on an altar in front of the Temple’s Holy of Holies. But the sacrifice of the Lamb was done every year at the same time, a time called among the Jew Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The Old Testament was temporary, fleeting, pointing to another day.

Hebrews 10:1-4 (NKJV) For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Hebrews 10:9-14 (NKJV) then {Christ} said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

The blood of animals sacrificed on the Temple Altar offered a temporary covering for sin. But when God died for us (Acts 20:28) His offering was once and for all. That …

whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16)

Have you received Him as Lord and Savior? If so, we celebrate Him at this Table. Come, celebrate with us. Do you tarry to receive Him? Do not do so. Receive Him without delay. Call on the Name of Jesus, believing He died for you. Trust Him with your life both now and into eternity.

[26] For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,
ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

Do not make this an empty show. Trust Him. Receive Him. Love Him. For He loves you!

May God touch your hearts with His Word.