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Good morning to everyone. You 
can turn in your Bibles with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. 
1 Corinthians chapter 11. We're not observing the Lord's 
Supper today, but we're going to look at the Lord's Supper 
as Paul rehearses the institution of the Lord's Supper by our Lord 
Jesus Christ within the context of dealing with sinful conduct 
at the church in Corinth. surrounding their observance 
of the Lord's Supper. And when we observe the Lord's 
Supper, or when we explore the Lord's Supper from the Bible, 
it's not simply an exploration of that Christian ordinance. 
It is also an exploration of the perfections of God. It's 
an exploration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it's an 
exploration of the faith-strengthening power of the Holy Spirit. We're going to read from 1 Corinthians 
11, beginning at verse 17, to the end of the chapter. So 1 
Corinthians 11 17, this is the word of the triune God. Now in 
giving these instructions, I do not praise you, since you come 
together not for the better, but for the worse. For first 
of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there 
are divisions among you. And in part, I believe it. For 
there must also be factions among you that those who are approved 
may be recognized among you. Therefore, when you come together 
in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating, 
each one takes his own supper ahead of others, and one is hungry 
and another is drunk. What? Do you not have houses 
to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church 
of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to 
you? Shall I praise you in this? I 
do not praise you. For I received from the Lord 
that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on 
the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. And when 
he had given thanks, he broke it and said, Take, eat, this 
is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of 
me. In the same manner, he also took 
the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant 
in my blood. This do as often as you drink 
it in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this 
bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till 
he comes. Therefore, whoever eats this 
bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will 
be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine 
himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 
For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks 
judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason 
many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we 
would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are 
judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned 
with the world. Therefore, my brethren, When 
you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone 
is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. 
And the rest I will set in order when I come. Amen. Well, let 
us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you 
for this time together now in worship, the preaching of your 
word. We do pray that you would help us to have ears to hear, 
that you would help us to have hearts to receive your blessed 
word. Might we be filled with your Holy Spirit as we gain an 
appreciation for the Lord's Supper as we reflect upon the dying 
of the Son of God upon Calvary's cross as that ground for the 
supper and the shedding of his blood at Calvary's cross. We 
pray, Lord God, that you would help us believers here to be 
strengthened in our faith, to be all the more built up in it. 
And Lord God, by your Spirit, we would pray that you would 
save sinners this morning unto the praise of your glorious grace. And it's in Christ's name that 
we pray. Amen. Well, as we noted, Paul is dealing 
with sinful conduct at the Lord's Supper, and we can see that that 
conduct is absolutely wretched. In an ordinance given by the 
Lord to be an observance, a remembrance of His death upon Calvary's cross 
and His ratification of the new covenant, there were some who 
were eating unto gluttony, drinking unto drunkenness, and some who 
were starving because those were glutting themselves upon the 
food. at the supper that surrounded 
the Lord's Supper observance. And so, what the Apostle Paul 
does in the midst of strong condemnation is he sets forth the Lord's institution 
of his own supper as the ground for which they should reflect 
upon their sin and so observe the Lord's Supper in a proper 
manner. If the Lord's Supper is, and it is, a remembrance 
of the dying of the Son of God upon Calvary's cross wherein 
His body was broken and His blood was shed, then far be it from 
any Christian to call it a light thing, to gather together for 
the Lord's Supper for such a blessed remembrance. We want to look 
at four things this morning connected to the text, and the text specifically 
verses 23 to 26. We're going to note first the 
Lord's Supper's character as a divine command. Second, its 
character as a remembrance, generally. Thirdly, its character as a remembrance 
of Christ, specifically. And lastly, its character as 
a proclamation. Just by way of introduction, 
though, we want to note it's a curious thing that the very 
things ordained by God for the good of His Church are often 
things treated lightly by the Church of Christ. We can think 
of what we are to do as Christians in the Gathered Church, pray. 
the reading of the scriptures, the singing of psalms and hymns 
and spiritual songs, the preaching of the word, and baptism in the 
Lord's Supper. Very often, perhaps, in the modern 
church at large, not to exclude ourselves, but in the modern 
church at large, there's a seeking after the shiny things of a modern 
and a pseudo-Christian religion, and not a glorying in the heritage 
things that we have in our Christian faith, the simplicity and yet 
the glory of gathering together for prayer, the reading of the 
scriptures, the singing of hymns, the preaching of the word, and 
the administration of the Lord's Supper and of baptism. Also, 
by way of introduction, there are two things that we want to 
note before we dive into the text. There's an interesting 
thing that we have here. When we read For I received from 
the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, 
on the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread." There's 
something very vital that we have in the fact that the Lord 
Jesus Christ administered the supper that would be a remembrance 
of Him on the very eve of His sacrifice. John Calvin notes 
this, speaking with respect to Matthew 26-23, on the night in 
which he was betrayed. This circumstance, as to time, 
instructs us to the design of the sacrament that the benefit 
of Christ's death may be ratified in us. For the Lord might have 
sometime previously committed to the apostles this covenant 
seal, but he waited until the time of his oblation. That simply 
means his sacrifice upon the cross. But he waited until the 
time of his oblation that the apostles might see soon after 
accomplished in reality in his body what he had represented 
to them in the bread and in the wine. So when we read in this 
text here, it's not just simply the Apostle Paul recounting a 
historical fact that Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper on the night 
in which he was betrayed, but the providential and blessed 
timing that on the very night before the Son of God would give 
himself for guilty sinners, he institutes a remembrance of the 
fact that he is giving himself and that he gave himself for 
guilty sinners upon Calvary's cross. And we want to note, secondly 
as well, by way of importance before we dive in here, that 
the Lord's Supper is replete with gospel. This text, verses 
23 to 26, is replete with gospel. That is what the Lord's Supper 
is all about. It's not about us, it's about 
Christ and the blessed gospel of our glorious God. So let's 
look at the text now then, and first we want to note its character 
as a divine command. Notice that we see this first. 
Well, before we see this first, we want to qualify this statement, 
its character as a divine command, by saying that Christianity is 
not a do-this-and-live religion. In fact, uniquely, Christianity 
is a redemptive religion. All other religions, in one way, 
in one fashion, or in one manner or another, seek to appease God 
or the gods, a god or the gods, by human doing, human striving, 
human deeds, and human works. the essence of do this and you 
shall live. Christianity comes as the true 
and saving religion and it says Christ has done, believe on him 
and you will live. But there is in the Christian 
religion, there are do this is. There are commands given to us, 
not that we might be saved by their performance, but having 
been saved by amazing and victorious grace, we're called as a pattern 
of living to do things as we conduct ourselves in a manner 
worthy of the gospel of Christ. So we see here the Lord's Supper 
in its character as a divine command. Notice first we see 
it at the beginning of the text, verse 23, for I receive, this 
is Paul writing, for I receive from the Lord that which I also 
deliver to you." Now, you might say at first glance, well, how 
do we see divine command in that? We're not simply to see the superficiality 
of language here, but apostolic authority, as Paul gave to the 
church at Corinth, the administration of the Lord's Supper, its observance. 
For I received from the Lord." The apostle here received from 
the Lord divine command. He received instruction with 
regards to the Lord's Supper. Not only did Paul then receive 
it, but then Paul delivered it to the church at Corinth. So 
we are to see in that statement divine command. They are to observe 
the Lord's Supper. And we ought to note here that 
we are, as Christians 2,000 years removed from the writing of this, 
we are also the blessed recipients and beneficiaries of an I received 
and delivered to you history. You know, the exalted Christ 
at the right hand of the Majesty on High, by His Spirit, has delivered 
to men throughout the history of the Church, and they have 
in turn delivered to us the words of Christ and the truth of Holy 
Scripture. We ought to always rejoice in 
our God for the fact that we have had throughout the history 
of the church those who have received and those who have delivered 
to us. But we see this pattern in the 
New Testament that the apostles received from the Lord and those 
apostles in turn deliver to the church. So this brings to the 
fore one of the things the Apostle Paul is trying to do here. He's trying to answer sinful 
conduct at the Lord's Supper by asserting that the Lord's 
Supper comes by apostolic command. How dare you treat the Lord's 
Supper in this particular manner by being gluttons and drunkards 
when this blessed ordinance comes to you by the very divine apostles 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. We also see its character as 
a divine command in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ rehearsed. Notice in verse 24, and when 
he had given thanks, he broke it, that is the bread, and said, 
Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you. Do this in 
remembrance of me. And he repeats that with the 
cup. This cup is the new covenant in my blood. This, do as often 
as you drink it in remembrance of me. So in rehearsing this, 
Paul is asserting against the malconduct of the Corinthians 
that you should be observing this with understanding, faith, 
reverence, and godly fear, because it is the Lord Jesus Christ himself 
who is commanding you to do this. And the do this assumes that 
it is done in a particular manner, which we'll note shortly. The Lord's Supper, its observance 
is by divine command. I think we as Christians, perhaps 
it's just the modern landscape we live in. We're sort of gluttons on measures 
of freedom in the West, freedoms that are slowly being taken away, 
possibly, but nevertheless, we live in a land of liberty, and 
we live in a land of excess, and we live in a land of the 
allurements of the world. And so, the Lord's Supper is 
often cast off, even by Christians, as something that's optional, 
as something that can be missed. I came to the morning service, 
that's sort of good enough for my religious servants for the 
week, for the day. I don't need to attend the Lord's 
Supper. But the Lord's Supper comes to Christians as a divine 
command, and not as of a divine command given by some heavenly 
tyrant, pressing his thumb of oppression upon us that we have 
to come into this to this place and observe this supper, but 
rather it comes from a gracious God who has graciously pulled 
us from out of darkness into marvelous light, who has delivered 
us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us or conveyed 
us into the kingdom of the son of his love, and we are to see 
it as a blessed reality to gather together our joyful Christian 
responsibility to observe the Lord's supper, to so take of 
the bread and eat, to so take of the wine and drink, And in 
so doing, observe and remember the blessed dying of the Lord 
Jesus Christ. It comes with us. It comes to 
us in a do-this character. Our confession of faith reads 
this way. It's rehearsing the elements 
of worship. And it says this, the reading 
of the scriptures, preaching and hearing of the word, teaching 
and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual 
songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord, as also 
the administration of baptism and the Lord's Supper Notice 
the character of our Christian worship there. When we talk about do this, when 
we talk about the fact that Christ says, those who love me will 
do my commandments, we don't come to these do this's and these 
commandments as, you know, begrudging slaves of a heavenly tyrant. But rather, these things are 
to be performed in obedience to God, notice, with understanding, 
faith, reverence, and godly fear. That means Christians are to 
have a deep understanding, in this case, of what the Lord's 
Supper is all about. We're to have understanding when 
we worship. We're to know who we worship, 
we're to know who is the champion of our salvation, and who is 
the one who strengthens us in the observance of this supper. 
We're to do it with faith. We gather together for the Lord's 
Supper, doing it in faith, in hope, resting upon the promises 
of God that all those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will 
be saved. And this twofold sort of reiteration, 
though there may be nuances, reverence in godly fear. This 
is something that separates us from the world and worldly things. You know, many of us, we were 
speaking last night a little bit about this, where some of 
us were gathered together about the worldliness of the modern 
church in many spheres and sectors and quadrants of the earth. Where 
there doesn't seem to be much of a difference between the world 
and the church. And the church, of course, doing 
world a whole lot worse than the world does it. You know, 
we come into this place as Christians, and there is in essence to be 
a change when we enter these doors, because this is a holy 
place. The structure itself is not holy 
as if we're Roman Catholics, but we come into a place where 
sobriety of our Christian minds is to grip our hearts, and there's 
something different when we come in together. We're to be marked 
by reverence and godly fear. Because we have the audience 
of the triune God, we have Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the creator 
of all things, the upholder of all things, and the redeemer 
of his elect. We have this God who looks down 
upon us and blesses us richly as we gather for worship. There 
is a reverence and godly fear that we are to be marked by. 
And this obtains with regards to the Lord's Supper as well. 
This is Gil speaking with regards to Christ's words of institution 
and specifically the language of do this. Observe this ordinance, 
now he's sort of speaking as if he were Christ. Observe this 
ordinance in the manner I now institute it in time to come, 
in memory of what I am about to do for you. For this direction 
does not only regard the present time in action, but is intended 
as a rule to be observed by the churches of Christ in all ages 
to his second coming. He has by precept enjoined it 
on his apostles and disciples and all successing ministers 
and on all his followers to the end of the world. And again, 
this is a blessed, our Christian observance of the do this's of 
God which are given for our good and for his glory, we do so joyfully 
in cheerful obedience to a blessed master. This is Hansard Knowles 
on this idea of the do this, and perhaps more importantly, 
what should be the joyful Christian obligation to observe the Lord's 
Supper. This is an old particular Baptist 
from 17th century. He wrote, the Saints, when they 
sup with Christ, have meat and drink which others know not of. 
Those believers who slight or neglect any of the holy administrations 
and ordinances of God do stand in lack of that fellowship with 
the Father and and that communion with Jesus Christ in the Spirit, 
which other believers do enjoy. O dear friends, be not wanting 
to your precious souls, either in slighting or neglecting the 
ordinances of God, why should you cry, O my leanness, my barrenness? How kindly do ye deal with Christ 
to slight and neglect or refuse his gracious invitations to heavenly 
banquets at his table. That last statement is blessed 
with regards to the do this, with regards to the command to 
observe the Lord's Supper. We're to see it, yes, as a divine 
command, but as invitations to heavenly banquets at his table. The Christian who who cries, 
oh my leanness, my barrenness, that is perhaps to translate 
that I'm suffering in my walk with Christ. I'm feeling spiritually 
low. I just don't feel like I'm atop 
the hills of Christian joy. The question may come, well, 
are you attending church regularly and are you observing the Lord's 
Supper? No. Why should you cry, oh my leanness 
and oh my barrenness, when you slight those blessed invitations 
to the heavenly table of Christ? Its character, the Lord's Supper, 
comes to us as a divine command, but again, not tyrannical oppression, 
but the blessed invitations by our divine creator, sustainer, 
and redeemer. to banquet at his table. Secondly, 
we see the Lord's Supper in its character as a remembrance. Notice 
the language that we have in the text. Verse 24, and when 
he had given thanks, he broke it and said, take, eat, this 
is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of 
me. And again, this cup is the new 
covenant in my blood. This do as often as you drink 
it in remembrance of me. So first off, the Lord's Supper 
is a remembrance. And when we think about remembrance 
as Christians, we are to recognize that remembrance is some of the 
first motions of the Christian soul in its walk with Christ. We read the scriptures and God 
calls us time and again, whether it's Old Testament or New Testament, 
God calls us to remember, to remember the works of the Lord, 
to reflect with sweet contemplation upon the doing and the dying 
and the rising again of Jesus Christ, to reflect upon the blessings 
that God has given us. Remembrance is the stuff of the 
first movements of the Christian soul. we come to faith in the 
Lord Jesus Christ. It's the natural exercise of 
the Christian heart. In fact, turn with me to the 
book of Psalms for a moment. You can turn to Psalm 77. Psalm 
77, in fact, the Psalms are replete with remembrances. As David, 
as the people of God are reflecting upon the blessed works of God 
in deliverance, in upholding, in his sovereignty, victories 
against enemies and all the sort. Notice in Psalm 77 at verse 10. And I said, this is my anguish, 
but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most 
High. I will remember the works of 
the Lord. Surely I will remember your wonders 
of old. There's something that has been 
termed historical retrospect, something that identifies the 
Christian in the Old Testament, the believer in the Old Testament, 
the believer in the New Testament. We, with our Christian minds, 
made new by the Holy Spirit of God, we reflect upon the blessings 
of God. The people in the Old Covenant 
would be called to reflect upon their deliverance from out of 
bondage in Egypt. That is something that we'll 
look at in a moment with its connection to the Lord's Supper. 
But the people are called to, as we see here, I will remember 
the works of the Lord, surely I will remember your wonders 
of old. Also, Psalm 111, just a little 
bit to the right, Psalm 111. Notice in Psalm 111 at verse 
4, he has made his wonderful works to be remembered. The Lord is gracious and full 
of compassion. We're called to reflect upon 
those works and the statement here It gives a particular purpose 
to the giving of divine works or the pouring out of divine 
works He made his wonderful works to be remembered that to be here 
a purpose statement The Lord is gracious and full of compassion 
haven't you at at times had cause as a Christian as Christians 
to to do that to reflect upon the fact that God in the past 
has been gracious and full of compassion to you, because we 
can be bumbling idiots. We can be, you know, sinful as 
we go about our walk as Christians. We can sort of feel good about 
ourselves for a time, but then remaining corruption creeps in 
and we're pulled back to stumbling and to sin and to into transgression, 
but God lifts us up from out of that pit, lifts us up from 
out of that hole, lifts us up and calls the calms the storms 
and the rains of those spiritual lowliness periods, causes the 
sun to shine with the blessing of his countenance, the Lord 
is gracious and full of compassion. It is the exercise of the Christian 
heart to remember the works of the Lord. If we turn to the New 
Testament as well, an act of remembrance that we are to, and 
you can turn to Ephesians, an act of remembrance that we are 
to engage in Though this act of remembrance is to be very 
swift and to not linger and to not be prolonged, that is the 
remembrance of our former selves prior to grace coming and making 
us alive in Christ Jesus. Notice in Ephesians chapter 2, 
at verse 11. Therefore, remember that you, 
once Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by 
what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands, that 
at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the 
commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, 
having no hope and without God in the world. We'll stop there 
for a moment because that sort of remembrance, or those sorts 
of remembrances, are not to be prolonged as if we're sort of, 
you know, Protestant monks whipping ourselves for weeks with lashes 
to self-atone for our sinfulness. We're not to linger upon our 
sin and stay upon remembrances of our sin for long periods of 
time. were to immediately fly to verse 
13, but now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have 
been brought near by the blood of Christ. The blessed Christian 
act of remembrance is to be a constant act. And, you know, we talk about 
thanksgiving and gratefulness to God. Thanksgiving and gratefulness 
assumes and acknowledges remembrance. Because we can't be thankful 
if we are void of memory of what we are to be thankful for. That's 
why the Christian is to be, in essence, in a constant state 
of remembrance. The Lord's Supper is a peculiar 
and particular instance where we're called in the context of 
worship to remember, but the Christian is to ever and always 
be about remembrance. Third, then, If we now move from 
the general recognition of the Lord's Supper as being of remembrance, 
we want to note thirdly its character as a remembrance specifically 
of Christ. The text says if you find your 
way back there, or if you are simply trying to find your way 
back there, I'll simply read it right now. This is my body 
which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. This cup is the new covenant 
in my blood. This do as often as you drink 
it in remembrance of me. So the Christian, one of the 
natural motions, one of the natural actions of the Christian heart 
is to remember. then we are specifically called 
in the Lord's Supper to remember Christ. There's a wonderful, 
when we read the Matthew 26 passage when we gather together for the 
Lord's Supper, there's a wonderful thing that's going on there. 
Remember that the Lord's Supper is being instituted by our Lord 
in the context of the Feast of Passover. It's the Lord Jesus 
Christ. It's not just a, you know, wow, 
this is a happy accident. It just happens to be the feast 
of the Passover when I'm delivering this initiation or this institution 
of a new observance of remembrance. That is by, of course, divine 
design, because everything is. It's by divine design that the 
Lord Jesus Christ gathers together his disciples during during the 
recognition and the observance of the Passover meal. There's 
something very rich going on there. Because in that instance, 
the very Lamb of God, who is the shepherd of the sheep, in 
the context of a remembrance that calls to mind the slaying 
of the Lamb and the spreading of the blood to escape Egypt, 
that same Lamb who is the shepherd of the sheep is instituting a 
meal which will be a remembrance of him as the Lamb of God who 
gives his life for his sheep. That Passover meal was something 
that, yes, remembered the slaying of the Lamb for escape out of 
Egypt, but it also pointed forward to the true Passover sacrifice, 
even Jesus Christ the Lord, who would give his life for his people 
as the Lamb of God. So when we have the Lord Jesus 
Christ instituting the Lord's Supper in the context of Passover 
observance, it's not haphazard and it's not accident. There 
is a transference going on there from the observance of the Passover 
to now this reality that the very Passover lamb, the true 
Passover lamb of God, Jesus Christ, has come, and he now institutes 
this remembrance of him as the true Lamb of God who takes away 
the sin of the world. What are we to remember then 
with respect to Christ? If Christ institutes this and 
he says, do this in remembrance of me, what are we to remember? Well, very quickly and of course, 
we're to dwell upon and contemplate His person. He's very God and 
very man. Not just that, but the condescension 
in the Incarnation for our delivery, for our redemption, for our recovery, 
for giving His body, for shedding His blood, were to reflect upon 
the fact that He is that Lord of hosts in Isaiah 6, where the 
angels cannot cast their eyes upon Him. And Isaiah is brought 
to his knees before this one whose train of the robe is filling 
the temple. He's so glorious that only the 
hem of his robe fills the temple. And we read in later revelation 
that it is, of course, Isaiah casting his eyes upon the Lord 
Jesus Christ in exalted glory. That one came down from heaven, 
took upon our humanity to save us from our sins. That one took 
upon himself a body and a reasonable soul that he might give up his 
body and soul upon Calvary's cross for our redemption and 
that he might shed his blood for our salvation. What a blessed 
thing we have in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. We're 
to reflect upon his life. Now, In the time that it takes, 
perhaps, for the bread to, you know, we don't have a whole lot 
of time at the Lord's Supper, but I think we have enough time 
to do this, to first reflect upon his person and to reflect 
upon his life. We look back upon the life of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, and we think about the condescension 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. We think about the Son of God 
as a babe in Bethlehem, wrapped in swaddling cloths. You know, 
the very one who created humanity, who created the very wood of 
the manger, who created the very water that's put in mangers, 
who created the beasts of the field that gathered at that natal 
scene, that very one is hanging upon the breast of an earthly 
mother at his birth. The height, though this seems 
like an oxymoron, the height of that condescension. What a 
blessed thing we have in the fact that the one who is the 
creator of worlds, who fixed the stars in place, is fixed 
upon the breast of an earthly mother. We think about his baptism. 
submitting to John the Baptist. The one who's the very creator 
of oceans, the one who was standing as judge over the earth as he 
sent the floods of water upon the earth is found dipped, is 
found immersed in a body of water that he might fulfill all righteousness. Our minds, our Christian minds 
in this act of remembrance can turn to his victory over the 
devil in that wilderness battle. thinking of our Lord Jesus Christ 
as the one who, in our stead, goes against, as Spurgeon calls 
him, that roaring Diabolus in the wilderness, in the desert, 
as he's tempted three times. Thrice he's tempted, thrice he 
rejects the devil, and he's victorious over that wicked lion from the 
pit. The lion of the tribe of Judah 
conquers the lion of the pit with the blessedness of a champion 
of men. We think about his opposition. What a thing it is to read through 
with Pastor Butler, to receive the preaching of Pastor Butler 
as he works through the Gospel of John, and to see that Christ 
came to his own people, and his own people reject him at every 
turn. his own people that to whom the 
promises of a messiah were given century upon century reject that 
very same messiah announced and promised as he's standing before 
them as he's teaching before them as he's healing before them 
and doing mighty signs before them he's rejected of his people 
and we we can think of him just prior to his death what a what 
a thing it is to follow the earthly sojourn of our Lord Jesus Christ 
as he mounts up to giving his life upon Calvary's cross, those 
final hours where he's betrayed by a friend, where he's betrayed 
by a friend, an unbelieving wicked man, but he's also betrayed in 
a sense by those or at least denied by those in his midst. 
All of his disciples, with the exception of John, scatter. Peter 
denies him three times before a servant girl on Solomon's porch. There's all of this opposition 
to the Lord Jesus Christ. And we can look with our Christian 
minds sometimes and perhaps be brought to a measure of sadness 
and lowliness as we look upon our Savior and watch Him as He 
goes about these oppositions by the hands of wicked men. But 
I think at the same time, our hearts ought to be cheered in 
remembrance because it is a journey of redemption. It is a walking 
to the cross that he might receive the venom of enemies, but that 
it is not in vain, it is unto victory that he might give himself 
for guilty sinners. And specifically as we consider 
the Lord's Supper, the institution of it, and the reiteration by 
the Apostle Paul, we're of course to be thinking about the death 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Tonight we'll have a greater 
opportunity to look at some of the theology that rests behind 
the Lord's Supper, but notice the institution of the Lord's 
Supper with a specific emphasis upon the death of Christ. Take, 
eat, this is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance 
of me. This cup is the new covenant 
in my blood. This do as often as you drink 
it. in remembrance of me. The remembrance 
of Christ at the Lord's Supper is specifically and pointedly 
and chiefly a remembrance of his death upon Calvary's cross. 
This is why a slighting or a neglecting of the Lord's Supper is a slighting 
and a neglecting essentially of considerations of his work, 
perfect work, upon Calvary's cross. What better is there for 
us to do on a Saturday evening that Sunday evening, excuse me, 
we're not Jews or Seventh-day Adventists, are gathering together 
on a Sunday evening, what better is there to do than to gather 
together as the Church of Christ to observe in remembrance the 
Supper of the Lord, which is a remembrance of the dying of 
our precious Christ? The answer is there is nothing 
better to do than that on a Sunday evening. This is why Paul comes 
against this madness that's going on in the wicked conduct of the 
Corinthians when they're gluttoning themselves and engaging in drunkenness 
and such that it of course precludes or excludes a proper remembrance 
of the dying of our blessed Savior. John Gill writes here, with regards 
to the remembrance of the death of Christ at the Lord's Supper, 
it may be observed that the Lord's Supper, which is a feast, is 
a commemoration of the ratification of the covenant of grace by the 
blood of Christ, and wherein and whereby the faith of God's 
people is strengthened and confirmed as to their interest in it. You 
see, there's a two-fold slighting, and a twofold neglecting when 
Christians do not observe the Lord's Supper. The first is that 
it is a slight or a neglect against the finished work of Christ. 
He gave himself that we might gather as Christians to eat the 
bread and to drink his wine in remembrance of his blessed dying 
upon the cross. But there's another element that 
amplifies the sliding and the neglecting, and that's what Gill 
writes here, wherein and whereby the faith of God's people is 
strengthened and confirmed when they engage in the Lord's Supper. 
As we'll notice tonight, 1 Corinthians 10 tells us that at the Lord's 
Supper, we are fellowshipping with God. The communion that's 
used there, the word communion, is not a horizontal communion 
that we have one with each other, though we do have that, The communion 
there is a fellowship with the triune God at the Lord's Supper 
when the risen Christ exalted Christ in his humanity at the 
right hand of the Father. by His person, sends His Spirit, 
and we are nourished and strengthened in our faith. We remember Christ, 
but at the same time, at the Lord's Supper, we are fed by 
the Spirit in that observance that we might grow and be strengthened 
in our walk with Christ. And so it is a two-fold sliding 
or a two-fold neglecting, in the least, when we do not observe 
aright the Lord's Supper and we absent ourselves. Now of course 
there is the legitimate participation or coming to the service for 
the Lord's Supper and a legitimate absenting himself that Paul deals 
with here, but let a man examine himself and so let him eat of 
the bread and drink of the cup. But a deliberate slighting, a 
deliberate neglecting of the Lord's Supper or simply what 
we might convince ourselves is a legitimate absenting ourselves 
for other activities on the Lord's Day evening is a slighting and 
it is a neglecting of the very blessed remembrance that we're 
given and the strengthening that comes by the power of the Holy 
Spirit. I want to note something here, 
if you'll turn back with me to Exodus 12, because we noted that 
the Lord Jesus Christ gives the institution of the Lord's 
Supper in the context of the Passover meal. And there's a 
particular text in Exodus chapter 12 that we have that speaks with 
regards to remembrance as well as worship. Remembrance in the 
context of worship. Notice in Exodus 12 at verse 
26, and it shall be When your children say to you, what do 
you mean by this service? This is specifically speaking 
about the Passover celebration. And it shall be when your children 
say to you, what do you mean by this service? That you shall 
say, it is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord who passed over the 
houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he struck the Egyptians 
and delivered our households. So the people bowed their heads 
and worshiped. You see this connection between 
remembrance and worship? The observation of the Lord's 
Supper, our Christian participation in the Lord's Supper, is an act 
of worship. It is something that God calls 
us to in that invitation to His heavenly banquet. We remember 
it. It's no longer, as far as the 
people of God, a remembrance of deliverance out of Egypt. 
With the coming of the one to whom that remembrance pointed, 
it is now a remembrance. If we were to move this language 
to the New Covenant, We could say something like, what do you 
mean by this service? And you shall say that it is 
the remembrance of the sacrifice of our Lord, who by his once-for-all 
sacrifice upon Calvary's cross redeemed us from the bondage 
of sin and placed us into the blessed liberty of the sons of 
God. What a wonderful thing we have in the remembrance of Christ 
at the Lord's Supper. We are to see this blessed connection 
between the remembrance in the Lord's Supper and an act of worship 
with understanding, faith, reverence, and godly fear. And fourth, we 
ought to notice, and last, we ought to notice that with respect 
to the Lord's Supper, we see it in its character as a proclamation. Notice in verse 26 of 1 Corinthians 
11, So the Lord's Supper is a remembrance, 
but it is also a proclamation. Many have rightly said that the 
Lord's Supper, the observance of the Lord's Supper brings together 
past, present, and future. It's not only a remembrance, 
it is a remembrance, but it's something remembered by the gathered 
church throughout all the ages, and it's at the same time a proclamation 
of the gospel of Jesus Christ until the Lord comes again. Another 
reason why it's so important to gather, because when we gather 
together as Christians, when we take this broken bread, and 
when we drink this poured wine, we are proclaiming the gospel 
to each other. It's a rehearsal of the gospel 
of the Lord Jesus Christ to each other, but it's also a gospel 
proclamation to those in attendance who are outside of Christ. And 
so what a blessing it would be to have the churches filled at 
the Lord's Supper when we're gathering together to observe 
the very death of the Son of God. And remember that that death 
of Jesus Christ upon Calvary's cross, if you'll forgive the 
pun, is the crux of history. The death of Christ upon Calvary's 
cross is the very center of history. The death of Christ upon Calvary's 
cross is not simply another historical event, along with a multitudinous 
other events that populate the annals of time. It is the very 
reason for which time exists. It is the very reason for which 
creation exists, that in due time, that in the fullness of 
the times, God would send forth his son, born of a woman, born 
under the law, that he might redeem those who are under the 
law. And he does that by his perfect life of obedience unto 
this cross death that we remember with the breaking of bread and 
the drinking of wine. What a blessed thing it is to 
proclaim this as we gather together. We preach the gospel when we 
observe the Lord's Supper. In fact, Calvin said something 
very interesting. I mentioned that in the sort 
of in the modern church and it doesn't escape the the the safe 
confines of the reformed church sometimes as well, but sometimes 
there is a I don't know what the word would be a deference 
to or an acquiescing to the mind of modern man to try and satisfy 
their their seeker sensitive selves and the churches will 
try to Prop up, you know the shiny things of entertainment 
and all these other things to try and to try and acquire and 
retain people within their church ranks At the time of the Protestant 
Reformation, the context of this quote that I'll read by Calvin, 
he's dealing with the Roman Catholic Church and all of their statues 
and their crosses of gold and silver, all of these decorations 
that violate the second commandment, but that also steal away in that 
the minds of people away from the proper message preached. 
And so with regards to the proclamation that we observe in the Lord's 
Supper, listen to Calvin. Paul declares that by the true 
preaching of the gospel, that by the true preaching of the 
gospel, Christ is portrayed and in a manner crucified before 
our eyes, Galatians 3.1. Of what use then were the erection 
in churches of so many crosses of wood and stone, silver and 
gold, if this doctrine were faithfully and honestly preached? Christ 
died that he might bear our curse upon the tree, that he might 
expiate our sins by the sacrifice of his body, wash them in his 
blood, and, in short, reconcile us to God the Father. From this 
one doctrine the people would learn more than from a thousand 
crosses of wood and stone. As for crosses of gold and silver, 
it may be true that the avaricious give their eyes and minds to 
them more eagerly than to any heavenly instructor. Just pause 
on that for a moment. If we think about, if we try 
to transfer that language to the modern church, there are 
some that are taken away, that give their eyes to all of these 
other things, give their minds to all of their other things, 
rather than attend to the heavenly instructor. That is, God, through 
the preaching of the Word, setting forth the Son of His love to 
those in need of that blessed Son. Calvin closes this then, 
getting more to our point, even were the danger less imminent 
still, when I consider the proper end for which churches are erected, 
It appears to me more unbecoming their sacredness than I well 
can tell. To admit any other images than 
those living symbols which the Lord has consecrated by His own 
word, I mean baptism and the Lord's Supper. In the Lord's 
Supper, we have a blessed living symbol of the doing and the dying 
and the rising again of Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior. We 
proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. What a blessed thing 
it is then to gather together for the Lord's Supper. Remember 
that when we sing hymns, when we sing hymns and songs and spiritual, 
hymns and songs and spiritual songs, we're singing to one another 
with joy and hope in our hearts. That is something that we need 
to appreciate, that we're singing to one another. You know, we 
don't come in here as so many maverick Christians, where we 
just, you know, come in, we're a bunch of independent Christians 
that come in, we sit in our places, we're near each other, kind of, 
but we're just still just maverick Christians that come in, and 
then we leave. We're coming in, and we're not 
maverick Christians, but we're fellowshipping in the body of 
Christ as the very body of Christ. And so, when we sing hymns, we're 
not engaging in a simple rite of worship. We're not only just 
singing to ourselves, we're not only, though we are blessedly 
singing to God, but we're also singing to each other. So much 
the more so when we gather together for the Lord's Supper, we're 
proclaiming the very gospel of Jesus Christ to one another. And we should never slight or 
neglect any opportunity such as that wherein we are so commanded 
by God through scripture to gather together to proclaim that living 
symbol in that living symbol of the Lord's Supper, the very 
gospel of Jesus Christ. So in closing, Just three quick 
things, and then we will fill your hungry stomachs with blessed 
food. The first thing is that we are 
to obey Christ. Now, this can sometimes rub against 
our Protestant and Reformed hearts. Obey Christ? Of course we obey 
Christ. If you love me, Christ says, 
you will keep my commandments. One of the things that we see 
in the Great Commission Jesus Christ is resurrected before 
his ascension at the end of Matthew's gospel We read that all authority 
in heaven and on earth has been given to the Lord Jesus Christ 
And he says go make disciples of all the nations baptizing 
him and baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the 
Son and of the Holy Spirit and then he says teaching them to 
observe everything I have commanded you The Lord Jesus Christ, in 
his position as the mediatorial and redeeming king of his elect, 
commands his people to observe the Lord's Supper. And again, 
a blessed command, an invitation as a command to gather together 
for blessedness at his heavenly banquet. We are to obey the Lord 
Jesus Christ as he says, do this in remembrance of me. And what 
better thing to do, to gather together as a church for worship, 
to gather together as a church, to pray, to read the word, to 
preach the word, to gather together as a church, to observe that 
blessed banquet, and preach to one another the gospel of Jesus 
Christ in that living symbol, and to remember in obedience 
to Christ the blessed salvation that he affords his people. So 
we're to obey Christ. We are to remember Christ. Remember, 
remember. The Lord's Supper is an act of 
remembrance. It's not just that, as we'll see that tonight, if 
we could borrow from Richard Barcellos' book. It's not only 
a memory, it's not just a remembrance, but it is, importantly, a remembrance 
of the dying of Christ, the breaking of His body and the shedding 
of His blood. And so remember Christ. Yes, 
remember Him in your weekly Christian walks. Yes, remember Him as you're 
going about your days, as you're gathering together for family 
worship, Whatever you're doing for your own for your own devotional 
reading all of that sort of stuff is blessed and is good But remember 
him in this peculiar way that he commands gather together with 
your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to observe this ordinance 
and to remember that the blessed doing and dying of the Son of 
God. Spurgeon wrote or preached, Oh, 
had I eloquence, I would bestow a tongue on every drop of blood 
that is there, that your hearts might rise in mutiny against 
your languor and coldness and speak out with earnest burning 
remembrance of Jesus. Hopefully that hits each and 
every one of us, that our hearts might rise in mutiny against 
our languor and coldness. That means that our hearts, enlivened 
by the remembrance of Christ, our hearts reminded by sweet 
contemplations of the blessed person of Christ and his person 
in work, that we might rise in mutiny, that we might attack, 
if you will, that we might bring sword and axe against our languor 
and coldness of heart, which is so prone to cause us to absent 
ourselves from the very ordinances of the Church, and that we might 
speak out with earnest burning remembrance of Jesus. And then 
lastly, we want to avail of the proclamation of Christ. You know, 
whether it is in prayer, when we pray the Word, whether it 
is in the reading of the Scriptures, in the preaching of the Word, 
where we hear the Word, or whether it is in baptism in the Lord's 
Supper, where we see the Word, we are to gather together for 
that blessed proclamation of Christ. There is nothing better 
under God's shining sun than the proclamation of the gospel 
of Jesus Christ, that the creator of all things, that the sustainer 
of all things, that the redeemer of God's elect came down from 
on high, took upon himself our humanity, and performed perfect 
obedience, died upon Calvary's cross, and rose again, that we 
might have a righteousness that avails with God, and the forgiveness 
of sins. And what a blessed thing we have 
in the Lord's Supper, which is a rehearsal of that very thing, 
which is a living symbol that God has given to His Church, 
that we might reflect upon the blessed salvation that He affords. 
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you 
for your word. We thank you for what you give 
us in this letter to the Corinthians. We do pray that you'd help us 
as a church to reflect with great joy upon the giving of the Lord's 
Supper, that we would see it, Lord God, as a blessed opportunity, 
a joyful observance that we can gather together to Remember our 
Savior and to proclaim His death till He comes again. Help us 
to be such as who obey Christ, to be those who remember Christ, 
to be those who gather together to proclaim Him. And might we 
simply and joyfully, often and always, reflect upon His doing, 
His dying, His rising again. Might we reflect upon your love, 
your mercy, your grace, your holiness and justice as they 
all come and visit us as we cast our eyes of faith upon the cross 
of Calvary. Help us, Lord God, to conduct 
ourselves in a manner worthy of your gospel, worthy of your 
gospel by grace, and we pray, knowing that we have not been 
saved by deeds of righteousness which we have done, but rather 
according to your mercy we've been saved, we pray that by your 
spirit you would cause us to obey those things as a pattern 
for living in your word that we might glorify you and bring 
comfort and courage to one another. We pray in this meal that we're 
about to have, Lord, we pray that we would have blessed conversation 
and fellowship. We pray that you would strengthen 
us in this meal by what you've given. Nourish us, do give us 
much strength and cause each and every tongue to give you 
praise for the benefits and the blessings you provide. We pray 
in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen. Well, if you'll stand with me 
and sing, our closing hymn will be a doxology, but not the doxology. We're going to turn to 572. 572 
in our hymn books. Let's stand and sing that together. so Peace who brought up our Lord 
Jesus from the dead, that great shepherd of the sheep, through 
the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in 
every good work to do his will, working in you what is well-pleasing 
in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and 
ever. Amen. Well, please be seated 
and we'll have a brief time of prayer. When the piano is finished, 
you are dismissed.