Celebration of Communion




Introduction:

John’s Gospel captures Jesus’ words to His disciples concerning what would eventually be called Holy Communion. Listen to Jesus from John 6:53-58.

John 6:53-58 ESV
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me…

Point:
When we partaken in Communion, we remember Jesus’ death on the cross. There is no communion with Jesus unless we all recognize that He died for our sins and paid the penalty of our transgressions on the cross. 

Yet, when we celebrate Communion, we know that it was through that death that Jesus brought to all mankind life. 

So remember…

Communion Reminds Us of Death and Life!

Points:
  • Eastern Shore Baptist Church practices 2 Holy Ordinances. The first you have already seen this morning. Baptism. The second is Communion. 
  • Eastern Shore Baptist Church practices open Communion. This means that if you have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, even if in another denomination, that you are welcome to participate in Communion. 
  • Communion is a symbol much in the same way baptism is a symbol. It has no saving power but it a powerful expression of love and devotion to Jesus. In the early church, communion was given to church members, or the body of Christ, to symbolize their belonging to Christ. It was given and taken with the full understanding that if called upon, that these early church members would be willing to die or give up their lives for the sake of Christ. A martyr’s death if necessary. 

Point:
So, communion is a serious endeavor. How serious? Well Paul tells us in I Corinthians 11:27-29. 

I Corinthians 11:27-29 ESV
27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

Point:
This means that we need to come to this alter with a serious attitude and a respectful spirit. None of us want to share in the judgement of God. Rather, we want this solemn act to join us in fellowship and harmony. 

So, how do we prepare ourselves? Simple answer…prayer. 

What should we pray? Simple answer…we pray for pardon, we pray to praise, and we pray for people. We do this because it is Biblical and Scriptural. 

James 5:16 says “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

Point:
So, let’s prepare ourselves this morning as we look forward to Communion. 

Prayer of Pardon, Praise and Prayer for People.

Communion Scripture:
The temptation for the believer is to take this cracker, to take this cup of juice and simply drink it without much consideration. Remember, we do not take communion, rather communion takes us. It takes us on a journey of faith. It connects us with Jesus and helps us understand his death. Let’s take a moment and read from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians concerning the night that Jesus was betrayed. 

I Corinthians 11:23-26
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

The Bread
When Johnny Jennings of Ringgold, Georgia was 18, he made a life-changing visit to a Georgia Baptist children's home. Several children ran up to him and asked to be adopted. "That took my heart, right there," he says. While Jennings wasn't ready to adopt, he promised to do everything he could to help the home's young residents. A few decades later Jennings found a practical way to raise funds for the home—recycling. For the past 32 years Jennings, 86-years-old as of March 2017, has sold 810,063 pounds of paper, $20,275 worth of pennies, and countless pounds of recycled aluminum products. Over the years, he's given $400,000 to the home.


One of his friends told reporters, "Johnny normally loads his truck by himself, and that is a job in itself, and did I mention he is 86 years old and had two small strokes just two weeks ago?" But that didn't stop him from getting back to his paper route. When Jennings' got home from the hospital, he went right back to work. The friend continued, "That is just how he is, and he will not stop until the undertaker turns his toes up, that is what he tells everyone." Johnny Jennings wants to get the most he can out of his old body. 

Jennings son said, "My dad doesn't see the $400,000. He sees the faces of those kids."

Point:
There was one quote that really spoke to me in that article. “Johnny Jennings wants to get the most he can out of his old body.” You know that we only have one body. One body to do the most with. This 86 year old man has decided that he will use his body to be a benefit to the children of Georgia. How cool is that?

When I read that quote, I was immediately reminded of the body of Christ. This small wafer is representative of that body. Jesus got the most of His body and today we receive the blessing. You see, Jesus’ body took the punishment of God’s wrath. It was Jesus’ body that served as the atonement for our sins. It was broken, beaten, abuse and discarded so that we did not have to suffer. Aren’t you grateful for that today?

The Scriptures tell us that the bread was broken, but it was Jesus’ body that was given for us. It was Jesus’ choice to lay His life down so that we might be at peace with His father. 

Jesus’ body brings peace with His Father, it brings fellowship with His Father, and it is the hope of all sinners everywhere. 

2 Corinthians 5:15 NLT
He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

Let’s praise God this morning for the body of Christ. 

And they passed the bread.

Short Prayer

John 6:35 ESV
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

And they took the bread

The Cup
You have probably never heard of Mobile resident Ross Sloan. Sloan is an unusual man with an unusual title. Ross Sloan holds the record for the most blood ever donated in the state of Alabama. That’s right, Ross Sloan has donated more blood than any other person in this State’s history. How much blood? He has donated more than 25 gallons of blood since he started way back in 1970. 



It is estimated that 25 gallons of blood equates to saving more than 600 lives. 600 people that didn’t die because one man got serious about giving away his life giving blood. Mr. Sloan says that he wants to give another 25 because there is plenty of life left in his veins. 

Point:
I bet you know where i am going with this. One man gives 25 gallons of blood and saves 600 lives. That is quite an achievement. However, Jesus gave His blood and trillions have the chance to be saved. Blood is a powerful tool in the hands of God. The right blood, Jesus’ blood supplies everlasting life to the taker. It supplies forgiveness to the sinner and healing to the sinner. Don’t believe me? Listen to these Scriptures. 

Leviticus 17:11 ESV
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.

Hebrews 9:22 ESV
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Romans 5:9 ESV
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Point:
Ross Sloan saved 600 people with his blood. Jesus’ blood has saved far more. Are you thankful for the blood of Christ this morning?

And They Passed The Cup

Short Prayer

Matthew 26:27-30 ESV
27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

And They Drank From The Cup

Closing Prayer


Invitation

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