Communion Message
(He commanded it)
April 9, 2000
Pastor Ralph Huddleston

Thank you Lord Jesus. Say it again. Thank you Lord Jesus. 1 Corinthians chapter 11 beginning with verse 23, listen very carefully to what God's Word says. 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.

Having heard that, I have a question that you should answer to yourselves. Why are we here at the Lord's Table? What are we doing here? Why have we come? Let me propose to you, because He commanded it. It's a good reason, isn't it, for a lot of things in our lives that we probably wouldn't do unless He did command it. Maybe it's the first time that we've been in total and complete obedience this day. He says in verse 25, do this ye. It's a command. Folks, by a simple response, being obedient, we will never know the blessings that God waits to let pour out upon us. Maybe those doors have been closed for days and weeks, and maybe months. And He just waited for this morning for you to be obedient, for me to be obedient, that those floodgates would open and the blessings would just pour out. Obedience, pure and simple, that's why we're here.

It also awakens us to Jesus Christ. He said in remembrance of Me. It’s not just a memory, but an act of calling to mind of Jesus Christ; who He is, what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do. In remembrance of Me, and through that each one of us has some different thoughts going through our minds and our hearts right now. It reminds us of the one way of salvation. All believers eat the same bread, drink of the same cup. We have only one Savior. All of us come to the Father in the same way. Now be bold look around you. Look around at these folks here. Different neighborhoods. Come on, look. You can't see them by looking at me. Look at them. Different cultures, different countries, different cities, different neighborhoods, different perspectives, and yet, we've joined right here in this room and we all go to the Father in the same way.

As a witness to the world of our devotion to Jesus Christ, observing the Lord's Supper demonstrates that we believe in Him and that we yield ourselves to Him and to His way. You think, well maybe the world doesn't see us. Wait a minute. The rest of the world is yielding themselves to themselves, and the fact that we yield ourselves to Jesus Christ the difference is it's like day and night. Believe that they see. Believe that they take notice. Believe that it's a living example, and believe that they’re watching and asking, and be ready to answer.

Now in verse 28 it says examine yourselves spiritually, to confess our sins and be cleansed of any attitude or words or actions that are displeasing to God. It's a nice way to say sin, and to approach the Lord's Table in the attitude of surrender to Jesus Christ; surrender to His way, surrender to His will. By that we are worthy not by what we have done, but what He has done makes us worthy to be here. What is your attitude towards Jesus Christ? Is He your Lord? Nothing short of His being Lord will be accepted. Would you join me as I go to my knees, as I spend time, you spend time, examining ourselves. Asking Him to forgive us of those words and those actions, those decisions that were not His will, that they were exceedingly against His will, that we would be forgiven once again through His Son.

Here I am again Father, asking to be forgiven of some of the same sins. I give to You my week, my actions, my words, my deeds and I ask for forgiveness for them. I ask that once again through the spilled blood of Your Son and the brokenness of His body that I would be washed again whiter than the driven snow. That You would hold me before others and Yourself blameless. That You would count me worthy to even be here on my knees before You. Thank you in Jesus' name, thank you in Jesus' name. Let's partake of the bread together, and then the cup. Thank you heavenly Father for this table. Thank you for Your Son that You sacrificed on our behalf, and by that action that we could be forgiven, that we could be saved, that we could join together around this table. Thank you Lord Jesus for your obedience, that You would step from heaven to earth and lower Yourself to be raised up on a cross. Lord Jesus, our imaginations cannot even begin to fathom that, but we thank you, in Your precious name we pray, and we all said, amen. Amen. Would you stand and join me as we greet those folks from other neighborhoods and other cultures, and welcome them. Tell them you're glad to see them here today.