The Lords Supper

THE PASSOVER

In the book of Exodus Chapter 12: 1-13 is a statement made to the house of Israel that we all need to know of today.

The Lord told Moses and Aaron to have all Israel take a Lamb without blemish, a male of the first year from the sheep or the goats and put it up until the fourteenth day of the month and then the Lambs blood was to be placed on the two side post  and the upper door post of their homes where the Passover was to be eaten. They were to eat the flesh that night, roast with fire, unleavened bread and bitter herbs. It was not to be eaten raw or cooked with water, but roasted with fire. You are to eat it with your shoes on your feet and your staff in your hand. You shall eat it in haste,  It  is the Lord's Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the first born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast, and against all the gods of Egypt, I will execute judgement: I am the Lord.

The blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 

And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and you shall keep it a feast unto the Lord throughout your generations; you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

Israel knew what to do every year after this time and we find many years latter the Passover was being observed by Israel when our Lord Jesus was here.     

THE LORD'S SUPPER

The Gospel of Luke chapter 22 is one of the most tender chapters of God's word we can find. When there are trials upon us we want to be with our closest friends and family.

Verse 14 begins; when the hour was come, He sat down with the twelve apostles with him.

He said unto them, with desire  I have desired to eat this Passover  with you before I suffer. For I say unto you, I will not  any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.

He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves.

For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the Kingdom of God shall come.

And He took the bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them saying,

This is my body which is broken for you, this do in remembrance of me.

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

In  1st Corinthians 11: 23-31  we find the Apostle Paul talking about the Lords supper. For I have received of the Lord that which also I have delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread. When he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, this is my body, which is broken for you: This do in remembrance of me. 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 often as you drink  it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup you do show the Lord's death until he come. 

A STERN WARNING

Without any doubt, one of the plainest warnings a person could ever have is found in 1st Corinthians 11:28-31. We are told, let a man examine himself, and so let him eat  of that bread and drink of that cup.

For he that eats and drinketh unworthy, eats and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

For this cause many  are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.  For if we would judge ourselves we would not be judged.  Today I believe you and I need to spend some time judging ourselves. There is a place here at the alter of the Lord for each of us to look inside of our own lives and ask the Holy Spirit of God to shine His light into our hearts and show us how we stand with Him. The only righteousness we can ever have is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The only time I ask to forget about everyone else is the time I must spend looking into my own life and seeing how many times I have come short of God's glory, that I may ask for forgiveness of my own sins and short comings. That time my friend is when I stand here at the Lord's table.

You are welcome to join me as we pray together and ask God's guidance as we try to serve him.

If you have never trusted him as your personal Lord and Savior you can find forgiveness for your sins now by asking Jesus to come into your heart and save you.

Will  you do this now as we all are silently praying?