1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Ps Paul Cheng
~5 min read
Dear Bethelites,
In our previous pastoral chat, we had considered how the Corinthians had perverted the Lord’s Supper. Today, we will focus on the purpose of the Lord’s Supper from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.
II. The Purpose
1 Corinthians 11:23, 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:
One theologian said, “These verses are like a diamond dropped in a muddy road.” In other words, in the middle of a strong rebuke of worldly, carnal and sinful attitude, here comes the most beautiful passage in all of Scriptures. Paul made it clear that what he was teaching was not of his own opinion and not from the other apostles, but the Lord Jesus Himself had revealed it to him. This most wonderful thing — the institution of the Lord’s Supper — was something Jesus did on the same night He was betrayed.
Dear friend, can you imagine that in the midst of that greatest betrayal, God instituted something so precious, wonderful and meaningful to us? Jesus did that on the same night He was betrayed!
In the Old Testament, God instituted the Passover when He delivered His people from the four hundred years of bondage in Egypt. The Passover meal reminded the Israelites that the angel of death passed over the houses of those whose doorposts and lintels were smeared with the blood of the lamb. The lamb was sacrificed and eaten, along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Throughout history, Israel celebrated this meal in remembrance of the Lord’s deliverance of them, from Egypt to the Promised Land. Even today, it is still considered the holiest Jewish feast. Sadly, they did not recognise the Lamb of God had already come. When Jesus came, John the Baptist recognised Him as that Lamb, Behold, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
On that same night in which Jesus was betrayed, He transformed the Passover into the Lord’s Supper which was the infinitely greater deliverance He came to bring. All the Passover lambs were but only foreshadows of the ultimate Passover Lamb who had come to deliver His people from their sins. Therefore, it was so significant when Jesus took the bread and said, 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 (v.24).
When the victim was crucified on the Roman cross, both his hands and feet would be nailed to the edge, and his body would sag down. The only way for the victim to breathe was to push himself upwards through those nails, to draw just one breath. There would be this excruciating pain, with the nails ripping through the nerves and bones. All that, our Lord Jesus endured for us. The Romans would normally break the legs of the crucified victims in order to stop them from pushing themselves upwards to grasp for air, so that they would quickly suffocate to death. When they came to Jesus, it was not necessary to do that, because He had already died. That was why the Gospel of John tells us that Jesus’ legs were not broken, in order that the Scriptures might be fulfilled that not a bone of Him should be broken. So, when Jesus said, “This is my body which is broken for you,” He was referring to His body being crucified on the cross.
Notice the two most amazing words, for you, this is my body which is broken for you. In a sense, Jesus was saying, “I became a man for you. I suffered for you. I gave my life for you. I died for you.” Dear friend, the word “gospel” means “good news.” But what good is the gospel if we do not believe and receive it personally? It is not good enough to say that Jesus died on the cross, but we must believe with all our hearts that He died on the cross for me!
It was not just any kind of death, but it was by way of the cross, which was the most cruel, painful and humiliating execution ever concocted by man. It was a death whereby His precious blood was shed because without the shedding of blood, there would be no remission of sin (c.f. Hebrews 9:22). Therefore 1 Corinthians 11:25 went on to say, 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.
It was new, not in the sense that it was a different covenant, for it was still the same covenant of grace. The Old Testament or New Testament believers were all saved by the covenant of grace, for the covenant of works cannot save them.
The believers were commanded to this do ye, as oft as. The frequency was not given in the Bible. But there are practical considerations. If the believers do it once every six months, they may forget about the significance. If they do it every week, the significance of it may be lost. In our church, Bethel, we prayerfully believe that by observing the Lord’s Supper every first week of the month, we can meaningfully remember the significance of it and at the same time, fulfil the command to this do ye, as oft as.
What does it mean in remembrance of me? To truly remember is to go back in one’s mind and recapture the reality and significance of the cross where Jesus suffered and died for us. When we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we do not offer a sacrifice again because Christ’s sacrifice was completed, fulfilled and never to be repeated, but we are called to remember His once-for-all sacrifice for us. And rededicate ourselves to serve Him with all faithfulness!
The holy communion is not only a reminder of His great sacrifice, but it is also a reminder of the Lord’s coming again, for Jesus said, For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come (v.26). In other words, by partaking in the Holy Communion, we are proclaiming His death and we must keep doing it, until He comes. The Holy Communion keeps us looking forward to the day when we will be with Christ.
Dear friend, this is the purpose of the Lord’s Supper, and each time we come to partake of the holy element, let us remind ourselves of the command given to us, the significance and meaning of it. When we return next week, we will consider how we ought to prepare ourselves for the Lord’s Supper.
(To be continued in the next pastoral chat)
With love in Christ,
Pastor Paul Cheng
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