Christian Life:
The Bread and the Wine
The last supper is a central part of Christian worship. There are 4 separate references to the original last supper in the NT. 3 accounts have been written by men who were there, and one was written by a man who wasn’t. And yet it is Paul’s record that is the most descriptive and complete in respect of its real meaning. The core is 1Cor 11 verses 23 – 26. READ.
So why did Paul write so forcefully on this subject to the Corinthian church?
It is the Lord’s instruction ‘Do this in remembrance of me’ and it comes in both verse 24 and 25... Paul, as a Jewish theologian, was aware of the huge significance of this memorial meal that the Lord had instituted to be in remembrance of him. He must have been aghast at what was going on in the Corinthian church with such a serious matter as this sacred act of remembrance. The Corinthians had entirely the wrong attitude. Just listen to this. READ 1Cor. 11 verses 20 – 22. Can you see Paul…
Again in verses 27 – 34 Paul spells it out. READ.
From verses 20 – 22 we see that the Corinthians had an entirely wrong attitude. What should have been a remembrance meal where only tokens of bread and wine were necessary seems to have regularly got out of hand…
We do not do this, and when we have a bring and share meal it is well ordered and separated from the celebration of the Lord’s supper. Let us have a look at what Paul is saying about right attitudes in some of these verses. Verse 27 first. READ AGAIN.
It is a very serious error to approach this act of remembrance in a casual or unworthy manner. We need to approach this act of remembrance recognising what the Lord has done for us by the sacrifice of his body and blood. Not to do so puts us in a state of sin. Therefore do not partake in this act of remembrance unless you truly believe that the body and blood of Jesus has been sacrificed to deal with your sin…
We follow on in verse 28. READ AGAIN.
Have a good look at yourself. Bearing any grudges? Need to say sorry to someone? Something you ought to do but have failed to deal with? It should be dealt with before you come to the Lord’s supper.
Verse 29 states: READ.
If you partake in this act of remembrance without recognising that it is the broken body and shed blood of the Lord that is being represented, then you are bringing judgement down on yourself. This is the crux of the Lord’s supper. Jesus is the ultimate and perfect sacrifice. And this sacrifice is for you. It is direct and personal. It is for you…
So this remembrance is one that we approach with penitent and humble hearts, fully aware of the significance of sharing this bread and wine. The significance of this act would have meant a tremendous amount to Paul, as he would relate it back to the Jewish rituals. Most particularly the day of unleavened bread and the Passover meal was very important to the Jews.
They were remembering in the Passover meal how God had protected their firstborn from death during their deliverance from Egypt, and how they ate bread made without yeast at the time of their escape. The record of this momentous event is recorded in Exodus 12. No time to read this now but…
At the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry every Jewish family would remember the Passover and sit down to a meal of lamb, unleavened bread and wine. Many still do so today…
Jesus initiated this remembrance at the Passover just before his crucifixion. This of course was no coincidence. He used the bread and the wine on the table to initiate this memorial service. Let us look at Luke’s account of the last supper. Turn to Luke 22 verses 14 – 20. READ.
Note in verse 19 how Jesus initiates the breaking of the bread to indicate remembering his body… This is what we do today. Note in verse 17 how he takes up the fellowship cup and tells them all to drink from it… This is what we do today. Then note in verse 20 there is reference to Jesus taking the cup again. However, this was a different cup with a far more significant meaning…
At the Jewish family table a cup of wine was always placed but not touched by anyone present at the celebration. Down the ages this cup had been put there for the Messiah to take up should he honour that family with his presence at the feast. It was this cup that the Lord picked up and said these striking words ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you’. He was saying to the disciples ‘I am the Messiah’. They did not understand it at the time, but that was the truth.
Paul as a Jewish theologian clearly understood the significance of what the Lord had done, and this was why he was so furious with the Corinthians. However, their misuse of this act of remembrance gave us a precise definition of the importance and significance of this meal and we must be grateful for that.
I have drawn freely on Roy Peacock’s book ‘This do ye’…
As we share the Lord’s Supper together now, let us first of all bring ourselves into the right frame of mind, and deal with any issues we may have…
Malcolm Macreath
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