For several weeks now, we’ve been able to evaluate what we do when we gather on Sunday mornings and see why we do it. And our goal has been to ensure that genuine obedient worship is occurring among us as we meet. This morning is no exception as we gather to observe the Lord’s Supper, for I want us to see why we do this and why it is indeed worship.

What we said last week of baptism we can also say of the Lord’s Supper, namely, that we do it because it is commanded. Jesus did not tell us how often to do it, but he said, “Do this …” and “Do this, as often as you drink it …” Thus, we know that we are to gather at times and take of the bread and the juice so that we may obey the Lord’s command.

I, however, believe that this is not a command simply that we might do it but it is a command because it is an act of worship before our Lord. But why is it worship? I believe it is worship because of the proclamations that are made through our taking of this bread and juice. And it is these proclamations that I want to show you from the text this morning. Therefore, as we partake of the Lord’s Supper …

We proclaim and remember the Lord’s death (11:23-26)

Paul writes, “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, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this is remembrance of me.’ 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.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

Therefore, it is clear that we are remembering and proclaiming the Lord’s death. But why proclaim his death? The answer is because of the nature and accomplishment of his death. For in these verses we are reminded not only that Christ died but that he paid our penalty as our substitute. For Paul writes that Jesus said, “This is my body which is for you” (emphasis added).

Those words, “for you” are important, for they remind us that Christ’s death was one that atoned for our sins, acting as our substitute and paying our penalty. That is, he took the wrath of God that was stored up for us so that God might not pour out his wrath on us. That is what we are proclaiming.

We are also proclaiming that Christ’s death was so that God might forgive us. According to Romans 3:21-26, the cross was God’s way of justifying us and yet remaining just. Therefore, we proclaim the Lord’s death this morning as that which is a necessity if we are to know forgiveness of sins. And finally, we proclaim the Lord’s death in that we see it as the epitome of God’s glory shining and our good being known (John 13:31). For it is in the cross that these two things are most clearly seen together.

Therefore, as we eat of the bread and drink from the cup this morning, we are proclaiming what Christ’s death has accomplished for us.

We proclaim our anticipation of his return (11:24-26)

Looking at those same verses, we read in verse 26, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” That is, what we do this morning we do “until he comes.” Therefore, within this meal is not only a reminder of what Christ has done but an anticipation of what he will do when he comes to take us home.

Luke writes, “And when the hour came, he reclined at the table and the apostles with him. And he said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer for I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God” (Luke 22:14-16).

So as we eat this morning, we should long for the day when we will eat it again with our Lord at the wedding feast of the Lamb. And if your heart is really one of worship (i.e., treasuring and prizing God), then as you take of this bread and cup this morning, then you are crying out in your heart, “Lord, I want to be more present with you than I am now; I want to be more intimate in your presence than I get to be on this earth.”

And the Lord’s Supper is a reminder that that day will come. But I believe it is only when our hearts have that longing that we will truly find ourselves worshiping through this meal as we should.

We proclaim his death has had a saving effect in our lives (11:27)

After Paul talks about proclaiming the Lord’s death, he writes in verse 27, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.” Now, I think the reason he writes, “therefore” is because if you are taking of the bread and the cup and yet have not repented and believed, then you are making a wrong proclamation.

Thus, our proclamation is not only that the Lord has died, but that his death has had a saving effect in our lives. Therefore, if you are not a believer, mocking the death of Christ through your unrepentant heart, and yet you take of this bread and drink from this cup, then you are further mocking his death and profaning it, for you are proclaiming something that is not true.

Therefore, as believers, when we take of this, we are remembering that his death has made us righteous. For he became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. His death has counted for us.

Thus, a healthy practice for us periodically is to realize that there is no reason why hell should not be our punishment for an eternity, even this day, and then remember that Christ’s death has had a saving effect in our lives. That is what this meal gives us an opportunity to do.

Finally, we proclaim our unity (11:17-22; 33-34)

Reading verses 17-22 and 33-34, it is not hard to see that a great emphasis of this passage is one of unity. And it is much needed, for the Corinthian church was having great problems with unity.

Paul writes to them in 1:10-17, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name … For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”

Now did you notice there that he asks in verse 13, “Is Christ divided?” Now what is that all about? The Corinthians could respond, “Of course not, but what does that have to do with us?” And the answer is that the church is the body of Christ.

I believe this is a reality that stuck in Paul’s mind from his conversion, for as he had persecuted the church and then saw the risen Lord in a bright light, Jesus said to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). So, Paul knew from that point, that the church was Christ’s body so that to do something to the church was to do something to Christ.

In the same way, then, he knew that to divide the church was essentially as absurd as trying to divide Christ, for we are his body.

But why does he bring all this unity talk back up again in chapter 11 when he had addressed it in chapter 1? I think there are a couple of reasons. For one, the way they were handling the Lord’s Supper (i.e., not waiting on one another) was a playing out of their disunity discussed in chapter 1. But another reason, I believe, is because disunity strikes against the nature of this meal. For if we are all making the proclamation that the Lord’s death has had a saving effect in our lives, then we are proclaiming that we are the body of Christ and, therefore, unified.

Thus to be divided and make the proclamation which we make today in taking of this meal is a mockery of our proclamation that we are the body of Christ and therefore unified in him.

Therefore, this morning we have the great opportunity to proclaim the Lord’s death, proclaim and anticipate his return, proclaim that his death has had a saving effect in our lives, and proclaim that we are unified as the body of Christ.

And as we do this, may we find ourselves treasuring and prizing our God as we get to make these proclamations by his grace.

Let’s take a few moments now to pause and prepare ourselves to come to the table. We will come by his grace, Amen.

WORSHIPING THROUGH THE PROCLAMATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER