REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11:23-24 REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11:23-24 Through the month of January we have been ministering on the theme of revival… Jan 5th was FOUR KEYS TO REVIVAL (2 Chronicles 7:14 – HUMBLE ourselves, PRAY, SEEK God’s Face, and turn form wicked ways (those things which are displeasing to God). Jan 12th was THREE MORE KEYS TO REVIVAL (Joel 2:12) – Turn to me with all your heart, with – FASTING, WEEPING and MOURNING. Then last week was special ministry by the Johnson Family. Was that a treat; such great talent! AND, having fellowshipped with the family I can tell you that they are the real deal – they are sold out to Jesus! This morning as we continue the theme of REVIVAL and we remember the Sacrament of The Lords Supper I believe that it is fitting to tie the two themes together. EVERY time we partake in the sacrament of communion it should be a time of revival for us. It should call us back to OUR FIRST LOVE. As we remember the suffering of our Lord it should be a time of re-dedication of our own lives to Him. We know that Communion, The Lords Supper, does not bring us into salvation; nor is it a requirement of salvation. It is the time that we set aside to remember the sacrifice that He made as He took the stripes upon His back, the crown of thorns upon that precious head and the nails in His hands and feet. No – communion does not bring us into communion with God, it is only a reminder of what Jesus did to bring us into communion with Him. Isaiah 53:5-6 5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed. 6  All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. What is communion? REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 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: 1 Corinthians 11 3 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: REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 24 And 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. 1 Corinthians 11 24 And 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. REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 25 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. 1 Corinthians 11 25 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. REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 1 Corinthians 11 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 11 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 1 Corinthians 11 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 1 Corinthians 11 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 1 Corinthians 11 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 1 Corinthians 11 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 Communion is Looking Back To The Cross To The Time It Became Personal To You To The Meaning of the Cross 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:  24 And 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.  25 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.  Looking back to: TO THE CROSS – the cross is our message for it is by the cross that we have obtained salvation and through His death that we have life. - Every other message is temporal – the things of this world soon vanish. Riches, fame, even our health. As I sat by the bed of a baby believer, though well advanced in age, yesterday and prayed with her as SHE MADE IT through to glory I could not help but to rejoice for she now knows what eternal means. As she laid there on the bed dying there was not another theme in her mind, she was not worried about her bank account, or her fame or accalades. Only she was concerned with where she was going. The message of the CROSS is eternal and that is the only message that will last and it is the only theme that is important as your soul slips into eternity. WHEN IT BECAME PERSONAL – We should, as we partake of the Lords Supper, remember that glorious day when the message of the cross became personal to us. I have a friend who liked to recall the day of his salvation… He says, “It was sprinkling rain, but the birds were chirping in the church courtyard. It seemed weird to me that they were still so active while it rained…It was as if they were telling me that ‘this is a special day’. Then, after I went to the altar and gave my life to Jesus, I could feel love for the first time….” My personal experience, though having accepted Christ as a child, receiving His call into ministry as a pre-teen and later attending Bible College… I knew I was saved, yet I longed for a more personal relationship with God … where I could feel His presence at every moment. One Sunday evening, while listening to the sermon in church, I received a personal touch. No one else knew what God was doing inside of me, but He was definitely at work. What was your experience? When did the message of the cross become personal for you? THE MEANING OF THE CROSS – The cross is the only method of salvation. There could be no reconciliation with God if the Son of God did not take our sins to the cross. It was there that the penalty of sin (ROMANS 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.”) THAT IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE CROSS! REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 Communion is Looking Inward Taking Communion Lightly Search My Heart Avoid Chastening 1 Corinthians 11 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.  29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.  30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.  31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.  32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.  Looking inward to: THE CASE AT CORINTH – Many were taking communion lightly, this was a church that boasted in its carnality. They were proud of themselves for the level of sinners and depravity of much of the congregation. While the church is a place for sinners – a hospital for the sick not a musuem for the saints – we should be in prayer for those who have lack of spiritual maturity and depth of relationship with our Lord. Many at the church in Corinth should not have been partaking in the sacrament. FIRST, they should have repented of their sinfulness. Because of the light-heartedness with which they celebrated the communion many were sick, many had died. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND – this is serious business to the Lord. It wasn’t for no reason that He sent His Son, His only begotten, to take horrible punishment and the cruelest death that has ever been invented. It is serious to God and it should be serious to us. THE CONDITION OF MY HEART – What is my current standing with Jesus? Have I done things that are offensive to Him? As we learned in FOUR KEYS TO REVIVAL, wickedness is not just things that are outright sin, it is also those things which are displeasing to God. Song- “Change my heart oh God Make it ever true Change my heart oh God May I be like You You are the potter I am the clay Mold me and make me This is what I pray Change my heart oh God Make it ever true Change my heart oh God May I be like You” So, how can we avoid chastisement? REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 Communion is Looking Outward Evangelism Call To Sinners The Great Commission 1 Corinthians 11 Looking Outward to: THE LOST – Communion is a time when we should remember those we love who are not in a personal relationship with Christ… REMEMBER, this fact breaks His heart far more that it does yours. That being said, it should be breaking your heart. It should ever pain our hearts that many are lost and dying and going to a devils hell. Hell was not created for humanity; it was created for the devil and his angels, those who rebelled against God in heaven. It was never the plan of God for humanity to find a place in the dark side of eternity! We must remember the lost as we thank God that we are no longer in that condition. Call the sinners – As we partake in communion this morning, look around you! Have you brought a lost soul with you? Now is the time to go to that person and pray with them, LEAD THEM TO CHRIST! CALL TO SINNERS – Explain Christ death Looking outward to: THE GREAT COMMISSION – God, through the words of His Christ, has called each of us to be soul winners. Mark 16 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.  17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;  18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Acts 1:8 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. It is not a request, it is a command that we should reach out to the lost. If we truly desire revival – true revival will happen when God’s people prepare themselves for it as we found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Joel 2:12-13 and when we reach the lost for Christ! REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER

REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 Communion is Looking Upward Till He Come 1 Corinthians 11 Looking Upward TILL HE COME  26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. He is coming! He is coming SOON! Are you prepared? Have you worked so that others will also be ready? Song – soon and very soon we are going to see the king. (as passing out the sacrament) 1. Soon and very soon, We are going to see the King; Soon and very soon, We are going to see the King; Soon and very soon, We are going to see the King; Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We’re going to see the King. 2. No more crying there, We are going to see the King; No more crying there, We are going to see the King; No more crying there, We are going to see the King; Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We’re going to see the King. 3. No more dying there, We are going to see the King; No more dying there, We are going to see the King; No more dying there, We are going to see the King; Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We’re going to see the King. REVIVAL & THE LORDS SUPPER