The Dynamic Christian Life (III) Acts 2:42 “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer”

Continually Devoted to the Breaking of Bread The Dynamic Christian Life (III)

The Three-fold Purpose of the Lord’s Supper Reflection: Luke 22:14-20 “When the hour had come, 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 say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, ‘Take this and share it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.’ And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.’”

The Three-fold Purpose of the Lord’s Supper Reflection  Reminds us of the past vs “Do this in remembrance of Me”

The Three-fold Purpose of the Lord’s Supper Anticipation: 1 Cor 11:23-26 “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which 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 in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way He took the cup also 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.”

The Three-fold Purpose of the Lord’s Supper Anticipation:  Reminds of us of the future “Proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes”

The Three-fold Purpose of the Lord’s Supper Participation (Fellowship):  Binds us together in the present With Christ: Mt 26:16-29 “While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom.’”

The Three-fold Purpose of the Lord’s Supper Participation (Fellowship):  Binds us together in the present With Christ

The Three-fold Purpose of the Lord’s Supper Participation (Fellowship):  Binds us together in the present With one another:  koinonea and metachos 1 Cor 10:15-17 “Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.”

The Three-fold Purpose of the Lord’s Supper Participation (Fellowship):  Binds us together in the present With one another  What Corinth was missing:

1 Cor 11:17-21 “But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you. Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper, for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk…For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly…31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged….33 So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.”

The Three-fold Purpose of the Lord’s Supper Participation (Fellowship):  Binds us together in the present With one another  What Corinth was missing:  Not eating the Lord’s supper – vs.20  Divided – vs  Each one doing their own thing – vs.21  Not judging (considering) the body – vs.29  Not waiting for one another – vs.33  Lost the koinonea/metachos aspect of it.

The Three-fold Purpose of the Lord’s Supper Reflection on the Past Anticipation of the Future Present Participation (Fellowship)

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 1. The Bread  “This is My body” – Lk Represents his body, the incarnation of God. As well as his death -- “which was given for you”.

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 2. The Breaking  “broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘….do this”  Do what? Break it.

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 2. The Breaking  “broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘….do this”  Is there any significance to the actual breaking of the bread? Jesus said to “do it”, break it.

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 2. The Breaking  “broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘….do this”  Is there any significance to the actual breaking of the bread? The breaking is referred to in every context (Mt 26; Mk14; Lk 22; Acts 2.42; 20.7; 1 Cor 10; 11)

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 2. The Breaking  “broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘….do this”  Is there any significance to the actual breaking of the bread? The Bible never connects it to Jesus’ body being broken.

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 2. The Breaking  “broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘….do this”  Is there any significance to the actual breaking of the bread? Jesus’ body was not “broken” – Jn 19.36

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 2. The Breaking  “broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘….do this”  What is the significance? Fellowship Mt 14:19 “Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds”

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 2. The Breaking  “broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘….do this”  What is the significance? Fellowship Mt 15:36 “and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.”

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 2. The Breaking  “broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘….do this”  What is the significance? Fellowship 1 Cor 10:16 “Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?”

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 3. The Eating  “when you come together to eat, wait for one another” – 1 Cor  Spiritual nourishment (cf. Jn 6)  In a fellowship meal

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 4. The Cup:  "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood” -- Lk 22:20  As blood red wine it represents the blood of the covenant  As fruit of the vine, it represents the fruit of Jesus’ death: Life for us.

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 5. The Pouring  Any significance to the pouring? “This cup which is poured out for you” (Lk 22.20) “for this is the blood of my covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins” (Mt 26.28) The pouring of the cup = the pouring of Jesus’ blood for us. With Jesus as the host.

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 6. Drinking of it  Spiritual nourishment and fellowship of a meal.

The Meaning of the Six Elements/Actions of the Lord’s Supper 1. The Bread 2. The Breaking of It 3. The eating of it 4. The cup 5. The pouring of it 6. Drinking of it

“Coming Together For The Better” How to get the most from the breaking of bread Come In Anticipation  Jesus “earnestly desired” to eat it Luke 22:15 “And He said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer’”

“Coming Together For The Better” How to get the most from the breaking of bread Come In Anticipation Psalms 42:1-2 “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?”

“Coming Together For The Better” How to get the most from the breaking of bread Come In Anticipation Psalms 63:1 “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

“Coming Together For The Better” How to get the most from the breaking of bread Come In Anticipation Psalms 84:2,10 “My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God…. For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside….”

“Coming Together For The Better” How to get the most from the breaking of bread Come After Preparation  Physical preparations -- cf. Lk 22.8,9,12,13 E.g. Staying home Saturday evenings, meditating on scripture, resting, getting kids ready, etc.

“Coming Together For The Better” How to get the most from the breaking of bread Come After Preparation  Physical preparations -- cf. Lk 22.8,9,12,13  Spiritual preparation on a daily basis E.g. Mt 5.23; Contrast Lk 22.24

“Coming Together For The Better” How to get the most from the breaking of bread Come Ready For Participation Jn 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

“Coming Together For The Better” How to get the most from the breaking of bread Leave in Reflection  Take the spiritual experience home

Purpose  Reflection  Anticipation  Participation (Fellowship) Meaning is Seen  Bread, breaking, and eating; Fruit of the vine, pouring and drinking. The Full Impact is Realized  Anticipating it  Preparing for it  Participating in it  Reflecting upon it