Serve the Lord's Supper to the New Disciples in New Churches

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

“The Lord Jesus, on the night 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.’” 

These words were recorded in 1 Corinthians 11:23. Our merciful Lord and Savior spoke them as he was anticipating being tortured, crucified, and buried. Jesus’ command shows the depth of his love and compassion for you and me. He wants all of his disciples in all places to obey them.  

First of all, Jesus portrayal of the new covenant with bread and wine shows his love for others. He was not focused on his own problems, his own pain, his own struggle. Jesus, although he was about be killed, turned his focus to his disciples and invited them to celebrate with him his covenant of grace.  What amazing love.

Secondly, Jesus turned his focus to his saving sacrifice. “In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

It is amazing that God would make a new covenant with us sinners. All that our sin deserved was a broken relationship with our heavenly Father. But Jesus made a way by shedding his blood on the cross and rising from the dead. He said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.”

So how is that gracious, glorious new covenant of forgiveness and grace to be recorded and remembered? The new covenant with Jesus that brings us new life is to be remembered by breaking bead and drinking wine. This is what Jesus said on the night he was betrayed. It is not a small thing that Jesus died for us to purchase our salvation.  By comparison, taking time to gather bread and red juice and the followers of Jesus to remember the new covenant is quite simple.  It does not take much effort at all. And yet, just before he suffered for us, this gathering and this eating of bread and drinking of wine is what our Lord commanded us to do.

So why is it that so many newly planted churches find it so hard to celebrate the Lord’s Supper as Jesus’ commanded? And, what are the benefits that new believers miss when church planters fail to make sure the Lord Supper is served to them? Without the Lord’s Supper, new believers miss the simplest and clearest explanation of the Good News. When the Apostle Paul was describing the Gospel to the newly planted church in Corinth, he said, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” This of course is the same message that is proclaimed in the serving of the Lord’s Supper. New believers, even more than others, need to remember, reflect. and embrace this message repeatedly.

Of course, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is important for all of us, but it is especially important for new believes in new churches who are just beginning to experience God’s grace. So make sure they receive the Lord’s Supper at least four times per year. It will be life and peace and power for you and for them.

 

This has been “Multiply,” and I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?

 

 

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