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“Holy Communion Service” by Rev Samuel Mametsa, SUNDAY SERVICE, Day 7, the 29th April 2012.
When a tree is planted it must grow but for it to grow it must be watered. Members of this church, go out and disciple all the people who received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour during this Crusade. God sent them to this church to receive Christ as day Lord and Saviour. They are still young in the Lord and need your help so that they can grow.
Today we will partake of the Holy Communion. It is important to respect the blood of Jesus. We must never undermine the blood of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 11: 23 – 28 “23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. Examine Yourself 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.” 1 Cor 11:23-34, NKJV.
Holy Communion is eaten by a group of people. It is not individual communion, that is why it is called Holy Communion. Communion means community. It means you need to gather together and partake of it. Jesus Christ never did it alone; always He did it with His disciples. Even Paul was teaching the people to partake of Holy Communion as a church.
The church in Corinth were abusing Holy Communion. Some of them would come early and finish the Holy Communion and when the others would come, they would find nothing. He encouraged them to wait for one another. He told those who were eating everything leaving nothing for others to wait for others.
In the early churches when they would partake of the Holy Communion they were using one glass. The aim being to teach people to share, to know that they are one body. The reason for using the little glasses is because of the number of the people in the church. Jesus Christ talks about humility in Holy Communion. That is why Jesus Christ went to the extent of washing the feet of his disciples. Holy Communion symbolizes humility. Jesus Christ wanted to humble Himself.
Paul wanted to pave the correct way of partaking Holy Communion.
Verse 28 says a man must examine Himself. 1 Cor 11:28 “28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” 1 Cor 11:28, NKJV.
It is important that we do this. This is because when you partake of Holy Communion you should come having a clean and pure heart. Some will partake of Holy Communion not having slept at home, after committing sin and without repenting of them. Normally in our church I advise our members to fast for Holy Communion. We also encourage the youths to partake of the Holy Communion. We need to be clean so that when we partake of the Holy Communion we are clean.
Paul says if you partake of the Holy Communion in an unworthy manner, you will be guilty of the blood of Jesus. He says that is why some of the people are sick and some are dying.
In our church we refrain from giving Holy Communion to young children or people who have not as yet been baptised as we don’t want them to be guilty of the blood. We prefer to give it to people who have been discipled as they understand Holy Communion.
1 Cor 11:24 “24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."” NKJV.
The breaking of the bread symbolizes the brokenness of the body of Christ. That is why He broke the bread. The bread represents the body of Christ and when we partake of it we are partaking of the body of Christ.
1 Cor 11:25 “25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."” NKJV.
As you partake of the blood of Jesus you enter into a blood covenant. This is an agreement between you and Jesus and this agreement cannot be violated. It is sealed by His blood and nobody can break including Jesus Christ Himself.
Today we will partake of the Holy Communion. It is important to respect the blood of Jesus. We must never undermine the blood of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 11: 23 – 28 “23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. Examine Yourself 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.” 1 Cor 11:23-34, NKJV.
Holy Communion is eaten by a group of people. It is not individual communion, that is why it is called Holy Communion. Communion means community. It means you need to gather together and partake of it. Jesus Christ never did it alone; always He did it with His disciples. Even Paul was teaching the people to partake of Holy Communion as a church.
The church in Corinth were abusing Holy Communion. Some of them would come early and finish the Holy Communion and when the others would come, they would find nothing. He encouraged them to wait for one another. He told those who were eating everything leaving nothing for others to wait for others.
In the early churches when they would partake of the Holy Communion they were using one glass. The aim being to teach people to share, to know that they are one body. The reason for using the little glasses is because of the number of the people in the church. Jesus Christ talks about humility in Holy Communion. That is why Jesus Christ went to the extent of washing the feet of his disciples. Holy Communion symbolizes humility. Jesus Christ wanted to humble Himself.
Paul wanted to pave the correct way of partaking Holy Communion.
Verse 28 says a man must examine Himself. 1 Cor 11:28 “28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” 1 Cor 11:28, NKJV.
It is important that we do this. This is because when you partake of Holy Communion you should come having a clean and pure heart. Some will partake of Holy Communion not having slept at home, after committing sin and without repenting of them. Normally in our church I advise our members to fast for Holy Communion. We also encourage the youths to partake of the Holy Communion. We need to be clean so that when we partake of the Holy Communion we are clean.
Paul says if you partake of the Holy Communion in an unworthy manner, you will be guilty of the blood of Jesus. He says that is why some of the people are sick and some are dying.
In our church we refrain from giving Holy Communion to young children or people who have not as yet been baptised as we don’t want them to be guilty of the blood. We prefer to give it to people who have been discipled as they understand Holy Communion.
1 Cor 11:24 “24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."” NKJV.
The breaking of the bread symbolizes the brokenness of the body of Christ. That is why He broke the bread. The bread represents the body of Christ and when we partake of it we are partaking of the body of Christ.
1 Cor 11:25 “25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."” NKJV.
As you partake of the blood of Jesus you enter into a blood covenant. This is an agreement between you and Jesus and this agreement cannot be violated. It is sealed by His blood and nobody can break including Jesus Christ Himself.