Introduction
Easter prayer…
Turn in your Bible to Hebrews 2.
Our focus today is on the Lord’s Supper, but I want to begin with…
Top Ten Reasons Why the Lord’s Supper is a BAD Idea
- It is an odd and peculiar ceremony that most people don’t understand.
- It takes a lot of time and interrupts the flow of the service.
- There is much controversy about how to do it and what it means.
- Visitors to the church often have no idea what we are doing and what it means.
- The Bible says it can be very dangerous, life-and-death dangerous, to do it the wrong way.
- There is little consensus among churches about how often we should engage in this celebration.
- Children often struggle to understand the symbolism and significance of the Lord’s Supper.
- In many churches, the Lord’s Supper becomes more about maintaining traditions than honoring the Lord.
- Instead of being a tool to unify the church, the Lord’s Supper often causes division and criticism of leadership.
- For many, the Lord’s Supper doesn’t seem to provide any practical benefit to life or remedy daily stresses.
I’ve heard people give all ten of these reasons and more!
So, why do we do it?
That’s a good question, and there is a good answer.
We need the church to lead us in the Lord’s Supper celebration!
Few things are more important than this!
Whether it takes five minutes or thirty, the time spent worshiping through the Lord’s Supper is precious and valuable.
And I want to teach you why!
Today is the last day in our DNA of the Church series.
We’ve focused on the WHYs of the church:
- Why do we gather?
- Why do we preach?
- Why do we sing?
Today we answer the question: Why do we celebrate the Lord’s Supper?
The Lord’s Supper is a BIG subject.
We could easily preach a six- to eight-week series on the Lord’s Supper and still not cover everything.
But today, we will look at one reason—a single facet of the diamond of the Lord’s Supper.
The Lord’s Supper celebrates the victory of Jesus Christ!
Celebration is Important
- What we celebrate declares what we value.
- How we celebrate declares how much we value something.
- Celebrating together creates unity.
- Celebrations establish anchor points that encourage and strengthen us in times of distress.
- Celebrations clarify our identity.
How is the Lord’s Supper a Victory Celebration?
I. Jesus Won the Prize!
- The crucifixion and resurrection were Jesus’s victories over the enemy who had captured us.
- We are the prize!
Romans 5:8: God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
When Jesus defeated Satan on the cross and in the tomb, he freed us and won the prize.
II. Jesus Disarmed Satan!
- Satan’s primary weapon is accusation.
- Jesus’s death and resurrection disarm Satan by paying for our sins.
Revelation 12:10: The accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been thrown down.
Romans 8:1: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
III. Jesus Destroyed Death!
- Hebrews 2:14: …through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil.
- Death has been defeated.
1 Corinthians 15:57: Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
John 11:25: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”
Even when we die, we will live!
Conclusion
1 Corinthians 15:57: Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
How to Respond to This Truth
- Trust Christ.
- Reject condemnation and accusation from the defeated enemy.
- Celebrate Christ’s victory!
