8/10/2019 The Importance of Holy Communion

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The Importance of Holy Communion

Genesis 14:18-20 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Luke 9:11-17

What is the most precious gi t that !esus Christ ga"e to his church# $ %o notmean the gi t o the &o'( )pirit* $ ha"e in min% things that +e can see an%

touch* ,an( peop'e +i'' sa( .the /i 'e* he /i 'e is in%ee% an in"a'ua 'egi t o Go% ut !esus %i% not +rite a /i 'e or the church nor %i% hecommission his %iscip'es to +rite one* he most precious gi t that !esus ga"eto his church is that +hich +e ce'e rate to%a( the gi t o his o+n o%( an%

'oo% in the orm o rea% an% +ine*

he short rea%ing +e ha"e to%a( rom au' s irst 'etter to the Corinthians is"er( important or /i 'e historians* his is ecause the +or%s o !esus in this

passage are the ear'iest recor%e% +or%s o !esus that +e ha"e* We kno+ thatthe +or%s o !esus are recor%e% in the gospe's an% other 5e+ estament

ooks* /ut au' s 'etters +ere +ritten some t+ent( to i t( (ears e ore the

gospe's an% theses other 5e+ estaments ooks +ere +ritten*

au' egins ( te''ing the peop'e o Corinth that the tra%ition o ce'e ratingthe Lor% s supper is one that goes ack to !esus Christ himse' * For Ireceived from the Lord what I also handed on to you 1 Corinthians11:23 * au' %i% not persona''( recei"e this tra%ition rom the Lor% since he+as not one o the t+e'"e apost'es present at the Last )upper* &e recei"e% thetra%ition rom those +ho +ere Christians e ore him a ter his con"ersion tothe Christian aith* 5o+ he is han%ing on to the Corinthians the same tra%itionthat he himse' recei"e%* he on'( %i erence is that +hereas up ti'' the time o

au' the tra%ition +as passe% on ( +or% o mouth au' +as the irst to put it

%o+n in +riting ecause he cou'% not e there ph(sica''( +ith theCorinthians*

What is the tra%ition that au' recei"e% an% is no+ passing on# $t is this:

that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread and when he had given thanks he broke it and said!This is my body that is for you" #o this in remembrance of me"!In the same way he took the cup also after supper saying !Thiscup is the new covenant in my blood" #o this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me" 1 Corinthians 11:23-2

he night he +as etra(e% +as the 'ast night that !esus spent +ith his%iscip'es e ore his passion an% %eath* $n o'%en %a(s peop'e %i% not +ritetheir +i''s* he( spoke their +i''s usua''( as their 'ast +or%s e ore %eath*What %o these +or%s o 1 Corinthians 11:23-2 te'' us +hen +e rea% them asthe 'ast +or%s the +i'' an% testament o !esus#

irst the +i'' o !esus %oes not sa( a +or% a out +hat !esus taught* $ts ocus

8/10/2019 The Importance of Holy Communion

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is on +hat !esus %i%* &e ga"e his o%( to his o''o+ers as oo% an% his 'oo%as %rink* ;emem er this +as taking p'ace in the conte