What a privilege we have today to celebrate two commands that Jesus gave us before He ascended to heaven. Both baptism and the Lord’s Supper are each a memorial and a proclamation of our faith. Baptism by immersion in water, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit shows a solemn and beautiful figure, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and our death to sin and resurrection to a new life. Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Baptism was practiced by people who became believers and wanted to be obedient to the Lord’s command. One example is recorded in Acts 8:36-39 “And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.”
The actual act that you just witnessed Zachary doing shows what happens the moment we believe. It is a picture of what happened to us on the inside, when we became God’s child. Romans 6:3-6 shows this picture.
“All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.”
In the same way the assembly of the Church commemorates the Lord’s Supper by the use of bread and the fruit of the vine remembering together the death, resurrection, and second coming of Christ.
Both of these activities are preempted by Jesus authority to practice them and to “Do this until I come.” 1 Cor. 11:26 and “until the end of the age” Matthew 28:20
Jesus wanted us to remember His sacrifice for us and for us to show the results to others. We are reminded that we are His people and have been given a great privilege to be called His.
He said “this do in remembrance of Me.” When we do this, we declare our identification with His suffering and dying to pay for our sin. This table is intended to help us recall what Jesus accomplished and to remember that he did this for others also. So we should treat others with that truth in regard.
When we participate, we worship Jesus as Lord and Savior, we proclaim the fact that His blood was shed for each of us individually to be His bride, and a transformation has begun in our lives.
In the New Testament the Apostles wrote many reminders of the fact that we should remember what happened and what we have become in Jesus.
I chose a few passages to reflect on as we celebrate this table. I have underlined some key phrases to emphasize our inclusion at the communion table.
1 Timothy 1:15-17
“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
2 Timothy 1:6-9
“And for this reason, I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you… For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.”
1 Peter 1:3-6
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice.”
In each of these verses that we looked at, there is an aspect that we are asked to examine our self, our motives, and our Christian testimony in light of what Jesus has done for us and accomplishing in us. When we celebrate the remembrance of His sacrifice at communion or witness a baptism we remind ourselves that we are bought with a high price and are called according to His purpose, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
We celebrate the Lord’s work of salvation frequently as a reminder that we should never take our privilege for granted by living for ourselves or in sin.
The Apostle Paul wrote about celebrating communion, in I Corinthians 11 verse 28 But let a person examine themselves, in order to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
This is a celebration, not a re-sacrifice. Our celebration is an opportunity to reflect on our life testimony of the truth that this table symbolizes. Our salvation is through Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and we are called to live so that others know Him.
Let’s take a moment to pause in our worship for self-examination of our actions compared to the treasure of grace bestowed upon us!
Paul wrote in I Corinthians chapter 11 a command to remember our price of redemption:
1 Corinthians 11
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;
1.) 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.”
2.) 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.”
3.) 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
The last item that we do is to take a collection to assist our brothers and sisters in the Lord. We call it our deacons fund. It is based on the passage in 1 John 3:17-18 “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”