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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/gordon-williams/lords-supper/
Would you turn please to Luke's gospel in chapter 22, the gospel of Luke in chapter 22. We're going to read at verse 19, Luke 22 and verse 19. And he took bread and gave thanks and break it and gave unto them saying, This is my body which is given for you.
This do in remembrance of me. Likewise, also the cup after supper saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Just another reading quickly, please. In first Corinthians and chapter 11.
First Corinthians and chapter 11 and verse 26. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. Now, may the Lord bless to us the reading of his word. We've been hearing about the house of God, the character of it.
And this morning we had the privilege, most of us to remember the Lord Jesus. There is something very, very special, isn't there, about gathering on a Lord's day morning. I can say that I'd never want to be anywhere else or doing anything else on the first day of the week, other than remembering the Lord Jesus.
It seems not to matter how large the company is. But there's something beautiful about it. I want to leave with you just very quickly here, some thoughts in relation to what the Lord has said. As we look at our new testament in three of the gospels.
And only three. But do we find that the Lord Jesus at the end of a Passover supper will take two emblems, a loaf and a cup. We have it in Matthew, we have it in Mark, and we have it in Luke. And for a number of reasons, which I'll leave with you.
It's not in John. I might ask you just quickly to notice this. That if you were to compare the words that are given in Matthew with what's in Mark and what's in Luke, you might notice little differences in the words.
And I suggest to you that they're important. One of the tremendous things about the Bible is this. You and I should accept the word of God factually, historically, in other words. But always, as we read it, watch out for little differences.
Because there's a beauty upon the word of God. Far beyond any historical truth and everything else. There's a beauty as to how the word of God is written. And if we watch the little differences, there are all kinds of marvelous little things that come out.
For example, I read to you here in Luke's gospel 22. In verse 20, this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Were you to go to Matthew's gospel and read the parallel thing, you would find this.
That it's shed for many for the remission of sins. If you went to Mark's gospel, you will find that it is shed for many. And right away, we should ask ourselves, what's the difference in shed for many for the remission of sins?
Shed for many, shed for you. And of course, there wouldn't be time to get into it now, but some of you will appreciate. These three gospels, these three differences, and no mention of John, would take you right back into some of the lovely pictures of the book of Leviticus in relation to the offerings at the beginning.
Some of you will relate to this, and I hope younger ones, if you're not with me on it, you might just do a little bit of looking and searching and digging, and you'll find this. That in Leviticus chapter 5, you have what's called the trespass offering, which deals with transgressions.
And as soon as you come in, what was it brother David read? If thy brother trespass against thee, trespass and transgressions. Why it's generally said, Matthew is the gospel that corresponds to the trespass offering.
And so when the Lord introduces this, it's shed for many for the remission of sins. In other words, they're transgressions. But when you go to Mark's gospel, where it's shed for many, why others would simply take us back now and say, well, Mark's gospel for a number of reasons will relate not to Leviticus 5, but Leviticus 4, where you have the sin offering.
And one of the categories of the sin offering is this, that there's a sin offering for the whole company of God's redeemed people. Shed for the many, says Mark's gospel, the gospel of the sin offering.
But of course, when you come to Luke's gospel, you're not now on the grounds of Leviticus 5 or 4, but on the grounds of Leviticus chapter 3, where you have the peace offering. And ringing from beginning to end in Luke's gospel, you'll find the thought of peace, go in peace, daughter, go in peace, and so on.
And so Luke says, it's shed for you. Could I just wrap them together as three beautiful reasons? Because I've got four words in mind, three beautiful reasons in relation to the remembrance of the Lord Jesus.
First of all, my four words, why would we remember the Lord Jesus? And here we are, three reasons in three gospels. I love to remember the Lord Jesus for this reason. Based on Matthew's gospel, I can confidently say, all of my transgressions have been taken care of.
Based on the truth of Mark's gospel, I would say this. I thank God that I am one of the many. I'm part of the congregation of those that have been saved by the precious blood of Christ. But I go to Luke's gospel and I say this.
I would remember the Lord Jesus, not just on the grounds of sins forgiven, not just on the grounds of being one of the many, but I have peace with God. There are any number of other reasons you might bring in, but Matthew, Mark, and Luke would just bring before you those three little thoughts.
This do in remembrance of me. Could I just quickly then in view of the time, ask you to consider three other little factors. You can think of a number of other why we should remember the Lord Jesus. But who is to remember the Lord Jesus?
Who are those who are to take the loaf and the cup? And could I ask you in the context just to simply remember this on the occasion where the Lord sits down with his disciples? You won't forget, will you?
That there are two suppers that are in view. Are there not two symbols that we make much of? But that's what they are, symbols. Are there not two sites as well? The two suppers, of course, you would know.
On the one hand, there's the Passover supper. But it's finished. And then there's the Lord's supper. It'll be introduced. And again, when you think of the Passover supper and do a little bit of reading and you've got all the dishes and the cups and everything else and all the complexity of it.
But when you think of the Lord's supper, well, you can be just be overwhelmed by the simplicity of it. Two suppers, one over, one just starting. Two symbols. Could you get anything simpler than loaf and cup?
Nothing complex about this. And the Lord wants us to appreciate what those two things represent. Two sites, did I say? Why, this morning, were we not conscious of these two things? With a loaf and a cup before us, did we not go in one direction?
And our thoughts and our singing and in our words, our meditations took us to a place called Calvary, the site of Calvary. But it says here, you show the Lord's death till they come. And while Calvary is on the one side, the coming of Christ is on the other side.
And incidentally, that little phrase till I come. Years ago, I know of a particular group. They're still around. And they would say the only ones who were to take bread and wine would be the apostles.
I don't know what you do about the till I come in relation to the 12 apostles. Something's wrong somewhere. And furthermore, 1 Corinthians 11 is not written to the 12 apostles. It's written to Gentile Christians like you and me.
Show the Lord's death till I come, till he come rather. So you see, this breaking of bread, this remembering of the Lord Jesus, it's going to go on right until the Lord comes and the shout is given. But I've said to you, then, if we have the two suppers and the two symbols, we have the two sites.
We ever need to keep them in mind. Calvary, we on one hand, the coming of Christ on the other. We have the why then should we remember the Lord in a number of reasons. And just for a minute, who were those who should do this in remembrance of me?
As the scripture says. Why. I'd ask you to turn, but for time's sake, we won't. I'd ask you to turn to read Acts chapter two, that beautiful passage. Beautiful passage in Acts to remember where Peter is speaking.
And we have what is sometimes called the seven pillars of the New Testament church. You know what they are? They that gladly received his words. That's how it starts. That's number one. Who are those who gladly received his word in Acts chapter two?
Well, now, if we were to read just a verse or two before you might notice this. Peter has been preaching the person of Christ and Peter has been preaching the crucified Christ. And Peter lays the blame of it all right at the feet of the audience.
Ye crucified. Because, of course, he's talking to Jerusalem. He's talking to those who rejected the Savior. And he lays it squarely on their shoulders, shall we say. Then there's this little phrase that comes from a group of convicted sinners.
They say to the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? You know, the sense of that. The sense is this, that these people have been told the enormity of what they have done. Their guilt before God.
And when they say to Peter and the others, what shall we do? It just seems to me that it's this. Now, here's a group of convicted sinners. What hope is there for us? Where do we go from here? What can we do?
Well, that's conviction, which comes before salvation. Peter just simply preached to them to repent and to turn to Christ. They that gladly received his word. The beautiful picture is this. You can offer a piece of bread to a person with a full stomach.
And they might look and wonder what's wrong with you. Get a man who's been lost in the boondocks for a couple of weeks. With nothing to eat. You meet him with a slice of bread. And it'll be an altogether different reaction.
In other words, where there's a convicted individual. Knows their guilt before God, and they don't know which way to turn or what to do. Then offer them the beautiful, sweet message of the gospel of God's salvation.
Tell them Christ is the answer. Why, you remember the man. You remember the man with a sword in his hand that's about to fall on the sword. It's all over. There's no hope. I'm thinking of Acts chapter 16 now.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved in thy house. What a difference it made. What a difference it made to a man whose life is over. There's no hope for anything. I see a man suddenly transformed by that beautiful, simple message.
Transformed to the point that he'll wash those wounds of the men that were there. He'll take them to his house. He'll take care of them. You've got to change from dark to light. Night to day, if you like, in the Philippian jailer.
Because he was in a desperate situation. And he heard a simple, beautiful message. That's salvation. Those who realize their condition will want the message. They that gladly received his word. What do we have next then?
They were baptized. Baptism, you notice, is linked with salvation in our New Testament. Baptism doesn't save, of course. But the saved one wants to be baptized, to be identified with Christ. It's as simple as that.
They that gladly received his word were baptized. And we read this. Step number three. The same day there was added unto them. I take it added to the existing company of people that were there. Believers that were there.
The Christians that were there. The three thousand souls. The seven steps of Acts chapter two, you'll notice. Like most sevens in your Bible, have a three and a four. And what's the little distinction between them?
Then we read this. They continued. What's the next word? Somebody help me. Sometimes, is it? They continued. Not sometimes. They continued. Who's got the word for me? Steadfastly. Not sometimes, was it?
No. They continued steadfastly. You know what that means? What's the difference in a sometimes and a steadfastly? All the difference in the world. Christians, that's why I hesitated there. All the difference in the world.
It's not a hit or a miss thing. It's not a now and again thing. They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine. And we would take it, would we not? That the apostles doctrine means the teaching of our New Testament.
The beautiful truths of Christ and the church that have been given to these saints and to us. Let me say again, not a sometimes thing. But a full-time thing. They continued steadfastly. That's what should mark every Christian.
That's what marked them. They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine. There's seven of these steps here. I should get to the breaking of bread in just a minute. They that gladly received his word are now baptized.
They're now added to the existing company. And now they're characterized by a steadfast walk in light of truth that they've been given. What's the next one, if you please? They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine.
And in, now will I ask if it's breaking of bread or not? Oh, you'll correct me if I do. It's in the fellowship. In the fellowship. And then the breaking of bread. And then the prayers. And you'll watch the order of these verses in Acts 2, won't you?
The order is very important. They continued in the teaching of the apostles. The fellowship is a fellowship that's spiritual based upon truth that's given. Whatever we do now, I've nothing against social fellowship.
But don't confuse social fellowship with spiritual fellowship. It's the fellowship. Whatever we do, don't confuse it. They continued then in the doctrine and in the fellowship that had been established.
And in the breaking of bread and in prayers. If you put the breaking of bread before the fellowship, you'll have confusion. If you change around any of the order here, you'll have trouble. Keep them all seven in the consecutive order that they're given.
Nobody would like it, I'm sure, if I were just to jumble them up and say this. Then they were baptized and then they were added unto them. And then they gladly received his word. My, what have I done?
I've got them baptized, added to the company, and then I've got them saved afterwards. Now you say that won't work. That's not the order. Now that's good. Keep things in the order that's given. Saved, baptized, added, continuing in the doctrine, in the fellowship that's based on doctrine.
And in the breaking of bread. Breaking of bread in our New Testament is only and always associated with assembly testimony. And they continued in the breaking of bread and in prayer. So who were those?
I've given you the why. But the who? Listen, the answer is very simple. Saved ones, baptized ones, added ones, continuing ones. That's the who that should break bread. But there are other little passages.
My next question would simply be this. If we have a why and a who, when do they break bread? If you were to go over to Acts chapter 20 and verse 7, you'll find this tremendous little story. And verse 7 says, on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, it says Paul preached unto them.
Now I notice this. And in the context, you can read it and you'll see it very, very simply. The apostle Paul in Acts chapter 7, chapter 20 rather, is in a hurry to get back from one of his missionary journeys.
He wants to get back to Jerusalem. And the strange thing happens. A man who's in a hurry. And then when we read the chapter, I find that he meets with the Christians and leaves first thing the next morning.
But the strange thing is this. He waited a number of days and then rushed away the next morning. Bit peculiar, isn't it? But it's not at all peculiar when you think of this. That the disciples meet together on the first day of the week because it's resurrection day.
It's the birthday of the church, Acts chapter 20. That's the first day of the week. Today, when the Lord meets with his disciples. First Corinthians 16 on the first day of the week. So Paul and company come to Troas.
Now again, just think of this for a minute. This is the great apostle Paul. Of our residual man in a hurry to get to the capital city, Jerusalem. Couldn't the assembly have just been a wee bit accommodating?
And said, no, Paul is passing through and we can't expect him to wait all week. How about if we change the breaking of bread then from the first day to Tuesday or Wednesday, whatever, for Paul's sake, mind you.
But they didn't. But they didn't. But wait, wait again. Don't we read when we go through our New Testament of the apostle Paul, the apostle now. Doing things with authority that no preacher would do today.
I think of Paul speaking of dealing with certain ones because of false doctrine and putting them outside the assembly and so on. Well, that's the apostle Paul we're talking about. Well, couldn't the apostle Paul then say to these brethren at Troas, listen, folks, I don't have much time.
So just this week, we're going to change things around and we'll break bread tomorrow. But he didn't. They didn't change and he didn't change. You know what I'm stressing, don't you? They gathered together on the first day of the week.
Now, you notice what it says there. Again, let me quote verse seven. On the first day of the week, you'll pardon me if I use a different version here. On the first day of the week, the disciples came together and Paul preached unto them and then they broke bread.
That's not the right version you're saying. We better rephrase it and get back to what it actually says. The first day of the week, the disciples came together to break bread and Paul preached unto them.
You know what I'm saying? Their purpose in coming together was not to hear Paul preach, but rather to remember Christ. Paul's preaching was subsequent to the main event of the meeting. Now, whatever we do, Christians, let's keep simple and let's keep obedient.
That's what we've been reminded of by our brother David here. So then, when do they break bread? I suggest to you the pattern is the first day of the week. First Corinthians 11, how do they do this in remembrance of me?
Now, there's quite a number of things could be looked at in relation to that question. You can look at them later, but you'll realize that for whatever reasons, things had gone wrong in Corinth. Oh, you've got those that are a little better off than some of the others, and they're getting together what seems to be some kind of a love feast.
And there are those who were embarrassed and, oh, well, all kinds of little things gone out of order here. You notice this, won't you? When things have gone astray, the apostle Paul says this, that he delivered on to I have received.
I delivered on to you that which I received of the Lord. And you'll please notice he took them back to the beginning. Now, I rather enjoy this fact that Paul might have said to the Corinthians, I want you to do what they do at Philippi.
That might have been OK. That's like the thing to the assembly at Portage. Now, you do what they do at Winnipeg or vice versa. And that'll never work because we tend to slip as time goes on. And it's always good.
Get back to the beginning. I delivered on to you that which I received of the Lord. And please notice this now. He didn't say I delivered on to you that which Peter told me. Because after all, Peter was there.
Paul wasn't. No, he's not gone to what some other assembly is doing. And he's not gone to what some other man has said. He's got he's gone to what came from the Lord himself. He takes them back to the institution of a thing.
Now, if we want to be right in the things of the Lord. Let's just keep that simple principle in mind. It's back to the book. Not what some others do or not what somebody else says, but back to the book.
So the Lord Jesus said this do in remembrance of me. And may the Lord help us just to keep simple and keep sweet in relation to his remembrance. Remember, it's till he come. I've often said this. You've probably heard it said before.
I can't do anything about it. I missed the first breaking of bread. You know, it's almost 2000 years ago. Not much I can do about that. I don't want to miss the last one. And I can do something about that.
May God bless his word.