Break Bread With Me 1 Cor. 11:23 ff

1. Two very old customs - one the handshake (keep your enemy from killing you); breaking bread with an enemy (a sign of trust).

2. An important commandment for the Church - Jesus OUR LORD commanded us to Break Bread Often -

renew our bond with Him

3. this morning we will Break bread together - with Jesus THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

4. I invite you to share with me God’s word - 1 Cor. 11:23 f f

I. Breaking Bread - establishing a bond

   A. the custom of men - as I mentioned - a way of creating trust - a bond

      1. In the Old Testament God called the people to Covenant - a covenant is an agreement - I’ll do this

if you will do that

      2. In life - There is no greater bond a man can make than with God - think about it - an agreement

between yourself and your Creator

      3. V. 25 - Jesus sat down wtih His disciples - a new covenant in my blood - a bond, an agreement

  B. The new Covenant - what is it?

      1. when we break bread with the King of Kings we agree to His terms - not ours

      2. He shed His blood, He went to the cross to cover our sins - In essence the agreement, the covenant,

the bond is this "Your sins are forgiven if you accept me as King, Master, Savior, Lord and you

agree to refrain from future sin"

      3. What did Jesus offer? forgiveness of God, eternal life - His blood as the sacrifice God required

  C. History lesson

      1. Moses sent to bring the Jews out of Egypt - pharoh refused until the angel of death called. The

Jews were told to paint their doorposts with Lamb’s blood.

      2. Where there is lamb’s blood death passes over. The Feast of Passover celebrates the passing over

of the angel of death

      3. God said in the OLD TESTAMENT - the Messiah would be a lamb, He would be slain for sin and

those who accept Him will not taste death

      4. Jesus is God’s lamb - His blood covers our sins and death PASSES OVER US!

  D. Breaking bread with Jesus is accepting the New Covenant

      1. I will forgive your sins if you will accept me as the Son of God, your Savior

      2. Do you remember why you turned to Jesus? broken life, broken in sin afraid of what your eternity

would be

      3. You made a vow - a bond created - a covenant established - My Savior and my Lord

 II. Breaking Bread - renewing the bond - the covenant

     A. V. 23 - what I received from THE LORD I pass on to you

         1. before Paul began the church at Corinth - the church at Jerusalem and other places were already

observing the Lord’s supper (every day)

         2. Paul started the Corith church - went off - letters came to him of how mixed up the people were in

their observance of the Lord’s supper

         3. leave some folks alone and they’ll find a reason to party

         4. Paul is explaning the purpose of the observance and the seriousness of it

     B. V. 26 As Often as you do this you proclaim the Lord’s death and His coming (meaning He arose

from the death and lives)

         1. they had A great feast with lots of wine and lots of food - a drunken orgy

         2. what was to be a reminder of man’s sinfullness and God’s forgiveness because a reason for sin!!!

         3. We observe the Lord’s supper to remember what HE DID and to proclaim WHAT HE DID to the

community

1. A warning - v. 27 - unworthy of the Grace we receive because of Jesus’ death

2. examine your life - is there sin - do to need forgiveness?

3. Come now and repent - confess your sins and break bread with THE KING OF KINGS

4. He is coming again - We sang HE IS COMING - do you believe - what if it was this hour? Are you ready

to meet your Lord face to face?