The Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 10 & 11) Sermons from the Baptist Faith and Message

Written by Lucien Coleman

Sermon #10 of 19 Sermons on The Baptist Faith and Message

The Baptist Faith and Message sets forth "certain definite doctrines that Baptists believe, cherish, and with which they have been and are now closely identified." You may read The Baptist Faith and Message on SBC.net. This sermon series by Lucien Coleman originally appeared in Proclaim! magazine.

Baptist Faith & Message (2008)

Introduction: As a church observed the Lord's Supper one Sunday evening, a seven-year-old boy whose family never took him to church whispered to the couple who had brought him, “What are they doing?” In 1 Corinthians, Paul answers that question.

An Act of Worship (1 Cor. 11:24–26)

“Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:24) suggests that the Lord’s Supper is a living memorial to Christ.

In England, Remembrance Sunday is marked by a solemn two minute silence all over the nation. At the Cenotaph on London’s Whitehall Street, the Royal Family and leaders of government lay wreaths in tribute to the war dead. Each time we observe the Lord’s Supper, we “lay a wreath” in tribute to our Lord. But the Lord’s Supper is more than a time for reflecting on the past. It is a time of spiritual communion with a living Lord. Some Christians refer to the Lord’s Supper as the Eucharist. The term comes from a Greek word meaning “gratitude.” The Lord’s Supper is an opportunity to express our deep gratitude for our Lord’s sacrifice (1 Cor. 11:26).

A Celebration of Unity in Christ (1 Cor. 10:17)

In a second-century manuscript, “The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles,” is a prayer that was used in the early church’s observance of the Lord’s Supper: “As this broken bread was scattered upon the mountains, but was brought together became one, so let thy Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into thy kingdom.” (Teaching of the Twelve Aposteles, 323.)

As wheat is gathered and brought together in one loaf, so Christ has incorporated believers from diverse backgrounds into the church (1 Cor. 12:12–13). In 1 Corinthians 10:16–17, Paul reversed this symbolism. Though the bread is broken into many pieces, each piece is of the same loaf; though the church is made up of many individuals, they belong to the same body.

A Time for Spiritual Inventory (1 Cor. 11:27–28)

The more affluent Christians in Corinth had fallen into the habit of reserving better food for themselves when they hosted the church’s “love feasts” in their homes. They ate their food without waiting for poorer members of the church to arrive. They overindulged in food and drink, while many of their poorer brothers and sisters had next to nothing to eat (11:21–22). Rather than contributing to the unity of the body of Christ, such actions would emphasize the differences between groups in the church. Such behavior was desecrating the observance of the Lord’s Supper, which was a standard feature of these love feasts (1 Cor. 11:20–21).

The self-examination called for in 1 Corinthians 11:28 is strikingly similar to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:23–24. The person who is out of harmony with other members of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 11:29) dishonors the Lord’s Supper.

Conclusion: The assumption that only those who are sinless should participate in the Lord’s Supper is unwarranted. No one falls into this category (1 John 1:8). Paul’s point is, the Lord’s Supper should be observed in a spirit of repentance and renewed devotion.

About Professor Coleman

Professor Lucien Coleman retired in 1993 after twenty-seven years of teaching Religious Eductation at Southern Seminary and Adult Education at Southwestern Seminary. Before teaching served as a pastor in Kentucky. He holds degrees from Southern Seminary and the University of Kentucky. He and his wife, Bobbie, live in Parker County, Texas. They have three children, fifteen grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

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