A great Sunday

Yesterday I got the opportunity to preach at Mather Christian Church in Mather, PA. I had no idea what "kind" of a church it is, but I really didn't care because their pastor was out of town, they needed someone, and I think George Whitfield was right when he said he'd preach in Rome if the Pope extended him the invitation. It turns out that it's a Restorationist church.

Anyway, they celebrate Communion weekly, *cough* as all churches should *cough*, so I preached on celebrating the Lord's Supper. I don't think that's a sermon we hear often, and honestly, could hear enough of. The congregation seemed to appreciate it, so I am grateful.

I am not much of a "topical" guy because, frankly, it's too easy to butcher the inspired intention of the text, and if you preach expository sermons you have to submit to what the text says and not twist bits an pieces to what you want them to say. But with such a Redemptive-Historical subject, I cannot see how this sermon could be preached from one text.

I drew from Genesis 14, Exodus 12, Exodus 24, Luke 22, 1 Cor 10, 1 Cor 11 and Rev 19:9 because you can only go so far! haha

Celebrating the Lord’s Supper

I. We Celebrate The Promises of God in His Word

Old Testament and New Testament
The Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) and Christ

II. We Celebrate The Peace of God in the Gospel

The Gospel is pictured in the Supper (visible words)
Proclaiming his death (1 Cor 11:26)…the reality that man and God can experience peace…

III. We Celebrate The Presence of God in the Lives of His People

A. The Past

Abraham and Melchizedek (Gen 14) points to this
Moses, Aaron and 70 Elders at Sinai (Exodus 24 ) 8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words." 9 Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up 10 and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, ^[b] clear as the sky itself. 11 But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.

B. The Present

Paul pictures this 1 Cor 10
Communion is not a time to be sad about ourselves, but joyous about our savior. He invites us to fellowship with him. Take, eat. Take, drink.

C. The Future

Luke 22 16For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb pictured in Revelation 19:9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God."

Application: Appreciating this visible reminder of Christ's power in our lives. Celebrate it! It is for you! He will never leave us or forsake us!

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