May 19, 2024
The Lord’s Supper (The Jesus Version) BTS 19 May 24
Introduction - I’m taking this opportunity today to teach about the biblical version of the Lord’s Supper. I will take a very short, but very important time to do this. I don’t know precisely when, but at some point in the church’s practice, “communion” became separated from the “Lord’s Supper.” In my early experiences as a Christian boy, on communion Sunday we took an extra 10 minutes for all the congregation members to walk up, get a little wafer, drink a thimble-sized cup of wine or juice, silently reflect for a moment and return to our seats. This universally seems to be the church’s version of the Lord’s Supper. You can even buy pre-packed wafers and juice in a thimble-sized individual container so that our busy lives aren’t disrupted by having to break bread or pour wine.
As I grew older, I couldn’t find anywhere in the Bible where communion became a separate rite, distinct from the meal which is the Lord’s Supper. The gospels, in each passage where the Lord’s Supper is recorded, uniformly state that Jesus sat down to eat a meal with His disciples:
Matthew 26:26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” NLT
Mark 14:22 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.”NLT
Luke 22:15 Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins.16 For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” NLT
What made this meal different from other meals we commonly eat was Jesus’ institution of two symbols: the bread and the cup, It’s evident that the whole meal, not just some bread and a cup of wine at the end, was to be done in remembrance of Him. The Apostle Paul spent most of a chapter years later correcting the Corinthian church about the purpose of the Lord’s Supper. There were divisions amongst them. Some were interested mostly in food, and ate up the provisions. Others got drunk on the wine. It is evident that he was talking about their preoccupation with their own interests, thereby missing the most important point - remembering Him.
1 Corinthians 11:20-21 When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper.
21 For some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk. NLT
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. NLT
Conclusion - This is a special meal with a special purpose, just like a Christmas or Easter service is special. Jesus is remembered and honored when we take time to eat a special meal together and share our good memories of Him. Let’s honor the One who has given us true life!
Jesus, our Good Shepherd (Psalm 23) — Phyllis Pokol
Did you know that David is credited with writing 73 psalms in the book of Psalms? That’s quite an amazing accomplishment! Psalm 23 is one of the best known psalms and even chapters in the Bible. For many people, it is their favorite. It is often quoted in both Jewish & Christian places of worship. Many of us learned the psalm as a child, memorizing it. The word “psalm” literally means “song.” Therefore, Psalm 23, as well as the other 149 psalms, was meant to be sung. You may not have thought of this, but Psalm 23 is actually the song of a man characterizing himself as a sheep under the watchful eye of his divine shepherd who is with him in all circumstances. We know that before David was a great warrior & the king of Israel, he was a poet & a shepherd to his father’s sheep. In fact, God uses David’s shepherding experience as the training ground to prepare him for the challenges that he would face. For example, when his flock was attacked by a lion & a bear, he stood strong & defended them. This event prepared him to face the giant Goliath in battle. The responsibilities & the care of the flock were also great preparation for caring for God’s flock, the people of Israel, when he became their king. In Psalm 23, the shepherd, who actually represents our protective Father God, leads the sheep through peaceful settings, provides for them, & protects them from all harm. Each of these 6 verses in Ps. 23 reminds us that God cares about us & for us just as a shepherd cares about & for his sheep. The result is a vision of peace. This is the kind of God that we need & long for. Amen? Okay. Now, that I’ve covered the introduction of this teaching, let’s look more closely at this beautifully poetic & important psalm.
Verse 1 of Ps. 23 states, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (or I have that all I need).” How reassuring to know that our heavenly Father will provide for all of our needs because of His great love for us. Let’s see what Jesus said about this. In Luke 12:29-31, He says, “Don’t be concerned about what to eat or drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.” Let’s look at what Paul says about Ps. 23:1. In Phil. 4:19, Paul writes, “And this same God Who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which was given to us in Christ Jesus.” How comforting it is to know that we will never lack for anything, even in challenging times, if we keep our faith in Jesus. You know, at one point in my life, through no fault of my own, I had no job & absolutely no money. I remembering crying out to God, “Lord, what am I going to do? I have nothing.” He very clearly said to me, “Phyllis, you will never have everything that you want, but you will always have everything you need.” That was 44 years ago, & I can tell you honestly that God has faithfully kept that promise. I am abundantly blessed today. Thank you, Lord! So, always remember, as Ps. 23: 1 says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
In the beautifully written Ps.23, David poetically takes us to 3 places. Let’s see where the first place is. In verse 2 of Ps. 23, he writes, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters (or peaceful streams).” So, the first place he takes us is green pastures & still waters. They are a picture of peace & serenity. You know, just like the land in winter needs to rest & restore itself, our bodies require rest to recover from the activities of our daily lives. Sometimes when we don’t rest enough, our health suffers. And sometimes our relationships with others suffer when we’re tired and irritable, right? We’ve all been there. Remember, the King James version says, “He makes me to lie down.” Another meaning for “makes” would be “to force.” We know that good parents make their children go to bed even when they don’t want to. Listen. Just as the shepherd makes his sheep to lie down because he knows what’s best for them, our God does the same with us. Our loving Father provides a place of physical refreshment, & we can find rest in His green pastures. Hallelujah! My prayer for all of us is to be able to see God as the loving Shepherd who leads us, His precious sheep, to quiet streams of His compassion & rest.
In the beginning of verse 3 of Ps. 23, David says, “He restoreth my soul.” Remember, in verse 2, David writes about resting our bodies. Here, in verse 3, he speaks about the Lord renewing his spiritual strength. This implies that there were many times when his soul was weighed down & needed restoring. In many of the psalms, David expresses painful experiences of his spirit. Just one chapter ahead in Ps. 22: 1 & 2, he cries out, “My God, my God, why have You abandoned me? Why are You so far away when I groan for help? Every night when I lift my voice, I get no relief.” But, we know that the Lord comes to him quickly & restores his spirit. How do we know this? Well, the proof of this is the very next psalm, Ps. 23, where David acknowledges in verse 3 that God restored his soul. Isaiah 30:15 speaks of this spiritual rest when God said to Israel, “Only in returning to Me & resting in Me will you be saved. In quietness & confidence is your strength.” & in Matt. 11: 28-30, Jesus implores us, “Come to Me all you who are weary & carry heavy burdens, & I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you because I am humble & gentle at heart, and you will find rest in your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Once again, in Ps. 23: 3, David says, “He restoreth my soul.” Another word for “restore” would be “refresh” which means “to give new strength & energy.” I know that there have been many times that we, like David, have felt abandoned by God & cried out to him in desperation, “Where are You, God? I can’t take any more! I need You to restore me.” Listen, our whole lives-spiritual, mental, & emotional- can only be refreshed through God. But, how can we get this refreshment? Well, Ps. 46:10 says, “Be still & know that I am God.” I believe that if we quiet ourselves & wait on God, then He will refresh us. Now, the 2nd part of verse 3 in Ps. 23 states, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake.” Here, David takes us to the world of every day moral choices. You know, sometimes we don’t navigate life successfully. Wouldn’t you agree? We often ignore God’s warning signs & turn down the wrong path. But when we do, a voice-the Holy Spirit’s voice-warns us of danger. However, it is our choice to listen to His voice or not. Ps. 23: 3 reminds us that God will guide us down the right paths. He won’t lead us into dangerous places. God also promises us that if we get lost in sin, He will guide us home. We just need to listen & be obedient, amen? Jesus knows that we don’t always follow Him even though He is leading us on our journey here on earth. But, as I said before, I know that He will never allow us to veer too far off the path. Listen, this is important. By following the Lord, you can be confident that He will lead you down all good paths in your life. Now, my favorite verse in the Bible is Ps. 16:11 which states, “Thou will show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Jesus will walk us through all the twists & turns of life until we follow His steps into eternity. Hallelujah!
Now, in the last part of v. 3 in Ps. 23, the King James version says that God leads us in right paths “for His Name’s sake.” What does this mean? Well, the NLT version says that “for His Name’s sake” means “bringing honor to His Name.” How do we do this? Well, we bring honor to God’s name by not acting like the world, and showing others that following Jesus is the best way to live. Amen?
I said earlier that David takes us to 3 places in Ps. 23. The first place was green pastures & still waters. David now remembers the hard times & takes us to the 2nd place. David writes in Ps. 23, verse 4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me.” So, the 2nd place is the valley of death or dark situations in our lives. Notice that he does not say that in the valley he was never hurt, attacked, or insulted, which he was a lot. The one thing that he affirms is that he doesn’t fear any evil. Let’s look at 2 places in Psalms where David faced fear. In Ps. 18:6, he states, “But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help.” & in Ps. 56:3, he writes, “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.” Remember in Ps. 23, David, as the sheep, says to his Shepherd, “Thou art with me.” He knew that his Shepherd God did not abandon him in his valley. So, David faced fear, but he was not afraid. You know, we all experience high’s & low’s in our lives, right? The high’s are the “mountaintop” experiences &, of course, the low’s are the “valleys” we go through-our difficult times. During these valley experiences, we can feel isolated & alone. All of us have experienced seasons of loneliness, wondering if anyone knows, understands, or even cares about the burdens we carry & the struggles that we face. But listen, we, as followers of Christ, have an assurance that brings comfort to our weary souls. The comforting presence of a Savior is promised in words that are undeniable for the psalmist, David. We are never alone because of Jesus. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us. Absolutely NEVER! But, how can we, as Christians, get through these darkest valleys of our lives? Well, here are some steps we can take. As Paul instructed, we must continue always in prayer, being thankful, stay solid in the Word, remember our past blessings, give God praise, fellowship with fellow believers, & do good. Learn to trust God because you are not alone. Listen, even after painful losses, all who know Christ can rest in the presence of the loving Shepherd of our hearts. Praise God!
Now, in the last part of Psalm 23, verse 4, David writes, “Thy rod & Thy staff they comfort me.” The rod was a symbol of strength & protection. It was used in 2 ways. One way was as a tool to count the sheep. The shepherd would touch the sheep with the rod as he counted each one. The 2nd use was as a weapon to beat off the sheep’s predators. Do you recall in 1 Samuel 17 when David did just that? He told King Saul that he killed a lion & a bear. Now, I’m not sure, but I highly doubt that he killed these beasts with his bare hands. He most likely used the rod that he mentions his Shepherd God carries. Now, the staff, as you know, is a tall stick with a curved top, a tool especially designed for sheep that wandered off or fell into a place that they could not get out of. The shepherd would hook the loop around the sheep’s neck & rescue it. (That is, if he didn’t strangle it.) The staff was also used by the shepherd to lean on for support when resting. Listen, as His sheep, we can rely on God’s rod & staff for strength, guidance, protection & rest. He protects us, rescues us from our enemies, & saves us from our own messes. Praise God!
I said earlier that David takes us to 3 places in Psalm 23. Remember, the 1st place was green pastures & still waters; the 2nd was the valley of death or dark situations in life. The 3rd place that David takes us is found in verse 5. He writes, “Thou preparest a table in the presence of my enemies.” Here, David is the guest at the Lord’s table where a tremendous feast is prepared for him. This picture of sharing a meal with God is a lovely portrait of kindness & intimacy. Where does the feast table take place? In the presence of his enemies. Do you think that there are actually enemies at the table? I believe that the term “enemies” is used figuratively here in verse 5. The enemies are all of our difficulties & problems. It is saying that we don’t have to worry about the obstacles that the enemy throws our way. Listen, this is important. Just as the shepherd provides safety & comfort to his sheep, God, our Good Shepherd, offers us a safe haven from enemies (physical or spiritual) who could harm us. Amen? And because we have a seat at God’s table, we know that His blessings will sustain us. Listen, we can trust Him with the outcome of any circumstance. In the midst of our daily struggles, disappointments, & pains, the Lord welcomes us into His presence (at His table) at any time. Wow! He doesn’t check first to see if our behavior is good enough this week. Because of Jesus & His sacrifice, we are always welcomed at His table. Hallelujah!
The 2nd part of verse 5 says, “Thou anointest my head with oil.” Now, back in Biblical times, a guest was honored by having oil poured over his head. That may sound really sticky or gooey to us. However, they didn’t have any paved roads back then & in the dry, dusty climate of the Middle East, being covered by a blend of aromatic oils was refreshing & soothing. Verse 5 ends saying, “My cup runneth over (or overflows with blessings).” As believers, our cups should always overflow with gratitude & thanksgiving to God not just for all His blessings but because He has saved us & anointed us with the refreshing oil of the Holy Spirit. Praise Jesus! Now, David ends Psalm 23 with a beautiful message of hope. Verse 6 states, “Surely Your goodness & mercy (or love) shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Finally, David expresses confidence in God’s longing to continually bless him with goodness & mercy knowing that he will dwell in the House of the Lord forever. Listen, this is a marvelous picture of God’s relationship, not just with David, but also with you & me. We know & trust that God will take care of us all the days of our lives. Praise God! You know, here on earth, our plans & dreams don’t always turn out the way we hope they will, right?
But in this last part of v.6, the psalmist tells that there is a happily ever after with God in Heaven. As a good Father, the Lord has prepared a home for us where we will no longer have worries or problems. We won’t have any more pain, & we can finally rest. He will take care & provide for us forever. How do we know this is true? Well, in John 14: 2 & 3, Jesus tells us, “There is more than enough room in My Father’s house. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come & get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.” Wow! What a tremendous promise of hope & love!
You know, huge crowds followed Jesus everywhere He went. In Mark chapter 6, the crowd grew to 5,000 people. It states that Jesus felt compassion for them because they were (now listen) like sheep without a shepherd. He sat them all on a green pasture just like a good shepherd & fed them. In a different scene in Matthew chapter 8, Jesus spoke to the raging sea & wind to protect His disciples when they were in the boat. The Good Shepherd can calm the fiercest storms in our lives & make them, as Ps. 23 says, “peaceful, still waters.”
In John 10: 14 & 15, Jesus said this about Himself, “I am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep, and they know Me, just as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. So I sacrifice My life for the sheep.” As I said before, sometimes we might feel that nobody knows us or what we’re going through. But it’s different with the Good Shepherd. Noone is anonymous with Him. Jesus never forgets any of us. He calls us by name. He forgives us by name. And He will surely welcome us all into eternity by name because He knows His sheep & we know Him. Praise God!
Before I close this teaching, I would like us all to read the NLT version of Psalm 23 together focusing on what the words mean to us. Let’s read with love unto our Good Shepherd, Jesus.
“The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me.
Your rod & staff protect & comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely, Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”
So, in conclusion, Psalm 23 is a short psalm, but it packs so much healing power in it. Amen? When we are tired, Jesus says, “I will give you rest.” When we are in dark situations or valleys, His Word says that we don’t have to be afraid. If we face obstacles or oppression from our enemies who want us to fail, we know that God is our advocate & His strength will fight for us & rescue us. Even if we are treated poorly by others, He sets us apart as special guests at a feast because we live a life that pleases Him. He treats us with honor anointing us with His sweet oil & pouring out blessings on us beyond what we expect. Listen, as we focus on the words of Ps. 23, we can rest in the comfort of His provision with a healthy & positive outlook toward the future, here on earth & in Heaven. I’ll end with this thought: Our Shepherd laid down His life for us-His sheep- so that in Paradise, we might dwell with Him in His house forever! Amen!
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