Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world.
so that all may know Christ. Join us now. For a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church. Located in Kernersville, North Carolina. But I am very privileged to be able to share with you uh on this subject of communion.
It'll be uh just kind of a brief Explanation of communion. I don't ever want to take for granted that just everyone knows. what communion is and why we do it. And so, I want to explain that to you a little bit tonight. And then also, I want to give you some ways that you can not just observe tonight, but you can participate.
And not so much in just taking the bread and the cup, but. in your heart that you can commune with God Himself and You can participate in tonight's service. And so, I do want to explain it a little bit. The bread that you're going to be taking here in just a few moments, obviously, for many of us that know, and if you don't know, the bread is going to represent the body of Jesus that was broken. For us.
And then also, you have the cup of juice there. That cup of juice is going to represent the blood that Jesus spilled for the remission. Of our sins. And so tonight is about more than just tradition. It's more than just a ritual that we do a couple of times a year at Christmas or at Easter.
Tonight is a moment. that connects three, I would say the three. Greatest events in all of human history. All right, tonight is a moment that connects the death of Jesus on the cross, it's a moment that connects the resurrection of Jesus, and then it's a moment that connects the return. Jesus, and that's what we want to look at here tonight, and in order to Fully understand why we do what we do, why this is a church ordinance and all of that, you have to go back to the Passover.
And understand that the Jewish people celebrate the Passover every single year, and they do that because of the Lord's rescue of them out of bondage, getting them out of Egypt. And so they celebrate this every year to look back, and that's exactly what Jesus and His disciples were doing. The night before he was arrested and crucified. And they're celebrating this Passover feast, and Jesus and his disciples are looking back. And they're remembering what God has done, but Jesus does something different on that night.
He tells his disciples, he says, I don't want you to just look back. He says, from here on out, I want you to look forward. Um when I got kind of the news that preacher wasn't going to be able to be here and I found out I was going to be speaking Thursday evening. I started thinking about Um, communion a little bit. And I don't know, my mind immediately went to uh the communion table that we have.
Over in Meyer's auditorium. You guys know every Baptist church in the world has one of those communion tables that sit right there at the front. And you guys tell me what's inscribed on the front of that.
Well this dude, I think I heard everybody say it. This do in remembrance of me. And so I started thinking about the Lord's Supper and about that table and how. This is a church ordinance, and tonight we are all invited. to the table.
And so I want to give you three things tonight, just real, real quick. This will go really fast. But three things that we are invited to do when we come to the table.
So, first, number one, we come to the table to Remember. We'll come to the table to remember. Look at Luke chapter number 22, verse number 19. All of these verses will be on the screen for you. tonight.
Jesus said in Luke chapter 22, verse 19, it says, And he took bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave unto them, saying, This is my body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance Now Jesus didn't tell them to remember his parables. Jesus didn't tell them to remember his miracles. Jesus says to remember Me, and when we take the bread tonight, I want you to remember and I want you to reflect on and to think about the body of Jesus that was broken. The body that was beaten, that was bruised, that was battered, that was crushed for you.
On the cross. When you take the juice tonight, I want you to remember and to think about the blood that Jesus spilled for the remission and for the redemption of your sins. And when I say to remember, I'm not just talking about some historical event. This isn't like the independence of America or anything like that. This isn't like just some historical event.
that we talk about, it's something much greater than that. And it's much more personal than that. And I like this quote that I saw this week as I was doing some studying. There's a man, he said this: He said, Us looking back and remembering the crucifixion. Is about reconnecting our hearts with the person of Christ and what He did, not for the whole world only, but for you.
This is a personal thing. And I want you to notice, it says here in the verse, it says, This is my body, which is given not for just the whole world. It's given for you. Jesus died for your sins. Jesus died for my sins.
This is a personal salvation. And in a world that pulls at our attention, It's grasping for our affection, it's looking to pull us in. Communion is a great time for us to be able to focus back on what is important. Back to the cross. Back to what Jesus did for us, back to the sacrifice that changed all of history, back to the Savior who didn't just die.
He died for you. And so I want you to notice number two, not only do we come to the table to remember, we come to the table to reflect. Look at 1 Corinthians 11, verse 28. It says but let a man Examine himself. We talked about a personal savior.
We talked about a personal salvation. Here, Paul is writing, he says there's a personal examination. What this verse doesn't say is for you to look across at your spouse and you examine them. You tell them all the things they need to get right. He doesn't say that you examine someone else.
Paul here says, let a man examine himself. And so it's a personal examination. It's your responsibility. Tonight. Notice the rest of the verse.
It says, And so let him eat of that bread and drink of that. Cup, tonight is not about just looking backward, it's about looking inward. And that's what we're expected to do here tonight. We need to look at the inside and to examine. ourselves.
Now when we do this, I don't want you to feel like This is about looking at yourself in guilt and in shame and in regret. Listen, all that died at the cross with Jesus if you're a Christian. We have no guilt. We have no shame. But tonight is about looking at ourselves with humility.
in honesty. And so, I have a couple of questions that I want you to ponder tonight as we think about this. Here's the first question. Is there any sin that I am holding on to in my life? Any sin that I have yet to confess?
Any sin that I have yet to give up? Any sin that I am unwilling to relinquish over to the Lord? I haven't confessed it. Here's another question is, is there any unforgiveness in your heart? Is there any sort of grudge that you hold towards someone?
Any kind of an attitude that you have towards someone or something? Is there anything that we're holding on to that needs to be released to the Lord? Am I walking in a way that honors the cross that we are remembering? this evening. And listen, tonight is not about being perfect.
Because if perfection was the standard, none of us. can partake of this. And so tonight is not about perfection, but tonight is about genuineness and authenticity. And if God shows us something in our heart, if he convicts us of anything, We need to make sure that we deal with that because when we partake of this, the Bible expects us to and it tells us to, it commands us to be clean. When we do so, again, it's not about being perfect, it's about being clean.
And so we need to examine ourselves. The Lord's table is kind of like a spiritual mirror, it allows us to reflect. and to see and to notice, hey, is there some things in me that aren't right? It brings us back to, again, focus.
So, number three, we come to the table to remember, to reflect, and then number three, we come to the table to rejoice. Look at Matthew chapter 26, verse 29. Jesus says, But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day.
So Jesus is saying here that there's something future, in, in, in the future that's going to happen that we need to look forward to. He says that I'm not going to drink of the fruit of this vine until the day. Notice what he says: when I drink it new with you. Again, that's personal. In my father's Kingdom.
Jesus ends the Last Supper with A promise. Jesus alludes to a future feast. That is coming. There's a day that you and I, if you're a Christian tonight, there's a day coming where you will sit down and you will be across the table face to face. with Jesus himself.
And we will get to eat of this bread and drink of this cup again. With Jesus in the future. This cross that Jesus died on, it wasn't the end. All right, the tomb is empty tonight. Jesus has risen and Jesus is coming again.
And tonight, I know that communion services a lot of times can be somber. And they can be really serious, and I'm all for that. It should be a serious time, it should be a somber time. But we are not grieving Jesus at a funeral. Jesus rose from the dead.
This is an exciting time. This is a time to rejoice. Yes, it is a time to look back with gratitude for what Jesus has done. It's good for us to look inward with humility and repentance. But it is also a time for us to look forward and to rejoice that Jesus did not stay dead and that Jesus is coming back.
Again, he wanted us to know that. He wanted us to celebrate that.
So as we wrap up tonight. Let's not just move on and forget what this moment that connects three of the greatest moments in all of history. is all about. As we leave tonight, as we walk out of here, let us walk out with grateful hearts. for what Jesus has done on the cross.
for the sins that he has paid for. Let us walk out of here with clean hearts as we reflect and we allow the Holy Spirit of God to do his work and we repent and we get right with the Lord Jesus. And let us walk out of here with joyful hearts as we rejoice because Jesus didn't stay dead. He rose up from the grave, and as we've been saying all year long, remember, The king is coming. And so I want to give you just a second.
Amber, if you could play a little bit, here's what I want to do tonight. We're going to observe here in just a few moments. I think we have a song. And so I want to take just a moment. and allow you some space to respond to the Holy Spirit.
And so if there's anything in your heart that God has revealed to you, All right, David said, search my heart. Know my thoughts. See if there be any wicked way. In me. And so tonight is a very serious time.
The Bible talks that we should be clean before we take the bread and take the juice tonight.
So, if there's something that the Lord has pointed out in your heart tonight, if you want to come to the altar, you can do that. If you want to make an altar out of your seat, there's no wrong way for you to talk to the Lord tonight. And so I want you to wherever you are, if you want to come to an altar, if you want to stay there at your seat, we're going to give you just a couple of minutes here. and just going to have some silence. And then I'll close in prayer, but let's do some business with the Lord and make sure that we're We're clean.
And so that's what we're going to do. We're going to reflect with a grateful heart. And we're going to tell God that we're thankful. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. We're going to reflect and we're going to ask the Holy Spirit of God: show me anything.
In me that's not right. And we're going to respond to the Lord with a grateful and rejoicing heart that He didn't stay dead. that he rose from the dead. That's why we're here this weekend. and that he's coming back for us.
And so let's do that right now. We'll take just a minute or two. and allow you that space to do that. Lord, we thank you for Jesus tonight. Lord, we thank you for.
the sacrifice of the cross and Lord we we thank you for Lord, allowing yourself to be ridiculed and mocked and embarrassed and Lord, you took the beating, you took the bruising. You took the crucifixion that we deserved. Lord, we're grateful for that. Lord, we could never in a million lives thank you for what you've done for us. And Lord, tonight we come to you with reflective hearts and Lord, we're looking inside.
And uh Lord, we're asking the things that you show us, Lord, would you forgive us of sins? Or would you rid us of any wrong thoughts or motives or attitudes. Lord, if we have any grudges against anyone, any unforgiveness, any sin in our lives, Lord, we ask you to forgive those things. Lord, we look tonight also with a grateful and rejoicing heart that you're coming to get us and that you love us and you want to spend eternity. With us, Lord.
Thank you for being good to us. Lord, thank you for loving us. Lord, thank you for your patience with us. And or we asked Everything done tonight would be done to your honor, to your glory, Lord, as we... Observe the The bread in the cup here in just a few moments.
Or we just want to say thank you. And we thank you for the health, the ability to be able to be here tonight. Lord, bless our pastor. Or would you give him some relief? And Lord, we ask that if it be your will, that you allow him to Be here on Easter Sunday morning to preach to us.
And Lord, we ask that you would just be with him and give him comfort tonight. Sure do love you in Jesus' name. Amen. All right, I think we have a song. and then we'll come back and do the bread and the juice.
Oh, to see the dawn of the darkest day, Christ on the road to Calvary Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten then, nailed to a cross of woo this of hell. Of the loss, Christ became sin for us, took the blame for the wrath. We stand forgiven at the cross. Oh, to see the pain written on your face, bearing the awesome weight of sin, every bitter thought, every evil deed crowding your Blood's name around is the power of the cross. Christ became sin for us, took the blame for the wrath we stand.
Forgiven at the cross now, the daylight flees, now the ground beneath quakes as its maker bows his head cursed and torn. Into death are raised to life, finish the victory Christian in the words. For through your suffering, I am free. Death is crushed to death, life is mine to live. One through your selfless love is the power of the cross, Son of God, slain for us.
What a love. What a cost we stand for, given that the cross. What a love, what a cost we stand for, even at the cross. Amen. Amen.
All right, go ahead and take your take your little cups there, and if you would. Go ahead and peel back the top and we'll get that cracker. out and uh we'll Get ready to read this verse here in just a second. Of course, as we talked about just a second ago. This bread, the cracker is going to represent Jesus' body, and as we do this, we remember.
what he did for us. Um the beatings that he took and the bruisings and All of that, and we'll get ready to read this verse here in just a second. Before we do that, I'm going to pray. I'm going to ask Terry Bailey, if you would, just right where you're at, maybe just pray before we read this verse. and partake of the bread.
Let's pray. A most kind of gracious heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you for this day. Father, we thank you, Lord, for being in the house of God tonight on this special occasion. Lord, every time we're in the house of God, we should do something special. Lord, I just thank you, Lord, for the precious body, Lord, that we bruised by your stripes.
We are healed. Lord, I can't imagine what you went through. Yes, Lord. Lord, discouraging and defeating. God said you care for me.
Lord, Brother Frank said in this very person. And I hope everybody here tonight is taking it very personally. We have a personal safety. He came and died.
So oh, it's not sure we're gonna eat. Any should perish, but all should I want to thank you. Give you honor, Lord. Praise God for loving me. My hell deserve as soon as I.
Thank you for everything you've done. I want to thank you for everything. Thank you, Morton Doer, thank you for everything you're doing. God, please help us. Roll us.
Use a store instead. spite of ourselves, God. Get us out of the way. God, you've taken. The rain said, Lord, let us...
Lord, surrender to your will. That we may be less than and you may be more than in our life. It's simply amazing what we could do for the cause of Christ. If we just get ourselves out of the way, Lord Jesus, thank you for this service. for a pastor Lord and that you would touch him and bless him and be with you.
him God. Be with this church, Lord Jesus. We'll be careful, you know. Lord praise, and always say as Jesus will amen. Amen.
1 Corinthians chapter 11, beginning in verse number Uh 23. Paul here writes for I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus. The same night in which he was betrayed took bread, And when he had given thanks, he... break the break it and said Take, eat. This is my body which is broken for you.
This do, in remembrance of me, you may eat the bread.
Now, if you would, we're gonna transition to the cup here for a second. And obviously we know that The cup represents the blood of Jesus that was spilled. And we'll read that verse here in just a moment. And um Before we do that, I'd like to to pray again. I'm going to ask Uh brother Scott.
Tucker, if you would, if you don't mind, just praying for us before we... Um read this verse. On the blood. Father, thank you so much for the blood. Thank you for his power, for his preciousness.
Thank you, God, for his perception. Thank you, God, that cleanses and wonderfully our sins. Thank you for your goodness, thank you for your long suffering, and I'm not hard to put up with us. I'm so grateful and thankful that you are. God, I pray that I'm watching your God.
Help us remember how precious it is for the Savior, God. Pray that you help us never get over being saved. Never get over the world. Never get up to the sin. God will touch you once you get over the cross.
God, this is precious to me. It is personal to me, God, I'm going to tear it in. God, I was blood for you to die, and I thank you for the blood of Jesus Christ. Father, when I get to heaven, I don't have any fears of being again, God, because what you did on the cross for me. Thank you, Jesus Christ.
Thank you so much for your goodness and your grace. Amen. Thank you, Brother Scott. Verse number 25, same chapter, 1 Corinthians 11 says, and After the same manner also he took the cup. when he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood.
This do ye as often as ye drink it. In remembrance of me, you may drink the cup. I think they're going to do one more song tonight, is that right?
So I think they're going to make their way up here and... Um we just Kind of talked about the power of the cross. And now I believe they're going to be singing, Is It My Living Hope? Is that what you're doing? They're gonna be singing my living hope.
So we go from the cross. and the power that the cross has. Um But thankfully, as we've said tonight, listen, if... If Jesus hadn't raised from the dead, The death of Jesus would have been a wonderful thing. It would have been a nice thing for him to do, but...
There's a lot of men who died on a cross. Um you and I could die on a cross. But none of us could could rise from the dead. And Jesus did that. We move from the power of the cross to the hope that we have.
because of Jesus. And so you listen as they sing tonight. How great the chasm that lay between us. How high the mountain I could not climb in desperation, I turned to heaven and spoke your name into the night. Then, through the darkness, your loving kindness tore through the shadows of my soul.
The work is Finished, the end is written. Jesus Christ, my living home. Who could imagine so great a mercy? What heart could fathom such boundless grace? The God of ages stepped down from glory to wear my sin and bear my shame.
The cross has spoken, I am forgiven. The King of Kings calls me his own, beautiful Savior. I'm yours forever, Jesus Christ, my living home. Hallelujah. Praise the one who set me free.
Hallelujah. Death has lost its grip on me. You have broken every chain. There's salvation in your name, Jesus Christ, my living home. Then came the morning that sealed the promise: your buried body.
Began to breathe out of the silence, the roaring lion declared this grave has no claim on me. Then came the morning that still the promise, your very body began to breathe out of the silence. The roaring lion declared the grave has no claim on me. Jesus, yours is the victory. Hallelujah.
Praise the one who's. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kerwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road. In Kernersville, North Carolina.
You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192. or via the web. At Kerwin Baptist Church.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin Broadcast today.
God bless you.
