Foreign Good morning, Want to welcome you to Capital City. For those who haven't had a chance to meet yet, my name is John Sutton. I'm one of the ministers here and honored to be able to come and share with you today. If you're a guest with us today, we extend a very special welcome to you. We're glad you've taken time to come and be with here.
You could have be with us here, you could have been a lot of other places this morning, but we're thankful that you took time to be here. On the chair back there in front of you, you might see a red colored card that says connect across the top. We'd love for you, especially for your guests, if you don't mind, just take a moment, give us your name, your email address. We'd just love to connect with you this week, let you know what God's doing in this place. Maybe you've been here at Capital City for some time and maybe your email has changed, your cell phone numbers change, you've been wondering why nobody from the church is reaching out to you.
So that may be the case. So if you want to give us update that information for us, we would appreciate that as well. And you can drop those off in the offering boxes a little later in the service or you can drop those off at the welcome center on your way out. This morning, I thought it was interesting. This morning Steve said, you got everything, you're ready to go.
I mean, I've never preached up here and gotten to use this. I feel like I'm like really a minister. This morning they've not given me an iPad to use and I probably would get lost scrolling on that. So I'm still sort of a manuscript kind of guy. But Felicia Smith out there in the lobby, one of my first Impression team members, you know, she said that she was all in on me messing up something this morning.
So I'm not sure what, what she's trying to say about that this morning. To me, but who loves a good church potluck? I mean, better maybe the better question is who doesn't love a good church potluck? That's a good thing that Doc's not here or he would probably have raised his hand on that. And maybe he's wherever he's watching from this morning, he's raising his hand right now.
But you know, when I first started thinking about this message, I wondered if we could plan one for today, but I really wasn't sure what the special occasion would be. But you know, in reality, do you need a special occasion to have a church potluck. But just in case you're wondering and maybe thinking about doing a potluck on this day next year, here are some possibilities to celebrate. September 28th is Strawberry Cream Pie Day. Now, that's not a bad choice if you're old and you like eating at Freshes.
That was for Vern, by the way. It's also read a child a book you like day. Now, I couldn't decide if you have to like the child or if you like the book. I wasn't sure on that one, so you can take your pick on that. It's also, you know, right to know day.
World Rabies Day. I'm not sure about that one. It's Priesthood Sunday, so I looked for a robe to come out in, but I couldn't find any of our old choir robes. I think we finally got rid of those. And it's also Ask a Stupid Question Day.
Now. Nobody raised their hands. Okay, I'm not gonna take questions right now, but Ben will be available in the connections room this morning following the service if you've got a stupid question and you want to ask him. Now, can I let you in on my secret to church potlucks? Most of you guys head to the food line, which is a good thing, but I like heading to the dessert table first.
I've always been fond of sweets, and I love some of the desserts that our church family provides at our potlucks. And I realized that if I get in the food line, I may not get the desserts that I like. So that's why I go there first, so none of you get to steal my secret. Okay, don't want to see you there next time. Did you know the term potluck is first mentioned in the 16th century?
It was derived from the Middle English word potluck, which referred to a meal provided for an unexpected guest where the host would serve whatever was available in their pot. Now, for some of you, that might sound scary, but if you're hungry, right? According to Wikipedia, potluck, which is the modern execution of a communal meal where. Where guests bring their own food, most likely originated in the 1930s during the Great Depression? And if it's on Wikipedia, it's got to be true, right?
Did you know that many in the church believe that the church has three sacraments, Baptism and communion, which were instituted by Jesus, and potlucks, which were instituted by ministers. Over the past few weeks, we've been digging into Acts, chapter two, verse 42, where we get to look at the first church and what it was built on. We're calling this series Origin, where we've gone back to see what the early church did and why they did it. Ben has walked us through the first two components this apostles teaching as well as fellowship. And today we're going to look at this component of breaking bread.
Now, to get a better understanding of breaking bread, we're going to jump into Paul's letter to the first chapter to the Corinthians, his first letter to the Corinthians. So if you have a Bible and you want to follow along, or if you've got maybe an app on your phone and you want to follow along, I encourage you to pull that out. Take a look first Corinthians, chapter 11. Or you can just follow along. We'll have the verses on the screens here this morning.
You see, breaking bread had a different meaning to those in the early church than it does to us today. Our practice of breaking bread took place as part of what I believe was the original potluck. Now, in the Bible, you're not going to see the word potluck. The new living translation, though, gives us a little bit better understanding of Luke's writing in Acts chapter 2. With its translation, where we read these words, all the believers devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to fellowship, and to sharing in meals, which included the Lord's Supper and to prayer.
You also won't see this description in the Bible, but the belief is that in the early church, this, this idea of breaking bread was oftentimes referred to as an agape feast. The agape feast, or this love feast, was a communal meal that Christians shared as a way to foster fellowship among the believers of a local church. Many believe that it is in his letter to the church at Corinth where we first get this idea of, of an agape feast. And unfortunately, Paul wasn't happy about their treatment of each other at the feast, so he wrote to them about it. So let's jump into our text this morning.
1 Corinthians 11. We're going to start. In verse 17, Paul says, but in the following instructions, I cannot praise you, for it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. First, I hear that there are divisions among you as you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. But of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God's approval will be recognized when you meet together.
You're not really interested in the Lord's Supper. For some of you Hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. And as a result some go hungry while others get drunk. What he says, don't you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace God's church and shame the poor?
What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this. History tells us that the Corinthian church struggled with division amongst its members, with selfishness, with insincerity. God had given them and the early church this agape feast, this idea of breaking bread to reflect a unity and a commitment to other each each other.
But unfortunately the meal had turned into an opportunity to humiliate some of the church family, which led to a heart problem that Paul describes as disgracing God's church. Breaking bread or communion, as I mentioned earlier, as we know it today, is usually observed in the context of a worship service. So it can be a bit difficult for us to understand what Paul is describing. But from the very beginning it was customary for for the members of a church to get together to hear the apostles teaching to fellowship, to pray, which Ben is going to speak on next week, and to eat together. This eating together became a weekly tradition called the Agape Feast to which each person, regardless of their standing in the community, brought what they could share.
This feast or this potluck combined to make a common meal which was intended to be a beautiful reflection of the unity that they shared in Jesus Christ. This became a great way for the early church to enjoy Christian fellowship. At the end of these agape feasts, they would then wrap up their time together by observing the Lord's Supper by breaking bread. This was reminiscent of the practice that Jesus had instituted himself with his disciples at the close of the Passover meal that they shared, where he used two important elements in the meal, the bread. Excuse me, the bread and the wine.
But unfortunately, several problems had arisen in this church that had destroyed the intended purpose of the Agape feast. And this is what spurred Paul's writing in this chapter. And instead of being a united family at the gathering, they often separated into groups, eating with their own crowd, those who were like them. Instead of sharing and fellowshipping with everyone, social divisions had been created in the church between the rich people and the poor people. You know, at this time in the life of the church, probably over half of the church would have been slaves who had hardly any personal resources to share with others.
Paul mentions that some ate their own food rather than choosing to share with those who were needy. And it's likely that this weekly agape, this. This weekly agape feast might have been the only decent meal that some of these poor members would have had on a regular basis. Paul even mentions that some of the members were drinking so much of the wine that they were getting drunk. So the.
So the true meaning of the feast and the fellowship had been forgotten. And the attempts to celebrate God's sacrifice of his son for their sins through communion, through breaking bread had become spiritual hypocrisy. I think I can honestly say, excuse me, that in 37 years of sharing in potlucks in agape feasts at Capital City, that I have never seen the likes to which Paul describes here in First Corinthians. I've never seen anyone drunk in the test of that. I've probably seen some gluttony of which I must say I'm guilty.
But I've never seen anyone hoarding food from another group. But just because I haven't seen those types of things played out at a potluck doesn't mean that there may not be some things at work amongst us. I would love to stand here this morning and tell you that we are a perfect family, but I can't. You've got me in it. You see.
If I bring to the time of breaking bread, to our time of breaking bread, if I bring to the Lord's Supper to this agape feast and advice of spirit or selfishness or animosity or insincerity, then I diminish the true meaning of the table that we share in each week when we gather here at Capital City. And if I allow any type of prejudice, be it social or racial or gender or cultural, to control my attitudes towards anyone in this room, then I hurt the integrity of this meal that we share. And I, as Paul said, despise the church of God. This is the meal in which we celebrate the death of Christ not just for me, but for everyone. And I have to be certain that I come to this feast, this meal, fully committed to the agape idea of sacrificial love towards everyone who is here to partake.
I was reminded of Ben's message last week that called for unity. Even though we have differences and being willing to fellowship with. With those who are not like us, if I don't have that spirit of unity and fellowship, then there's a greater chance that I'm hurting the cause of Christ instead of helping it. With that in mind, let's take a look at the description that Paul gives us of this Meal. Here in these next few verses, Starting in verse 23, we read these words.
For I pass on to you what I receive from the Lord himself. On the night when Jesus was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. And then he broke it in pieces and said, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And 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 in remembrance of me as often as you drink it. For every time Paul writes that you eat this bread and you drink this cup, you're announcing the Lord's death until he comes again. I love the word. Remember, good old Merriam Webster defined the word like this to bring to the mind or to think of again. You know, I often use that word when I'm asked to speak at a funeral or a celebration of life.
I do so because oftentimes that is what is taking place, isn't it? Those who gather are remembering. They are bringing to the mind. They are thinking of again, of the life that was lived and the impact made by that person who has passed away. Remember, Ben just led us through a great series on that Word as he moved into his new role here at Capitol City, remembering who we are and where we've been, how God has blessed us as a family for the past 65 years.
And, you know, one of the reasons that we gather every Sunday is to remember. What is it that we remember? We remember Jesus, you know, two times in his conversation that evening with his disciples around the table in the upper room, Jesus said, do this in remembrance of me. Take these two emblems, the bread and the cup, and every time you do so remember me. He should be the sole focus of our thoughts during that time.
He is the reason for our being here to remember him. Let me share a few things with you that I think we should remember when we break bread. We should remember his sufferings. Paul said, the Lord Jesus took bread and gave thanks to God for it, and then he broke it in pieces. This idea of breaking bread is significant in communion because it reminds us of the physical suffering that Christ endured for us.
We remember the heartache in his prayer there in Gethsemane. We remember the unlawful arrest that took place there as well. We remember the sham of a trial that was brought about. We remember the betrayal of one of his chosen followers, the denials of some of his closest friends, and the abandonment that we know he must have felt by those who were closest to him and those he had helped. We remember the brutal treatment, the mocking, the spitting, the beating, the slaps, the whipping, the scourging, the crown of thorns, the carrying of the cross and the nails and the spears that were driven into his side.
We remember that it was for us that he did it. We're the ones who deserved it. He did not. But he took it so that you and I wouldn't have to. This is my body, he said, which is broken for you.
Do this in remembrance of me. We should also remember his death on the cross. After Jesus gave his disciples the bread, he showed them a cup, a cup that referred to as the New Covenant in his blood. The cup was a reminder of his death. It's a symbol of his blood that was poured out upon the cross.
The pouring out of blood in the Bible was oftentimes a symbol of a very violent death. This cup reminds us not just of his death, but that he was killed for us. He did not die from old age or accident or illness. He was executed for a crime that he did not commit. He was killed in the most brutal fashion known to man, probably the most painful and excruciating way a man could die.
And so this cup reminds us of his death on the cross. And then we remember why he did it. He did it for our sin. He didn't have to, but he did it for us. In Matthew's book, Jesus said, this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus died a martyr's death, but he did so willingly. He knew when he came to this earth as a baby that his purpose was to take our place so that our sins might be forgiven. It was the one thing that had to be done to help get each of us into a right relationship. And with our Heavenly Father, he offered to do for you and me what no one else has offered to do, to take our place so that we might be forgiven of our sins. He came not because he had to, but because he wanted to, with our.
Our eternal future on his heart and mind. But, you know, not only does it does a time of breaking bread allow us to remember, but. But it also gives us a chance to celebrate. You see, if communion was only about remembering his death, then it could be a very depressing time that we share in each week. Yes, there's a solemness to communion, to breaking bread, but there can also be a time of celebration as we celebrate God's forgiveness and his grace.
During this time, breaking Bread gives us a chance to thank God for His forgiveness of our sins. You know, the old covenant that God had had with the children of Israel required the sacrifice of animals, the shedding of blood by the law. But God made a new covenant with us through His Son, Jesus. Jesus became the final sacrifice for our sins. And whoever calls on him as their Lord and Savior and places their faith and trust in him is forgiven.
So we celebrate by thanking God the Father for his great love and his great gift in sending Christ. And we thank God the Son for laying down his life for us. And we thank God the Spirit for coming into our lives and helping us daily to stay in a right relationship with Him. Breaking bread is also a time to marvel in God's gracious invitation to come. God did not have to invite us to his table, but he did.
In John chapter six, Jesus said, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry. Whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty. Those the Father has given to me will come to Me, and I will never reject them. Jesus has invited all of us, all of us to come to Him.
Come to me, he said. And our Father has graciously invited us to come and to sit down at the table with His Son. It's not because of anything that you or I have done that caused him to invite us. It is simply because of his goodness of his grace and his love that he did so. It's a gracious gift that's received by faith in Jesus.
So the Lord's table is a place to marvel in his forgiveness and in his grace. And breaking bread is also a place to share in Christian fellowship. You know, I've taken communion in many churches throughout my lifetime. And in those churches, I've taken it in many, many different ways. You know, I remember as a kid at my home church there in Salem, Virginia, every Sunday, two men would come and stand on either side of the communion table that was there at the front of the stage.
And then eight men would stand there in front of that table, their backs to us. One of the men would pray, and then the two men would hand trays to those eight men, and then they would spread out into the sanctuary and begin passing trays up and down each of the aisles. You know, we used to do that here at Capitol City back in the day. I attended a church a few weeks ago when I was in Florida, where you actually picked up your prepackaged communion on your way into the worship center. There was no passing of trays.
They didn't have Emblems like we have here, just. You grabbed it on your way in off of a table into the worship center. By the way, if you're wondering, their prepackaged isn't much better than ours. And if this is your first time here at Capital City, you may have noticed that we have worship stations all around our worship center this morning where you're going to find communion trays with the, with the bread and a cup. And shortly we'll invite you to make your way to one of those stations.
And you know, no matter where it, where it is, that I have taken it, I have always, always taken it. With other followers of Jesus Christ, it may be a quiet time of fellowship, but still it has always been with others. Others who don't look like me, who come from different families, who come from different places, who wear different clothes, who support different things. I mean, look around the room this morning. I know it's a little dark, but look around the room this morning.
Have you ever seen such a diverse group of people all gathering each week to remember and to celebrate and to share in Christian fellowship while breaking bread with the items that our Lord and Savior Jesus asked us to remember him with? I doubt you will, but you will hear each and every Sunday. And to me, it's one of the coolest things we do and a reason to celebrate. And breaking bread also causes us to anticipate Jesus's return. Paul doesn't share Jesus's words about his return with the Corinthians, but Jesus told his disciples in Matthew's Gospel, I tell you, I tell you, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
I love the words that the New Living Translation uses in Matthew, chapter 26 regarding Jesus statement. The NIV says, I tell you, the New Living translation says, mark my words. Isn't that awesome? Not that we would ever question his statements, but what a bold statement by Jesus. Mark my words that he made to his disciples that night in the upper room.
And that I think he now makes to us every week when we gather to break bread. I don't know about you, but that is an exciting, exciting statement to me. Mark my words that I will do this one day with you in my Father's kingdom. And to know that I will get to share in breaking bread with him when he returns and gives me reason to celebrate when we gather to break bread every Sunday, and I hope it does you as well. We remember, we celebrate.
Now Paul closes out his thoughts to the church at Corinth with these words he says, so anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or you drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are sick and weak and some have even died, he said. But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way.
Yet when we are judged, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world. So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord's Supper, he says, wait for each other. If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won't bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. In his book Communion Time, Victor Knowles refers to the Lord's Supper as a dangerous meal. Knowles suggests that the Lord's Supper is vital and spiritual sustenance for the soul, but that it is also an extremely hazardous ordinance.
The Lord's Supper is not to be rushed to, he says. Rushed through or rushed from. It is not fast food to be inhaled instantly on the highway to heaven. Ample time should be allotted for participants to do what Paul commanded, Knowles writes, to examine himself or herself before they eat drink. I don't say that to scare any of us from sharing in the Lord's Supper this morning or on a weekly basis.
But I think Paul sets that idea for us in these final words. For you see, you'll never come to this table free of sin. And I don't believe that is what Paul is saying to the Christians in Corinth or to us today. But each of us should take time, as he encouraged the church at Corinth to examine ourselves, examine ourselves to make sure that we have come to the Lord's Supper with the right heart, with the right attitude, with the right spirit. To come to the table with division or selfishness or insincerity or prejudice or malice may bring disgrace to God's church.
May our time of breaking bread each week be assigned to those in our community and the commonwealth that we hear at Capitol City echo the words that Paul spoke to the Christians in Galatia when he said, for you all are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus, and all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ like putting on new clothes. For here, he says, there is neither Jew or gentile, slave or free male, and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And may we all live this verse out. For here, in this place, in this church, in his church, not just today, but for all time, that there is no longer east side or west side.
There's no longer city or county. There's no longer black or white, Republican or Democrat, rich or poor, male or female, young or old. For we are all one in Christ Jesus. Let's pray together. Father, I thank you for your word.
I thank you for the emblems that you have left us to remind us of what you did for us. Father, I thank you that regardless of who we are, where we've been, what's going on in our life, that you invite us to come to your table. Father, I pray this morning that in our time of communion here, in just a few moments, that God we will experience you in a fresh, new way. That God your spirit, would speak to us, you would help us to examine ourselves, to make sure we come today with nothing but sacrificial love. Not just for ourselves, but for every person in this room.
And most importantly, for you. In the name of Christ, our Lord and Savior, we pray. Amen.