Jesus ate with His disciples in the upper room, offering a new Passover meal reflective of His sacrifice in His body and blood. The early Christian community continued to celebrate that meal, remembering the gift of Christ, encountering the Risen Lord in the meal, celebrating the new community formed, and looking forward to the final day.
Key passages: Matthew 26:17-30; 1 Corinthians 10:14-22; 11:23-32
SERMON OUTLINE
“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” (John 6:35)
Looking Back & Looking Forward: Jesus’ Invitation to the Table of God
- Looking back: Remembering Jesus’ complete work (Matthew 26:26-30)
- Looking forward: Anticipating Jesus’ future appearing (1 Corinthians 11:23-32)
Encounter with God & God’s Family: Jesus in the midst of His People
- Spiritual encounter with God in Christ (John 6:25-59)
- Relational encounter in the gathered family (1 Corinthians 10:14-22)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- When have you most enjoyed a meal with friends or family? What was it like? Why was it enjoyable?
- This weekend we are exploring the meaning of the communion meal, or Lord’s Supper. We will look at four different portions of Scripture. Begin your study in prayer, asking God to speak to you through His word, and then begin the study.
- Read Matthew 26:26-30 aloud. In this story of Jesus shares a meal with His followers before His crucifixion. What captures your attention about Jesus, the disciples, and the significance of this meal?
- In 1 Corinthians 11:23-32, the Apostle Paul echoes Jesus’ words in a letter to an early church in the city of Corinth. Read that passage and discuss what Paul says about communion.
- How does the communion meal reflect the action of Jesus in the past? What does that mean for us today?
- Now read a longer passage, John 6:25-59. Jesus offers an extended teaching on his sacrificial life and death before it happens. This is a curious and confusing experience for His listeners. What stands out to you about the meaning of Jesus’ teaching as we hear it from where we stand today?
- Turn finally to 1 Corinthians 10:14-22. Again, the Apostle Paul describes the communion meal, this time with attention to the relationships of believers one to another. What do you think is most important here for the way we relate as followers of Jesus around the communion table?
- What does communion, or the Lord’s Supper, mean to you? What is one way this study of Scripture might make your participation in the meal more meaningful or significant?