The Lord's Prayer
The Lord’s
Prayer
Matthew
6:5-15
5 And when
you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing
in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by
men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray,
go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is
in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they
think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Therefore do not be like
them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9
In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in
heaven,
Hallowed be
Your name.
10 Your
kingdom come,
Your will be
done
On earth as
it is in heaven.
11 Give us
this day our daily bread.
12 And
forgive us our debts,
As we forgive
our debtors.
13 And do not
lead us into temptation,
But deliver
us from the evil one.
For Yours is
the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
14 For if you
forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But
if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive
your trespasses.
The following consists of excerpts from John
Piper’s Sermon on the Lord’s Prayer. (For further reading and/or reference, http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/our-deepest-prayer-hallowed-be-your-name)
Probably,
what we notice the most clearly is the two parts to the prayer. The first part
has three petitions: hallowed be Your
name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The
second part has three petitions: give us this day our daily bread, forgive us
our debts as we forgive our debtors, lead us not into temptation but deliver us
from the evil one. The first part is heavenly, lofty, majestic, wondrous. The
second part seems to be more earthly, more mundane, more lowly. The first part
is about who God’s greatness. The second part is about our needs.
What do these
have to do with each other? How do they link, connect or interact? How does the
one point to the other?
Our Father—In Heaven
And I think
these two halves correspond to the two things said about God in the way Jesus
tells us to address him at the beginning in verse 9: “Our Father—in heaven.”
First, God is a father to us. And second, he is infinitely above us and
over all—in heaven. His fatherhood corresponds to his readiness to meet our
earthly needs. His heavenliness corresponds to his supreme right to be given
worship and allegiance and obedience.
For example,
in Matthew
6:32, Jesus tells us not to be anxious about food and drink and clothing
because “your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” In other
words, Jesus wants us to feel the fatherhood of God as an expression of his
readiness to meet our most basic needs.
And then
consider Matthew 5:34, where Jesus says, “Do not take an oath . . .
by heaven, for it is the throne of God.” In other words, when you think of
heaven, think of God’s throne, his kingly majesty and power and authority.
...it seems
to me that the great designs of God are first and mainly about God. His name
being hallowed, his will being done, his kingdom coming. And the rest of the
prayer is how I can be fitted to serve those great designs. My bread, my
forgiveness, my deliverance—my health, my hope, my holiness—are for the purpose
of being part of God’s great purposes to glorify his name and exalt his rule
and complete his will.
The Unique First Petition
There is
something unique about the first petition, “Hallowed be your name.” It’s not
just one of three. In this petition, we hear the one specific subjective
response of the human heart that God expects us to give—the hallowing,
reverencing, honoring, esteeming, admiring, valuing, treasuring of God’s name
above all things.
In other
words, the structure of the prayer is not merely that the last three petitions
serve the first three, but that the last five serve the first.
Attacking Indirectly
God made you
be a part of hallowing his name, extending his kingdom, and seeing his will
done on the earth the way the angels do it in heaven. In other words, he made
you for something magnificent and for something mundane. He made you for
something spectacular and for something simple. He loves both. He honors both.
But what we fail to see often is that when we lose our grip on the greatness of
God and his name and his kingdom and his global will, we lose our divine
equilibrium in life, and we are far more easily overwhelmed by the problems of
the mundane.
In other
words, I am pleading with you not to lose your grip on the supremacy and
centrality of hallowing the name of God in your life. I am urging you from the
Lord’s prayer that you go to God for bread, and for healing of relationships,
and for the overcoming of besetting sins, and for the doing of God’s will, and
for the seeking of God’s kingdom—all of it, all the time for the sake of
knowing and hallowing, reverencing, honoring, valuing, treasuring God’s name
(God’s being, God himself) above all things.
What follows now is a bit more detail into
the contents of the prayer, what certain terms mean, specifically “Your kingdom
come” and “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”, partly because I
personally had difficulty understanding these, and partly because there is no
time to cover the whole prayer in detail.
What are we praying for when we pray for God’s
kingdom to come?
To refer to
God’s kingdom seems to quite naturally refer to His kingly rule. Yet, what does
this look like?
Luke 17:20-21
Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered
them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will
they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within
you.”
Matthew 12:28
“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has
come upon you.”
The Pharisees
and the disciples thought that the kingdom of God would come immediately
(Luke19:11) and Jesus corrected this misunderstanding: the kingdom of God does
not come with the kind of signs and wonders that you seek, you will not be able
to say ‘see, it is here!’, because the kingdom of God is within you.
And in
Matthew 12:28, we see that when Jesus battles with Satan by the Spirit of God,
binding and plundering the strong man of the house (v.29), the power of God can
be clearly seen, and the kingdom of God is at hand.
1 Corinthians
4:20-21 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall
I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
Thus far, we
have established that 1) the kingdom of God does not come as we might have
first expected, even as our King arrived humbly on a colt, and 2) that the
kingdom of God can be seen at work when the devil is fought against and
overcome by the power of the Spirit of God. This leads us to...
Romans
14:16-17 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom
of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the
Holy Spirit.
So then, the
kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. In the
kingdom of God, Jesus our Lord is King. What, I believe, this partly* means is
summarised below:
1) We have sinned. Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep
have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way;” We have usurped
the throne of God, claiming to be our own kings and denying God’s sovereignty
and dominion in our lives.
2) Jesus, risen and conquering Son, when we put our
faith in Him and give our life to Him, frees us from slavery to sin and death,
and takes His rightful place as King.
Therefore,
when we pray for His kingdom to come, this consists of asking for Jesus to be
King of our hearts, and, as we let His light shine through us, that we may be His
hands and feet and be used by God to bring kingdom values forth into this
world. *I do not, however, believe that this is an exhaustive description, but rather,
an important point to note. (For the kingdom of God is a great many things.)
Optional: If there is time, it might be useful
to discuss the following with the youth. If not, then it is for your own
reference (: I find it useful because there are many theories that suggest that
there is, at the present moment, already no more sickness, or sorrow, or pain,
only blessings of the material kind (eg wealth, health, excluding spiritual
blessings/growth, that can and do come in the midst of pain/sickness/poverty).
We are indeed already saved, but we are still being sanctified, and we have not
yet been glorified.
The kingdom
of God is both present and future. The diagram below is useful to visualise
this. The ‘old age’ is the age of darkness, the fallen nature of the world,
depravity of man, existence of sin. When Christ came, the ‘new age’, ie the age
to come, began. He began to bring the kingdom of God upon the earth, through
His life, death and resurrection. At
present, we are living in between Jesus’ first coming and His second coming.
You can see that while the kingdom of God has begun, it is not fully come. We
are still living in a fallen world. There is still sin, there is still sorrow,
hurt and pain. When Jesus comes again, the old will completely pass away with a
new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1) and the kingdom of God will fully
come. There will be no more sin, no more sorrow, no more pain. (v.4)
Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our
debtors
If we are not
saved by works, but by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), why is it that
the forgiveness of our sins seems to depend so heavily on whether we forgive
others?
James 2:13
For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs
over judgment.
14 What does
it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can faith save him?
15 If a
brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says
to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the
things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also
faith by itself, if it does not have works, in dead.
22 Do you see
that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made
perfect?
The reason
why our forgiveness of our debtors seems so important is because faith without
works is dead. If we profess Jesus Christ to be our Saviour, it follows that we
proclaim Him to be our Lord. This means His sovereignty in our lives. This
means His transformative work in our hearts. This means the renewing of our
minds (Romans 12:1) and the living in the Spirit, crucifying ‘the flesh with
its passions and desires.’ (Galatians 5:24-25) If we have placed our faith in
Jesus, let our faith be made perfect by working out our salvation with fear and
trembling (Philippians 2:12), obeying Christ.
Read James
1:19-25, 2:12.
1 John 2:3-6
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says,
“I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is
not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in
him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought
himself also to walk just as He walked.
Read 1 John
2:9-11, 4:20-21.
If we withhold
forgiveness from our debtors, we are still walking in darkness, and we do not
love God as we claim. This is why “if you do not forgive men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:15) See that our forgiveness of others' sins is inseparable from our proclamation of faith in and acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Without Christ, therefore, the Father cannot forgive your sins.
Let us
remember what Christ has done for us, that by His death, there may be
forgiveness of sins, and retain that memory, forgiving others just as in
Christ, God forgave us. (Ephesians 4:32) Let us step out of the darkness, and
walk in the light, and love one another.
FOOOOOOOOOD
FOOD is something that we cannot do without and we know that it is also an equally important component of our weekly cell meetings and much joy comes from being able to have meals together afterwards too!
So do you think it is just a Singaporean thing? Because we live in a food haven so we dont have a choice as we havebeen primed and brought up this way? Or do you think it just happens because everyone needs food anyways!
But have you thought about it… actually this whole idea of sharing meals together started way back during Jesus’stime! Food expresses our dependence on God and on other people while meals embody friendship and welcome since it was a practice for them to share food and in that time the act was a sign of a special friendship.Jesus also showed his people how food was another powerful way of doing mission and community.
Luke 7:34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."'
Let’s take one example from the above accusation that Jesus was charged with. He ate with tax collectors. Tax collectors were collaborators with the Romans (who were oppressing the Jews at that time) and also they were extorting money from them. This meant they were not only betraying the nation, but they were enemies of God. But Jesus sits and eats with his enemies. It’s an amazing expression of grace.
Matt 9:10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.
Then about community, our meetings normally involve food plus we encourage people to share their lives throughout the week during mealtime and this also works with unbelievers as well. But one thing to note is that meals don’t make acommunity. They only simply embody or express it. It is the gospel that creates community. This is what makescommunities “work ” since we know that the gospel is what gives us as a community HOPE! haha and of course more bonding over good FOOOD in heaven!
Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine--the best of meats and the finest of wines.
This was what Jesus said after he went to eat with Zacchaeusin Luke 19:9-10 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Note that Christ did not simply go to his house to eat and befriend Zacchaeus but it was through the act of choosing to eat with him that he managed to show Zacchaeus acceptance but the chief end of it was to bring him back into the family.
But besides just looking at food and meals let us take a look at the other significant meals they had in the past. (Aim: to lead into talking about Holy Communion)
1. The Passover Meal
Ask the youths what they think the meal is about? Is it a meal that they passed-over therefore like dieting like that?
So what was it about and why was it significant?
Exodus 12:16-27 26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’”Then the people bowed down and worshiped.
Bitter herbs, unleavened bread and lamb were eaten. The herbs symbolize the bitterness of slavery; the unleavened bread and lamb recall the people’s flight from Egypt.
If you want to give them a better understanding you can get them to read the whole of Exodus 12: 1-29
Okays so perhaps your youths might say eh we no longer participate in this meal anymore! But what is one meal we do participate in every 3rd Sunday of the month? (most Methodist Churches (adult service) it is 1st Sunday of the month).
2. The Last Supper
Mark 14:22-24 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,“Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them.
Luke 22:19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
On the day before he was crucified, Jesus gathered the Apostles and shared the Passover meal with them. And they were told to continue this rite in remembrance of him.
After Jesus resurrected in Luke 24:30-31 it describes: When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
3. The Lord’s Supper / Holy Communion
So what is Holy Communion? Is there a difference between The Lord’s Supper & Holy Communion ? Can someone describe what happens during Holy Communion? Why do you think we take part in Holy Communion?
The Lord’s Supper reminds us of the last meal Jesus shared with the Apostles before dying on the cross at the same time it recalls the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
The term Holy Communion invites us to focus on the self-giving of the Holy God, which makes the sacrament an occasion of grace, and on the holiness of our communion with God and it also expresses the unity of God’s family.At the same time this also anticipates the final fulfilling union of all Christians.
Ephesians 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
Whenever I think about Jesus inviting all of us sinners to eat at his table now and in the future when he returns I am reminded of how King David invited Mephibosheth to eat with him, someone who was of such low status but he was personally invited to eat with the King always!
2 Sam 9: 8 8Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
2 Sam 9: 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.
Imagine sitting and eating with the Prime Minister but Jesus is one with infinity more authority.
The meaning of Holy Communion
1. Remembrance (as mentioned earlier)
2. Thanksgiving “broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising
God and enjoying the favor of all the people” (Acts 2:46-47a)
3. Proclamation Holy Communion is the sacrament that sustains and nourishes us in our journey of salvation. In a sacrament, God uses tangible, material things as vehicles or instruments of grace. Wesley defines a sacrament, in accord with his Anglican tradition, as “an outward sign of inward
grace, and a means whereby we receive the same” (“Means of Grace,” II.1).
4. Communion First Corinthians 10:17 explains that because there is one bread, we who are
many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”
5. Anticipation We are anticipating the heavenly banquet celebrating God’s victory over sin, evil, and
death (Matthew 22:1-14; Revelation 19:9; 21:1-7)
The Wesleys recognized the power of God available in the Lord’s Supper and urged their followers to draw on that power by frequent participation. The grace available in and through the sacrament was active in conviction, repentance and conversion, forgiveness, and sanctification. John Wesley described the Lord’s Supper as “the grand channel whereby the grace of his Spirit was conveyed to the souls of all the children of God” (“Sermon on the Mount—Discourse Six,” III.11).
How then should we approach Holy Communion?
Perhaps based on a simple guide suggested by Greg Laurie Daily Devotional we can try to do.
First, we should look back. We are to participate in Communion in remembrance of Christ (see Luke 22:19). Though we must be reverent and must be appreciative of what Communion symbolizes, Communion also speaks of intimacy and fellowship. And so we look back. We look back to the cross. We remember what Christ accomplished for us. And we are reminded of His love for us.
Second, we are to look ahead. The Scriptures say to do this "until he comes again" (1 Corinthians 11:26). The first time Jesus came to this earth, He came as the Suffering Servant. The next time, He will come as the Conquering King. Communion is an observance to remind us that Jesus will come again.
Third, Communion is a time to look within. We are to look within and ask the Holy Spirit to show us any areas of our lives that may not be pleasing to God so that sin would not get in the way of our communion with God.
Why is the third point so important?
1 Cor 11:26-32 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
Here we see how firm Paul was when he was addressing the Corinthians about their abuse of the Lord's Supper. They were treating this meal like any other meal, simply as a way to satisfy their desires and this greatly dishonoured the significance that Christ gave to this meal!
So often we see that in TTB many of us are not coming with this spirit of Self Examination instead it is just like any other ritual we take part in and we talk and laugh with our friends when we come to partake of communion. We really hope to encourage them to examine themselves before they come to the Lord's table. We need to judge ourselves if not we will bring judgement upon ourselves.
Why is the third point so important?
1 Cor 11:26-32 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
Here we see how firm Paul was when he was addressing the Corinthians about their abuse of the Lord's Supper. They were treating this meal like any other meal, simply as a way to satisfy their desires and this greatly dishonoured the significance that Christ gave to this meal!
So often we see that in TTB many of us are not coming with this spirit of Self Examination instead it is just like any other ritual we take part in and we talk and laugh with our friends when we come to partake of communion. We really hope to encourage them to examine themselves before they come to the Lord's table. We need to judge ourselves if not we will bring judgement upon ourselves.
So try to encourage them to come to the Communion table in joy. Come in reverence. Come in honesty before the Lord. If there is something that isn't right, this is the time to deal with it. Communion is an ideal time to make a commitment or recommitment to Jesus Christ.
Time of Prayer:
Lets get them to share about what they have learnt today and for them to commit to respond to this communion call differently from now onwards since they are now aware of why they actually do this.
Also get them to pray for the upcoming retreat, to pray for themselves, the leaders and the speakers :) ( of course its a great time to tell them to come for retreat!!! not optional ! HAHA
Finally even as we are in this advent season let s remember that many from our church family are involved in the adopt-a-block project so pray for them as they head out to bless the community with cookies and newsletters and also pray that many in the community would be interested to join us for Carols by Candlelight on the 24th of Dec and our celebration services on the 25th :D
Done by: Alicia,Cher, Pet
Time of Prayer:
Lets get them to share about what they have learnt today and for them to commit to respond to this communion call differently from now onwards since they are now aware of why they actually do this.
Also get them to pray for the upcoming retreat, to pray for themselves, the leaders and the speakers :) ( of course its a great time to tell them to come for retreat!!! not optional ! HAHA
Finally even as we are in this advent season let s remember that many from our church family are involved in the adopt-a-block project so pray for them as they head out to bless the community with cookies and newsletters and also pray that many in the community would be interested to join us for Carols by Candlelight on the 24th of Dec and our celebration services on the 25th :D
Done by: Alicia,Cher, Pet
Food!
FOOOOOOOOOD
FOOD is something that we cannot do without and we know that it is also an equally important component of our weekly cell meetings and much joy comes from being able to have meals together afterwards too!
So do you think it is just a Singaporean thing? Because we live in a food haven so we dont have a choice as we havebeen primed and brought up this way? Or do you think it just happens because everyone needs food anyways!
But have you thought about it… actually this whole idea of sharing meals together started way back during Jesus’stime! Food expresses our dependence on God and on other people while meals embody friendship and welcome since it was a practice for them to share food and in that time the act was a sign of a special friendship.
Jesus also showed his people how food was another powerful way of doing mission and community.
Luke 7:34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."'
Let’s take one example from the above accusation that Jesus was charged with. He ate with tax collectors. Tax collectors were collaborators with the Romans (who were oppressing the Jews at that time) and also they were extorting money from them. This meant they were not only betraying the nation, but they were enemies of God. But Jesus sits and eats with his enemies. It’s an amazing expression of grace.
Matt 9:10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.
Then about community, our meetings normally involve food plus we encourage people to share their lives throughout the week during mealtime and this also works with unbelievers as well. But one thing to note is that meals don’t make acommunity. They only simply embody or express it. It is the gospel that creates community. This is what makescommunities “work ” since we know that the gospel is what gives us as a community HOPE! haha and of course more bonding over good FOOOD in heaven!
Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine--the best of meats and the finest of wines.
This was what Jesus said after he went to eat with Zacchaeusin Luke 19:9-10 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Note that Christ did not simply go to his house to eat and befriend Zacchaeus but it was through the act of choosing to eat with him that he managed to show Zacchaeus acceptance but the chief end of it was to bring him back into the family.
But besides just looking at food and meals let us take a look at the other significant meals they had in the past. (Aim: to lead to talk about Holy Communion)
1. The Passover Meal
Ask the youths what they think the meal is about? Is it a meal that they passed-over therefore like dieting like that?
So what was it about and why was it significant?
Exodus 12:16-27 26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’”Then the people bowed down and worshiped.
Bitter herbs, unleavened bread and lamb were eaten. The herbs symbolize the bitterness of slavery; the unleavened bread and lamb recall the people’s flight from Egypt.
If you want to give them a better understanding you can get them to read the whole of Exodus 12: 1-29
Okays so perhaps your youths might say eh we no longer participate in this meal anymore! But what is one meal we do participate in every 3rd Sunday of the month? (mostMethodist Churches (adult service) it is 1st Sunday of the month).
2. The Last Supper
Mark 14:22-24 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,“Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them.
Luke 22:19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
On the day before he was crucified, Jesus gathered the Apostles and shared the Passover meal with them. And they were told to continue this rite in remembrance of him.
After Jesus resurrected in Luke 24:30-31 it describes: When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
3. The Lord’s Supper / Holy Communion
So what is Holy Communion? Is there a difference between The Lord’s Supper & Holy Communion ? Can someone describe what happens during Holy Communion? Why do you think we take part in Holy Communion?
The Lord’s Supper reminds us of the last meal Jesus shared with the Apostles before dying on the cross at the same time it recalls the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
The term Holy Communion invites us to focus on the self-giving of the Holy God, which makes the sacrament an occasion of grace, and on the holiness of our communion with God and it also expresses the unity of God’s family.At the same time this also anticipates the final fulfilling union of all Christians.
Ephesians 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
Whenever I think about Jesus inviting all of us sinners to eat at his table now and in the future when he returns I am reminded of how King David invited Mephibosheth to eat with him, someone who was of such low status but he was personally invited to eat with the King always!
2 Sam 9: 8 8Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
2 Sam 9: 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.
Imagine sitting and eating with the Prime Minister but Jesus is one with infinity more authority.
The meaning of Holy Communion
1. Remembrance (as mentioned earlier)
2. Thanksgiving “broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising
God and enjoying the favor of all the people” (Acts 2:46-47a)
3. Proclamation Holy Communion is the sacrament that sustains and nourishes us in our journey of salvation. In a sacrament, God uses tangible, material things as vehicles or instruments of grace. Wesley defines a sacrament, in accord with his Anglican tradition, as “an outward sign of inward
grace, and a means whereby we receive the same” (“Means of Grace,” II.1).
4. Communion First Corinthians 10:17 explains that because there is one bread, we who are
many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”
5. Anticipation We are anticipating the heavenly banquet celebrating God’s victory over sin, evil, and
death (Matthew 22:1-14; Revelation 19:9; 21:1-7)
The Wesleys recognized the power of God available in the Lord’s Supper and urged their followers to draw on that power by frequent participation. The grace available in and through the sacrament was active in conviction, repentance and conversion, forgiveness, and sanctification. John Wesley described the Lord’s Supper as “the grand channel whereby the grace of his Spirit was conveyed to the souls of all the children of God” (“Sermon on the Mount—Discourse Six,” III.11).
How then should we approach Holy Communion?
Perhaps based on a simple guide suggested by Greg Laurie Daily Devotional we can try to:
First, we should look back. We are to participate in Communion in remembrance of Christ (see verse 19). Though we must be reverent and must be appreciative of what Communion symbolizes, Communion also speaks of intimacy and fellowship. And so we look back. We look back to the cross. We remember what Christ accomplished for us. And we are reminded of His love for us.
Second, we are to look ahead. The Scriptures say to do this "until he comes again" (1 Corinthians 11:26). The first time Jesus came to this earth, He came as the Suffering Servant. The next time, He will come as the Conquering King. Communion is an observance to remind us that Jesus will come again.
Third, Communion is a time to look within. We are to look within and ask the Holy Spirit to show us any areas of our lives that may not be pleasing to God so that sin would not get in the way of our communion with God.
So come to the Communion table in joy. Come in reverence. Come in honesty.
If there is something that isn't right, this is the time to deal with it. Communion is an ideal time to make a commitment or recommitment to Jesus Christ.
Food!
FOOOOOOOOOD
FOOD is something that we cannot do without and we know that it is also an equally important component of our weekly cell meetings and much joy comes from being able to have meals together afterwards too!
So do you think it is just a Singaporean thing? Because we live in a food haven so we dont have a choice as we havebeen primed and brought up this way? Or do you think it just happens because everyone needs food anyways!
But have you thought about it… actually this whole idea of sharing meals together started way back during Jesus’stime! Food expresses our dependence on God and on other people while meals embody friendship and welcome since it was a practice for them to share food and in that time the act was a sign of a special friendship.
Jesus also showed his people how food was another powerful way of doing mission and community.
Luke 7:34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."'
Let’s take one example from the above accusation that Jesus was charged with. He ate with tax collectors. Tax collectors were collaborators with the Romans (who were oppressing the Jews at that time) and also they were extorting money from them. This meant they were not only betraying the nation, but they were enemies of God. But Jesus sits and eats with his enemies. It’s an amazing expression of grace.
Matt 9:10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.
Then about community, our meetings normally involve food plus we encourage people to share their lives throughout the week during mealtime and this also works with unbelievers as well. But one thing to note is that meals don’t make acommunity. They only simply embody or express it. It is the gospel that creates community. This is what makescommunities “work ” since we know that the gospel is what gives us as a community HOPE! haha and of course more bonding over good FOOOD in heaven!
Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine--the best of meats and the finest of wines.
This was what Jesus said after he went to eat with Zacchaeusin Luke 19:9-10 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Note that Christ did not simply go to his house to eat and befriend Zacchaeus but it was through the act of choosing to eat with him that he managed to show Zacchaeus acceptance but the chief end of it was to bring him back into the family.
But besides just looking at food and meals let us take a look at the other significant meals they had in the past. (Aim: to lead to talk about Holy Communion)
1. The Passover Meal
Ask the youths what they think the meal is about? Is it a meal that they passed-over therefore like dieting like that?
So what was it about and why was it significant?
Exodus 12:16-27 26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’”Then the people bowed down and worshiped.
Bitter herbs, unleavened bread and lamb were eaten. The herbs symbolize the bitterness of slavery; the unleavened bread and lamb recall the people’s flight from Egypt.
If you want to give them a better understanding you can get them to read the whole of Exodus 12: 1-29
Okays so perhaps your youths might say eh we no longer participate in this meal anymore! But what is one meal we do participate in every 3rd Sunday of the month? (mostMethodist Churches (adult service) it is 1st Sunday of the month).
2. The Last Supper
Mark 14:22-24 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,“Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them.
Luke 22:19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
On the day before he was crucified, Jesus gathered the Apostles and shared the Passover meal with them. And they were told to continue this rite in remembrance of him.
After Jesus resurrected in Luke 24:30-31 it describes: When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
3. The Lord’s Supper / Holy Communion
So what is Holy Communion? Is there a difference between The Lord’s Supper & Holy Communion ? Can someone describe what happens during Holy Communion? Why do you think we take part in Holy Communion?
The Lord’s Supper reminds us of the last meal Jesus shared with the Apostles before dying on the cross at the same time it recalls the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
The term Holy Communion invites us to focus on the self-giving of the Holy God, which makes the sacrament an occasion of grace, and on the holiness of our communion with God and it also expresses the unity of God’s family.At the same time this also anticipates the final fulfilling union of all Christians.
Ephesians 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
Whenever I think about Jesus inviting all of us sinners to eat at his table now and in the future when he returns I am reminded of how King David invited Mephibosheth to eat with him, someone who was of such low status but he was personally invited to eat with the King always!
2 Sam 9: 8 8Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
2 Sam 9: 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.
Imagine sitting and eating with the Prime Minister but Jesus is one with infinity more authority.
The meaning of Holy Communion
1. Remembrance (as mentioned earlier)
2. Thanksgiving “broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising
God and enjoying the favor of all the people” (Acts 2:46-47a)
3. Proclamation Holy Communion is the sacrament that sustains and nourishes us in our journey of salvation. In a sacrament, God uses tangible, material things as vehicles or instruments of grace. Wesley defines a sacrament, in accord with his Anglican tradition, as “an outward sign of inward
grace, and a means whereby we receive the same” (“Means of Grace,” II.1).
4. Communion First Corinthians 10:17 explains that because there is one bread, we who are
many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”
5. Anticipation We are anticipating the heavenly banquet celebrating God’s victory over sin, evil, and
death (Matthew 22:1-14; Revelation 19:9; 21:1-7)
The Wesleys recognized the power of God available in the Lord’s Supper and urged their followers to draw on that power by frequent participation. The grace available in and through the sacrament was active in conviction, repentance and conversion, forgiveness, and sanctification. John Wesley described the Lord’s Supper as “the grand channel whereby the grace of his Spirit was conveyed to the souls of all the children of God” (“Sermon on the Mount—Discourse Six,” III.11).
How then should we approach Holy Communion?
Perhaps based on a simple guide suggested by Greg Laurie Daily Devotional we can try to:
First, we should look back. We are to participate in Communion in remembrance of Christ (see verse 19). Though we must be reverent and must be appreciative of what Communion symbolizes, Communion also speaks of intimacy and fellowship. And so we look back. We look back to the cross. We remember what Christ accomplished for us. And we are reminded of His love for us.
Second, we are to look ahead. The Scriptures say to do this "until he comes again" (1 Corinthians 11:26). The first time Jesus came to this earth, He came as the Suffering Servant. The next time, He will come as the Conquering King. Communion is an observance to remind us that Jesus will come again.
Third, Communion is a time to look within. We are to look within and ask the Holy Spirit to show us any areas of our lives that may not be pleasing to God so that sin would not get in the way of our communion with God.
So come to the Communion table in joy. Come in reverence. Come in honesty.
If there is something that isn't right, this is the time to deal with it. Communion is an ideal time to make a commitment or recommitment to Jesus Christ.
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