SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON
In this week’s sermon, “The Grace of Communion”, Pastor Rich talked about the meaning of the Passover and the Lord’s Supper, and how the grace of God is reflected in the communion meal. Christ’s blood sacrifice saved us from God’s judgment and paid for our sins. It’s important for us to accept His sacrifice, and “personally appropriate it to ourselves by faith.” The communion meal is for anyone who sees their need for Christ and for grace, and is willing to receive his forgiveness by faith.
GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED
These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.
1. Have you ever started watching a movie that was already half way through without knowing what the plot of the movie was? How did it make you feel? How did you feel after someone came alongside you and explained the first half of the movie?
2. Is there anything in your life that you do just because you’ve always done it? Maybe without even knowing why you do it? Like for example a family tradition that began way before your time… Does that tradition have any real meaning to you? How would that tradition change if you truly understood what was going on, or maybe if you were reliving something from your past through it? Would it have any meaning to you then?
3. What are some of the great accomplishments of your life? Does reliving them have a positive or negative effect on you? Why is it important to remember and relive God’s accomplishments in history and in our lives?
INTERACTING WITH THE SERMON
1. In 5 minutes or less. Briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon. What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Explain.
2. Read 1 Corinthians 11:17-32:
17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. 20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 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 of 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.
• Why do you believe the apostle Paul begins speaking about the topic of communion in the way he does (v.v. 17-22)? What is the main issue he’s addressing (v.18)?
• How is this division demonstrated according to Paul (v.21)? As a consequence of this division, what does Paul say about the way the church in Corinth celebrates the Lord’s Supper (v. 20)? Do you believe Paul is trying to make a point regarding the way they were living there lives, or was he simply being harsh? Explain.
• In verse 24 the apostle Paul reminds us of Jesus’ words: “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” What do these words mean to you? What impact have they had on your life? On your faith? Knowing what happened to Jesus after that night, what does this tell you of His love for you? Briefly share
• In the same way, in verse 25, we read Jesus’ words saying: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” What is the new covenant Jesus is referring to? How has that covenant impacted your life? If we are part of God’s new covenant, what should our lives look like? Explain.
• What do you believe the way in which the people of the church of Corinth were treating each other had to do with the Lord’s Supper? Briefly share.
• In verse 26, Paul says that whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. What is the significance Paul is recognizing in the Lord’s Supper? Why is your witness as a follower of Jesus important? The apostle Paul had an issue with people “proclaiming” the Lord’s death in their partaking of the Lord’s Supper, but at the same time living a lifestyle that did not proclaim this same truth. Do you believe he was right to be troubled by that? Where do you stand on this matter? Briefly share.
• Is it possible to “recognize the body of the Lord” in our communion but not recognize it in our daily lives? According to Paul, if we examine ourselves and “recognize the body of the Lord”, what is our outcome as we come before the Lord’s judgment (v. 32)?
3. In his message, Rich said: it is one thing for Christ to give his body and blood to us in death, but it is another thing for us to make his death our own.
• Take time to pray and give people the opportunity to respond to God’s grace for their live. Make sure you give people the opportunity to be welcomed into a relationship with Jesus.
• At the same time, for those who are already believers, pray that the Holy Spirit speaks to them about what it truly means to continue to make Christ’s death their own, and how to let that truth transform them. Pray for a deeper knowledge and understanding of God’s love and for a deeper relationship with the Father through Jesus.
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