Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
Study: Matthew 3:13 – 17; 28:19 – 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
Background: Acts 2:38, 41; Romans 6:1–14; 1 Corinthians 11:23–29
Devotional: John 1:29–34
Lesson 10 February 7, 2026
Key Verse
]Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”Matthew 28:19–20
INTRODUCTION
From its beginning, the Church has observed two practices that mark its identity: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Both practices have antecedents in the first-century Jewish world.
Christian Baptism has its roots in ritual cleansing practiced by Jews, a tradition that predates the first-century church. The Law of Moses prescribes cleansing with water for religious and physical purification (14:8–9; 15:5–13; 17:15). The Old Testament prophets promised a new baptism, a cleansing from impurity and sin (Ezekiel 36:25; Zechariah 13:1).
In the Second Temple period, washings for purification were a part of Jewish life (Mark 7:1–4;
John 2:6; etc.). During this time, it is thought that converts to Judaism underwent a “proselyte baptism” to join the Jewish community. Ritual washing was necessary because Gentiles were considered unclean or defiled and rules prevented them from entering the Inner Courts of the Temple or participating with Jews in local worship.
While the connection of Christian Baptism to Jewish cleansing rites might be tenuous; Baptism is among other things a public declaration of a Christian’s new life in Jesus Christ founded on Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. The immersion in water pictures the death and burial of the ‘old life’ and one emerges from the water with the New life.
It would be wise for us first to look at the various ways in which Christians interpret baptism. One writer comments:
“ some groups believe that the act of baptism in water actually conveys grace to the person baptized. Those who espouse this view speak of baptismal regeneration: baptism actually effects a transformation bringing a person from spiritual death to life. The most extreme form of this view is to be found in traditional Catholicism.
Baptism according to the sacramental is a means by which God imparts saving grace: it is results in the remission of sins. By either awakening or strengthening faith, baptism effects the washing of regeneration. In the Lutheran understanding, the sacrament is ineffectual unless faith is already present. In this respect, the Lutheran position differs from the Catholic position, which holds that baptism confers grace ex opera operao, that is the sacrament works of itself. The Lutheran view, in other words, emphasizes that faith is a prerequisite, while the Catholic doctrine stresses that the sacrament is self sufficient. The sacrament, it should be emphasized, is not a physical infusion of some spiritual substance into the soul of the person baptized.
The sacrament it must be understood is God s doing. It is not a work offered to God by the person being baptized. Nor is it a work performed by the minister or priest. That is to say, the baptizer does not pour some form of grace into the person being baptized.
Rather, baptism is the Holy Spirit’s work of initiating people into the church: “ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit”. (1 Corinthians 12:13).
Romans 6:1-11 is crucial to the sacramentalists view of baptism. In their interpretation of this passage baptism is not simply a picture of our being united with Christ in his death and resurrection. Rather it actually unites us with Christ. When Paul says, “ All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death” (v.3) he means that baptism actually unites us with Christ’s death. And it also unites us with him in his resurrection(v.5).
The subject of baptism according to Lutheranism, falls into two general groups.
First there are adults who have come to faith in Christ. Made explicit in examples are found in Acts 2:41 and 8:36-38.
Second. Children and even infants were also baptized in New Testament times. Evidence is seen in the fact that children were brought to Jesus to be touched ( Mark 10: 13- 16). It is reasonable to assume that most of these households were not composed exclusively or adults. Children are part of the people of God, just as surely as, in the Old Testament, they were part of the nation of Israel. That children were baptized in the New Testament is precedent for the practice today. Moreover, the baptism of children is necessary for all persons are born in the world with original sin, which is sufficient grounds for condemnation. The 10th of this sin must be removed. Since children are not capable of exercising the faith needed for regeneration, it is essential that they receive the cleansing wrought by baptism.
In Roman Catholic theology, unbaptized infants who die cannot enter into heaven. They are consigned to a place called limbus Infantium. There they do not suffer the pains and deprivation of hell but neither do they enjoy the benefits of the blessedness of heaven. The Lutheran theologian, on the other hand, is not so sure about the status of unbaptized infants…….. The Lutheran theologian is aware of the charge of inconsistency between the practice of infant baptism and the insistence upon justification by faith alone.
In Roman Catholicism this dilemma does not occur. For according to Catholic doctrine, baptism takes effect ex opere operato. Faith is not really necessary. The only requisites are that someone presents the child and a priest administers the sacrament properly…….
The position held by traditional Reformed and Presbyterian theologians is closely tied to the concept of the covenant. They regard the sacraments, of which baptism is one, as signs and seals of God’s grace. Sacraments are not means of grace ex opera operato are in virtue of some inherent content of the rite itself……
This significance of the sacrament of baptism is not quite as clear cut to the Reformed and Presbyterian as to the sacramental this. The covenant God’s promise of grace, is the basis, the source, of justification and salvation; baptism is the act of faith by which we are brought into that covenant and hence experience its benefit. The act of baptism is both the means of initiation into the covenant and a sign of salvation…..
The third view sees baptism as a token an outward symbol or indication of the inward change which has been effected in the believer. It serves as a public testimony of one’s faith in Jesus Christ. It is an initiatory rite—we are baptized into the name of Christ.
The act of baptism was commanded by Christ ( Matthew 28: 19- 20). Since it was ordained by him, it is properly understood as an ordinance rather than a sacrament.
It does not produce any spiritual change in the one baptized. We continue to practice baptism simply because Christ commanded it and because it serves as a form of proclamation. It confirms the fact of one’s salvation to oneself and affirms it to others.
The act of baptism conveys no direct spiritual benefit or blessing. In particular, we are not regenerated through baptism, for baptism presupposes faith and the salvation to which faith leads. It is, then, a testimony that one has already been regenerated. If there is a spiritual benefit, it is the fact that baptism brings us into membership or participation in the local church.
In the view of those who regard baptism as basically an outward symbol, the question of the proper subjects of baptism is of great importance. Candidates for baptism will already have experienced the new birth on the basis of faith. They will have exhibited credible evidence of regeneration.
While it is not the place of the church or the person at administering baptism to sit in judgment upon the candidate, there is an obligation to the determine at least that the candidate understands the meaning of the ceremony. This can be determined by requiring the candidate to give an oral testimony or answer a certain questions.
Precedent for such caution before administering baptism can be found in John the Baptist’s words to the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to him for baptism:” You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit that befits repentance”. ( Matthew 3: 7-9).
The baptism of which we are speaking is believers baptism. Note that this is not necessarily adult baptism. It is baptism of those who have met the conditions for salvation (i.e., repentance and active faith).
It is very important for us therefore to pay attention to what we have just written many in our churches do not seem to understand what we believe and the different positions on what baptism is all about. It is therefore most important that you are very careful with this subject because you will come into contact with people with different views on the matter and you should therefore be able to give a good account of why you believe what you believe.
Remember you are dealing with the souls of people and it is important that you behave appropriately.
Here again we have to advise you that there are major views about the Lord’s Supper and in this is controversy about the elements that are to be used. There are disputes about whether the bread is to be unleavened as in the case of the Passover meal, or whether we should use Paul’s reference to “ one loaf” in 1 Corinthians 10:17 as signifying that other breads are acceptable.
Must we use wine, or will grape juice serve equally well and if wine what alcoholic content should equal to that in the wine used by Jesus and the disciples?
The problem in that argument is that the people in the church in Corinth were getting drunk and so obviously they were using wine that was containing alcohol.
What liberty do we have in these matters?
Ask yourself the question and study with us! But study your Scriptures and talk to the Holy Spirit about these matters.
We urge you to pay attention to what will now be discussed because you must be people capable of having discussions in love with persons of other views so that you can possibly correct any misinterpretations of Scripture that they might have.
The major views are listed by one scholar as follows:
- The traditional Roman Catholic view spelled out in the Council of Trent (1545-1563) but on which many Catholics especially in Western countries have abandoned some of the features. Transubstantiation is the doctrine that as the administering priest consecrates the elements an actual metaphysical change takes place. The substance of the bread and wine—what they actually are—are changed into Christ’s flesh and blood respectively. Note that what’s changed is the substance not the accidents thus the bread retains the shape, texture, and tastes of bread. A chemical analysis will tell us that it is still bread. But what it essentially is has been changed. The whole of Christ is fully present within each of the particles of the host. All who participate in the Lord’s Supper, or the Holy Eucharist as it is termed, literally takes the physical body and blood of Christ into themselves. To modern persons who are not given to thinking in metaphysical terms, transubstantiation seems strange, if not absurd. It is, however, based upon Aristotle’s distinction between substance and accidents, which was adopted by Thomas Aquinas and thus found its way into the official theology of the Roman Catholic Church. From that philosophical perspective, chance of substantiation makes perfectly good sense.
- The Lutheran view differs from the Roman Catholic view at many but not all points. Luther did not reject in toto the Catholic view and in contrast to the Reformed Churches and Zwingli. Luther retained the Catholic conception that Christ’s body and blood are physically present in the elements. What he denied was the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation saying that the molecules are not changed into flesh and blood; they remain bread and wine but the body and blood of Christ are present “ in, with, and under” the bread and wine. It is not that the bread and wine have become Christ’s body and blood but that we now have the body and blood in addition to the bread and wine.
- The Reformed view is the ‘Calvinistic’ or ‘Reformed’ view and there is some disagreement as to just what the respective views of Calvin and Zwingli were. According to one interpretation Calvin held that Christ is spiritually present in the elements, and Zwingli maintained that the elements were mere symbols of Christ; it is neither physically nor spiritually present. Calvin’s view was accepted as the standard of the Reformed Churches but note there are positions which are “ Calvinistic” and versions which are “ Reformed”.
- The Zwinglian view is that the Lord’s Supper is merely a commemoration. It was strong on the idea of the sacrament bringing to mind the death of Christ and in its efficacy in behalf of the believer on what the Lord’s Supper is essentially. Essentially it is bringing to mind the death of Christ and it is a commemoration of Christ’s death and it is in that that the value of the sacrament lay for it simply helps us by faith to think about the benefit of Christ’s death. In that camp there are variations of course on this view.
- The second practice in today’s Lesson is the Lord’s Supper, also called Communion, or the Lord’s Table, or the Eucharist (this word comes from the English words which means ‘Thanksgiving’). This is the common word used for the Lord’s Supper in non-evangelical churches.
The Gospels record the events of a “Last Supper”, the meal Jesus shared with His disciples the night before His crucifixion (Matthew 26:17–30; Mark 14:12–26; Luke 22:7–23; John 13:1–30). Although the Apostle Paul was not present at that dinner, he shares an account of the same meal (1 Corinthians 11:23–26). Paul declared he knew of the events in the life of Jesus as he was taught by Jesus Himself and not by the other apostles. See the book of Galatians where Paul defended his apostleship. He wrote his letters to the churches even before the Gospels we have today, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were written.
Readers are meant to connect the Last Supper to the observance of Passover, a remembrance of God’s liberation of the ancient Hebrews from their enslavement in Egypt (Exodus 12:2–11; Deut. 16:1–8). Up to that critical time, when Jews thought of God’s great deliverance / salvation, it would be the ‘first Passover’ (Exodus 12) and subsequent crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) that would come to mind.
Note that the crossing of the Red sea was stated to be a baptism of the people.
But Baptism now has similarly spiritual meaning. Going forward, the followers of Jesus would relate God’s great salvation to Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross and observe this in the Lord’s Supper ritual. The ‘bread and the wine’ providing some continuity.
Jesus specifically enjoined the two ordinances on His Church, Water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Matthew 28:19-20 is the Text popularly known as the ‘Great Commission’. Directed to and binding on all Christians we are to ‘make disciples’. Share the ‘good news’ of salvation and live exemplary lives
that give substance to our message.
Note the connection of baptism to the Great Commission where disciples were sent to disciple the nations at that time. The message therefore is to baptize them.
Do not be fooled to think that baptism is way down on the list or the scale of discipleship for according to the Lord Jesus Christ it stands extremely high on that scale. The command is to baptize and to teach the Word of God.
When persons have heard the Word of God and the hole Holy Spirit has led them to salvation they do not really need to raise their hands in a meeting to indicate that they have accepted Christ, or sign a decision card, or come down to the front of the church to pray. They can do that if they wish but frankly the course as far as Jesus is concerned in the Scripture is that they accept Jesus based on the Word of God and be baptized.
It is therefore rather strange that in many church communities people who have been Christians for many years have never been baptized in water. We know that they want to please the Lord for they talk about that a great deal and so we have to encourage them to follow this simple instruction from the Lord Jesus Christ if they want to please Him.
We need to remind them that baptism is a public testimony to their relationship to Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection.
It is also important to note that we are to instruct them in the things that Jesus had commanded us. Then we are to observe what Jesus has commanded us, both in our thoughts, and in our deeds, for Jesus was going to send the Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth.
Our sufficiency therefore is in Christ for we are not sufficient in ourselves
.
Let us remember that Jesus came told His disciples the task that was ahead of them and asked them to share the work that He was doing even though He was not going to be with them in a bodily physical form. He was with them and we know this for on one occasion Jesus appeared to Paul in Corinth and when he was under great pressure told Paul that He was with him and that He had many people in the city so Paul was told not to fear and to speak because Jesus was with him in that city and He would protect them.
As we study this Lesson Scripture therefore let us remember that Jesus said “I am with you always”, not that “I shall be” with you, for that is the promise in the original Text.
Jesus is with us ‘ forever’, and we should note that promise carefully. Jesus is is with us when we are in the trenches, staying with us until the end of the age, for He will not depend on us to do the mission of the work of God on our natural abilities.
So as the book of Hebrews in chapter 12 exhorts us let us straighten the knees that are shaking and lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily beset us and run with patience the race set before us.
It is important that we note that in this connection with the Passover, for we are told that Christ is our Passover in 1 Corinthians 5, “For Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” and therefore there is to be no leaven ( This was the command given to Israel at the first Passover, that nation’s physical deliverance), and this means that there is to be no sin in our lives when we keep this feast.
All we really have to do when we think there might be some sin in our life we simply privately confess them, we simply spend a brief moment to confess them and ask for forgiveness and then move on to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. That is how merciful, understanding, compassionate, and great our beloved Lord is.
Note that when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper which reflects our spiritual deliverance we are anticipating the future fulfillment of His coming in the future for Jesus told the disciples that He would not drink of the wine until He drinks it with us in His father’s kingdom.
Also note that the Lord’s Supper is for spiritual people for this entire celebration must be spiritually discerned and understood.
People who do not know Christ, and who have not been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and who do not have the new nature, will not be able to understand the things of God. They cannot therefore really participate in this feast. They will see that we are eating something and are drinking something but since they do not have any understanding of spiritual things and cannot appreciate the ordinances of Christ they will be shocked.
In fact, the pagans are at the time of the early church accused the believers of having some kind of orgy in which they were eating raw flesh and drinking blood. So they accused the early Christians of participating in a terribly immoral feast celebration.
So we must not expect them to understand what is happening and so we cannot really entertain their participation for they do not understand the significance of the Lord’s death for sinners on Calvary’s Cross.
This raises the issue of what we are to be reminded of at this Lord’s Supper for some Pastors or administrators at this feast might have a problem. Charles Spurgeon comments:
“ Do I hear someone say that I am now coming to an old subject?”
This thought struck me when I was preparing for the preaching that I should have to tell you an old story over again. All pastors and preachers and teachers have that problem because the Bible is filled with an emphasis upon the saving ministry of Jesus Christ, and it’s very difficult to preach the Word over a period of time without repeating oneself, and particularly if he’s preaching the gospel he ought to repeat himself constantly and say, give the message, try to give it in such a way that he doesn’t put people totally to sleep, but it’s a problem after you have done it, and if you have done it to a congregation for many years it becomes more and more of a problem”.
So we know pastors might have that problem when they have to at the celebration of the Lord’s Supper repeat themselves over and over again as often as they lead this celebration.
What they should not worry because the salvation brought by Jesus by Him shedding His blood on the Cross is something that we should hear over and over again we should love to hear it. Pastor’s and those who lead the Lord’s Supper celebration should be comforted. To help ourselves we should love to sing the song,
“Tell me the Old, Old Story, Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love;
Tell me the story simply, as to a little child,
For I am weak and weary, and helpless and defiled.
Tell me the story slowly that I may take it in
That wonderful redemption, remedy for sin;
Tell me the story often, for I forget so soon,
The “early dew” of morning, has passed away at noon.
Tell me the story softly, with earnest tones and grave;
Remember I am the sinner Whom Jesus came to save;
Tell me the story always, if you would really be,
In any time of trouble, a Comforter to me.
Tell me the same old story When you have cause to fear
That this world’s empty glory Is costing me too dear;
Yes, and when that world’s glory is dawning on my soul,
Tell me the Old, Old Story; “Christ Jesus makes thee whole”.
Tell me the Old, Old, Story, Tell me the Old, Old, Story,
Tell me the Old, Old Story of Jesus and His love”.
Let us therefore keep in mind Peter’s statement in 1 Peter 1, “ knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”.
Let us all never forget that the primary reason for the pulpit is to be the constant preaching of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ and the significance of Jesus’ death for sinners on Calvary’s cross. His blood is the reason for your salvation and your protection.
So when you think ofit really Christiansshould be happy people. They should be joyous people. Certainly they should fear God in the sense that they reverence Him and love Him.
But they should in fact fear sin, but in doing so knowing that their safety is not dependent upon our sense of sin.
The blood of Christ has been shed and now there is certainty of our salvation for all our safety is dependent only on the blood of Jesus that has been shed and we are certain of that because our faith rests upon the Word of God.
So rest on him and enjoy your salvation. The blood of Christ has saved your soul from sin. He has given you the Holy Spirit.
So get rid of the foolish guilt that you feel because of your past. Look forward and live in the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ. LET US NOT SEE YOUR KNEES KNOCKING TOGETHER.
That is what Baptism and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper is really all about. Make sure you understand this.
In Matthew’s Gospel, all the anticipation of Jesus’ adult appearance in the previous Texts seems to come to fulfillment here, because, as we come to Matthew 3:13, we read the words, “Then cometh Jesus.” For the first time, the Lord Jesus appears on the stage. Up until this time everything was preparatory.
Matthew commented on various aspects of the incarnation of Jesus: His birth, the things surrounding His birth, His forerunner, etc. But now, finally, Jesus steps onto the stage. Jesus takes the place of prominence.
John the Baptist was a dramatic, prophetic figure preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, where he called people to “repent … for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1–2). John preached like the Old Testament prophets: “Prepare … the way of the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:3).
His ministry presumed that all people needed to confess their sin and receive forgiveness.
Even more importantly John announced the King was on the scene and He would baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit.
THE TEXT
13. Then … in the middle of John’s ministry, Jesus arrived and apparently requested baptism of John.
Jesus had travelled south from Nazareth in Galilee to the Jordan River where John the Baptist was baptizing and preaching the coming Messiah (3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; John 1:19–28).
Jesus’ trip was not a sightseeing journey; He came to be baptized by John.
Why Jesus was baptized has been a concern for some believers, because John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. Jesus did not need forgiveness for He was sinless (John 8:46; Acts 3:14; Rom. 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; 1 Pet. 2:22; 1 John 3:5).
Here are some explanations for Jesus’ baptism:
i. It was an example for believers to follow
ii. It was His identification with believers
iii. It was His ordination and equipping for ministry
iv. It was His approval of the ministry and message of John the Baptist
v. It was prophetic of His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12).
Whatever the reason, this was a defining moment in Jesus’ life.
14. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have the need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?
John knew Jesus’ identity (c Luke 1:44).and identified himself, a mere man, as one needing to be baptized by Jesus. John had predicted the arrival of one “whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose” (John 1:27).
The words of his question are incredulous: You are coming to me?”
This is not a rebuke but a surprise. John reveals humility, for he considered himself unworthy to baptize Jesus, as God’s anointed king.
15. …it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he *allowed Him.
Jesus replied to John’s reticence by encouraging the baptism now. The word suffer reflects old English, “to allow.”
The immediacy of Jesus’ baptism is necessary because of what it achieved and signified.
In contrast to other baptisms performed by John, Jesus’ baptism required no repentance of sin. The perfect Son of God has no need for repentance (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22;
1 John 3:5).
Jesus’ baptism will fulfil all righteousness as an act of obedience to the will of His heavenly Father.
Jesus’ baptism has three implications.
First, it initiates His public ministry.
Second, Jesus’ ministry fulfills messianic expectations and supports John’s preaching of repentance. Third, through baptism, Jesus identified with the people He came to save: sinful humans in need of repentance (Luke 19:10; Hebrews 2:17–18; 1 Peter 2:21–24).
16. After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; …
The Gospels do not dwell on the method of Jesus’ baptism, only that he was baptized by John in the Jordan River (Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21; John 1:32) and that He came ‘out’ of the water. Since the Greek word for “baptize” is the same as “wash,” flowing water is a fitting image of cleansing (every other person coming to John was repenting for sins).
… and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settling on Him,
Scripture speaks of the opening of the heavens as a way to indicate divine revelation (Ezekiel 1:1;
Acts 10:11–13; Revelation 4:1; etc.).
The opening of heaven here leads to two miraculous occurrences.
First, Jesus sees the Spirit of God descending like a dove. It is not necessarily the case that any actual bird is present, since the wording does not require one. The Gospel of John recounts the event from the viewpoint of John the Baptist, who also witnessed the descending Spirit (John 1:32). The Spirit is not a bird, but a dove is the most fitting comparison for what Jesus and John saw.
The coming of the Spirit on Jesus is a powerful representation of God’s approval. It shows His status as God’s servant (Isaiah 11:1–2; 42:1).
Jesus received the Holy Spirit so that He might fulfill the mission of His heavenly Father. Later, Jesus will empower followers to receive the same Spirit, (John 20:22; Acts 1:4–5).
17. “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
The second miraculous occurrence is a voice from heaven, an indication that the words came from God. The verse does not say whether others heard or recognized the voice. The proclamation of Jesus as my beloved Son shows that the voice belonged to the Father.
Therefore, this scene has all three persons of the Trinity: God the Father is well pleased, giving approval of His Son and His ministry;
Jesus displays obedience and willingness to follow the will of His heavenly Father (compare John 4:34; 6:38); and the Spirit descends to authorize and empower Christ’s work (Luke 4:14, 18–19).
Two Texts of the Old Testament, Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1, help us to understand Jesus’ identity and what He will do.
Psalm 2 looks forward to when the Messiah will defeat God’s enemies and bring God’s rule through an appointed king.
Isaiah 42 describes the Servant of the Lord, who will make God known to the nations. He will not rule by raising a shout, but he will serve with gentleness. (Isaiah 42:2).
Matthew 28:19–20
Following Jesus’ resurrection, He brought the disciples to a mountaintop in Galilee (Matthew 28:16). There Jesus proclaimed His universal rule:
“All power is given unto me in heaven and earth” (28:18); then He gave this command!
19. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Since Jesus possesses all authority, He commanded the disciples to go and teach, to continue their ministry of God’s Kingdom (Matthew 10:7).
Their task is disciple-making, teaching others of the resurrected Christ.
Jesus focused His earthly ministry on the people of Israel (Matthew 10:5–6; 15:21–24). But now He expanded the ministry of the Kingdom to include people from all nations. (Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:29).
… baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, …
Jesus did not explain every aspect of baptism but said it should occur in the name of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Baptism signifies entry into the community of God’s people and identifies a person as “in Christ” (Romans 6:3–4; Galatians 3:26–27; Colossians 2:11–12).
Paul used baptism to connect believers to the ancient Hebrews, who “passed through the sea” and were “baptized unto Moses” (1 Corin. 10:1–2).
Baptism follows salvation Acts 2:38; 19:4–6). Through baptism, believers obey Jesus and identify with the community of God’s people.
20. … teaching them … present tense and a command. Notice that “what we teach” is not simply facts about Jesus, but obedience to all of His teachings. Christian maturity involves:
1. A repentant faith profession. A life of Christlike living
3. A growing doctrinal understanding
Teaching does not end when someone becomes a disciple.
Discipleship requires a lifelong commitment to obey Christ. He alone is the foundation of faith (1 Corinthians 3:11).
Through teaching one another, disciples mature in Christ as Lord and learn to abide by the words; “walk ye in him” (Col. 2:6–7).
… I am with you always… this is an emphatic statement The personal presence of Jesus is always with believers. Emmanuel came (Matt. 1:23) and remains!
There is a real fluidity between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the indwelling Son (Rom. 8:9-10; 2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 4:6; Phil. 1:19; Col. 1:27).
In John 14:23 both the Father and the Son indwell believers.
In reality all three persons of the divine essence participate in all redemptive events. The One who has “all authority” and who is “with us always” has commanded us to evangelize and disciple all nations (note the four uses of “all” in the Great commission). With His presence and power we can to it!
… to the end of the age … a reference to the two Jewish ages and was a reference to the Second Coming or consummation of the Kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 11:23–29
Baptism and Communion are commanded Ordinances of the church. Both of them were commanded and instituted and the example was set by our Lord Jesus Christ.
On the night before His death, Jesus gathered with His disciples in the upper room to eat the Passover meal.
Historically the Jews met at that particular period of history to eat the Passover.
The Passover was a special meal designed by God to commemorate the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. Exodus 12:1-14
Whenever the Israelites wanted to remember God as deliverer, God as Savior, God as a redeemer, this was the event they cited; the deliverance from bondage in Egypt.
God instituted the Passover to be celebrated annually as a remembrance and so it is today.
On that night before Jesus’ death, while the disciples were eating the Passover meal, in the setting of that ancient feast held in remembrance of God’s redemption of Israel from the slavery of Egypt, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper or Communion.
He took a cup from the Passover meal. He took bread from the Passover meal and instituted Communion; Luke 22:7 indicates to us that it was in fact the Passover meal.
“This cup is My blood, this bread is My body and this is something new that you do in remembrance of Me.” (Mark 14:22-25; Matt.26:26-29; Luke 22:14-30)
TEXT
23. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
for I received…what I have to say to you is not human opinion.
– It was not my own idea.
– It was not some tradition that’s been handed down from man to man.
– That is by a direct communication of the very words that Jesus spoke that night
the same night…The Passover (Luke 22:7)
24. and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat;this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
… given thanks, He broke it… (euchariste in the Greek from which you get the eucharist), “He gave thanks, He broke it,” and that’s so all could share from a common loaf,
… this is… the verb to be, (Gr.=estin) in whatever form, singular or plural, is frequently used to mean represents. For example when Jesus said in John 10, “I am the door,” He meant I as a Savior and shepherd of the sheep represent a door into the sheepfold. He was not literally a door.
In Matthew 13 when He gave the parable of the wheat and the tares and He said, “The field is the world,“
He did not mean the field is the world. In the parable He meant the field represents the world.
And He said the good seed are the children of God and the bad seed, the children of the wicked one. And, of course, the words is and are in those cases simply means represents. It’s used in a figurative metaphorical sense.
Or in John 15 when He said “I am the vine…
So, “this bread” is not His body, it represents His body. “This cup” is not His blood, it represents His blood. His blood was still in His veins when He said that. It was not His body. His body was still sitting there when He said that. So we’re not talking about literal things.
And when He had given thanks,” and that’s eucharisteo in the Greek from which you get the eucharist, “He gave thanks, He broke it,” and that’s so all could share from a common loaf, “and said, Take eat, this represents My body which is for you.” This represents My body.
… my body… the whole incarnate life of Christ.
This bread represents all that I am as God incarnate.
The whole of the incarnation is summed up in the term “body.”
God in human flesh, remember that I became man and suffered and was rejected and was despised and ultimately died for you.
But the whole thing, not just His death, in the bread is not just His death but His whole incarnation.
… for you… Why did God become incarnate? For Himself?
No, for you!
Why did Jesus come into this world and suffer what He suffered?
For you!
Why did He suffer the hatred and the jeers and the mocking and the despising and the plotting of all the people who just couldn’t tolerate Him?
Why did He go through everything? Why did He go to the garden night after night after night and pour out His heart in anguish?
Why did He sweat great drops of blood?
Why did He die on the cross?
For you!
… do this in remembrance of Me .. He says in response to that, “Would you do this in remembrance of Me?
Since I have done all of this for you, would you do something for Me?”
You say…you’d have to say yes, Lord, what? “Would you just do this in remembrance of Me?
25. In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
… after supper… after the meal
… new covenant… (Jer.31:31-34) The old covenant was ratified by the blood of animals. The New Covenant is ratified by the blood of Christ.
You know, when you sign a document, you ratify it; it is now in effect!
In the ancient east an animal was killed and the blood was sprinkled on both parties. You were both doused in blood as a sign you were going to keep your promise. Covenants were ratified by blood.
… as often as you drink it… how often do you like to proclaim the death of Christ?
How often would you like to declare His death?
How often do you want to commune with His death?
How often do you want to restate that pledge? That’s how often!
And when you do it, would you call My death into mind?
Would you remember Me in the fullness of what that remembrance means?
Call My death into mind?
… remembrance of Me… remembering in biblical terminology does not mean just calling to memory. It includes realizing what the event remembered involved (Exod.13:3; 20:8; Deut. 5:15; 7:18.).
The Lord’s Supper is not just something Christians do to bring the memory of Jesus back into fresh view, though it does that too. It is a memorial of the salvation that He accomplished by His death and resurrection.
It is a declaration to the world that we believe Jesus was God in human flesh, who died a substitutionary atoning death for us.
“This is (Gr. = estin) My body,” verse 24 and verse 25, “This is (Gr=estin) the New Testament in My blood,”
Roman Catholics and others have decided that that has to literally be the body and blood of Christ, either in a very physical sense or in a sort of a strange spiritual sense. (Gr=estin) the verb to be in the Greek, they.
The verb to be, (Gk.= estin) or whatever form you want, singular or plural, is frequently used to mean represents. When Jesus said in John 10, “I am the door,” He meant I as a Savior and shepherd of the sheep represent a door into the sheepfold. He was not a literally a door.
In Matthew 13 when He gave the parable of the wheat and the tares and He said, “The field is the world,” He didn’t really mean the field is the world. In the parable He meant the field represents the world. And He said the good seed are the children of God and the bad seed, the children of the wicked one. And, of course, the words is and are in those cases simply means represents. It’s used in a figurative metaphorical sense.
26. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
as often as… Now you will notice that it’s not just a communion but it is a proclamation.
We are showing the Lord’s death to the world.
You are proclaiming it.
The world looks at the communion and says, “What are they saying?” And somebody says, “Well, that’s how they celebrate Jesus’ death.” That’s right and we proclaim it and proclaim it and proclaim it to the world.
The Lord’s Table is a proclamation. We do show forth the Lord’s death.
till He comes… The Lord’s Supper speaks to the future; it is prophetic; it speaks to end times! It is eschatological,
It keeps us looking forward to the day when we do it with Him.
So it isn’t a simple thing to come to the Table.
We remember what Christ has done.
And then we call Him into conscious presence and we refresh our Covenant and Commitment with Him. We commune with the Living Lord.
We proclaim the Gospel and we hope for His anticipated return all at this Table. This is a special place.
And when we come to it, Paul says we better come with special attitudes.
And so these next verses deal with preparation.
27. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood[d] of the Lord.
He says, “Look, it’s serious, it’s important. If you treat this uncommon thing commonly, you become–literally–liable, that’s the word guilty, for the body and blood of the Lord.”
… an unworthy manner… treating it as a common meal, the bread and cup as common things, not apprehending their solemn symbolic import (Vines dictionary)
And how can you observe the Lord’s Supper or take communion in a unworthy manner?.
The Corinthians did?.
– Here’s one way: by ignoring it rather than obeying it, by just not doing it.
We are saying it’s irrelevant, it doesn’t matter, it’s unimportant.
If that is our attitude that is unworthy of Jesus.
– We can treat the table unworthily by making it a performance rather than something meaningful, by just doing it rather than understanding it.
– And another way you that you can come unworthily is by treating it lightly rather than treating it seriously.
– If you come to this table with any bitterness toward another Christian in any way, shape or form,
– If you come with anything less than total love for the brothers and sisters in the body of Christ, you come to this table unworthily.
– With any unconfessed sin, living in any kind of sin that you will not repent of and turn from,
– If you come with any less than the loftiest thought about God, Christ and the Holy Spirit and the Word of God,
… guilty of the body and blood… you are literally treating Him in an unworthy manner and you become guilty of that kind of ill treatment.
You are treating the totality of Christ’s life and death unworthily and you’ll get guilt from that. You become culpable, liable, guilty.
For example, a man who tramples the flag doesn’t just trample the flag, he insults his country. He becomes guilty of dishonoring a nation.
And somebody who tramples with the feet of indifference or sinfulness, the body and blood as represented in the elements of communion, is guilty of dishonoring, mocking, treating with indifference and hypocrisy the very person of Jesus Christ.
How we treat this Table, is how you are treating Jesus. In fact, it’s so real that failure to acknowledge the reality and seriousness of it brings about judgment.
28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
examine himself… self-examination, look at our heart, is there anything there that shouldn’t be there? – – The word means a rigorous self-examination…your life, your motives, your attitude toward the Lord, your attitude toward the Lord’s Supper, your attitude toward other Christians.
Be certain we are not careless, flippant, indifferent, entertaining sin, unrepentant, mocking, all of that.
Examination first!
29. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner[e] eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s[f] body.
… drinks judgment… (Greek = krima translated chastisement) Why? Because he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks chastening or discipline to him / herself! Because they are not discerning the Lord’s body.
… discerning the Lord’s body… in other words, we are not treating the reality of Christ with seriousness and dignity and purity and holiness.
If you do not see the seriousness and the sacredness of the Lord’s Supper;
If you do not see the meaning, purpose and significance of the Lord’s life and death and you treat it with sinfulness, disregard, slight, then you are literally guilty of dishonoring Jesus and you become liable for chastening and you will be chastened because you have not thought seriously about what you’re doing.
Now some include in the term “the Lord’s body” also the church in which case you are not considering seriously the church, the corporate body of Christ.
In the Corinthian situation, how did the members of the community view one another; were they sensitive to the poor and latecomers or whether the prevailing social customs dictated their behaviour?
CONCLUSION
Baptism is the ritual entry to the life of faith. It includes a public testimony of God’s gifts of grace and the Holy Spirit. We follow Jesus’ example when we undergo baptism, and the “Great Commission” of Matthew 28 challenges us to invite all people to become His disciples.
The Lord’s Supper is a meal of remembrance, thanksgiving, and anticipation. Instead of happening once for each person, it is celebrated regularly. The meal beckons us to examine our relationships with God and others. We share the meal with believers as the unified body of Christ, those who remember His sacrifice and look forward to His return.
There are differences among believers when we practice Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
But neither Christ nor Paul anticipates either to be cause for division.
We should carefully study these practices so that, with our church, we might understand [1] their purpose in worship and ministry. We can practice both with an attitude of humility and joy, recognizing that they are from God and for God’s people.
We must however warn you that there is no precise indication of what the practice of the Lord’s Supper was in the early church. It may have been held weekly, that is every time the church assembled. But we do not have specific information and you will have to make your decision on the basis of biblical principles and practical considerations.
You will have to consider the human personality and the fact that experience and ideas even though they are not aware of them do affect the subconscious and the act of the will of the people involved. The Lord’s supper might bring Preconscious beliefs into consciousness and if you do not observe the Lord’s Supper often enough and have long gaps between times of reflection upon the truths it signifies it might be a problem for some people. But you need not do it so frequently to make it trivial or commonplace for people will then go through the motions without really thinking about its meaning.
It might be good for the church to have the Lord’s Supper available on a frequent basis but then you should allow the individual believer the right to determine how often they wish to partake. They should partake when they feel the need and the desire and not be simply required or ordered to participate at every available opportunity. We do not want the Lord’s Supper to become just a routine
. We should also consider that if the Lord’s Supper is attached on to another worship service some people will simply remain and participate because they happen to be there. If however the Lord’s Supper is a separate service maybe you could dare by highlight its importance and all those who want to participate will have to make a specific decision to receive the elements and to concentrate on the meaning of the elements.
The fact however is that the Lord’s Supper if properly administered will be a means to inspire faith and love in the believer when they reflect upon the wonder of the Lord’s death and the fact that those who believe in Him will live an everlasting life.
Jesus knows that we have a need and He senses this and calls on believers in the church to bless those that are around us. So as we gather together let us know that God is concerned about us and the way that we bring acts of love to each other and acts of courtesy one for another.
So be thoughtful and courteous when we are dealing with each other especially at the Lord’s Supper.
Avoid the chastening of God by dealing with yourself honestly and giving yourself a chance to change. Even if He chastens you remember that God loves you and His chastening is not something terrible and evil for He loves you and that is why He is dealing with you as He is to keep you out of trouble.
BUT PLEASE REMEMBER THIS:
- YOU ARE CALLED ON TO FOLLOW JESUS AND DO WHATEVER HE COMMANDS YOU TO DO. YOUR PRIMARY TASK IS TO MAKE DISCIPLES.
- IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE DISCIPLE MAKERS YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE FOR OTHERS, WILLING TO GET OUT OF YOURSELVES, BE ENGAGED WITH PEOPLE, AND NOT BE SO MUCH SELF ABSORBED. YOUR PRIORITIES OF YOUR APPROACH TO LIFE AND YOUR DECISIONS AND LET THEM BE MANIFESTED.
- REMEMBER THAT JESUS KEEPS HIS DISCIPLES WITH HIM AND YOU HAVE TO DO THAT TOO. YOU HAVE TO SPEND TIME WITH THE PEOPLE THAT YOU MEET OR THEIR LIVES TO BE AROUND THEM, INVEST YOUR LIFE WITH THOSE THAT GOD BRINGS TO YOU AND THIS REQUIRES SACRIFICE. YOU HAVE TO LISTEN PATIENTLY TO THEM, BE GRACIOUS AND LOVINGLY WORK WITH THEM OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME SO THAT THEY CAN OVERCOME ALL THE BARRIERS TO FINDING THE LOVE OF CHRIST IN THEIR OWN LIVES
- . JESUS MINISTERED TO THE DISCIPLES AND MANY OTHERS AROUND HIM BUT NOTICE THAT HE INVESTED IN JUST A FEW FOR HE KNEW THAT YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE WHOLE WORLD OR REACH EVERYBODY. SO ASK GOD TO SHOW YOU WHO YOU MUST INVEST YOUR TIME IN AND HOW YOU CAN DO THAT BEST. DO NOT REGARD DISCIPLESHIP AS SOMETHING THAT IS OVERWHELMING BUT REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS. HE’S THERE WITH YOU.
- REMEMBER GOD HAS CALLED YOU AND GIVEN YOU THE RESPONSIBILITY TO EXTEND THE LOVE OF GOD TO ALL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. THAT IS WHAT BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER IS GOING TO TEACH YOU.