Introduction: 1.After Jesus was resurrected and before He ascended to heaven, He gave the Great Commission to the apostles (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 1:8). 2.As Luke showed how this mission was fulfilled in Acts, he also wrote about a number of conversions that occurred. 3.Studying these conversions helps us understand how we become Christians today. 4.Luke also mentioned a number of activities in which the early Christians participated. 5.Studying these activities helps us understand the Lord's will for Christians today. 6.One activity was eating the Lord's Supper. Discussion: I.JESUSGAVEINSTRUCTIONSFOREATINGHISSUPPERSHORTLYBEFORE HEWASCRUCIFIED
A.Jesus ate His final Passover meal with His disciples (Matthew 26:1-2, 17-25). 1.Passover was one of the three great feasts observed by the Jews each year. 2.It provided a time for the Jews to remember what God had done for them in Egypt when He brought the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn, upon the Egyptians. 3.The Passover meal was eaten in the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month (Exodus 12:3-14). 4.This meal consisted of roast lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. 5.A seven-day feast followed in which the Jews were not allowed to eat anything containing leaven (Exodus 12:15-20). B.Jesus instituted His Supper on the occasion when He ate His final Passover meal with His disciples (Matthew 26:26-29). 1.Jesus chose unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine as the elements of His Supper. 2.This is also revealed in Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19-20; and 1 Corinthians 11:23-25. C.Jesus instituted His Supper so His followers would remember His sacrifice. 1.It is a memorial of Christ (Luke 22:19). 2.It is the communion of the body and blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16). 3.It is the showing forth of the Lord's death (1 Corinthians 11:26). D.Jesus said that His Supper would be eaten in His Father's kingdom (the church) that would soon be established (Matthew 4:17; 16:18-19). II.THEMEMBERSOFTHEJERUSALEMCHURCH"CONTINUEDSTEADFASTLY" IN"BREAKINGOFBREAD"(Acts 2:42) III.THECHRISTIANSINTROASATETHELORD'SSUPPERON"THEFIRSTDAY OFTHEWEEK"(Acts 20:6-7)
A.Paul, an inspired apostle, was present to endorse this practice. B.This is important because: 1.the apostles were responsible for teaching everything that Jesus taught them (Matthew 28:20) 2.we must only do those things that the Lord has authorized us to do (Colossians 3:17). C."The first day of the week" is the authorized time to eat the Lord's Supper.