"Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes" (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

Holy Communion 1 Corinthians 11_23-26

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11:23 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.

Introduction

The Lord’s Supper is one of two sacraments Christ gave to His church. Yet Christians have long disagreed about what actually happens at the Table. Paul writes to remind the Corinthians that the Supper is not a casual meal, but a holy covenant meal that proclaims Christ’s death until He returns.

Today, we will see what Scripture teaches about the Supper and why it is so central to our faith.

1) We remember Christ’s sacrifice with gratitude

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.”

The bread reminds us of the incarnation and sacrificial death of Christ. His body was given for us, bearing the wrath we deserved. Coming to the Table is an act of grateful remembrance. It is a Spirit-enabled recalling of the finished work of Christ on the cross.

True remembrance is more than recalling facts. It is faith clinging to what Christ has done, acknowledging that we cannot save ourselves but live entirely by His grace.

2) We rejoice in the new covenant through Christ’s blood

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.”

The cup points to the new covenant promised in Jeremiah 31:31–34. By His shed blood, Christ secured forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life for His people.

But what does it mean that we share in His body and blood? Through history, Christians have understood this differently:

Roman Catholic view (Transubstantiation): The bread and wine literally become Christ’s body and blood. The Mass is seen as a re-sacrifice of Christ. Yet Hebrews 10:10–14 reminds us Christ’s sacrifice was once for all. It's never to be repeated.

Lutheran view (Consubstantiation): Christ’s body and blood are physically present “in, with, and under” the bread and wine. Grace is truly given, yet it still ties Christ’s presence to a physical location.

Reformed view (Spiritual Presence): The bread and wine remain bread and wine, but by the Spirit, we truly commune with the risen Christ. We are lifted up by faith to receive His benefits, as taught in 1 Corinthians 10:16–17.

We rejoice that at the Table, Christ Himself feeds and strengthens us spiritually, assuring us that His promises are true.

3) We proclaim Christ’s death until He comes again

26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

The Lord’s Supper is a visible sermon of the gospel. By eating and drinking, we declare that our hope is in Christ crucified and risen.

But it is also forward-looking. Each time we partake, we anticipate the day when Christ will return and we will feast with Him at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9). Communion fuels our hope, reminding us that this broken world is not the end—Christ will come again to make all things new.

Conclusion

When we come to the Lord’s Table, we look back to the cross with gratitude, look around at the body of Christ united in faith, and look forward to the glory of Christ’s return.

The Supper is not an empty ritual, but a covenant meal where Christ truly meets His people by His Spirit, nourishing faith, assuring grace, and strengthening hope.

Prayer

Father, thank you for giving us this holy meal as a gift of grace. As we come to the Table, help us to remember Christ’s finished work, rejoice in the new covenant secured by His blood, and proclaim His death until He comes again. Strengthen our faith, deepen our hope, and unite us as one body in Christ. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.