08-01-21 Kevin Goins - How are we present for the Lord’s Supper?

“How Are We Present at the Lord’s Supper?” 
Luke 24:30-33 
One of the most debated questions in Christian theology is this:  How is Jesus present at the Lord’s Supper?  There is, however, another question which is of equal significance:  how are we present at the Lord’s Supper?  It may be that we are only here out of habit, or we may be here only mentally while the rest of our person is longing to be somewhere else.  If we cannot be present at the Lord’s Supper fully and unreservedly, it may be that we need a fresh perspective on this meal which has been provided for us by our Savior.  Hopefully, we will find a fresh perspective in out text today.                                        
I Most Bible students believe there are ____________ accounts of the Lord’s Supper in the New Testament:  one in Matthew, one in Mark, one in Luke, and Paul’s account in 1 Corinthians 11.

A. But there is also in the New Testament an account of one occasion on which the Lord’s Supper was celebrated ______________ the death and resurrection of Jesus.

B. How many times was the Lord’s Supper celebrated before Jesus went to the cross?  ________________.

 How many times has the Lord’s Supper been celebrated after the death and resurrection of Jesus?  _________________ __________________.

II Is there anything in this account of the Lord’s Supper that gives us a d____________________ perspective than what we find in the other accounts?

A. First, the Luke 24 account reminds us that celebrating the Lord’s Supper ought to be an e_________-o____________________ experience for us (24:31).

1. The bread and the wine are not i_______________, or visions, or teachings about Jesus. 

2. We have a tendency to think of Jesus as o_______________________.

B. Second, the Luke 24 account reminds us that Jesus, who is with us as we celebrate, is no longer l______________________ in the ways he was on earth (24:31b).

1. Jesus was born with a physical body like ours, but after the resurrection he had a glorified body no longer limited by s_______________ and t______________.

2. Until we are sure Jesus sees us, we will never produce a h__________________.

C. Third, the Luke 24 account reminds us that what we know of the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we know from ______________ _________________ (24:32).

1. Holding the bread and cup in our hands reminds us that Jesus is here, but that is _____________ what convinces us that Jesus is our risen Savior.

2. Nothing will strengthen our faith in Jesus so much as ________________ and _____________________ what God’s Word says about him.

D. Finally, we need to hear verse 33: “They got up and r_________________________ at once to Jerusalem.”

1. What they had seen in Jerusalem over the last weekend had s______________ and d______________________ them; it had destroyed their faith.

2. After this experience of the Lord’s Supper they couldn’t wait to get back to that terrible place, because they wanted to tell people about the ________________ _____________________.

III There is no place or situation so unbearable that the presence of the crucified and risen Christ in us cannot bring ____________________ and ____________________.