Preparing Myself for Jesus' Return Through Communion

Devotional

Day 1: Communion as Rehearsal for Eternal Celebration

When we partake in communion, we rehearse the eternal celebration awaiting Christ’s return. This sacred act points us forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb, where every tear will be wiped away and death will be no more. Just as a wedding rehearsal anticipates the joy of union, communion stirs our hearts to long for the day we’ll dwell fully in God’s presence. Holding the elements reminds us that our current worship is a foretaste of eternal fellowship with Him. Let this practice deepen your hunger for His coming kingdom. [58:04]

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26, ESV)

Reflection: What practical step can you take this week to cultivate a deeper anticipation for Christ’s return? How might holding communion elements in your hands reshape your perspective on daily struggles?

Day 2: The Foundation of Christ’s Covenant Love

Our relationship with Christ is rooted in His unshakable covenant, sealed by His blood. Just as a bridegroom pays a price for his bride, Jesus paid the ultimate price to redeem us. This covenant isn’t based on our worthiness but on His grace, inviting us into a bond that death cannot sever. When we doubt our belonging, we remember: He chose us before we could earn it, and His faithfulness sustains us. [01:12:09]

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” (Ephesians 5:25, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you struggle to receive God’s unconditional love? How might embracing your identity as Christ’s “bride” transform your sense of security in Him?

Day 3: Preparing Our Hearts for the Bridegroom

Like a bride adorning herself for her groom, we’re called to live in readiness for Christ’s return. This preparation isn’t about perfection but daily surrender—allowing God to purify our motives, heal our brokenness, and align our priorities with His kingdom. Every act of love, every choice to forgive, and every moment spent in prayer becomes part of our “wedding garments” woven through grace. [01:06:45]

“Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7, ESV)

Reflection: What habit or attitude might hinder your readiness to meet Christ? What one change could you make today to better reflect your identity as part of His purified bride?

Day 4: Living Between Remembrance and Anticipation

Communion anchors us in the tension between what Christ has already accomplished and what He will fulfill. We remember His sacrifice while straining forward to the day He’ll make all things new. This dual focus guards against complacency and despair, reminding us that our present trials are temporary. Each time we take the cup, we declare: The same power that raised Christ will finish what He started. [01:02:10]

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3, ESV)

Reflection: How does holding both Christ’s past victory and future promise equip you to face current challenges? What area of your life needs this perspective most urgently?

Day 5: The Hope That Shapes Our Daily Worship

The marriage supper of the Lamb isn’t a distant myth but a certain reality that reshapes how we live today. Knowing we’ll feast with Christ forever infuses mundane moments with eternal significance. Our worship, service, and perseverance become acts of hope—declaring that death doesn’t get the final word. Even now, we join the heavenly chorus: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.” [01:20:48]

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4, ESV)

Reflection: What ordinary task or relationship could you approach differently today by seeing it as preparation for eternity? How might this hope change your posture toward hardship?

Sermon Summary

Scripture declares that all creation praises God, and communion gathers that praise into a focused act of remembrance, examination, and hope. Communion looks back to the Passover fulfilled in Christ: the bread and cup recall covenant rescue, the cross, and the sealing of redemption that breaks sin’s power. Communion looks inside as an occasion for sober self-examination—acknowledging soul sickness, confessing sin, and surrendering behaviors that fracture union with God—so that the body may partake without bringing judgment upon itself. Communion looks around as a corporate commitment to the body of Christ, calling the redeemed to make space in heart and schedule for mutual care and holy witness. Communion also looks ahead. The rite points forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb: the church exists now in a betrothal state, engaged to Christ, awaiting consummation when the bridegroom returns and brings the fullness of the new creation. Jewish wedding customs sharpen this imagery—foundation (betrothal and bride-price), preparation (the bridegroom preparing a place and the bride keeping herself pure), and celebration (the joyous procession and feast)—and illuminate how the present-life practices prepare the community for that final feast. Salvation remains entirely God’s gift; yet the redeemed live out their calling through righteous acts prepared by grace. Good works do not earn salvation but display the holiness wrought in those who await Christ with eager patience. Revelation frames the final celebration as the culmination of God’s faithfulness: a gathered multitude crying “Hallelujah” because God reigns and the marriage of the Lamb has arrived. Therefore the ordinary posture at the Lord’s table becomes eschatological training—a rehearsal for the great wedding feast to come. Holding the elements becomes both remembrance and readiness: remembering what was done, examining what remains, committing to one another, and renewing hope in the promise that God will make all things new. The table thus disciplines longing, aligns convictions, and renews resolve to live as a holy, waiting bride until the day when mourning, pain, and death pass away and the church stands in the full light of the Lamb.

Key Takeaways

1. Communion prepares for Christ's return Communion functions as an act of readiness, not merely memory. It trains the heart to live in anticipation of the bridegroom’s arrival, shaping choices and affections toward holiness. The table cultivates patient hope that waits for what has been promised but not yet seen. [71:27]
2. Communion remembers covenant and consummation The bread and cup point backward to God’s fulfilled promises and forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb. This double horizon anchors worship in historical rescue and eschatological fulfillment. Remembering the covenant shapes present loyalties and fuels longing for the coming consummation. [54:50]
3. Self-examination precedes holy participation Partaking without discernment invites judgment; self-examination uncovers thoughts, words, and choices that infect the soul. Honest confession and repentance preserve the integrity of the body and honor Christ’s sacrifice. The table calls for regular interior work so external worship remains authentic. [56:00]
4. Good works flow from secured grace Salvation arrives as God’s gift, yet it intends visible acts of righteousness as its fruit. The bride prepares herself through holy living, not to earn favor but to reflect the transformation already given. Faithful deeds testify to God’s workmanship and ready the community for the eternal feast. [76:04]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[46:56] - Reading: 1 Corinthians 11
[49:30] - Wedding memory and aisle image
[54:50] - Looking back: Passover and consummation
[56:00] - Looking inside: self-examination
[57:07] - Looking ahead: hope and anticipation
[63:15] - Jewish wedding customs explained
[71:27] - Main idea: prepare for Christ's return
[82:09] - Communion observed and celebration
[87:01] - Dismissal and invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV)
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 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.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Revelation 19:6-9 (ESV)
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

John 14:3 (ESV)
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Observation Questions

According to 1 Corinthians 11:26, what two purposes does communion serve?
In Revelation 19:7-8, what does the bride’s “fine linen” represent, and how is it connected to her readiness? [59:02]
The sermon compared communion to a Jewish wedding rehearsal. What three stages of a Jewish wedding (foundation, preparation, celebration) were highlighted? [01:03:15]
What does Jesus’ statement in John 14:3 imply about his current activity and future promise?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul emphasize the need for self-examination before taking communion (1 Corinthians 11:28-29)? How does this connect to the idea of “soul sickness” mentioned in the sermon? [56:00]
The “marriage supper of the Lamb” in Revelation 19 is described as a celebration of God’s faithfulness. How does this imagery of a wedding feast deepen our understanding of eternal life with Christ?
The sermon states, “Good works do not earn salvation but display the holiness wrought in those who await Christ.” How does Revelation 19:8 clarify the relationship between salvation and righteous acts? [01:16:04]
In Jewish wedding customs, the groom prepared a place for his bride. How does Jesus’ promise in John 14:3 shape our hope for his return?

Application Questions

Self-examination is a key part of communion. What specific habit could you develop this week to regularly reflect on areas where your thoughts, words, or choices might “infect” your soul? [56:24]
The sermon described communion as “rehearsal training” for Christ’s return. What practical step could you take to live more intentionally in light of this anticipation (e.g., relationships, priorities, habits)? [01:11:27]
Revelation 19 emphasizes unity in worship (“a vast multitude”). Is there a division or relational strain in your life that needs reconciliation to reflect this unity? How might you address it?
The bride’s “fine linen” represents righteous acts. What is one tangible way you can serve or love others this week to reflect Christ’s holiness? [01:16:35]
Jewish brides kept themselves pure while waiting for the groom. What distractions or compromises might you need to surrender to stay spiritually focused on Christ’s return? [01:07:16]
How does holding communion elements (bread and cup) during the sermon help cultivate “patient hope”? What daily reminder or practice could reinforce this hope in your life? [01:22:09]

Sermon Clips

50s

#KnowJesus

“So the question that we need to ask ourselves is do I know Jesus and have I recognized him as my savior? Based on what he did on the cross dying for me, have I accepted that redemptive work in my life? And then we go into this preparation aspect. And Jesus is preparing for us. We are his bride. He's preparing for us right now. John chapter 14 records Jesus's words when he's talking with the disciples and he says, I'm going to prepare a place for you. Give a little bit more context perhaps when we understand the Jewish tradition and custom around a wedding because Jesus is the bridegroom. And he has gone to prepare a place so that he can spend forever with his bride.”

52s

#AwaitHisReturn

“And this moment in chapter 19 is the apex. It's the culmination. This is the moment where god unites the bride and the bridegroom for all of eternity, where Christ and the church are united for all of eternity and the day is coming when we will be with Jesus for all of eternity. But we don't live in that moment yet. We're caught between these moments of preparation and celebration, but he will return and we will be with him and Paul tells us in Thessalonians that the Lord himself will descend from the heavens with a shout with the voice like an archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first and we who are alive in Christ will be joined together with him in the clouds. We will meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord is what Paul says. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

33s

#HePreparesAPlace

“So the question that we need to ask ourselves is do I know Jesus and have I recognized him as my savior? Based on what he did on the cross dying for me, have I accepted that redemptive work in my life? And then we go into this preparation aspect. And Jesus is preparing for us. We are his bride. He's preparing for us right now. John chapter 14 records Jesus's words when he's talking with the disciples and he says, I'm going to prepare a place for you.”

33s

#CommunionReflection

“We hold in our hands the elements of communion. And we remember certainly to look around and to consider our commitment to the body of Christ. We remember to look back and understand what it means that it means covenant and coming and that it means consummation. We also remember to look inside and to evaluate as Paul said and to let God show us where our souls are sick. But ultimately today, as we hold these elements and partake in during worship here in a moment, we look forward.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Berwick AG Church This sermon · AI assistant

How does communion prepare believers for Jesus' return?

What role does self-examination play in communion?

How does communion connect to the marriage supper?

Preparing Myself for Jesus' Return Through Communion

Devotional

Day 1: Communion as Rehearsal for Eternal Celebration

Day 2: The Foundation of Christ’s Covenant Love

Day 3: Preparing Our Hearts for the Bridegroom

Day 4: Living Between Remembrance and Anticipation

Day 5: The Hope That Shapes Our Daily Worship

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Preparing Myself for Jesus' Return Through Communion

Share