5 Questions About the Lord's Supper
What does the Lord's Supper mean?
The Lord’s Supper - or communion - is important to a Christian’s life.
But what does the Lord’s Supper mean? And how often should a Christian partake of communion?
Let’s think about these questions and others from God’s Word.
What Does the Lord’s Supper Mean?
It reminds us of what Jesus has done for us.
The bread represents the body of Jesus given for us (1 Corinthians 11:24), and the grape juice represents the blood of Jesus and reminds us of the new covenant in His blood (1 Corinthians 11:25).
A covenant is a binding, legal agreement – it’s a contract. The blood Jesus shed reminds us of God’s new covenant with us by means of Jesus’ death to redeem all those who sinned – transgressed the terms of the first “contract” – so that the “called ones” might receive God’s promise of eternal life (Hebrews 9:15-28).
Jesus came to “fulfill” the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). While we had transgressed the terms of the contract, Jesus completely fulfilled it. Jesus died in our place so that we who had sinned “might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21; Matthew 5:20).
It reminds us of what Jesus will do for us.
Eating the Lord’s Supper is a proclamation of the Lord’s death until He returns again (1 Corinthians 11:26). Jesus is no longer in the tomb but is alive and sits at the right hand of the throne of God.
Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, (Hebrews 8:1)
One day, He will return to receive us to Himself in the place He has prepared in the Father’s house (John 14:1-4). He is coming back one day to gather His people to Himself – and we will be with Him forever (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
What Does it Mean to Eat the Lord’s Supper in an “Unworthy Manner?”
This question comes from what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:27. He had rebuked the Corinthians for how they were handling the Lord’s Supper.
There were “divisions and factions” among them (1 Corinthians 11:18-19). They seem to have implemented a “social pecking order,” and the more important people were at the front of the line and ate and drank as much of the Lord’s Supper as they wanted – while the people at the back of the line may have gotten nothing at all (1 Corinthians 11:21-22).
They did not view or treat each other as equals in Christ – which they were!
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28)
The Lord’s Supper is a memorial feast that declares Christian’s unity in Christ, regardless of who we are or our social status.
Paul reminded, “For the one who eats and drinks without careful regard for the body eats and drinks judgment against himself” (1 Corinthians 11:29 - NET).
If someone says, ‘I love God’ and hates his brother, he is a liar (1 John 4:20
So – examine yourself (1 Corinthians 11:28) and judge yourself (1 Corinthians 11:31).
It is impossible to eat the Lord’s Supper in a manner acceptable to God if we are causing division in the church or if we harbor bitterness in our hearts toward our brethren.
How Often Should We Eat the Lord’s Supper?
The first Christians “continued steadfastly” or “devoted themselves” to… “the breaking of bread” (Acts 2:42). This is a likely reference to the Lord’s Supper, and this passage tells us that the Lord’s church was devoted to this.
Paul waited in Troas to assemble with the church there “on the first day of the week” when they gathered together to break bread (Acts 20:6-7). Their purpose in assembling together was to “break bread” – or to eat the Lord’s Supper.
The church was to assemble together “on the first day of every week” (1 Corinthians 16:2).
The Lord’s church in the New Testament came together on the first day of every week, and their primary purpose was to eat the Lord’s Supper. Christians today should also observe the Lord’s Supper every Sunday.
Why is the Lord’s Supper Supposed to be Eaten in the Assembly of the Church?
We live in an independent, individualistic society – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself. But that has impacted many people’s thinking about the church to where many people think of Christianity as just being something between “Jesus and me.”
The church is sometimes seen as optional and not really all that important to someone’s faith. But the New Testament paints a very different picture of the Lord’s church.
Jesus didn’t just die to save us individually – He died to make us a part of His family (Ephesians 2:19-20; Hebrews 2:11-13). Jesus shed His blood to purchase the church.
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. (Acts 20:28)
In correcting the wrong attitude the church in Corinth had in eating the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-22), Paul repeatedly mentions their “coming together” (v. 17, 18, 20, 33).
The Lord’s Supper is not meant to be eaten alone at home – it’s meant to be eaten together with the body of Christ. The Lord’s Supper is a reminder of Christians' fellowship with Jesus and each other.
How Do I Eat the Lord’s Supper in a Meaningful Way?
I did not come up with this list, but I think it’s well grounded in Scripture.
Look backward.
Look back at what Jesus has done for you by His death on the cross, and remember that His death has brought you forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
Look outward.
Consider your family in Christ and how we are all one together in Jesus Christ.
Look upward.
Realize that God has made us alive together with Christ by His grace, has raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-7).
Look inward.
Examine and judge ourselves that we are faithfully following Jesus and loving our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Look forward.
Anticipate the return of Jesus and the hope we have with Him in heaven for all eternity.
I hope this has been helpful to you!
If you have another subject you would like me to consider from Scripture, please let me know, and I’ll do my best to examine what the Bible says!
Today I prayed to Father God to help me explain through scriptures what obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ really and truly means and Baptism without repentance was useless. I also prayed that through scriptures I could also explain to those who take Communion once a quarter or only at Easter and not every first day of the week could realize the error in their so called Worship.
And then I look at my email and all the scriptures I need are there in your article. No one will ever convince me that my Lord isn't listening to me and providing the scriptures to help me explain to others what God requires from His children, when I pray and ask for His help.