The Apostle Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 11:26 that
the Lord’s Supper is to be observed as a perpetual remembrance
of Him "until he comes", in other words, until the
end of the world.
Various titles are used to describe this ceremony: "The
Lord’s Supper" comes from 1 Corinthians 11:20, the
term "communion" from 1 Corinthians 10:16 (AV), "the
Lord’s Table" from 1Corinthians 10:21, "the
Breaking of Bread" from Acts 2:42, and "Eucharist"
comes from the Greek word which means ""thanksgiving""
in 1 Corinthians 11:24.
The Lord’s Supper is a ceremony commanded by Our Lord
to ensure that his followers remember him and his death for
them.
"Christ was sacrificed ONCE to take away the sins of many
people" (Hebrews 9:28). We do NOT believe that the Lord’s
Supper is a sacrifice.
What happens at the Lord’s Supper?
The service is very simple. After a hymn and a reading from
Scripture, there is usually a brief explanation of the scripture
by the person leading the service, who is normally the pastor
or an elder or visiting preacher. He then asks for a prayer
or prayers of "thanksgiving" for the bread. Anyone
present may offer that prayer. The bread is then taken to the
congregation and each person breaks off a small piece.
The same procedure is carried out for the wine: a prayer of
thanksgiving is offered by the congregation and then each person
takes a small glass.
Different Baptist churches may vary slightly from this pattern
but mostly this is the way it is done.
The Lord’s Supper is a simple ceremony in which the bread
and the wine are symbols of the body and blood of Our Lord.
We do NOT believe that the bread and wine change into the body
and blood of the Lord.
What does the Lord’s Supper mean?
- it is the Lord’s Supper - he asks us to come to it;
- it is a simple way of remembering him - "until he comes";
- it is a setting out, in picture form, of the way our salvation
was brought about;
- it is an opportunity for thanksgiving and praise;
- it is a time when we can renew our vows before him and to
him;
- it is a "means of grace": a way of growing as Christians,
as we think about him and his promises to us;
- it is a fellowship of love because we do it together.
The Lord’s Supper is one of the central acts in Christian
worship. It is a way of remembering what Christ has done for
us and of being strengthened for every-day Christian living
Who should join in the Lord’s Supper?
The Lord’s Supper is for sinners who see the true worth
of the Lord’s death for them and have claimed his forgiveness.
Paul’s warning, in 1 Corinthians 11:27, about eating
the bread and drinking the cup of the Lord "in an unworthy
manner" had caused problems for some people who have felt
that they must be "worthy" to come to the Lord’s
Supper. If they feel themselves to be sinners or weighed down
because of failure in the Christian life, they consider themselves
"unworthy" to attend. But the exact opposite is the
case! The Lord’s Supper is for sinners. To take the bread
and the wine in an unworthy manner is to take it without regard
to its true worth, to come without a care about your sin or
your shame.
What he Apostle Paul makes clear, in 1 Corinthians 11:28, is
that "a man ought to examine himself before he eats of
the bread and drinks of the cup." If any sin needs to be
forgiven, then things must be put right with the Lord and with
other people - 1 John 1:9 - before coming to the Lord’s
Table.
The Lord’s Supper is for sinners who know Christ as Saviour
and are seeking to walk in fellowship with him.
How often should the Lord’s Supper be held?
Acts 2:46 hints that the early Christians celebrated the Lord’s
Supper very frequently - "Every day they continued to meet
together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes..."
Acts 20:7 says - "On the first day of the week we came
together to break bread." - in other words on Sunday.
