It was designed, (1.) To commemorate the
death of Christ. (2.) To signify, seal,
and apply to believers all the benefits of the new covenant. In this ordinance
Christ ratifies his promises to his people, and they on their part solemnly
consecrate themselves to him and to his entire service. (3.) To be a badge of
the Christian profession. (4.) To indicate and to promote the communion of
believers with Christ. (5.) To represent the mutual communion of believers with
each other.
The elements used to represent Christ’s body
and blood are bread and wine. The kind of bread, whether leavened or
unleavened, is not specified. Christ used unleavened bread simply because it
was at that moment on the table. Wine was also
used, but in many churches grape juice is used.
The main concern is that it is the same fruit of the vine that is being
used.[1]
2. Matthew 26:26-29-What is the New Covenant and
who had the first communion?
26
While they were eating, Jesus took
bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to
them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my
blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness
of sins.[2]
Jesus instituted
something new in the Passover feast. While they were eating, He took
bread and the cup of wine and He gave it a special meaning.
Jesus said the bread was His body and the wine was His blood of the New
Covenant. While Christians disagree on the meanings of these words, it
appears Jesus was using these elements as visible reminders of an event about
to take place, the crucifixion.
The bread and wine represented His body and blood about
to be shed, in keeping with the remission of sins promised in the New Covenant,
a covenant that would replace the old Mosaic Covenant. His blood was soon to be
shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. This portion of the Passover
supper has been followed by Christians and called the Lord’s Supper or
Communion.[3] The New Covenant/New Testament replaced
and fulfilled the Old Covenant/Old Testament.
The Old Covenant required the shedding of animals blood on an alter to
forgive sins, but with Christ’s death on the cross our sins were forgiven forever. His blood was perfect and paid our price.
3. Mark 14:22-24-What does the Bread/Body and
Wine/Blood mean?
22
While they were eating, Jesus took
bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”
23
Then he took the cup, gave thanks
and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.
There
are three main views on what the bread and wine are and the body and
blood. (1) Transubstantiation is the
Roman Catholic belief that the bread and wine actually become Christ’s body and
blood when placed in the month. (2) The
bread and wine remain unchanged but Christ’s spirit is present in them by
faith. (3) Jesus spoke of literal things—the bread, wine, His
physical body and blood—but the relationship between them was expressed figuratively.
The verb “is” means “represents.” Jesus was physically present as He spoke
these words, so the disciples did not literally eat His body or drink His
blood, something abhorrent to Jews and us.
This would be the view of the Christian Church/Church of Christ. No matter which view is favored, all
Christian agree that the Lord’s Supper commemorates Christ’s death on the cross
for our sins and points to the coming of his Kingdom of glory. When we partake of it, we show gratitude for
Christ’s work on our behalf, and our faith is strengthened. [5]
4. Acts 2:41-42-Who is to Partake in Communion?
41 Those who
believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church—about three
thousand in all. 42 They joined with the other believers and devoted
themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord’s
Supper and in prayer.[6]
There
were three thousand people who
believed what Peter was teaching about Christ and so they were
baptized, thus displaying their identification with Christ. This group of
people immediately joined the fellowship of believers.
The
activity of this early church was twofold. The believers first continued
steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching or doctrine. The second was fellowship,
which is defined as the breaking of bread/the Lord’s Supper in prayer. [7] Our communion is open to all
Christians. Only Christ invites you to
His table and not man. There are some
churches that only permit members of the local church to participate. Second before the three thousand shared in
the Lord’s Supper they were baptized.
Only those who have accepted Christ and been baptized are worthy to
partake in the communion. Paul speaks
more on being worth in 1 Corinthians.
5. Acts 20:7-Why do we take it every Sunday?
On the first day of the week,
we gathered to observe the Lord’s Supper.
(Greek was to Break Bread) Paul
was preaching; and since he was leaving the next day, he talked until midnight.[8]
This
is the clearest verse in the New Testament which indicates that Sunday was the
normal meeting day of the first church.[9]
6. 1 Corinthians 11:20-34-How should we prepare
and be worthy for Communion?
20
When you come together, it is not
the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for
as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One
remains hungry, another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and
drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have
nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!
When the Lord’s Supper was
celebrated in the early church, it included a feast or fellowship meal followed
by the Communion. In the church in
Corinth, the fellowship meal had become a time when some ate and drank
excessively while other went hungry.
There was little sharing or caring.
This did not demonstrate the unity and love that should characterize the
church. Church is not about getting what
I want out of it, but what I can put into it.
Ask not what your church can do for you, but what you can do for your
church.
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.
Jesus said “Do this in
remembrance of me.” We remember Christ
by thinking about Him and what He did.
This is why we have a devotion time before the communion. We also don’t want it to become a ritual, so
we always do it at the end of the service.
By doing so we are leading everything from songs, sermon, and devotion
to communion. Every time we have our
communion we are telling the world that Christ die for us and you if you accept
it.
27
Therefore, whoever eats the bread
or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning
against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself
before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks
without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
First we must understand that we can never take the communion in a worthy manner if we have not repented, confessed Jesus as Lord, and been baptized. Any non-Christian who partakes in the communion is sinning against what Christ set aside for His disciples. Second any Christian who takes the Communion without preparing themselves is sinning in the same way. If you are not thinking about Christ, but instead what you are going to have for lunch that is a sin. If you are still mad at someone or refused to forgive someone, then your heart is unworthy. If whatever you are doing or thinking is not focused on Christ, then you are not prepared for the communion. Paul was saying that when we participate in the communion without thinking of its meaning, we are also as guilty as those who crucified Christ. Understand though that awareness of your sins should never keep you from the Communion Table. Instead it should drive you to it, because we are all sinners and we are only saved by Grace. And is awareness of our sins gets us to focus on what Christ has done for us, all the better.
7. Paul Instruction on the Lord’s Supper
1. We should take
the Lord’s Supper thoughtfully because we are proclaiming that Christ died for
our sins.
2. We should take
it worthily, with due reverence and respect.
3. We should
examine ourselves for any unconfused sin or resentful attitude and be properly
prepared.
4. We should be
considerate of others, waiting until everyone is there and then eating in an
orderly and unified manner.
[3] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary.
1983-c1985. The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures.
Victor Books: Wheaton, IL
[5] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary.
1983-c1985. The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures.
Victor Books: Wheaton, IL
[7] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary.
1983-c1985. The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures.
Victor Books: Wheaton, IL
[9] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary.
1983-c1985. The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures.
Victor Books: Wheaton, IL
