The Lord's Supper

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Category: Praise And Worship

Published on Friday, 15 August 2003 09:25

Written by Ryan Hicks

THE LORD'S SUPPER

By Ryan Hicks

The Lord's Supper (named that in 1 Corinthians 11:20, called "communion" in 1 Corinthians 10:16) has become little more than a religious service, and some Christians never practice it! The Lord commanded it to be done in remembrance of Him.

Luke 22:16-20
 16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
 17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
 18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
 19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

This fruit of the vine, or the juice of the grapes, not wine, is to represent the Lord's blood that brought in the New Testament (Exodus 24:8; Matthew 26:28; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9:20) and which was shed for the remission of sins (Leviticus 17:11; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; John 6:53-56; 19:34; Acts 20:28; Romans 3:24-25; 5:9; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:25; Ephesians 1:7; 2:13-16; Colossians 1:14-20; Hebrews 9:12-15, 2; 10:19-29; 12:24; 13:12, 20; 1 Peter 1:2, 18-23; 1 John 1:7; 5:6; Revelation 1:5-6; 5:9; 7:14; 12:11). The bread is to represent the physical body of our Lord which was broken for us and striped that we might be healed (Isaiah 52:14; 53:4-5; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24).

Matthew 26:26-30
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

It is good many times after taking the Lord's Supper to sing a hymn or song of worship to the Lord in thanksgiving for what that Lord's Supper represents.

Many people have just thought of the Lord's Supper as something done only in the church, and rarely at that. I am amazed how many people never keep the Lord's command to do this in remembrance of Him.

1 Corinthians 11:23-34
23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Our time of honoring and remembering the Lord in the Lord's Supper should be done after we have examined ourselves and determined that we are in the faith. You must not partake of the Lord's Supper if the following things are present in your life:

1. Divisions among the brethren (1 Corinthians 11:18)
2. Heresies (1 Corinthians 11:19)
3. Selfishness, and unconcern for the needs of others (1 Corinthians 11:21)
4. Gluttony (1 Corinthians 11:21)
5. Drunkenness (1 Corinthians 11:21)
6. Using the church house shamefully (1 Corinthians 11:22)
7. Irreverencing the church of God (1 Corinthians 11:22)
8. Shaming the poor among you (1 Corinthians 11:22)
9. Failure to give thanks for the bread and grape juice (Matthew 26:26-27; Mark 14:22-23; Luke 22:17, 19; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:24)
10. Partaking of it without being saved (1 Corinthians 11:27)
11. Partaking of it without first judging yourself and repenting and correcting anything inconsistent with the faith of God and the New Testament commandments of God (1 Corinthians 11:28)
12. Failure to discern the Lord's body, or not acknowledging the true reasons for the Lord's Supper and appropriating them by faith (1Cor. 11:31-34)

Many people are sick and even die because they do not discern the Lord's body or appropriate the benefits of the gospel by faith. If they take the Lord's Supper and do not acknowledge the healing provided for in His body, they are failing to have that area of the gospel apply to them. If they have sin not under the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ they eat and drink damnation to themselves, thus they are making themselves responsible for the very body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ! While these things sound very harsh and fearful, one the truly saved who are acknowledging the Lord's benefits through the blood and body need not fear damnation or fear God's judgment in the matter. God's judgment rests upon those that take it unworthily, and not those saved by the blood of the Lamb who obey the Lord in remembering His blood that was shed for the remission of sins and His body that was broken for our benefit and healing.

Please do not come away from this with the same mindset that many saints have where they fear taking the Lord's Supper for supposed damnation and the wrath of God. Judge yourself before the Lord and get rid of anything in your life hindering your walk with Him and cast aside any sin which would keep you back from partaking of the Lord's Supper worthily. We are all made worthy through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith.

The Lord led me to begin taking the Lord's Supper each day for a period of time in remembrance of His blood that was shed for the remission of sins, His body that was broken for our healing, His spiritual body we now are (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 2:19-22; 4:1-6; 5:23), His being the Head of the body (Colossians 1:18, 24; 2:17), His death, His burial, His resurrection, and His soon coming! What a glorious time of communion I have between myself and the Father, Son, and Spirit when honoring the Lord in remembrance through the Lord's supper! I will read the Scriptures recounting the Lord's supper and His command for it and the revelation Paul had of the Lord's Supper in 1 Corinthians 11 and then honor the Lord in thanking Him for the bread and grape juice and partaking of the Lord's Supper before the Lord. I have found a deeper bond between myself and the members of the Godhead since obediently taking the Lord's Supper each day during that time.

I am not suggesting that all the saints begin partaking of the Lord's Supper each day, as for some people this could make it into a mere religious event and not a personal time between them and the Godhead. I am calling for a greater appreciation of the Lord's Supper and for saints to put it into their lives more often. Many saints partake of it once a year at church, and this just ought not to be so. Many do not even do that because they miss the service once a year where the Lord's Supper is presented. Let us walk in obedience before the Lord and keep the Lord's Supper in remembrance of Him.