Sound The Trumpet

The Lord’s Supper is one of the two ordinances of the church and, like baptism, it is an ordinance of the church that is frequently misunderstood and misapplied. Some people even teach that it is required to keep our salvation. Again, it is sad that the religions of the world have created substitutions for the Lord’s Supper without looking to the Bible for the true meaning behind the Lord’s Supper (or Communion).

What Is the Lord’s Supper?

1 Cor 10:16 the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

The Lord’s Supper is often referred to as communion. Communion is merely an instance of fellowship or sharing in something. In many middle eastern cultures, even today, fellowship is centered around meals. If you are friends with someone, you eat with them. When we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we are demonstrating our fellowship, or communion with the Lord. There are two distinct aspects of fellowship within the Lord’s Supper. The blood of Christ and the Body of Christ.

1 Cor 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.

There is clearly a communion with the Lord which can be enjoyed by all. Likewise, there is a communion with the devil with which we can all be partakers. However, one cannot partake in communion with the Lord and with the Devil.

1 Cor 11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

1 Cor 11:23-26 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 show the Lord’s death till he come.

This two passages are connected by the phase, “…I delivered unto you…” and “…as I delivered them to you…” This passage is describing what was delivered to the church: the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

1 Cor 11:24 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.

Throughout the Bible, the children of Israel were commanded to set up memorials or reminders of what the Lord had done for them. Communion is a memorial in the life of the Christian to remind us of what the Lord has done for us. We are to take Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Jesus (vs. 24). There is no Scripture which commands us to take the Lord’s supper to obtain salvation. We are commanded to participate in the memorial.

1 Cor 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.

Some question how often we should partake in the Lord’s Supper. There is no clear Scriptural guidance on this. The only requirement is that we eat and drink to show the Lord’s death until He returns.

The elements of the Supper

Mat 26:26 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.

1 Cor 11:24 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.

The first element of the Lord's Supper is the bread. The bread symbolizes the body of Christ. Plainly, the Jesus explained that He broke the bread to represent how His body was broken for us. Remember, our very salvation is only available because Christ's body was broken and sacrificed for us. Some also teach that taking the bread or body of Christ represents our communion with the body of believers in Christ.

Mat 26:27-29 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.

The second element of the Lord's Supper is the cup. When we take communion, we drink grape juice - unfermented grape juice. Neither the Bible nor Jesus condoned the consumption of fermented wine. That said, the cup (wine, new wine, grape juice) represents the blood shed to provide the remission of sins for us all.

Who Should Participate In the Lord’s Supper?

1 Cor 11:27-32 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.

Many are sick and many sleep (are dead) because they took communion unworthily. This begs the question, "Who is worthy to take communion?" Verse 31 of this passage gives us an indication: we should judge ourselves that we would not be judged by the Lord. What would Jesus judge us of? Sin! If we examine ourselves and deal with the sin in our own lives, we would not be judged of those sins by the Lord. Of course, it is impossible for the one who has never been saved to completely deal with the individual sins in their lives. So, salvation becomes the first requirement. One must be saved to participate in communion.

Closed or Open

Some churches allow anyone to examine themselves and determine if they should or should not participate in communion. Others limit communion to the membership of that local church. This is a matter of preference - it is not addressed in Scripture. However, in my opinion, it would seem logical that one be a member of a local assembly of believers and must be in good standing with that assembly to participate in communion. If one is not an active member of a local church and not in good standing with that local church, I find it difficult to believe that he is in fellowship with Christ.