The Worship of the Church – The Lord’s Supper

There are only two ordinances (regulations, not sacraments, that is not rituals that convey saving grace), baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Some in Protestant circles add foot washing, marriage, anointing with oil, the holy kiss, and women covering their heads while praying (Mennonites), the Catholic Church adds Penance, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick. But it is clear from Scripture that Jesus only enjoined two such rituals, what Augustine called outward signs of inward grace.

Whereas baptism is a once in a lifetime ritual for an individual, because it symbolizes the once-for-all saving of the believer, the Lord’s Supper is observed many times, as a symbol of the continuing source of our salvation, the sacrificial death of Jesus. The eating of bread and drinking of wine symbolize the appropriation of the benefits of the sacrifice of Jesus’ body and blood in death for the purpose of forgiving our sins.

Jesus instituted this memorial meal at the last supper, the Passover meal, he had with his disciples before his crucifixion:

²² While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” ²³ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. ²⁴ “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. ²⁵ “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:22-25)

Roman Catholics have argued that when Jesus said, “this is my body…this is my blood,” he did not mean symbolically but literally. This is impossible, since Jesus couldn’t have meant at that moment that the bread and wine were his literal body and blood since he had not yet been sacrificed. The disciples weren’t eating and drinking him.

That, like baptism, the Lord’s supper does not convey salvation grace, is consistent with the clear testimony of Scripture that it is only faith in Christ that saves us, God declaring us righteous in His sight on the basis of faith alone.

1 Corinthians 11 gives us some important understanding about observing the Lord’s Supper:

¹⁷ In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. ¹⁸ In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. ¹⁹ No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. ²⁰ So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, ²¹ for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. ²² Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!

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.

²⁷ So then, 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 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. ³⁰ That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. ³¹ But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. ³² Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

³³ So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. ³⁴ Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. (1 Corinthians 11:17-34)

• Paul calls it the Lord’s Supper.
• It is meant as a symbol of Jesus’ sacrifice until he returns, but also as our unity in Christ, since we observe it together.
• If we eat it in disunity we are observing it in an unworthy manner and can be judged for that (not lose our salvation, obviously, but be disciplined)
• If we cannot observe it correctly, it is better no to observe it.