There are two ordinances the church celebrates: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is a once in a lifetime event for the believer that publically displays their passage from death to life through the salvation offered by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a picture of being “born again” (John 3:3, 7). The Lord’s Supper is something different. It is an event of self-examination and repentance that is celebrated on an ongoing basis, as often as the church desires, whether it be weekly, monthly, quarterly, or whenever they choose.
The Lord’s Supper is a reenactment of the Last Passover celebrated by Jesus and His disciples, but with one significant change. During the Last Passover, Jesus gave deeper meaning to the wine and bread. He said the bread represents His body that was to be “broken” for them (1 Cor. 11:24). And the wine represents a new covenant He made with us through the shedding of His blood on the cross (1 Cor. 11:25). Only Jesus didn’t use the word represents. I did. He said the bread is His body, and the wine is His blood. And this is where the plot thickens somewhat.
“Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me” – 1 Corinthians 11:24.
Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” – Mathew 26:27-28.
And the debate about the literal or symbolic use of bread and wine has continued until this day, so we won’t spend our time running down that rabbit hole. But what we are going to look at is the meaning of what this all conveys, especially when Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (1 Cor. 11:24-25), and how celebrating this feast proclaims “the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26).
Which leads us to ask a few questions.
Question: What happens at the Lord’s Supper?
Answer: That really depends on you.
How much have you prepared to commune with the Lord today? Do you have an expectation of meeting with Him? And if so, how have you prepared yourself to meet with Him? Do you realize the Lord of the Universe has invited you to come to His table? And are you coming to His table in a “worthy manner” befitting Him (1 Cor. 11:27)?
Question: Ok, then what is supposed to happen at the Lord’s Supper?
Answer: Again, that really depends on you.
Jesus specifically set this time apart for us to experience an intimate communion with Him. So it is much more than a religious sacrament. It is actually a time for us to repent of our sins, cleanse our hearts before Him, and then partake in the sufferings (death) and blessings (resurrection) with Him.
We are to experience this union (key phrase) with Him in our soul, not just in our minds. And the way to do that (the “how” questions) begins with your spiritual preparation and prayer. After all, He has invited you to dine with Him at His table at His request.
For over 38 years, Andrew Murray senior, the father of the well-known pastor and devotional writer, Andrew Murray, prayed for revival to take place in the Cape Colony in South Africa. And for 38 years, nothing. Then, in 1860, when his son Andrew Murray was a young 32-year-old pastor of a small church, revival broke out, and everything changed. In fact, eyewitness accounts (this one from Servaas Hofmeyr) of the revival and its aftermath describe it like this:
“Before the days of Revival, the situation of our congregation was lamentable. Love of the...
