What the Lord’s Supper is NOT:
The Lord’s Supper is not the literal body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Taking the Lord’s Supper does not make you a Christian.
Taking the Lord’s Supper does not make your more spiritual.
Jesus never asked His disciples to remember His birth. But He did instruct them to remember His death and resurrection. He gave the church two visible symbols (called “ordinances”) as reminders of His death. These two ordinances are: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is an object lesson that represents a great spiritual truth for believers.
What is the Lord’s Supper?
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
It is a SINGLE ACT.
V. 23 “The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread…”
It is a REMINDER.
V. 24“…and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; eat it in remembrance of me.’”
It is a SYMBOL.
V. 25“In the same way, He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; drink it to remember me.’”
It is a STATEMENT OF FAITH.
V.26 “For whenever you eat the bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes back.”
Who should take the Lord’s Supper?
Only those who are already BELIEVERS. (Mark 14:22-26)
2 Corinthians 11:29 “For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment upon himself How do I prepare myself for the Lord’s Supper?
I Corinthians 11:27-28 “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. A person ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.”
Self-Examination.
1 Corinthians 11:27 “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.”
Confessing My Sins.
I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Recommitment.
Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.”
Restoring Relationships.
Matthew 5:23-24 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”
When and how often should we observe the Lord’s Supper?
Jesus never said when or how often believers should observe The Lord’s Supper. He instituted it on a Thursday night. Since it is a ‘supper’, it may seem more appropriate to observe it at an evening service. We observe The Lord’s Supper four times a year. We usually observe it in our evening services in January, April, July, and October.