The following is a compilation of several writings and excerpts on the Lord's Supper
Ladies and gentlemen . . . your attention, please!
May we draw your attention this way? May we presume to suggest that all of us give more attention to the Lord?
Isn't the Lord's Supper all about giving attention to Jesus? We may do ourselves a disservice by referring to worship matters in terms that are confined to the world of religiosity. (The word worship itself is rarely used outside church buildings and theological discussions.)
We sing of magnifying the Lord and of exalting Him, and honestly, those words do help me to worship by describing with picturesque language aspects of true and spiritual worship.
But perhaps we will be equally on track in using expressions like giving our attention to Him.
In the familiar "Christmas carol" O Come, All Ye Faithful, the chorus reminds us of moving toward the Messiah, of drawing near to the dying Lord in adoring, all-attention-to-Him worship.
And in a very real sense, that's the essence of the Lord's Supper. -bc
GENERAL THOUGHTS The Lord's Supper is very important to many--perhaps, to the majority--and it gets billed as the reason we come together on Sunday mornings, but I'm not sure that's correct. We often seem to rush it, so I wonder how important we really think it is. Do we trip over its enactment because somewhere deep inside us, we are embarrassed at its lack of meaning for us?
The Meal can serve many purposes and has many aspects:
OR WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE THOUGHT POLICE?
Can we allow for an application of the "unity in diversity" principle here--realizing that some who partake may be thinking generally and adoringly of the Christ, some specifically of Him on the cross, some of the grave, some of the risen Lord, and some (not directly of Jesus at all) thinking of the nearby members of the "body" of Christ? Can some ponder the meaning of sacrifice while others contemplate the symbolism of red "fruit of the vine"? How about pondering the proclaiming of His death until He returns? In I Cor. 11:26, the Lord's Supper is given this outward-and-upward focus.
SOME FRIENDS' PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
Debbi Thomas notes that she thinks different thoughts each week, depending on the stage set by those leading that day. Debbi's husband Steve remembers the "utter triumph" of the resurrection. He seldom concentrates on the physical death of Jesus, but rather, on the spiritual pain of His having been separated from God. Cheryl Lacy once noticed a young child crying out, seemingly at the most inopportune time, "Daddy, no!" Notwithstanding the immediate distraction, this cry, indicative of the fear of punishment for misbehaving, powerfully brought to Cheryl's mind the deeper, terrified pain of the Son of Man in the Garden, and later, on the cross. Karlisa Shultz has developed a unique ministry to her young daughter (which she confesses helps her own worship focus, too!) by sketching related scenes during the Observance. She draws Jesus on the cross, the weeping faces of His friends, the empty grave, the ascension, and other pictures which no doubt will help a precious, young mind to realize the meaning of it all. Beth Werkheiser prefers not to be led by others' thoughts, retreating into a more personal, spiritual communion with the Christ. She finds that if other things are going on during the Supper, she is likely to be distracted.
ON THE INWARD FOCUS
In the bread and wine Your life is mine.
I take You in; You cover my sin,
And You show me why my life is dry.
Now help me see what I am to be.
-Brian Casey, In the Bread and Wine, © 1995 ENCOUNTER Music
The images of "washing" in the blood of Jesus (Rev. 7:14) or "putting Him on" in baptism (Gal. 3:27)
are accurate, but they are not so close as the image of "eating and drinking Christ" so that His flesh
and blood become our flesh and blood. -Warren Lewis, from The Lord's Supper (out of print)
REMEMBERING . . .
Tillit S. Teddlie's familiar song expresses the remembering aspect: While we feast, Christ gently whispers, "Do this in My memory." But is the Supper just remembering? Though a case could be made for its being primarily a "memorial" thing, perhaps we do the whole idea an injustice by avoiding the notion that at least in some way, the Lord is present now when we are partaking.
Remembering You, O Jesus, we keep the memorial meal.
We eat and drink, proclaiming Your death:
The heart of our faith is made real.
-Brian Casey, © 1992 ENCOUNTER Music
Is Jesus present when we remember Him in this way to a degree that He is not at other times? Can it be that He becomes "real" to us in direct correlation to our belief that He does?
His body, given in our stead, is seen in this memorial bread;
And so our feeble love is fed, until He come.
-George Rawson, By Christ Redeemed
Here, before Thee, Savior, we would lowly bow.
Grant us now Thy presence; come, and bless us now;
In this sweet communion may our souls be fed;
In true consecration may we all be led.
-Frank C. Huston, Here Before Thee, Savior, © Standard Pub. Co.
Here would I feed upon the bread of God;
Here drink with Thee the royal wine of heav'n;
Here would I lay aside each earthly load,
Here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiv'n.
-Horatius Bonar, Here, O My Lord, I See Thee
Bread of the World, in mercy broken,
Wine of the Soul, in mercy shed,
By Whom the words of life were spoken,
And in Whose death our sins are dead,
Look on the heart by sorrow broken.
Look on the tears by sinners shed,
And be Thy feast to us the token
That by Thy grace our souls are fed.
-Reginald Heber, Bread of the World
Perhaps we don't need to get caught up in the theology of the transubstantiation and consubstantiation arguments. Perhaps it's enough just to let Jesus' reality come to us powerfully--feeding our souls with His forgiving, all-encompassing love--as we commune.
Is Jesus present when we remember Him in this way to a degree that He is not at other times? Can it be that He becomes "real" to us in direct correlation to our belief that He does?
AT MEALTIME
It's called "the Lord's Supper" most often. (When leading, I try to vary terminology concerning this and other worship activities in order to encourage a fuller concept of our activities.) Does this mean it should be treated as a supper would be treated in a home? Why? Why not? What are the dangers? The benefits?
Shouldn't it strike us as strange that most of us eat the "supper" in the morning? It's fairly common knowledge now that the Emblems were often eaten in conjunction with a full-scale meal. But what have we done with that common knowledge but put it under a bushel? How has it impacted how we do the Meal? What about the Sunday night revisitation of the Supper that occurs in most congregations of the Church of Christ? Should it be done by the few in the presence of the many? By the few in another room? Consider the implications for "communion": if a few partake while the masses are left out, is it really communing with the body/Body? If the few are sent to another room, are they made to feel "out of it," disconnected from the rest of the church?
Paul says that in the Supper, they had koinonia with the body and blood of Jesus Christ as they ate the bread and drank the wine (I Cor. 10:16,17). Thus the Lord's Supper is called a koinonia, a communion of those who are sharing table fellowship, a close association of Christian with Christian in the unity caused by the presence at the Supper of their common Lord--a presence in the bread and in the wine, in memory, in the Spirit, and in the unified heart of the congregation of Christians. -Warren Lewis, The Lord's Supper
"TAKING" COMMUNION
Communion, remember, is participation, fellowship with the Body of the Lord. (One can't take communion!) The Body is both His tortured flesh and His younger siblings in the church, and fellowshipping/communing with each of these is just one aspect of the meal of which we partake.
FREQUENCY
Note the strikingly tiny amount of Biblical material that speaks to frequency of the Supper's observation. And what's there is not imperative or specific! Take care that it doesn't become merely a sacramental ritual. "As often as you do it. . . ." (I Cor. 11)
PLAN A LAST SUPPER REENACTMENT!
Along these lines, consider the value of learning more about the cultural backdrop against which the Supper was originally set. Would it all mean more to us if we were cognizant of the Jewish Passover traditions? Twice, I have organized a reenactment of the Last Supper--complete with all the proper Jewish foods; explanations of their respective meanings; and thoughts, prayed and sung, that related the first Passover deliverance to our ultimate deliverance by the Lamb of God who actually did take away the sins of the world. These occasions benefitted all who were present.
SIMULTANEOUS "ACTS" OF WORSHIP
We once did three "acts" at once! It's true--during the Lord's Supper, we were singing a song, and someone was reading Phil. 2:5-11. Contrary to the opinion of a late, celebrated Bible "Answer Man" among us, the Scriptures nowhere present worship as a disjunct list of items or acts which, when engaged in simulaneously, abominate the worship of God. Though we believe there are observable activities which are legitimately associated with true worship, the acts should never be boiled down to a checklist. They may certainly be mixed and matched to suit the occasion. Singing, particularly, has been known to help many to focus during communion. There simply is no Biblical reason not to do this on occasion, but let's remember that we are individuals and are aided in worship by different things. Steve Thomas recently reminded a small group that though the externals of the Supper may be modified from time to time, the "heart factor" is a constant through the centuries.
All Thoughts and Cares of This World. . .
Is it appropriate to "put all thoughts and cares of this world from our minds"? Can we re-think that? It is the relation of the divine and the human that is so marvelously inexpressible in the Supper. When the mundane and the sacrosanct cross paths, let us not seek the quick diver-gence of the two; rather, let us celebrate the mystery of their marriage.
What does Jesus have to say about the proverbial pot roast in the oven? Can I "allow" my Lord to speak in the middle of thoughts of car repairs or household tasks to be completed? For Him to give meaning to these seems not only appropriate but expected. For His sacrifice to transcend these--yes. For Him to look the other way in sanctimonious disapproval--I don't think so.
Jesus was simultaneously God and man. He endured physical torment as well as spiritual separation from God. (It was also for "His own griefs" that He had tears and "sweat-drops of blood.") He knew the fullness of both the divine and the human. I should let His holiness speak to my humanness so I can become more like His Holiness.
Let us not feel it incumbent on us to rid ourselves of the mundane. Rather, let us hear our Lord as He speaks to and deals with every aspect, every corner of our lives. --bc
True Worship
• While breaking off pieces of yeastless bread, I can express my gratitude to Jesus not only for His ruptured body but also for His continual presence in His Body, the Church, whose brokenness still causes Him deep pain.
• While turning up the cup filled with juice, I can contemplate Jesus' blood as it dripped from His wrists to the dirt on Skull Hill, and I can be eternally in His debt as I worship Him for loving me enough not to come down from the cross. --bc
Active or Passive?
A more active observance of the Supper should be considered. The simple receiving of the Body and Blood of Jesus is somewhat passive, but a physical moving, i.e., standing and walking toward a central location, in order to receive it? This could help us to be more attentive. --bc
From an (Unfortunately) Out-Of-Print Book
Even when faith is weak, there is merit in seeking communion with the Lord by which one's faith may be strengthened. When there is strife and discord, when there is sorrow and preoccupation, and even when there is doubt where faith ought to be, then is when the presence of the Lord is most needed. In the strength of the one body and the purity of the cleansing cup, there is merit for the soul seeking salvation. Paul's warning is not to prohibit the unworthy from receiving communion, for we are all unworthy. . . . The proper and worthy manner is one of receptivity, expectation, spiritual discernment, and submission of the unworthy soul before God. A feeling of unworthiness is never a reason for absenting oneself from communion, even when one does not feel within himself that he is prepared to receive Christ. God can re-create a dying faith through the power of the body and blood of Christ, properly received. . . .
The Roman Catholics and Lutherans are probably right in believing that there is "miracle" here; Zwingli was probably right in believing that bread and wine are "symbols" of the Lord Christ who stands behind them to give them power. . . .
Luther's idea may be illustrated by an analogy of iron heated red-hot in the fire: the iron (bread and wine) is still present and continues unchanged, but the fire (presence of Christ) is present with and united to the iron, lending heat to its hardness and light to its solidness. . . .
It was at the common table that Christ was known to be present; it was here that the Church found unity, fellowship, and a time for teaching. . . .
We ought not to try to restore the forms and doctrines and actions of first-century Christians unless their concerns and hopes are ours. We must not try to play at a Bible-land game; we must not simply follow their example in an attempt at historical mimicry. Rather, we must learn to share their theological point of view. . . .
Baptism and the Lord's Supper are spiritually effective when they are observed in conjunction with a living trust in the living Christ. When they are sought as ends in themselves apart from personal trust in Him and commitment to His entire will and way, they are hollow forms. . . . --Warren W. Lewis, The Lord's Supper. Reprinted by permission of the author.
Mere Memorial?
If we regard the Lord's Supper as a mere memorial and nothing else, we cut ourselves off from the immediate benefit of receiving the very life and power of Jesus. At the Table of the Lord we encounter Jesus, and through his power, healing is given to our whole person. --Twila Paris with Robert Webber, In This Sanctuary. Reprinted by permission.
Varying Approaches, Activities, and Perceptions
My frustration really rises when I encounter people who rigidly demand that everything about the Lord's supper be the same week after week. I get angry when those people stifle efforts to deepen the perception of the memorial by arguing that you can't sing while having the Lord's supper because you can't do two acts of worship at the same time. Ditto for reading Scripture. --Bailey McBride, "Worship Must Be a Communion of Our Spirit with Our God," Christian Chronicle, June 1995. Reprinted by permission.
Adoring the Lord
A friend from Beaumont, Texas has explored the idea of adoring Jesus. He suggests several synonyms:
cherish, love, admire, esteem, honor, respect, exalt
extol, praise, revere, worship, glorify, magnify
And he laments our spending so much time "talking about the institution we've built around the traditions of the early church that we far too often forget that we became Christians because we fell in love with and ADORE Jesus Christ our Lord."
"The further we get from that first love, the more trouble we get and get into. . . .
"Father, forgive us our short memories and long lists. Help us to know you better and be more like Jesus Christ our Lord and Master." --Clem Webb, Beaumont, Texas
Experiences of a Group in San Antonio
Last year our small group/Bible study group prepared a Passover meal and had a Seder. It was a very interesting experience. I recommend everyone going to a Seder or doing your own this spring. It really gives an enlightening background to the Lord's Supper.
Subsequent to the Seder we were studying Luke's account of the last supper. Based on our Seder experience and our study of Luke, we concentrated on several "motifs" present in the Seder. The ones we chose to discuss were these: from bondage/slavery to freedom; the gathering of family and friends; celebration (vs. funeral); participation or experiencing; remembering; past/present/future themes; value of ritual; role of children; removal of sin (or leaven); God's roles: outstretched arm, life giving, nation giving, etc.; death; affliction; blood; lamb of God; and thanksgiving.
We were not able to go as deeply into each motif as I had wanted, but it was a refreshing exercise into different facets of the history of the Lord's Supper that we seem to have reduced to a pinch of bread and a taste of Welch's while looking at the back of someone's head.
Anyway, after the lesson we gathered in the kitchen for communion. As we circled the kitchen table we all lapsed into quiet isolation. I had to remind everyone of what we had just discussed about celebration, family, sharing, etc. That broke the ice and we relaxed. I then asked every one to take a quarter of a matzah sheet (not a pinch) and a good "shot" of grape juice. After a prayer, as we stood eating the bread and sipping the juice, I then asked everyone to share with the group how God had been active in their lives in the past, in the present, and how they prayed He would be active in the future (vis a vis the past/present/future motif in the Passover). There were tears and there was laughter as each shared and opened up to the group. It was one of the most wonderful, worshipful times. --Rowland Craig, San Antonio, Texas. Reprinted by permission.
An Atmosphere for True Remembering
The Lord's Supper was intended to remember Jesus, not in a "memorial service," but in a commemorative festival. The atmosphere was not one of grim mourning, but of joyful thanksgiving. . . .
Though Jesus was clearly troubled the night of the Last Supper, the festival he chose for its setting was a joyful feast remembering the mighty saving acts of God in the past and anticipating divine deliverance in the present and future. . . .
The unleavened bread which Jesus broke was called the "bread of affliction" (Deut. 16:3), a reminder of the suffering and oppression of Egypt. However, the memories of affliction were surely overshadowed by the deliverance represented in the absence of leaven (Exodus 13:33-34,39). The cup of wine for which Jesus gave thanks, the third in a series of three or four cups in the meal, was called the "cup of blessing" (cf. I Cor. 10:16), that is, a cup for which thanks is given. Wine was considered a gift of God and associated with gladness (Ps. 104:14-15) and the joyful harvest festival (Deut. 14:26). In the hymn which Jesus and the disciples recited at the close of the meal were the following words: I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people. . . you have freed me from my chains. . . . I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD (Ps. 116:13-17, NIV).
To "remember" in the Old Testament often meant more than a simple mental recollection of something. . . . Remembering the past is tied to faith and obedience in the present.
In Psalm 71:15-17, the Psalmist comes proclaiming God's mighty deeds and praising Him for them. "I will proclaim Your righteousness" and "I will praise Your righteousness" are more literally, "I will cause Your righteousness to be remembered" (cf. Isaiah 12:4). To cause God's works to be remembered is to praise Him publicly. . . .
The Supper is not a "memorial service" for one who has died, but a "commemorative celebration" of God's mighty deliverance. In the Lord's Supper, as in the Passover, God's people publicly recall His saving work in an act of corporate praise, declaring the sacrificial death and victorious life of Jesus Christ. . . .
As a weekly fellowship meal, the place of children around the table needs to be reconsidered. . . . The children's lack of understanding was precisely why they had a place in the Passover liturgy. Their questions as to why certain things are done in the festival prompted the retelling of God's deliverance and the meaning of the Passover meal. Our silent meditation provides no place for even the whispered questions of children. . . . When we teach them to sing, "Jesus loves me, He who died heaven's gate to open wide," perhaps we are already teaching them what it means to participate. . . . --Rob McRay, "Funeral or Festival?" Leaven, Vol. 3, No. 4. Reprinted by permission. To subscribe, send $10 for six issues to Leaven, 24255 Coastal Highway, Malibu CA 90263.
Only after Jesus instructs the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and breaks bread in their house are they able to recognize the risen Lord in their midst (24:30).... The prominence of the table motif as a setting for Jesus' revelatory activity makes the Emmaus account "extremely valuable in setting forth Luke's sacramental theology." [Paul Minear, Some Glimpses of Luke's Sacramental Theology]....
That Jesus disappears at the very moment of recognition suggests that the climax of the story is reached when Jesus is made known in the breaking of the bread....
In the meal scene at Emmaus, the wayfaring Jesus appears in the dual roles of guest and host at table, both of which are significant to the theme of remembrance....
The close sequence between the fourfold action of Jesus at table ("took, blessed, broke, gave") and the moment of recognition on the part of the disciples ("then their eyes were opened") suggests that Luke in-tends to link [this meal with the Last Supper] by way of remembrance....
Significantly, Peter's confession occurs immediately after Jesus feeds the multitude with the loaves and the fish. Noticing this connection, John Nolland writes, "Luke seems to be suggesting that the disciples come to a conviction of Jesus' identity here in a manner analogous to the way that in the eucharist the Lord Jesus is made known to the believer in the breaking of the bread. (See 24:30-31,35.)" [John Nolland, Luke 1-9:20, Word Biblical Commentary] --David Lertis Matson, "Breaking Bread; Breaking the Veil: Recognition of Jesus at Emmaus," Leaven, Vol. 3, No. 3. Reprinted by permission.
To [Barton W.] Stone, we eat not just physical food, but become "joint partakers of the blood and body of Christ." ... Milligan calls the supper "the medium of spiritual food to the hungry and thirsty soul." ...
In baptism, water spiritually cleanses the conscience. In the supper, bread and wine feed the soul. [Alexander Campbell, 1857] --Gary Holloway, "Something Happens in the Supper," Leaven, Vol. 3, No. 3. Reprinted by permission.
The Lord's Supper stirs within each of us all manner of thoughts and emotions--love, hope, sorrow, remorse, awe, a willingness to sacrifice, gratitude, a desire for self-denial, a longing for purity, a resolution to forgive, humility, dependence, a sense of spiritual poverty, contrition, and a sense of the divine mystery. . . . Speechless wonder in the presence of the divine sacrifice on a cross is a positive blessing. --Elmer Prout, "Proclaim the Lord's Death Until He Comes," Leaven, Vol. 3, No. 3. Reprinted by permission.