The Lord’s Supper—Holy Communion

by Nat Porter

God means to have the great sin-bearing, wrath-averting, life-giving death of his Son remembered and cherished and proclaimed (1 Cor 11:24-26). The bread and the juice of the Lord's Supper are weighty and sacred because of what God has designated them to represent—"Take, this is my body . . . . This is my blood" (Mk 14:22-24).

We make much of observing the Lord's Supper together in obedience to Christ because of all that it points to—all that the cross signifies.

What is the significance of eating and drinking?

The bread and the juice direct our attention to the broken body and spilled blood of Jesus who died in the place of sinners. "Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom 5:6). "He himself bore our sins in his body" (1 Pet 2:24). When we take up the bread and the cup, we affirm the sufficiency of Jesus' death to bear the penalty for sin and reconcile sinners to God.

In the act of eating the bread and drinking the juice we also affirm that we personally participate in the benefits of Christ's death (1 Cor 10:16). By this we demonstrate our ongoing dependence on Christ for forgiveness and new life in reconciliation to God (Jn 6:54-56).

Why do we partake of the Lord's Table all together?

We observe the Lord's Table corporately in recognition that all who draw on the benefits of Christ's death are also united to one another as the extended "body of Christ" (1 Cor 10:17).
We have entered a communion (fellowship) not only with God but also with all the redeemed people of God through the cross (Eph 2:15-19; 4:4-6).

What does observing the Lord's Table anticipate about the future?

We observe the Lord's Table in anticipation that Jesus will soon come again. We "proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Cor 11:26). And come he will, in glory and power to inaugurate the great banquet feast for his people (Rev 19:6-9).

Who should participate in communion?

The reality to which the bread and juice of the Lord's Table point are serious before God. We do not profane Christ's work by offering them to those who have not embraced the reality behind them. As believers we examine if our conduct is in line with what we affirm about Christ's death when we eat and drink at the Lord's Table (1 Cor 11:28-29).

We come to the Lord's Table with both serious reflection on why Christ suffered in our place and an overwhelming sense of joy that in Christ our new life is secured. Therefore, only believers should participate.