The Lord's Supper

LESSON 2

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

In this edition, we continue with our series on Christian Ordinances. The topic for this study is: The Lord's Supper. In this study, we will consider various topical issues in relation to the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. In order for us to obtain an in-depth understanding of the various issues, the lesson has been categorised into six sub-sections as follows:

1) WHAT IS THE LORD'S SUPPER?

The Lord's Supper is an ordinance that was set up by Christ to commemorate His death (see 1 Corinthians 11:26). It is also referred to as the Last supper as it was the last time Christ partook of the Passover festival with the disciples. Even though the Lord's Supper was born from the Jewish feast of the Passover, the two are not the same. While the Passover was a symbol of God's deliverance of His people from Egypt (see Exodus 12:1-28), the Lord's Supper was to symbolise God's deliverance of the entire human race from the penalty of sin (see Matthew 26:26-30). The various ordinances that are performed during the Lord's Supper and their associated meanings have been outlined in the subsequent sections.

2) THE ORDINANCE OF FOOT WASHING

Foot washing is the first ordinance of the Lord's Supper. From the gospel of John, we read about this important ordinance: "13:3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

13:4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

13:5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

13:6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

13:7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

13:8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

13:9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

13:11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

13:12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

(John 13:3-17) From the passage above, we learn about how the ordinance of foot washing preceded the actual supper. Christ Himself left the supper table, took a towel and a basin of water, and washed the feet of the disciples when none of them wanted to take the place of the common servant. Through this example, Christ gave the disciples an important lesson in humility (review John 13:12-17). Just like the disciples at the last supper with Christ, several denominations in Christendom today ignore the ordinance of foot washing during the Lord's Supper. It is clear that even as the Lord rebuked the disciples for their pride, so does He expect that His children today will first go through the humble exercise of foot washing before approaching the supper table to dine with Him.

3) THE ORDINANCE OF THE SUPPER

After the ordinance of foot washing comes the actual supper with the Lord. This supper is filled with two important symbols that tell of the enormous sacrifice of Christ for the human race. The two important symbols in this ordinance are the bread and the wine. From the gospel of Matthew, we read about these symbols and what they represent: "26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

26:30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives."

(Matthew 26:26-30; see also Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:16-30) The passage above makes it clear that the bread represents the body of Christ while the wine represents the blood of Christ. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinthian church, emphasised this same point when he said: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" (1 Corinthians 10:16). Beloved, the Scripture is clear that the bread and wine that are associated with the Lord's Supper are only symbols that depict the body and blood of Christ. It is absurd to learn that some in Christendom believe and teach that the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper become the actual body and blood of Jesus before the believer consumes it. When the disciples partook of the Lord's Table, they never in anyway thought that they were actually partaking of the real body and blood of Christ. For how could they even have imagined that, when the One to whom these symbols pointed, was still alive, and with them?

It is sad to also come to learn about how various denominations in Christendom utilise fermented wine in the celebration of the Lord's Supper. There is no justification for this practice in Scripture as whatever was used during the Passover week was free from ferment or leaven. In fact, during the Passover service, the Jews made use of only unleavened bread as well as unfermented wine which were perfect symbols for the perfect body and blood of Christ (see Leviticus 23:6; 1 Peter 1:19). From this background, it is clear that the communion wine which signifies the blood of Christ cannot be represented by an unwholesome putrefying product such as fermented wine which contains the drug alcohol.

4) PREPARATION TO PARTAKE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER

The Lord's Supper is a sacred ordinance that was instituted by Christ to commemorate His death for mankind. Even though the Lord invites all believers to partake of this supper, there is the need for a careful preparation of the heart before one approaches the table of the Lord. We must not come with a heart determined to pursue the ways of unrighteousness (see 1 Corinthians 10:21). However, despite our sins, we can approach the table of the Lord asking Him for strength to overcome all our weaknesses. It is also important that we regard the symbols of this ordinance with reverence; for it is not the same as the usual meals we take at home. In relation to this point, the apostle Paul provided the following counsel to the Christian church at Corinth: "11:17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

11:20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.

11:21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

11:22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? what shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

11:33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

11:34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come."

(1 Corinthians 11:17-34)

5) A FELLOWSHIP OF OPEN COMMUNION

Besides children and those who have not demonstrated total commitment to the Lord through baptism, the ordinance of the Lord's Supper is open to all. Christ invites all believers in His atoning sacrifice to partake of His sacred table. Besides a careful heart preparation, and a careful regard for the symbols of the ceremony, no restrictions should be placed in the way of any child of God who would want to dine with the Lord. Let not the one who administers this sacred ordinance discourage through word or action any member of God's family from participating in the service; for the Lord's Supper is not for the 'holy', but rather for sinners who come to seek the strength of the Lord to live a holy life in Christ. As Ellen White observes, "Christ's example forbids exclusiveness at the Lord's supper. It is true that open sin excludes the guilty. This the Holy Spirit plainly teaches. But beyond this none are to pass judgment. God has not left it with men to say who shall present themselves on these occasions. For who can read the heart? Who can distinguish the tares from the wheat?" (PaM 168.6). In fact, even those who are outside the fold of the remnant should not be turned away if they express the desire to partake of the Lord's Table. From the pen of inspiration, we read the following in relation to this point: "There may come in among you those who are not in heart united with truth and holiness, but who may wish to take part in these services. Forbid them not" (Ev 277.3). Friends, just as the apostle Paul counselled the Corinthian church, it is important that we partake of the Lord's Supper as often as possible; for in so doing, we do show "the Lord's death until He comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26). It is a serious issue for a believer to decide not to attend the supper of the Lord. This will mean one actually enjoys living in known sin than to embrace the forgiveness and fellowship of the Lord. Believers who consistently absent themselves from this sacred ceremony should not expect to be present at the marriage supper of the Lamb. For it is those who dine with Christ here on earth that can claim His promise of a supper with Him in heaven (see Matthew 26:29).

6) SOME MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE LORD'S SUPPER

Just like any other Christian ordinance, there are several misconceptions that people hold in relation to the Lord's Supper. One of such misconceptions has to do with the time of the supper. Even though the Scripture is clear that Christ had the last supper with the disciples in the evening (see 1 Corinthians 11:23), this does not suggest that the Lord's Supper should always be conducted in the evening. The reason for this point is based on the symbolic nature of the ordinance itself. You see friends, even as the ordinance of foot washing, as well as the communion of bread and wine, are all symbolic of various things, so is the time the first ordinance was conducted also to be seen as symbolic. In conducting the ordinance in the evening, Christ was not in anyway enjoining His followers to always conduct the sacred ceremony at the same time.

Besides the timing of the supper, another misconception has to do with the frequency with which believers are to partake of the sacred ordinance. While the Bible does not give a specific time interval whereby this sacred ordinance should be organised, God's people are not left without a good guideline they can follow. From Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, we read the following counsel in relation to this issue: "11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come."

(1 Corinthians 11:25-26) From the passage above, it is clear that God's people are supposed to partake of this divine ordinance often. What this means is that the people of God should not be made to wait for several months before they are allowed to dine with the Lord. It is incumbent on the leaders of the church to plan for God's people to have access to the Lord's Table as regularly as possible. As we partake frequently at the Lord's table, we will be refined in character even as we proclaim the Lord's death until He comes (review 1 Corinthians 11:25). The pen of inspiration provides the following counsel in relation to this point: "The salvation of men depends upon a continual application to their hearts of the cleansing blood of Christ. Therefore, the Lord's Supper was not to be observed only occasionally or yearly, but more frequently than the annual passover. This solemn ordinance commemorates a far greater event than the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt. That deliverance was typical of the great atonement which Christ made by the sacrifice of His own life for the final deliverance of His people" (PaM 170.1). Besides the timing and frequency issues we have considered above, another misconception that is gaining root among God's people is the way in which the wine is utilised. Even though the Bible is clear that believers are to drink all the wine (see Matthew 26:27), it is surprising to hear stories about people using some of the wine on particular areas of their body for healing, for child bearing, and for other purposes. These are strange unbiblical practices that we must desist from before they escalate into something more terrible. Christ will hear and answer the petitions of His people at the communion service not because they utilised the wine on their bodies, but because they asked Him in prayer with a contrite heart. Even as we wait for the soon coming of Christ, let us endeavour to dine often with Him as He has commanded us. Through this sacred ordinance, the Lord will strengthen us to remain steadfast in Him until the day He tears the skies apart to deliver us from this sinful world.

Exhortation: From the beloved apostle, we read the following encouraging words: "19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."

(Revelation 19:6-9) In our next study, we will consider the topic: The Anointing Service. The Bible Study references for this study are James 5:14-16, Matthew 9:1-8, Deuteronomy 28:37-40 and Judges 9:8-9. Please do well to go through these passages before the next study is released.

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!

Powered by White Throne Ministries