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THE
LORD'S SUPPER
How
it began
The
Lord's Supper was established by Christ. Just before the crucifixion
Jesus met with His disciples in the Upper Room to celebrate the
Passover. During the meal He broke bread and shared it with them,
explaining that this would remind them of His own body broken for
them on the cross. He then offered them wine to drink, to remind them
of His blood shed to wash away their sins. This shedding of blood
also sealed a new covenant or commitment between God and all
followers of Christ. The following Bible verses record how the Lord's
Supper began: (Matthew 26:26, Luke 22:17, 1 Corinthians 11:23).
The
Jewish Passover was the forerunner of the Lord's Supper. In it the
Jews remembered how their lives had been saved because the blood of a
lamb had been sprinkled on the door posts of their houses. Exodus 12
In
the Lord's Supper Christians remember how they have been saved
because the blood of Christ has been sprinkled for them. There is
therefore a strong link between the Passover and the Lord's Supper.
(1 Peter 1:18-21).
Christians
continue to celebrate the Lord's Supper regularly because Jesus
Himself has commanded it. In the Lord's Supper Christ's death is
remembered. His risen presence is experienced and faith and devotion
to Him are renewed.
THE
LORD'S SUPPER - A Sacrament of the Church
A
sacrament is a visual aid which illustrates and confirms the
spiritual truths and promises contained in the gospel. In the
sacrament of the Lord's Supper the bread represents Christ's body
broken on the cross, and the wine His blood shed for the forgiveness
of sin. By participating in the Lord's Supper we share by faith in
the living Christ and all the benefits of His death.
A
sacrament is meaningless without faith. Those who come to the Lord's
Supper should have faith in Christ as the One who has died for their
sins. Read Questions 91, 92, 93, 96 and 97 of the Shorter
Catechism.
THE
LORD'S SUPPER - Its different names
The
title "The Lord's Supper" takes us back to the Last Supper
when Christ first instructed His disciples to observe this special
meal "The Communion Service" - this title emphasises our
communion or fellowship with God at the Lord's Table. Those who meet
at the Lord's Table are called "Communicants." Some
churches use the term "The Breaking of Bread" to describe
the Lord's Supper.
THE
MEANING
of
Christ's death
In
the Lord's Supper we remember Christ's death - for sinners. The
Bible teaches us many wonderful things about the death of Christ and
its benefits for believers. Take time to consider each of the following:
CLEANSING
- The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses or purifies us from
every sin. (1 John 1:7) This means that sins past and present are
forgiven as we confess them to God. Christ's cleansing blood makes
believers fit to come to God, fit to come to the Lord's Table and fit
to enter heaven. (Rev. 7.14)
SACRIFICE
- In Old Testament times the sins of God's people were forgiven
through the sacrifice of a lamb without spot or blemish. By His
death, Christ, the Lamb of God, sacrificed Himself once and for all
to take away sin. (Hebrews 9:26). Notice that the sacrifice of Christ
on the cross did not need to be repeated. It was once for all. The
Roman Catholic Church traditionally teaches that the sacrifice of
Calvary is repeated each time the Mass is celebrated and that the
bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ.
SUBSTITUTION
- On the cross, Christ became the believer's substitute, He
stood in their place and took the punishment due to them for their
sins. (Isaiah 53 v.5, 1 Peter 2:24)
REDEMPTION
- In ancient times a slave could be set free when a ransom price
was paid. This process was called Redemption. The slave was now free
to live a new life. The person who provided redemption was called the
Redeemer. Christ, by His death on the cross, paid the ransom price
for us. Every Christian has been freed from slavery to sin and now
lives a new life for Jesus Christ, their Redeemer. (Ephesians 1:7,1
Peter 1:18,19).
JUSTIFICATION
- Justification is a legal term which refers to freedom from
guilt. Through Christ's death on the cross Christians are justified
or declared free from the guilt of sin. They are now right with God
and will not be punished for their sins on the judgement day. (Romans 5:9).
RECONCILIATION
- This is the restoration of broken relationships. Sin has broken
that personal relationship which originally existed between God and
man. By His death on the cross, Christ removes our sins and
reconciles us to God. A new relationship with God begins. (Romans
5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:18).
COVENANT
- A covenant is a mutual commitment which binds two people
together. For example, marriage is a covenant. When Jesus shed His
blood on the cross it was to seal a New Covenant between God and all
believers in Christ. (Luke 22:20). In the Covenant, God commits
Himself to a special relationship with all who love Christ. He will
always be their God for this is an everlasting covenant. (Hebrews 13:20).
WHAT
IT MEANS
to
share in the Lord's Supper
PREPARATION
We
make preparations for all sorts of events in life. It is very
important that we prepare ourselves for this special act of worship.
Self-examination should always precede our coming to the Lord's
Table. (1 Corinthians 11:28) "How close am I to my Saviour
Christ? What faults or failings must I confess to God? Is there
something I must put right with another person?" Questions like
these should be answered truthfully before God and His help sought
before we come to the Table. Where pre-communion or preparation
services are held these should be a priority for all communicants.
Your minister will outline the order and details of the Communion
Service so that you will be familiar with all that takes place.
THE
COMMUNION SERVICE means:-
REMEMBRANCE
- In the Lord's Supper communicants remember Jesus and His death for
their sins, "He loved me and gave Himself for me."
(Galatians 2:20, Luke 22:19).
THANKSGIVING -
At the Lord's Supper communicants are filled with thanksgiving and
praise for all the benefits they have received as a result of
Christ's death.
COMMUNION
- Christians hold communion with God at all times. In the
Lord's Supper communicants meet with Christ and Christ with them. The
risen Christ, the living Lord, is really present with His people as
they meet around His table. (Revelation 3:20, Hebrews 10:19,22).
NOURISHMENT
- In the Lord's Supper communicants receive nourishment for their own
souls. This does not come from the bread and wine but from Christ
Himself. Jesus says," I am the Bread of Life." (John 6:35); (Shorter
Catechism Q.96).
TESTIMONY
- Through the Lord's Supper communicants give public testimony that
Christ has died for their sins and that they now follow Him as Lord.
(Psalm 116:13, 14).
FELLOWSHIP
- In everyday life a family organises a meal for its members because
they belong together and care for each other. The Lord's Supper is
the family or fellowship meal of the Christian Church. As members of
the family of faith, communicants declare that they belong together
and love each other. (John 13:35, Acts 2:42).
DEDICATION -
Through sharing in the Lord's Supper communicants dedicate
themselves to their Saviour and Lord, recalling that Christ has
purchased them with His own blood. (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).
EXPECTATION -
Sharing in the Lord's Supper is an enriching experience; for this
special meal points forward to the return of Christ and to the bliss
of heaven. (1 Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 19:11).
WHO
SHOULD COME
to
the Lord's Supper?
Sharing
in the Lord's Supper is for those who have received the Lord Jesus
Christ into their lives. They recognise that they are sinners in the
sight of a holy and perfect God and believe that Christ has died for
the forgiveness of their sins. In repentance and faith they have come
to Christ for salvation, have committed their lives to Christ and
recognised Him as Lord.
Some
have received Christ decisively during a church service or mission,
others have received Christ in the privacy of their homes. Some have
come to Christ after a period of seeking and searching. Some have
come to Christ in childhood, others in their teens or adult years.
Whatever the circumstances, the person who comes to the Lord's Table
must be a person who has first come to Christ. Those who have come to
Christ will not be perfect, but they will be conscious that the Lord
is in their lives and that life is different with Christ. The Shorter
Catechism is helpful in explaining what it means to come to Christ. "Faith
in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon
Him alone for salvation, as He is offered to us in the gospel."
(Shorter
Catechism Question 86)
SOME
COMMON PROBLEMS
-
Some
are troubled by the fact that they cannot give the day and date of
their conversion to Christ. Many Christians are in this position. The
important point is not the time of the event but the fact of it. The
question is, "Am I trusting Christ now as my Saviour? " and
"Am I now living in obedience to Christ as my Lord and Master?
" "Is it evident to others that I am a follower of Christ?
- Some
who genuinely trust and follow Christ never come to the Lord's
Supper because they feel unworthy. We are always unworthy, indeed if
we feel worthy in ourselves to come to the Lord's Supper we should
not be coming at all. We must remember that it is Christ Himself who
makes us fit to come to His Supper through His dying for us. It is
Christ Himself who invites those who love and trust Him to meet at
His table.
- In
some places young people are expected to become new communicants
merely because they have reached a certain age. Such a practice is
clearly wrong in the sight of God for it leads to false promises and
potential hypocrisy. "It is better not to vow than to make a vow
and not fulfil it." (Ecclesiastes 5:5)
- Some
have sought to come to the Lord's Table in later years because they
feel they must do this before the end of their lives. The age of a
communicant is largely irrelevant. Admission to the Lord's Supper is
on the basis of a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
ADMISSION
TO THE LORD'S SUPPER
The
Kirk Session shall admit to the Lord's Supper only those who have
been baptised, who make a
profession of faith in the Lord Jesus, and whose character is
consistent with such a profession. (Code of the Presbyterian Church)
After
a period of instruction new communicants are admitted to the Lord's
Table on profession of faith in Christ. They are introduced to the
Kirk Session and formally received into full membership of the
church, usually at a pre-communion service.
The
communicant's card published by the Presbyterian Church sets out the
following confession and vows.
My
confession
I
have received Jesus Christ to be my Saviour and the Lord of my life.
(John 1:12)
My
vows
Since
Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God dwells in me by the Holy Spirit
I shall endeavour with His help:
It
is essential that those who come to the Lord's table understand
exactly what the Lord's Supper means and what is required of those
who share in it. The Shorter
Catechism is a useful guide.
"It
is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's
Supper, that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern
the Lord's body, of their faith to feed upon Him, of their
repentance, love, and new obedience; lest coming unworthily, they eat
and drink judgment to themselves."
(Question
97).
NOTES
1st
Corinthians 11:23- 34 should be studied with this chapter.
LIVING
the
life
Sharing
in the Lord's Supper is of great importance, but it is only one part
of the Christian life. A profession of faith must be accompanied by
obedience to Christ in every area of life. The Christian life can
only be lived out with the help of Jesus Himself, who says,
"Apart from me you can do nothing". (John 15:4, 5).
Continual dependence on God is essential for every Christian. "I
can do everything through him who gives me strength."
(Philippians 4 :13)
Living
the life means:
BELONGING
to
the Church
THE
MEANING OF THE CHURCH
"Church"
means "congregation" or "assembly." In the Bible
"church" never refers to a building, but always to a
company of people who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Although there are many Christian denominations there is only one
church made up of all true followers of Christ. The Lord Jesus is the
sole King and Head of the Church. (Ephesians 5.23).
THE
DIFFERENT TITLES OF THE CHURCH
Titles
given to the church include:
"The
Flock of God" - this speaks of God's care for His people;
"The
Family of God" - this emphasises our belonging together
as brothers and sisters in Christ;
"The
Body of Christ" - this teaches us that church members
have different tasks and functions just like the different parts of
the human body.
"God's
building", "Christ's bride", "Light of the
world", "Pillar and foundation of the truth", are
other titles of the church.
THE
LIFE OF THE CHURCH
Church
life centres on worship and praise, preaching and teaching, prayer
and Bible study. Evangelism, social witness, and mission to the world
are also key activities of the church. (Acts 2:42) Church members
have a duty to be loyal to the life and work of their own
congregation and to support it financially through realistic giving.
As new communicants grow in their faith they take a more active part
in the work of their church. Communicants also have voting rights in
the congregation.
THE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
"Presbyterian"
is a word derived from "Presbyter" a New Testament Greek
word for "Elder". The Presbyterian Church is therefore a
church which is ruled and cared for by a body of elders or
presbyters. The minister, who is sometimes known as the teaching
elder, is supported by the congregation in full-time church work.
Local churches are grouped together in a body known as the
Presbytery. Once a year the whole church meets in a conference known
as the General Assembly.
The
Presbyterian Church traces its origins to Christ and the Apostles.
The Reformation of the 16th century brought the church back to
Biblical standards of faith and life. The influence of the
Reformation and the principles of Presbyterianism made a great impact
on Scotland. It was Scottish planters who established the first
Presbyterian churches in Ireland in the 17th century. Today the
Presbyterian Church has over 550 congregations in Ireland. Through
its Boards and Committees the General Assembly guides the overall
work and witness of the church at home and overseas.
Communicant
members should not only be involved in the life of their own
congregation, but should also have an interest in the wider work of
the Presbyterian Church.
All
this and much more is involved in belonging to the church.
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