Should we as Christians take part in the Lord Supper?

 

Yes. The Bible is very clear on the ordinances that we as Christians should be doing, and there a 3 criteria that need to be fulfilled in order for it to be undertaken today. Firstly, it needs to have been started by the Lord himself. Secondly, it needs to have been practised in the early Church, and thirdly, the doctrine behind it needs to have been brought out and discussed by an Apostle. There are only two things that meet all these criteria, and therefore, only two things that we should be doing as a Christian. Firstly, baptism, and secondly, taking part in the Lord’s supper. 

 

The Lord’s supper is a time when we have the opportunity to respond to the love that Jesus has shown us. In the same way that temperature moves the mercury in a thermometer, our love for the Lord should move us in obedience to follow His command to break bread. You don’t love the Lord by obeying, that’s law. But if you love the Lord, you will WANT to obey!

 

When should we do it?

 

Simply, as often as you can (1 Corinthians 11:26)

 

The Supper then has several different aspects attached to it, lets simply look at them now.

 

Look in

 

Read 1 Corinthians 11:28

 

Before taking part in the supper, it is vital that we have a good look at ourselves. Are we fit to eat of the bread and drink the cup? Has our life during the week been incepting with the moral standards that God would be looking for? 

 

Look out

 

Read 1 Corinthians 1:26 (again)

 

The supper is there as a witness to the world. While unbelievers may not understand or enter into the worship and praise of God, they should be able to see a company of Christians gather around to remember the Lord. Why is this a testimony? Well, lets be honest, on most hot summer Sunday mornings, most people want to go out for a walk, chill and watch telly or play football or something. But what a witness we can give to the world to spend our time doing something much more important, remembering the Lord Jesus and what he has done for us. In a world that has rejected the Lord, what a testimony to present to men that there are still those who claim his rights down here. We are to show forth his death, and our allegiance to a rejected man in our taking part in the supper.

 

Look back

 

Read 1 Corinthians 1:24 (again)

 

When we come to the supper, we are to remember the Lord. We don't come together exactly for the event, but we gather together to a person-the Lord Jesus. We remember Him, again not exactly his death (although that obviously comes into our thoughts in a big way). How can we remember a person we have not seen? By the Spirit, who helps us to be led by the Lord to worship. It is only when we are filled and led by the Spirit that we can worship God. In terms of ‘looking back’ we would look at the bread at remember the Lord’s perfect life here, we would remember the body of the Lord being laid down in death, and we would also think about that the Lord has won, in his death and resurrection, the church, HIS body here on earth. The cup would make us think of His blood poured out for us, the sacrifice of the Lord deaths, the utter obedience to the will of His father, even at the high pressure points such as in the garden (Matthew 26:39).

 

Look up

 

We don’t exactly come together to remember the Lord’s death to cleanse us of our sin. It is called the Lord’s supper, not the Saviour’s supper. We need to look at where Jesus now is, as seated at the Father’s right hand, a place of power, privilege and honour. Earned rightfully of course by the Lord. We don’t come to the supper as sinners, but as Christians, who are able to stand before God and worship Him, as having all our righteousness found in Christ.  

 

Look forward

 

Read 1 Corinthians 1:26 (again)

 

We don’t remember a dead Lord, but one who is, as we’ve said, risen and ascended. We are told to remember hm until he comes. We are to look forward to that day when the Lord will return. We don’t just do the supper week by week with no forward thinking, or with no end in view, but we should always be looking onwards to the Lord’s return. At the rapture we will stop breaking bread, we won’t need to remember him anymore, we shall be with him and like him! But really, we break bread with a view to His return to set up His kingdom on Earth. As we said, He is rejected now, but we break bread with the day when he will reign in righteousness (during the millennium) in our minds.

 

So, those are a few simple thoughts on the Breaking of Bread, inconclusive of course, but a start for you to go on and explore more for yourself!