What is the Lord’s Supper

Within our Christian tradition, some of us say “Lord’s Supper” some say “Communion.”  Some of our brothers and sisters use the word Eucharist.

In addition to the names we use, have different understandings of this meal. I thought I would take a minute to lay out what we actually believe about this meal and why we celebrate it the way we do.

Before I go any further though, I need to say one thing.  If you say everything you will say nothing.  There have been volumes written on this topic alone.  This is a blog post.  There is much more than can be said.

So, let me say just a few simple things.

First of all, this meal is actual nutrition.  The believer needs it.  We believe this meal is more than merely a “memorial.”  We aren’t just remembering what Jesus has done, we are actually participating in it.  He is spiritually present with us in the meal  just as he will be with us physically when we share it with him again in the new creation.  The wine and the bread actually nourish souls which are hungry for their redeemer.

Because of that reality we eat it with caution.  In the New Testament era there are stories of people dying because they were not respecting this meal.  They were excluding the poor for the sake of gorging themselves.  Their hearts were not ready for the act of communion.  For this reason we caution those present that if they do not truly know Jesus as their redeemer they may want to refrain from it all together.  In the same way we want to encourage parents to help their children understand the significance before they offer it to them.

Third, this is a meal of communion.  When we celebrate it together we believe we are celebrating it together with all the saints throughout the ages.  One meal for all time.  This isn’t just something we do repeatedly over and over again.  It is actually one meal that we return to from time to time.  I know that’s confusing, but think about it like this.  There aren’t several “Lord’s Suppers” served in several churches at different times in different places.  There is actually only one. Churches simply return to the meal from time to time in both remembrance and anticipation.

At BCC we come to this meal each month.  We come because we need it.  We come because we are hoping it will be the last time we return to it before Jesus returns to us.  We return to it because we need the reminder of our brokenness and the grace of our King.

Return to it with us the last Sunday of the month.  Celebrate, eat, and anticipate the banquet at the consummation of all things.