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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Supping with the Lord

 I enjoy the community aspect of Lord's Supper. (If you're like me, you might sometimes think that the portions are a little stingy, but the symbolism, not the filling of my belly, is important).

(Side tangent: I learned that words like the Lord's Supper, communion, and Eucharist aren't actually interchangeable. They indicate differing views on the properties of this ritual. I hope to do a blog post on the differences between these concepts, but that is a big project that is barely a thought-child right now).

Scriptural Basis for the Lord's Supper:
1. John 6:25-59 Jesus tells us He is the Bread of Life.
2. Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:12-26, and Luke 22:7-38 tell of the Last Supper from 3 of the gospel writer's perspectives.
3. 1 Cor. 11: 17-34 Paul corrects the church in Corinth in regards to abuses they have had in practicing the Lord's Supper.
4. Exodus 12:1-30 and Leviticus 23:4-8 tell why and how to practice Passover & the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is significant because Jesus, as a first century Jewish Rabbi, was celebrating Passover with His disciples when He gave instructions regarding communion/the Lord's Supper.

The Lord's Supper is important to Christians for many reasons.
1. It reminds us of Jesus. (The whole "do this in remembrance of me" thing).
2. It fosters community & fellowship. We share an common experience and common experiences draw people closer together.
3. It was a meal initially, but people abused that. I dream about bringing the meal back. It could be a carry-in, so people just bring what they can and we all share. A few loaves of bread & containers of grape juice would be reserved for communion at the start of the meal. A reader would read from one of the gospels, the Lord's Supper would be served, and then we would eat and fellowship together. Yeah, I'm sold on this one.
4. It encourages self-examination prior to participating and serves as a self-check.

You can read a sermon on communion if you wish. (I recommend it)
There is an article here that breaks down communion into its component parts, with a scriptural basis for each point.

How does your church celebrate the Lord's Supper? What do you like best about the Lord's Supper?

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