Memorize

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26).

Learn

• Elements: the bread and wine used in communion

• Redeem: to free from sin and death

• Atonement: the reconciliation of God and humans, through Christ’s saving work

The night before He was betrayed, Jesus and His 12 disciples had a feast in the upper room for the last time. The next day Jesus Himself, the Lamb of God, would be crucified on the cross. His precious blood would cleanse the hearts of His children and give them everlasting life.

This new feast is called the Lord’s Supper, and is a sign or “picture” of our union with Christ. He was our substitute, paying the price for sin and bringing us back to God. We look back to His word on the cross and also forward to when He comes again (1 Cor. 11:26).

There are 2 elements used in the Lord’s Supper. The bread is a symbol to represent Christ’s body; the wine represents His blood. Together, they represent the human nature that He took when He “was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Christ appointed the ministers of His Word to give the Lord’s Supper, and it is important that it be done as Christ did it.

There are six sacramental actions in the Lord’s Supper—four of them performed by Jesus and two by the disciples or believers today. These six actions act out what Christ has done (His atonement) and a sinner’s receiving Him by faith. Sacramental actions:

1) Performed by Jesus and ministers in His name today:

a. Took bread and cup—He took human nature when born.

b. Blessed (gave thanks) for bread and wine, setting them apart. Christ was set apart as Redeemer.

c. Broke bread—His body broken on the cross.

d. Gave bread and wine to disciples—the gift of Christ to sinful men (John 3:16).

2) Performed by disciples and communicants today:

a. Took bread and the cup—taking Jesus as Savior by believing.

b. Ate bread and drank the wine—our dependence on Christ for spiritual life. Communion time is very special. We prepare ourselves before the Lord’s Supper. Scripture says we should examine ourselves (1 Cor. 11:28) by giving serious thought to our faith in Christ, how we obey Him and about the meaning of the sacrament.

If we are communicant members of the church and neglect the sacrament, we rob ourselves of God’s blessing.

Think!

• Do you remember the last time your church held communion? What did you think about when you watched others take part? What did you feel?

• Read Mark 14:18-25. Then try to list some of the feelings the disciples and Christ may have experienced.

• What steps would a person who was interested in church membership need to take?

—Excerpted from When We Worship God, by Max and Fran Mann.