The Ordinances of the Church
The Lord's Supper
Proclaiming His Death
Description
The Lord's Supper is the ongoing ordinance by which the church remembers Christ's death until He comes. On the night He was betrayed, Jesus took bread and the cup, establishing this memorial: 'This do in remembrance of me.' As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord's death. It is communion—participation in the body and blood of Christ. The church is to examine itself before partaking, discerning the Lord's body. Those who eat and drink unworthily eat and drink judgment to themselves. It is a solemn, sacred feast of remembrance and proclamation.
Key Verses
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.