And when they had come to him, he said to them: "You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:18-21 (emphasis added)
Corporate worship in a local church is the primary ministry of the local church. Corporate worship has four indispensable components: (1) Reading & Preaching the Word, (2) Prayer, (3) Worship in Song, (4) The Sacraments—Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
We have considered the Word (both reading and preaching), Prayer, Worship in Song, and we have been considering the sacraments. This time we will continue that consideration with thoughts on the Lord’s Supper.
As Baptism is an initiatory sacrament (administered as the first sacrament and usually only once), the Lord’s Supper is an ongoing sacrament, received regularly and frequently. Remembering that the sacraments are outward visible symbols of inward spiritual realities, what is the reality symbolized by the Lord’s Supper? The bread and the fruit of the vine symbolizes and reminds us of what Jesus has done to save us. His body was broken (symbolized by the bread), and His blood was shed (symbolized by the fruit of the vine). That we eat and drink symbolizes that we have “received” Christ—personally and inwardly.
Only those who have received Christ (John 1:12-13)—by trusting in Him as their one and only Savior and Lord—should receive the Supper, otherwise receiving the symbol of the Supper is not based on the spiritual reality of salvation.
Neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper should be administered privately by individuals, but publicly by the Church, normally by duly ordained officers (elders or deacons) of the church. An exception includes officers of church taking the Lord’s Supper into the homes or bedsides of believers.
Next Time: who should receive the Supper and how?