Mankind can be very forgetful. God has always recognized our need for reminders. Under the Old Covenant, He established a variety of memorials for the nation of Israel. Passover reminded them of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage; the Feast of Tabernacles—their time spent wandering in the wilderness; Purim—their deliverance in the days of Esther; the Day of Atonement—their sins and need for God’s forgiveness. Under the New Covenant, however, God has only established one memorial for His people—the Lord’s Supper.
As much as the religious world gets hyped up about Christmas and Easter, the Lord’s Supper is the only divinely instituted celebration found in the New Testament. As the exclusive memorial of the Lord’s church, we should be impressed with its importance in our assemblies. Everything we need to be reminded of as Christians is encapsulated in this sacrificial meal. We must push, therefore, not so much to keep Christ in Christmas, but to keep the Lord in the Lord’s Supper. In this article we will discuss some practical ways we can give this memorial the focus and effort it deserves in our assemblies.
First of all, we must be purposeful in our observance. The Lord’s Supper is not merely a checklist item in our service. Jesus didn’t just say, “do this,” He said, “do this in remembrance of Me” (1 Cor 11:24). The inner man must take an active part in the Lord’s Supper. We each have a responsibility to examine our hearts to make sure we are doing more than going through the motions (1 Cor 11:28). We must take time to focus our minds on the great sacrifice represented by the emblems of Christ’s body and blood. This is more than a mental visualization of Jesus upon the cross. As we proclaim the Lord’s death we are reminded of the price paid for our salvation, the great love behind it, the covenant we have entered into, the cross we are called to carry, and the hope we have beyond the grave. This weekly observance is more than a reminder of the events that took place on Calvary; it is a rekindling of their significance in our lives.
While this type of remembrance is the responsibility of each individual partaking, we must strive to conduct the Lord’s Supper as a congregation in a way that effectively promotes this purpose. If those leading at the Lord’s Table rush through the motions without taking time to focus on the significance of what we are doing, we are just fostering a mindless observance. Those leading must rather encourage everyone to appreciate the gravity of what we are preparing to do and approach it with the proper reverence. “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord” (1 Cor 11:27). The preparation and attention that we give this portion of our service must be worthy of its importance.
There are many ways those leading in the assembly can promote a worthy partaking of the Lord’s Supper. In opening our service, we can be reminded that “breaking bread” together is one of the primary purposes of our Lord’s Day assembly (Acts 20:7). The song leader can prepare our minds with a hymn focusing on Jesus and His death. Those leading at the Lord’s Table can read scriptures and offer remarks that remind us of the significance of Jesus’ death in our lives. These remarks should be prepared to stir our minds out of thoughtless repetition and into a deeper appreciation of the sacrificial meal we are eating. The entire Bible points toward the cross, giving us ample material for a fresh perspective every time we gather to partake (Luke 24:44-46).
Those leading in the assembly are not the only ones responsible for promoting this worthy partaking, however. While we each seek to focus our minds on the Lord, we must be conscious that we are engaging in a “communion” meal. By eating of these emblems together we are expressing our fellowship with God and also with one another (1 Cor 10:16-17). The Lord’s Supper is a collective activity. We are all proclaiming Christ’s death to one another (1 Cor 11:26). Therefore, I need to be conscious of what message I am sending to my brethren while partaking. Am I promoting an atmosphere of reverence and solemn thanksgiving or am I being a distraction to others and sending a message of apathy? Do I open my Bible or song book to review the thoughts we are considering together and bow my head in meditation? Or do I shuffle through my purse, whisper to my neighbor, get up to take a bathroom break, and fiddle with my phone?
Much more could be said about the importance of the Lord’s Supper and how we can give it the emphasis and attention it deserves. It will suffice to conclude that we cannot allow this memorial to lose its significance in our assemblies. Failing to partake in a worthy manner will leave us sin-stained and deprived of spiritual strength (1 Cor 11:17, 27-30). It is vitally important that we fully engage our hearts each time we observe this memorial. We don’t need a weekly ritual, but a genuine remembrance—a weekly rekindling of Jesus’ love in our hearts. We must always keep the Lord in the Lord’s Supper.