When I first became a Christian and visited various churches, one of the most noticeable differences was how they celebrated Communion. Many churches celebrated on a monthly basis, while others observed it every week. Some celebrated sporadically throughout the year for special occasions or when it fit the sermon on that particular Sunday.
Beyond the frequency of Communion, the overall mood of each practice was also different from congregation to congregation. Some observed Communion casually, while others approached the Lord's table in a very sober and somber way. And while many of these differences are a matter of wisdom that should be left to the discretion of individual congregations and their leadership, some aspects of Communion cannot be compromised and must be observed by any congregation.
What Is the Lord's Supper/Communion?
First, it's important for us to define what the Lord's Supper is. The Westminster Shorter Catechism provides a helpful definition: “The Lord's Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ's appointment, his death is shown forth; and the worthy receivers are, not in a physical or carnal way, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.”
This definition emphasizes that the Lord's Supper is a sacrament. It was not created by the church a long time ago, nor is it optional. It was appointed by Jesus himself, who commanded his church to observe it.
This sacrament is a means of grace. When believers receive the Lord's Supper, they grow in grace and are nourished spiritually, just as our body is nourished by food. This meal was given to us by Jesus so that it might feed our souls and grow us as his followers.
How Should We Observe the Lord's Supper?
Christians should keep in mind three important truths when observing the Lord’s Supper. First is the significance of the elements of Communion.
The elements Jesus used for the Lord's Supper were bread and wine, both of which are deeply symbolic. Bread is symbolic of Jesus's body. For his people to have a saving relationship with him, he needed to give his body as a sacrifice in place of our own. In a similar way, the blood of Jesus is represented by the wine. There is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of his blood to wash us clean.
Although some Christians disagree over the use of wine or grape juice, the gospel significance of the element goes beyond just its color. Wine represented a long stay for the people of Israel in the promised land, because it took time to cultivate vineyards and ferment wine. In this way, the wine represents how Jesus has used his blood to give us eternal life in God’s eternal kingdom, where we will never be removed from the promised eternal blessing.
And so, the elements used in Communion are not optional. We don't change his institution based on our preferences. While donuts and orange juice could be more readily available or more pleasing, Jesus gave us the elements of bread and wine for a reason.
Second, it is important that the Lord's Supper is properly administered. When Jesus gave us the sacrament of Communion, he gave it to the church as a whole. It is meant to represent not only our relationship with Christ but also our relationship with one another. Therefore, whenever Communion is administered, it should be done with the larger body of the church.
This is sometimes at odds with our individualistic culture. Often, we think that Communion is just a private exercise that we do with God. But in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul takes issue with any Communion taken where there are divisions in the church, or where people are privately observing the Lord's Supper to the exclusion of others in the church. Communion should be administered with the whole church because it represents our communion with one another now that Jesus has brought us into his family.
Likewise, it's important that Communion is administered by a minister. In the Old Testament, God clearly set apart certain men to be his ministers to the people. In the same way, the book of Hebrews reminds us that not all are called to be teachers. And Paul said that the apostles and pastors were uniquely called to be stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Cor. 4:1–2). This also means that not everyone is called to administer Communion. Rather, God has set apart qualified men who are ordained pastors to serve the Communion meal to Christians within a local church.
Third, Christians should be clear about who is invited to participate in Communion: those who are already trusting in Jesus for their salvation. The apostle Paul warned the Corinthian church that anyone who eats and drinks of the cup in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment on themselves (1 Cor. 11:29). Because the Lord's Supper is a powerful means of grace, it is set aside for believers only.
Many churches think it is unloving not to include unbelievers in the Communion meal, but it is exactly the opposite. If what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11 is true, then it is very unloving to allow them to partake in the Communion meal without warning them of the implications. Churches that open up the table to anyone regardless of their faith in Jesus are doing grave spiritual damage. Therefore, we must administer Communion in a way that makes that reality clear.
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At the end of the day, Communion is a sacrament and a vital means of grace, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism reminds us. Therefore, how we do Communion is important for the thriving of the church in general and for Christians in particular.
