The Lord's Supper
Q&A 2024
Will Livingston
Part of Q&A—January 2024, Sunday Nights
January 28, 2024

The Lord’s Supper

Passages to Begin with:
 

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 — Mt. 26:26-29; Mk. 14:22-25; Lk. 22:17-20
 
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 — Acts 2:41-47.
 
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 — 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.
 
Theme Statement:
The Lord’s Supper is a special act of worship commanded by Jesus whereby those partaking remember our Lord, Jesus’, sacrificial death on the cross to offer forgiveness of sins. Though the Bible does not mandate the frequency, it should be a regular part of the Christian’s life.
1. What does the Bible say about the Lord’s Supper?
a. It is a  
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  from Jesus.
b. It was  
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  by the  
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 . (Acts 2:41-47)
c. It is something we do in  
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  of Jesus, remembering his  
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  and  
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  that until He comes again. (Lk. 22:19, 1 Cor. 11:26)

  1. What are the different names that refer to the Lord’s Supper?
    a. The  

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     : This title is appropriate because Jesus instituted the Supper.
    b.  
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     : This title is derived from the experience— the disciples and Jesus came together in common worship (and so we do, today, when we partake of this special act of worship, also).
    c.  
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     : Deriving from the Greek word εὐχαριστέω (to give thanks) or εὐχαριστία (thanksgiving) and influenced by Jesus’ expression of giving thanks for the cup. It commemorates the celebration of the body and blood of Jesus, giving thanks for his sacrifice.

  2. What are different beliefs about the Lord’s Supper?
    a.  

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     : Literally meaning “change” (trans) “substance” (substantiation)- the belief that the substances of the Lord’s Supper literally undergo change to become the literal body and blood of Jesus as one partakes of them. The Roman Catholics adhere to this belief. It is not physical change that takes place; it is a change of essence.
    b.  
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     : This view is one held by Martin Luther— the view asserts that Christ is present with the substance of the Lord’s Supper. Baptists do not affirm this because we “believe Christ is present in His redeemed people, not in the elements of the Lord’s Supper.” [Kelly, Land, Mohler, 98] Episcopalians affirm some level of this.
    c.  
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     : This view is one held by Huldrych Zwingli— the view asserts that the most important part of the Lord’s Supper is remembering Christ’s command to partake of the Lord’s supper and remembering His sacrifice in doing so. Memorialization views the elements are symbols by which Christians are helped to remember the sacrifice of Christ.
    d.  
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     : This view is held by John Calvin— the view goes beyond memorialization to place special emphasis on the symbols in the elements, viewing them as significant signs and indicating some special communion between Jesus and Christians when they observe the Lord’s Supper. [1]
    e.  
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      versus  
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      Communion:
    i. Some open communion for anyone present during the service where it is offered, not reserving it only for Christians.
    ii. Others reserve communion only for believers asserting that because it is a command of Christ and an act of worship whereby we reflect and remember His sacrifice, it should only be reserved for those who have believed in Christ and repented of their sin. It should be noted that Paul warns about partaking of the Lord’s Supper without reverence in 1 Corinthians 11:27-34. Baptists have traditionally practiced closed communion, reserving it only for those who are Christians.

  3. How do churches determine the frequency of which they partake of the Lord’s Supper (communion)?
    a. Simply put, the Bible gives  

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      on how frequently Christians are to partake of the Lord’s Supper. It is implied and assumed to be a  
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      practice of the Christian’s worship, though, because it is a command of Christ. Additionally, Paul said, “…as often as you do…” implying it to be regular.
    b. The early church is recorded as partaking of the Lord’s Supper together  
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      (Acts 2:42, 46); However, later, it seems that maybe this became less frequent— to once  
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      on the Lord’s day (Acts 20:7).
    c. There is no direct command in Scripture directing the frequency. Thus, churches have varied on how frequently they partake of the Lord’s Supper. Some partake of it as often as daily (Catholics who attend Mass daily); others, weekly; others bi-weekly; others monthly; others quarterly.

  4. What is key to keep in mind?
    a. It is to be an act of  

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     ,  
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      Christ in  
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      His commands and  
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      His sacrifice.
    b. Inasmuch as it is to be an act of worship, perhaps good advice is this:
    i. Do it as often as is needed to remain focused and re-center our hearts on Him and His sacrifice; yet, not so frequently that it becomes routine and loses its significance when we partake of it.