What is the Lord's Supper?
The Lord's Supper is the meal Jesus gave His church in memory of Him: the bread and the cup proclaim His death until He comes, and believers share it in faith, examining themselves, receiving Christ, and renewing communion with Him and with one another.
This question arose from studying Why do I need the church?.
Begin by reading
Go into the Word
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
Jesus instituted it at the Last Supper
He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, 'This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.' Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.' It is His gift to the church, given the night He was betrayed.
He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.
It proclaims the gospel
'As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.' It is a sermon in bread and wine, declaring the cross to ourselves, to the church, and to the watching world.
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread. When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.” In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.”
It requires self-examination
'Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord's cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.' We come repentant, not perfect, but honest.
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.
For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged.
It is communion with Christ and His people
'The cup of blessing which we bless, isn't it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn't it a sharing of the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.' It is a family meal around the one Table.
The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
Continue this trail
What does a healthy church look like?→“They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.”Should infants be baptized, or only believers?→“Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”How often should the church celebrate the Lord's Supper?→“When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.” In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”What is the church?→“I also tell you that you are Peter,and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hadeswill not prevail against it.”What is church discipline?→““If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.”Does baptism save a person?→“for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast.”What is the difference between baptism and the Lord's Supper?→“Go,and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”Who may take the Lord's Supper?→“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.”How is Christ present in the Lord's Supper?→“He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”What does a church need from its leaders?→“The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;”What kind of authority did Jesus give church leaders?→“It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall beyour servant. Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant, even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””What does Peter say about Peter?→“Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. I also tell you that you are Peter,and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hadeswill not prevail against it.”Does God require His servants to stay unmarried?→“forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”What is the church's mission in the world?→“Go,and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”Who are God's chosen people?→“and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.””Explore further
What does it mean to eat His flesh and drink His blood?→Jesus Christ trail“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread. When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.” In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
Worth visiting