The Lord’s Supper is somewhat like those photos, except that its power and beauty are far more meaningful for Christians. It is a symbolic memorial, designed by the Lord Jesus Himself. He presented it to His followers on the night in which He was betrayed, and it pictures the death by which He fulfilled God’s purpose for the ages (1 Cor. 11:23-27). The heights of glory in His finished work and the depths of emotion in His suffering are unsurpassed in human experience. Yet, as a memorial, this Supper is unparalleled in its simplicity.

History
The Lord’s Supper is a famous scene that has inspired artistic expression for centuries: Jesus Christ, surrounded by His disciples, celebrating the Passover with them. He was filled with emotion, telling them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Lk. 22:15 NKJV). Soon He distributed bread, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me,” and then a cup, “the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (vv.19-20).

By the next morning their Lord hung from a Roman cross, enduring the judgment of God for our sins; and by that evening His body was lying in a tomb. Yet the disciples’ sorrow turned to joy on the third day when He arose! Forty days later He ascended to heaven, and after ten more days the Holy Spirit united them into the Church which Christ had promised to build on earth. From that day on, the Lord’s Supper became a defining characteristic for this growing group of believers, which quickly numbered in the thousands and continued to increase. The followers of Jesus met together daily, probably gathering in smaller groups at various homes every evening after a day of work. There they would hear the teaching of the apostles, enjoy fellowship, keep the memorial of the Lord’s Supper, and pray together (Acts 2:42,46).

As time passed the daily exuberance of those early times of fellowship evidently became a weekly occasion. For evidence of this we can read of the time about 25 years later when Paul and those traveling with him stopped in Troas. They made it a point to spend the first day of the week with the Christians there, for that was the day when they “came together to break bread” (20:6-7). Even secular history records that the early believers were known for these weekly times of fellowship. Near the end of the second century a Christian named Tertullian described the warmth and mutual enjoyment of these gatherings – while having to address accusations of immorality and evil which some believed they practiced each week.*

A Simple Feast
It is beautiful to notice the response of the early Christians to the words of the Lord Jesus. He had said, “Do this in remembrance of Me”; therefore they did. It was a simple feast; the Lord gave them very few details about the remembrance itself, and the letters of the New Testament provide only a few additional remarks. One passage is found in 1 Corinthians 11: “As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes (v.26). This verse encourages us to remember the Lord often. It can be done on any day of the week and at any time of the day. We have no Scriptures that limit the frequency, for the bread and the cup never lose their meaning. When following the scriptural, first-century example of a weekly remembrance, the pattern of gathering on the first day of the week has added meaning since it is the day of the Lord’s resurrection.

The Lord was so gracious to use bread as a symbol of His body. Around the world, bread is both familiar and easily available. The Supper was first presented during the Passover, so the bread used then was certainly the flat, unleavened matzoh wafer. Some Christians still prefer to use that type of bread. It is not a demand of the Scriptures, however, since the general word for any type of bread is used by the Gospel writers and by the apostle Paul. Nonetheless, the symbol of “one bread” or “one loaf” is significant, according to 1 Corinthians 10:16-17: “The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body, for we all partake of that one bread.” Therefore it is desirable to have one loaf of bread, of any appropriate size or shape, in order to emphasize this aspect of the Lord’s Supper. The bread symbolizes His body and represents the unity of all believers, who have been joined into one body by the sacrifice of Christ and the uniting work of the Holy Spirit.

The cup, too, symbolizes this unity and fellowship: “The cup ... which we bless is ... the communion of the blood of Christ” (v.16). It is interesting to notice that the contents of this cup are only described as “the fruit of the vine” (for example, Mt. 26:29). For many it is customary to use wine since history indicates that this would have been used during the Passover. But some have a conscience against this and others have personal problems with alcoholism, therefore grape juice might be used. The contents of the cup seem to be less significant than the cup itself, for every passage of Scripture describing this memorial talks about the bread and the cup, not the bread and the wine. Since references to the cup are always singular, it is desirable to have one cup from which all can drink, as this supports the symbolism of our united communion through the blood of Christ.

Sometimes it may be difficult to use one loaf and one cup due to the size of a gathering of Christians or for other reasons. In such cases it is good to do what we can to highlight the symbols of unity. Even if one loaf of bread or one cup of wine would not be sufficient, one loaf and one cup could be displayed at the moment when they are blessed in prayer. After that, additional bread and wine can be supplied to meet the needs of the gathered believers. Symbols are important, but they are not intended to make life difficult! The Lord accepts our efforts to honor Him if we are trying our best to maintain the symbolism He has provided.

What else should be done during the Lord’s Supper besides partaking of the bread and the cup? There is actually no other description of this service in the entire Bible! Generally some hymns or Christian songs are sung, and prayers are offered. Passages of Scripture might be read aloud. These practices have roots in biblical references, such as the fact that the Lord and His disciples sang a hymn before they left the room where the Supper had been instituted (Mt. 26:30).

Still, there are no specific regulations about exactly what should be done during this remembrance. How long should it last? Should the bread and wine be covered or uncovered? Should certain ideas or themes be expressed at particular times during this meeting? At what point should we give thanks for the bread and the cup? Should there be any Bible reading or devotional thoughts presented during or after the Lord’s Supper? Believers in different places have developed answers to these questions, usually based on the application of various Scriptures, but let us remember that the Lord Jesus simply said, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” He is our Theme! We are to proclaim His death, hence that will be a prominent subject during the breaking of bread; and we are to do so until He comes, which implies that we might speak about His present glory in heaven and His soon return. Other than that, let us be careful to avoid turning traditions into rules about this simple feast.

Discernment
Although we have very few specific directions about the observance of the Lord’s Supper, we can make some inferences about what first-century Christians did. For example, when Paul visited the city of Troas he preached to those who had gathered for the purpose of breaking bread (Acts 20:7-11). According to the passage, Paul’s message may have preceded the Lord’s Supper, for it says that he spoke until midnight, and after that they broke bread and ate together. Some readers interpret the second reference “to breaking bread” (v.11) as referring simply to the mealtime. Whichever is the meaning, however, at least we can see that Christians gathered not only for the Lord’s Supper but also for a message from God’s Word – just as the first believers had continued in the apostle’s doctrine in Acts 2:42.

The tradition of eating together is found in other passages too. The believers’ common meal came to be called the “love feast,” as in Jude 12. Reading between the lines of 1 Corinthians 11 we can infer that each family brought some food which could be shared together. It appears that this meal came before the Lord’s Supper. In Corinth this led to problems, though, because rich families brought plenty of food and then actually mocked poor families who had only a little. Those with plenty to eat were also becoming drunk; and after this time of excess they would thoughtlessly tack on the Lord’s Supper. This was very serious because they were eating and drinking in a dishonorable way, “not discerning the Lord’s body” (v.29).

The principle of discernment is important to keep in mind. The Lord’s Supper is simple, yet it is to be a dignified remembrance. It may be a joyful time, but it is not a party! The bread and the cup represent the body and blood of our Lord, so there is a solemn aspect to what we are doing. This principle also helps to address questions about who should participate in this memorial. Of course it is only for true believers, but at what age should a Christian begin to participate? There is no “correct” age given in the Scriptures, and we should be careful not to create artificial barriers based on traditions. We should encourage our believing children and young people to be baptized and to remember the Lord! Yet, anyone who participates should have the discernment to recognize and appreciate what the bread and the cup represent.

There are other considerations too. Since the Lord’s Supper is not only a remembrance but also an act of fellowship (1 Cor. 10:16-17), the assembled believers are responsible to exclude Christians whose lifestyle includes or supports immoral behavior or erroneous doctrine. More could be said about this, but it is sufficient in this context to apply the principle of discernment to those situations as well.

There is perhaps no higher privilege for a Christian on earth than to honor Christ in heaven by remembering Him in the Breaking of Bread. It is simple yet profoundly meaningful, joyous yet dignified, repeated often yet never stale or boring. It encompasses past, present and future, as in the present we recall Christ’s past sacrifice and await His future return. Our entire being – spirit, soul and body – is engaged as we sing, pray and partake of the symbols of the Lord’s suffering. What a mercy and grace of the Savior to provide this way for us to remember Him.

ENDNOTE
* “The Apology Of Tertullian,” chapters 7-8 and 39. Online at www.tertullian.org/articles/bindley_apol/bindley_apol.htm

By Stephen Campbell