HOW WE SHOULD PARTAKE OF THE LORD’s SUPPER
The ceremony of
the Lord’s Supper, as the NT calls it (1Corinthians 11:20,33), also known as
Eucharist or Communion; it is a sacred ordinance left by our Lord Jesus for the
benefit of his Church, together with Baptism and the Washing of the Feet, as a
channel of Grace on all who participate of it with faith and devotion.
The ceremony is
a memorial; that is a sacred re-enactment of the sacrifice of Jesus on the
Cross, in remembrance of the time when He gave his body and blood for the
forgiveness of our sins.
(1Corinthians
11:24-25)
It is more than
just a symbolic act, but a sacred reminder of the atonement, the apex of Jesus’s
mission on Earth, together with his resurrection; that conveys sanctifying
grace on all those who partake from the whole ceremony, not just the elements, with
faith and devotion.
As it is an Ordinance,
also known as Sacrament; its form and elements, must be maintained as described
in Scripture, since all sacraments are divinely instituted, and not open for human
manipulation or alteration.
We will briefly
number the correct form to celebrate the Lord’s Supper:
HOW TO
CELEBRATE THE LORD’s SUPPER
We need BREAD
and RED WINE, since this is what is used in the ceremony of the Jewish
Passover.
Even though the
bread represents the solid body of our Lord and the wine his liquid blood, some
think these can be replaced by biscuits or cakes and Juice or water, instead of
the bread and wine used by our Lord.
Apart from being
an unauthorized decision to changed the elements used by God Himself, it is to
open door to the devil.
The changing of
elements or form desecrates the ceremony, opening doors to abuse, since one alteration,
leads to another, and thus, the devil will end up doing a burlesque ceremony
instead Jesus’ command.
Lord Jesus could
have used anything during the Last Supper; vegetables, meat, or any other; but
He chose BREAD to symbolize his body. Bread must be used, unleavened, as this
was the type of bread used by our Lord.
We must remember
that a ‘memorial’ of the Supper, includes, as much as it is possible, an exact re-enactment
of the historical event. That is why in the beginning, the Lord’s Supper was
celebrated at the end of a real supper or Agape (1Corinthians 11:20-21)
Also red wine
must be used, as this is the element used by our Lord at the Last Supper. The
use of any other kind of liquid, having the possibility of using proper red
wine, is a libertine action that implies more than disrespect towards God and
the institution, but also an insult, specially in those who think of themselves
as being ‘too holy’ or ‘holier than Christ’ , as to ingest fermented wine.
2 –ONE PIECE
OF BREAD AND ONE CUP OF WINE.
As far as the
Scripture is concerned, the ceremony was done from one piece of bread that symbolizes
the ‘ONE BODY’ of our Lord, given for us. And also, the use of one cup, as the ‘SOLE
SOURCE’ for the fountain where this blood came from, the blood of the Son of
God.
The one piece of
unleavened bread and the one cup used, but be broken by the celebrant or every
member before ingesting, and the all drink from the same cup
(Matthew
26:26-27; 1Corinthians 11:23-26).
This has a
reason to be. The partaking of one piece of bread and one cup, declares the single
source of our salvation, and our equal participation of this one source, making
all the participants one in the person of Christ, whom this single bread and
cup represent. ONE CHRIST, ONE BREAD, ONE CUP.
The division of
biscuits or crackers and different cups, loosens the nature of the ceremony, apart
from being a human unauthorized change, based on fear of contracting sicknesses
while performing this sacred ceremony.
3 – BREAD
AND WINE MUST BE CONSUMMED
In his infinite
knowledge, Jesus decided to separate the giving of his body and spilling of his
sacred blood, represented by the bread and the wine.
Many, pretending
to be more intelligent and profound than Jesus, have concluded that only bread
could be enough, as it represents the body and blood included in it. BUT this
again, is an unauthorized manipulation of the ceremony based on limit human opinion
and not according to GOD.
JESUS celebrated
the symbol of the atonement by using bread to represent his solid physical
body, crucified on the cross; and wine, to remember the spilling of his blood.
THIS IS because JESUS needed, as a sacrificial lamb, to spill his blood, not
just die without the express spilling of blood. At the Passover, ceremony over
which this sacrament is based on; the body was consumed, as the animal life has
been taken, but his blood, was set separately over the doors’ posts.
(Exodus 11:7-8)
The Lord’s
Supper must be ingested in bread and wine.
4 – TAKE IT
WITH FAITH AND DEVOTION
St Paul warns us
about taking this sacred bread and wine with disrespect or in sinful state.
(1Corinthians
11:28-30)
The bread and
the wine represent the holy body and blood of our Lord; clean and pure.
We must partake
from it with faith and devotion, thinking in what represents, and not thinking
about something else, or looking at the legs or backside or other people, or
thinking what time the service is concluding. This is the upmost disrespectful attitude
and demand discipline.
Also, we must
not receive the elements in sin. We must ask God for forgiveness, before we
partake from them.
In some cases,
brothers are involved into sins that are hard to leave, but we must have an
attitude of repentance and desire to change, and never be complacent with our
mistakes. These can also partake since the participation will confer the grace
on us to procure the healing and holiness, we need to be able to overcome our
weaknesses.
5 – WE MUST
PRONOUNCE THE WORDS OF JESUS OR PAUL
That is an
important part of the sacrament.
In humble
obedience, we must pronounce the words of consecration as it is written in the gospels,
or in 1Corinthians 11:23-26. Once this is pronounced with faith, the bread and
the wine are consecrated to God. They are not current bread and wine. They become
holy.
Alternatives
words, are not allowed, since this also implies unauthorized manipulation of a
divine institution.
6 – ALL MUST
BE CONSUMED
As all bread and
wine of the cup is consecrated, we must consume of all it. If anything is left behind,
it is the celebrant’s duty to consume it all.
This is sacred
bread and wine, and cannot be thrown out or be treated with disrespect in
anyway.
To do that is a
serious sin.
OTHER
CONSIDERATIONS
We must remember
that these measures are applicable while the possibility to celebrate the
sacrament as prescribed exists.
In cases where
we cannot find the elements, or the place to celebrate it is not as stipulated,
then we don’t have to perform it at all. The sacrament is a mean of sanctification,
but not necessary for salvation.
HOWEVER, they
are obligatory to be celebrated, Baptism, Lord’s Supper and Washing of the
Feet, whenever it is possible, at least once per year. But in the case of Communion,
once a week is the correct way, since it is intimate to the mystery of
salvation.
Omar Flores.
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