Understanding The Ordinances - Part 3 - The Lord’s Supper

[God] has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
Colossians 1:13-14

 

[Jesus] is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.
1 Thessalonians 1:10

 

This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
1 Corinthians 11:25

 

The Essence of the Lord's Supper

 

The Lord's Supper is a thankful remembrance of Christ and his death, symbolized by the bread and cup, that nourishes us spiritually, brings us into communion with God and one another, and fills us with joyful anticipation of the glory to come.

 

1. The Lord's supper is a thankful remembrance of Christ and his death.

 

2. The Lord's Supper nourishes us spiritually.

 

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.
John 6:53-57 

 

3. The Lord's Supper brings us into communion with God and one another.

 

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation [koinonia, "sharing, communion, fellowship"] in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
1 Corinthians 10:16-17

 

But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you.... When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat.
1 Corinthians 11:17-18, 20

 

For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks 
judgment on himself.
1 Corinthians 11:29

 

Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:2

 

4. The Lord's Supper fills us with a joyful anticipation of the glory to come.

 

Key Errors Concerning the Lord's Supper

 

1. Transubstantiation

 

He did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again.... But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.... Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many.
Hebrews 9:25-26, 28

 

2. Consubstantiation

 

3. The Mere Memorial View

 

Our Experience of the Lord's Supper 

 

The Lord's Supper is a thankful remembrance of Christ and his death, symbolized by the bread and cup, that nourishes us spiritually, brings us into communion with God and one another, and fills us with joyful anticipation of the glory to come.