WHY THE LORD'S SUPPER?
I Corinthians 11:23: For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25: After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26: For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Our Lord commanded believers to observe the Lord's Supper often; but it is more than a command, it is a privilege to the believer to eat at the Lord's Table.
This is an ordinance that has been abused in every age, including ours. To the believer this is not a ritualistic ceremony of tradition and superstition. It is not a sacramental means of grace in which the bread and the wine actually become the Lord's body and blood. This simple ordinance is an ordinance of worship--involving remembrance, testimony, and communion within the heart toward our Lord.
The purpose of observing the Lord's Supper is to remember the Person and finished work of our Lord and Savior.
1. In the elements used--unleavened bread and wine--we remember our Lord's person and work of faith. The bread reminds us of his humanity. God in human flesh. Throughout scripture leaven signifies the corruption of hypocrisy (Luk 12:1.) The unleavened bread reminds us of the holiness of our Redeemer. There was no hypocrisy in him, only grace and truth. Wine is significant of blood in which is the life. Our Lord is life eternal, both eternal God and perfect Man, symbolized in the unleavened bread and the wine.
2. The bread broken and the wine poured out causes us to remember our Lord's suffering and death on our behalf. Our Lord endured great shame in his body as he was mocked, whipped, spat upon by men and women. Far worse was the soul agony our Lord endured at the hands of God the Father that God might be both just and the justifier of the believer. His body was broken and his blood poured out--separated from the body because life is in the blood and without the shedding of blood is no remission of sin (Heb 9: 22; Gal 4:4; 2 Cor 5:21; Isa 53:10, 11; Rom 3: 24-26.)
3. The bread and the wine remind us that our Savior fully accomplished redemption for us. We are reminded that all God's covenant promises are Yea and Amen in Christ's blood. God the Father's will toward us, his testament of having made us his sons and daughters and heirs of salvation, yes, all the everlasting testament is sealed and bound up in the blood of Christ our Redeemer--This cup is the new testament in my blood. The only way God can allow one for whom Christ died to perish in hell is if he ceases to be Holy God; he would have to count the blood of Christ vanity; he would have to pour out his wrath a second time on those who have already been justified; he would have to cease being holy, just and good. Christ's blood is precious to God and to the believer.
4. Receiving the bread and wine reminds believers that he is our Life, that all spiritual blessings flow to us through him, and that we depend upon him for all our care. Faith receives these blessings and believes on Christ, symbolized in our receiving the bread and the wine. (I Cor 10: 16; I Joh 4: 17.)
5. As we remember this wealth of blessings freely given to us of God in Christ, we also are reminded to never be presumptuous in ourselves (v27, 28.) No believer is worthy to observe this service because of any thing we have personally performed in our flesh. Our only worthiness is Christ our Lord. Those who eat and drink worthily are those who eat and drink while spiritually discerning the Lord's body--only believers can do that by grace through faith (v29; I Cor 2: 9-16.) Therefore, we are exhorted to examine ourselves--I don't examine you and you don't examine me--this is a time of self-examination, a time of renewed commitment to Christ through faith (2 Cor 13: 5; 2 Pet 1: 10.)
6. As we observe this ordinance the believer is reminded of our Lord's faithfulness and kindness in keeping us continually at his heavenly table of grace. Also, we are reminded to wait on one another with the same tenderness our Lord shows us (v32-34.) Only the children of our faithful Father are chastened. It is for our good that we should not be condemned with the world. Much carnality existed in the brethren at Corinth. There were many schisms among them. Yet, the Lord did not turn them away, but chastened them in loving kindness, even sending his apostle with clear instruction concerning their ways. None of those who believed were forbidden from the Lord's Table. In fact, the Holly Spirit moved the apostle Paul to address them as, "My brethren" (v3.) This gracious, kind, exhortation to wait on one another and to serve one another is a beautiful illustration of our Lord's faithfulness. He promised his apostles, and all his sons and daughters, that we shall sit at his table in his kingdom and he shall serve us. None shall be absent at the marriage feast. None shall be neglected. With the Father, the King of glory, all sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, shall sit down together and feast at his table. So he instructs us through Paul, not to partake of this supper with irreverent hearts, or to fill our bellies or neglect anyone present, but wait on each other that we may eat and drink together. And be reminded to have this same care for one another even after we leave our places of worship. Believer as you observe this simple ordinance remember that you and I are members of the Lord's Church, this is the Lord's Table, and our Lord deals with us as sons and daughters, for our good, because he is our faithful Father.
7. Last of all, as we eat this bread and drink this wine, let us be ever mindful that our Living Redeemer shall come again shortly and receive us to himself. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come (I Corinthian 11:26.)