The Lord’s Supper, along with baptism, is one of two ordinances that Jesus commanded His church to observe. We also call the Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion. We get the name “communion” from 1 Corinthians 10:16 (“sharing” is the Greek word, koinonea, which means “fellowship” or “communion”).

There is no command as to how frequently we are to observe the Lord's Supper, but it should be often….and it should be TOGETHER! In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul refers five times to the fact that they celebrate the Lord’s Supper when they all come together as a church, as one assembly meeting in one place at one time.

1Co 11:17 “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.”

1Co 11:18 “For, in the first place, when you come together as a church…”

1Co 11:20 “When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat.”

1Co 11:33 “So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—"

1Co 11:34 “if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment.”

The Lord’s Supper is one spiritual activity that you do not practice alone. You can and should pray and read the Bible by yourself. Much of the spiritual life is hidden. But the Lord’s Supper is to be celebrated with the Lord’s people. So to come to it rightly, you have to deal with damaged relationships as best as you can. Our common participation in the symbols of the body and blood of our Lord should demonstrate the self-sacrificing love of the one who gave Himself up to die on our behalf. The Lord’s Supper itself is meant not only to satisfy our hearts with Christ’s goodness, but also to stoke a desire for when we will see his face.

Application Questions

1. While the Covid pandemic has forced us to isolate, how does the Lords Table bring us together?

2. When does looking to ourselves go too far? How much introspection is healthy?

3. How has the absence of the Lord's Table made you hunger for corporate worship? Practically what have you missed?

4. Practically, how can we keep communion from becoming an empty ritual?