Details on Conducting Lord's Supper

Details, Details, Details

"This is My body which is broken for you...This is My blood which is shed for you..."

This passover supper has been so perverted from its original meaning that one has difficulty understanding. Transubstantiation or consubstantiation is followed by most Right Reverend Doctors of modern Christianity. The laity has not a clue. Nicolaitanism is rampant.

All offerings are not accepted by God. This fact made Cain so angry he killed his brother--whose offering was accepted. What was wrong with Cain's offering?

Wood, hay, stubble or gold tried in the fire--we are without excuse. What is our work made of?

Selah,

Bro. James

 

Just wondering, Bro.James - were you writing in response to something someone has written on this thread? If so, I am confused. As far as I can see, no one has suggested that transubstantiation, consubstantiation or Nicolaitanism are right. This thread was started by someone who had never led the Lord's Supper before, and was asking for help.

 

My hats off to the two of you for realizing the real meaning of the Lord supper. “This do in remembrance of me”. There was a previous thread where a person said he used apple juice and this board really separated on this thought. I would like to think the real meaning if I can exegete is Jesus took what he had, blessed it and said this is my body etc... And that as long as you bless what you have the Lord will make it what you need.

The deaconesses at our Church insist on using unleavened bread which is made according to the OT. I have no problem with this per se but I wished they could read and understand your posts...

To the OP = I do agree there is no true right or wrong way per se except I believe the sequence for taking the supper is bread then wine. I teach young preachers to remember it by saying you wash down the bread with the wine. That is the order in scripture and I believe it has meaning which I won’t go into right now.

I would like to caution you that some of the members or the Church as a whole is accustomed to a certain program for observing this ordinance (the way we always do it). Know your place which means is it your place to deviate or should you get with someone who knows (the way we always do it) and can practice with you until you have it down. The extreme of this will be some members feeling you don’t know what you’re doing to some believing they didn’t “properly” observe the ordinance. I’m not saying I agree with them, but this is not about you or I. This is really for the members of the Body.

 

I agree with David Lamb, this has nothing to do with communion.

 

Our observance is almost identical to yours except we give out both condiments at the same time then take them one after the other.

We used to have the ushers seat the members in every other row so the deacons could go down the empty row and serve the supper. A couple of years ago we had to stop this and start the members walking down to the table to be served by the deacons because of the growth in the Church.

There is a funny story as to why we changed and I hope ya’ll don’t mind me sharing. We had a tall usher, over 6’ who really took pride in packing a row. She would walk down to a row standing tall with one arm behind her back and would take the other gloved hand and the way she motioned (and looked) everyone on that row knew she meant business; you better move over and make room. She would then extend her long arm in the air with her long finger extended high to say, “we have room for one more here”.

The last Sunday we sat every other row it was obvious there were too many people for all to fit in this fashion. Yet that usher was performing her duty with usual pride. She got to the row where my wife and mom were sitting, gave that wave of the hand and they all took a deep breath and squeezed in. I recall standing on the pulpit when both my wife and mom simultaneously cut me that, “ain’t you going to do something look”. I then looked and the lady walking down the isle to squeeze on to that pew must have weighed close 300LBS. My carnal side said, “I want to see if she can do it” but my spiritual and husband side said, “ok, I’ll stop the madness”. So I motioned to the 300lb lady to keep walking down the isle, had the deacon’s server her at the table and the rest is history…

 

When is a communion not a communion?

I guess I am not sure what the counter-points are in this discussion. Are we not discussing the details of correctly (maybe not correctly--is correctness appropriate here?) performing the Lord's Supper(communion) in a Lord's New Testament Church?--before the Age of Welch?

Is this not a picture of a sacrifice? Why is the account of Cain and Abel and their sacrifices not germane?

My point about trans, con and St. Nike are germane if one considers the fact that most of what is observed in Christian worship is derived from the commandments of men being taught as doctrine to those who are spiritually blinded. This is fulfilled prophecy: "the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine...". This is not talking to the world. It is about the people of God.

Selah,

Bro. James

 

so how should we, in your view, correctly be serving the Lord's Supper?

 

The "sacrifice" of Cane and Able are more in line with tithing than with communion. Tithing is not actually a sacrifice per se, it is returning to God a portion of what he freely blessed you with. I know Heb 11:4 describes their gifts as "sacrifice" but it was not for the purpose of attonement.

This is like saying tithing will get your sin's forgiven...

 

Tithes? of Cain and Abel?

Cain offered fruits of the field--not a picture of the Lamb of God. Abel offered the blood of a innocent lamb--a picture of the blood to be shed on the tree at Golgotha. Cain's was rejected. Abel's was accepted. This made Cain so angry he killed Abel.

What this has to do with tithing I am not sure. It certainly has to do with types and pictures of things to come.

Doing the Lord's Supper is simple: have The Body gathered in one place. Sing. Pray. Read the scripture regarding the Lord's Supper. Break bread from one unleavened loaf. Each member of the body partakes(that's closed communion). Each member partakes of the one cup(container) of wine, not Welch's grapeaide(sugar is a leaven of sorts--wrong picture). This do in remembrance of what Jesus did at Calvary, until he returns. It is a memorial supper until the Rapture. Are we ready?

Selah,

Bro. James

 

"I believe the sequence for taking the supper is bread then wine. I teach young preachers to remember it by saying you wash down the bread with the wine. That is the order in scripture and I believe it has meaning which I won’t go into right now."

Just for interest's sake :thumbs:

Luke 22.17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide [it] among yourselves: 18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19 And he took bread , and gave thanks, and brake [it], and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup [is] the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

 

And on that note...I'm going to bed.

This ought to show you how tired I am. I was sitting here wondering for several minutes how playing Chinese music was going to remind anybody of Jesus.:tonofbricks:

Good night!:sleeping_2:

 

Maybe one more note before I go to bed...

The message for the day will typically have some mention of the communion service to follow, of course, if you're preaching right, you should always be mentioning something about Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, so that's not a big stretch.

We are seated with the table in the center aisle, just in front of the pulpit and the pastor behind the table, as well as any other ordained elders present. Men are seated on the left side of the church and women on the right. We'll sing a few pertinent songs and then the pastor will open by asking one of the men to say a prayer for God to be with us during the service. He then reads some scriptures pertaining to the whole purpose of the crucifixion of Christ and how it has meaning for us. He reads through one of the gospel accounts of the story, first about the bread. He then asks for God to bless the bread as Christ himself blessed it the first time around. He breaks the bread into managable pieces and calls 2 deacons (or a couple of the young men) up to pass around the plates of bread...one for each side of the church. The 2 bread carriers then serve the pastor and then each other. They take their seats and the gospel account continues about the wine. The pastor pours the wine into 2 glasses (again, one for each side of the building) and gives God thanks for the blood, as Christ gave thanks when he did it. He then calls up 2 deacons or men again and they follow the same routine as before. Once that is done, the gospel account continues with the pastor explaining how, once supper was finished, Christ laid aside his garment and washed the disciples' feet. He then asks one of the men to allow him to wash their feet and that's the go ahead for all the rest of us to begin washing our brethren's (or sisters, in their case) feet. Once that is done, we sing a song, exchange the right hand of fellowship with everyone, and go out.

Our service will be coming up 2nd Sunday in October.

God be with you during the service.

 

Communion Service

The first time I did it here in Seguin was not a normal way that I was accustomed to doing it. I focused my sermon on what Paul says in Corinthians about the Lord's Supper and how we are to approach it with a clean heart and clear standing with the Lord.

Then, I will read the passage in the N.T. where Christ instituted it prior to His crucifixion. Instead of having the deacons do the passing (we don't have any right now) I took each step of passing the bread and juice myself. As a small congregation we can do that. I served my people to illustrate my humility in Christ as His undershepherd.

When we were done, we simply sang a song and walked out of the building and went home.

This may not work if you have a larger church, but if it is smaller, I would suggest that you and the other interim pastor take a serving approach to the occassion if it is possible. It may be exactly what your church needs.

 

It could be good for Chinese people.