Distinctives of the Christian and Missionary Alliance of the Philippines
CHURCH ORDINANCES
Ordinances of the church are ceremonies or practices that are ordained (ordered, decreed) by God in the bible.
The Alliance
Lesson 6
THE LORD’S SUPPER
OR COMMUNION
Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, is
an ordinance instituted by Jesus Christ, and is to be celebrated regularly by
all of His followers until He returns.
The Lord’s Supper is described in
three of the gospels – Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 13:22-26: Luke 22:14-20.
I.
Background
A. The first communion service took place at last
Passover meal Jesus ate with His disciples just before He was betrayed.
1.
The Passover meal celebrated the freeing of the
Hebrews (Jews) from their captivity in Egypt
2.
Although this happened many years before Christ, it
was a prophetic illustration of what Jesus would do for us. It is because of the sacrifice of His death
and His blood which was poured out for us that we have eternal life, and need
not fear the Angel of Death.
B. Read the account of the Lord’s Supper in Luke
22:14-20.
1.
When Jesus and His disciples had finished eating the
Passover meal together, Jesus took a cup of wine and some bread. In verse 19, what does Jesus say is the
bread? What is the cup? (vs.20).
2.
A covenant
is an agreement either between persons, or between God and a person, or between
God and a people. The seal is sign that
guarantees that the covenant will not be broken.
a.
In the Old Testament God made a covenant with the
Jews in which He promised them that He would be their God and they would be His
people. The Jews, on their part, would
obey the Lord and do everything He commanded.
This covenant was guaranteed – sealed – by the sacrifice of cattle and
the pouring out of their blood in the ceremony that sealed the covenant –
Exodus 24:4-8.
b.
The new covenant Luke talks about in verse 20, is
God’s promise to mankind that He will be our God and we will be His
people. In order for this to be
possible, Jesus poured out His blood for us.
In turn, what is to be our part of the covenant?
c.
What shows us that God’s promise will never be
broken?
II.
The Celebration
of Communion
A. We remember the death of Christ –Luke 22:19,20;
1Corinthians 11:23-25.
1.
We remember that the new covenant was established
through the sacrificial death of Jesus.
He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice and poured out His blood so
that our sins can be forgiven – Hebrews 9:15-22.
2.
We remember that Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life,
came down from heaven – John 6:51. And,
as bread is broken, so too was His body broken for us – 1Corinthians 11:23,24.
3.
We remember that, “Because Jesus Christ did what god
wanted him to do, we are all purified from sin by the offering that he made of
his own body, once and for all… and offering that is effective forever, and
then he sat down at the right side of God” –Hebrews 10:10,12.
B. We celebrate a sacred communion with the Lord in His
death.
The taking of the
bread and cup symbolizes our union with Him.
This means:
1. Complete identification with Him
As in the sacrament of baptism, we participate symbolically in the
Lord’s death Romans 6:4-6.
2. Total dependence upon Him
We realize, as we partake symbolically of the body and blood of Christ,
our total dependence upon Him for our spiritual life and well-being
–1Corinthians 10:16.
Just as we take food into our bodies and absorb it for our physical
nourishment, so, Jesus says, we must take Him into our souls for our spiritual
nourishment – John 6:48 –58.
Although we do not magically take part of the physical flesh and blood
of Jesus, we do in faith, reaffirm the sacrifice of His body for us. So that, because we live in Him and He lives
in us – John 6:56, we not only have eternal life – John 6:58, but also
provision for our spiritual nourishment and strength – Ephesians 6:10.
C. We acknowledge with gratitude what we have received
from God
We remember with
great thanksgiving –1Corinthians 10:16, the forgiveness and life God has
provided for us through His Son. (The
word Eucharist used by some for Communion comes from a Latin word
meaning grateful.)
D. We celebrate our unity as members of the body of
Christ – 1Corinthians 10:16,17
The celebration
of communion symbolizes the worldwide unity of believers, for though we are
many, as members of one body we share the same Christ, united together with Him
by faith.
E. We proclaim the Lord’s death – 1Corinthians
11:26.
Through the
celebration of communion we proclaim – tell out –God’s redeeming mercy toward
all mankind.
F. We look forward to the Lord’s return – 1Corinthians
11:26.
1.
In each of the three Gospel accounts of the Last
supper, we read about Jesus speaking of the future time when the Kingdom of god
will come.
2.
We are to continue to celebrate communion until the
Lord comes again –1Corinthians 11:26.
III.
Instructions
Concerning Communion
A. We should never take the celebration of communion as
just another service in the church. It
is a solemn rite, instituted by the Lord Himself, with deep meaning and
importance.
B. In 1Corinthians 11:27-34, Paul gives some
instructions to those taking part in the Lord’s Supper.
1. What warnings and
advice are given in verses 27-30?
2.
In verse 29, how does Paul explain the meaning of
the phrase in verse 27: “…in an unworthy
manner? (New International Version) “…in a way that
dishonors him” (Jesus Christ) (Today’s English Version)? NOTE – One reason we do not give communion to
small children is that they do not yet recognize (discern) – understand – the
meaning of sin and the terrible price Jesus had to pay because of our sin.
3. What judgment had
come upon some of the Corinthian Christians because of their wrong manner of
taking part in the Lord’s supper? (vs. 30)
4. When we take part
in the communion service, how can our attitudes and actions show honor to the
Lord and a proper, reverent
understanding of the meaning and importance of the Lord’s Supper?
5. Why is
self-examination so important? (vs.31)
6. Why does the Lord
discipline us a Christians? (vs.32)
C. How often should communion be celebrated, and how
should it be celebrated?
The Bible does not say how often we should celebrate
communion.
In Alliance churches in the Philippines
The Bible also does not give specific instructions as to the way we
should celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
However, it is important that it be celebrated reverently and
worshipfully. It should never be hurried
through.
Most Alliance
In the early Christian church, believers celebrated communion together
at a regular meal. Today, whether or not
it is part of a meal, members of the body of Christ still share together a
communion with Christ – “Because there is the one loaf of bread, all of us,
though many, are one body, for we all share the same loaf” –1Corinthians 10:17.
The celebration of the Lord’s Supper
will receive its full meaning in the Kingdom of God –Luke 22:16, when the
members of Christ’s Church are united with Him in heaven, and every believer
from all time will fellowship together at the wedding feast of the Lamb
–Revelation 19:5-9.
