The Lord's Supper, also referred to as Communion, is one of the two ordinances of the Church. We have previously discussed the other, baptism, a one-time-only event for a new Christian. In contrast, the Lord's Supper will be celebrated by that baptized believer over and over again during his or her Christian life.
Like baptism, Communion is practiced differently among churches. Some, like the Catholics and the Church of Christ, include it in virtually every service. Others, such as Southern Baptists, celebrate it a few times each year. A small number of churches still mimic the New Testament and make it a full meal, but the vast majority now use small replicas of the loaf and cup. These sacraments are considered by some churches to be merely symbolic, referring to Jesus' broken body and shed blood. The Catholics go further, claiming that the bread and wine miraculously become the flesh and blood of Christ as they are consumed by the believer.
As we try to sort through all these differences, there thankfully is a common thread that runs through every church body as the Lord's Supper is commemorated. This common thread is doubly important because, in addition to clearing the confusion, it involves the very essence of Communion. This common thread lies at the heart of what the Lord's Supper was intended to be, and all churches, despite their dissimilar practices, weave this common thread. In doing so, they remain faithful to the original purpose of the ordinance.
Remembrance is that common thread. The purpose of Communion is to remember the death of Jesus on the cross, and it is comforting that churches today have not abandoned this. This does not mean we have nothing to improve upon. Quite the opposite is true. If our task is to remember, then we must strive to do a better job remembering. We must seek to recapture the emotional depth of the first century believers, many of whom were eyewitnesses to his suffering. We must make it our goal to remember better. We must find ways to better heed the words of Jesus engraved on our communion tables: "Do This in Remembrance of Me".
Because it happens in the mind, we tend to look at remembering as passive, failing to appreciate its active nature. Granted, it is mental, but it is a mental exercise. It is in no way passive; indeed, we must actively bring things into remembrance. The Israelites in the Old Testament knew this from experience. In a world devoid of technology, they had to rely on their memory day after day, and it was hard and tedious labor to do so. But we Christians today should not let our phones and computers lull us into falsehood. Remembering is just as important now and just as much work.
Remembering can be made easier, however, by being creative. When I was in medical school and had to memorize so many facts, my classmates and I would come up with clever alliterations and plays on words to make the task easier and more enjoyable. Churches today need to remember creatively, too. If the purpose of Communion is to remember the death of Jesus, every effort should be made to make the Lord's Supper a meaningful event, and churches need to come up with fresh and creative ways to do so. Ironically, today's technology can be an asset here, providing never-before-seen glimpses into the reality and significance of the Crucifixion.
Bruce Vaughn, a dear college friend, related to me a story that has changed the way I look at Communion. When his young son, Taylor, was dying of cancer, he asked Bruce not to forget him. His greatest fear was not to be remembered. Bruce, of course, was able to assure Taylor that he would be remembered forever.
Jesus, facing death, turned to his disciples and said, "Don't forget me!" Then he gave us a way to remember. We call it the Lord's Supper because he initiated it. We refer to it as Communion because we "come to one" with him as we participate. Apparently, it is as important to Jesus as it was to Taylor not to be forgotten. Will you, the Church, join me in remembering him? Will we continue to celebrate the Lord's Supper as a tribute to him? Can we assure him that we will never forget?
NEXT WEEK
Part 9: Bible study
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