In my experience there is quite a bit of confusion when it comes to the moments that we use to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. I think that it is important for us to look to the scriptures in order to bring some clarity in our hearts and minds. Not to learn some knowledge in our heads, but to influence the way that we practice and experience the Eucharist. We choose to celebrate the Lord’s supper every Sunday (and more often on occasion). The inherent danger is that we make it too common, and the Lord’s supper is not common, it is extremely deep and meaningful.
Communion is not about personal confession. Confessing our sins to God is not only a good practice, we are told to do it. But that is not the purpose or the design of the Lord’s Supper. Somewhere along the way someone has misinterpreted the scripture from 1 Corinthians 11 that talks about examining yourself before you digest the cup and loaf. For years people have interpreted this to mean to find the sin in your life and confess it and then partake, because if you don’t you partake in an unworthy manner. And, out of it’s context, it is easy to read that interpretation into the text. But look at the verses before and after. “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.” (1 Corinthians 11:27-29) If we spend the time we are given thinking about ourselves and the sins that we have committed we are very possibly guilty of partaking in an unworthy manner. Why? Because we are not thinking about what God has done, we are only thinking of ourselves. Communion isn’t for guilt or a “woe is me” attitude.
The Lord’s Supper, Communion, the Eucharist, is all about God and what He has done through his son. That is what we are to think about, His body, His Blood, His death, His resurrection, all because of His love. After all, Jesus gave us the instruction himself. “After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, ‘Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’” (Luke 22:17-19) Really, it’s that simple.
Humbly,
Dave
