The Lord’s Supper is an integral part of Christian worship; it causes us to remember our Lord’s death and look for His glorious return.
We look backward to the cross (1 Corinthians 11:24, “Do this in remembrance of me”). The Lord’s Supper is a memorial supper, a ceremony of remembrance. When we partake of the unleavened bread, we remember that Christ’s body was cruelly treated and nailed to the cross. When we partake of the fruit of the vine, we remember that the blood of Christ was poured out of his body. His body and blood were a sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 10:19-20).
We look outward to the lost (1 Corinthians 11:26, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death…”). When we assemble to partake of the Lord’s Supper, we are making a statement that Christ died for the world, and we set an example to all those who observe us keeping our weekly appointment with the Lord at His table. This includes the lost. Going to the Supper is preaching by example. Anyone can preach Christ in this manner (Colossians 4:5).
We look forward to eternity (1 Corinthians 11:26, “…eat this bread and drink this cup… till he come”). For each of us individually, “till he comes” means “the coming of Christ.” Thus, the hymn writer called it “the little while between.” We know that eternity could be upon any one of us at any moment either by death or by the Lord’s return. The Lord’s Supper week by week helps us stay focused on the real purpose of this short life (James 4:14; Revelation 3:3).
We look inward to ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:28, “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup”). We are to partake of the Lord’s Supper in a spirit of self-examination. When we examine ourselves honestly, we find ourselves unrighteous without Christ, and greatly in need of the sacrifice He made. We see His death as our life. The Lord’s Supper encourages us to rededicate ourselves to being crucified with Christ and letting Him live in us (Romans 12:3; Galatians 2:20).
We look upward to the glorious Christ (1 Corinthians 11:23, “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you.” 1 Corinthians 11:29, “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body”). Paul communicated the message of God. Therefore, we must judge Christ’s body rightly when we recognize that Christ in the flesh was killed as a sacrifice for sin, He was then raised up from the dead, and He later ascended into heaven and was glorified (Acts 2:23-24). He lives and reigns as Lord in glory today (Acts 3:13). At the Lord’s Table, we eat unleavened bread and drink fruit of the vine in recognition and discernment of these truths.
