Lord’s Supper

A beautiful thing about doctrine is that it can change, be within orthodoxy, and yet that change can make a world of difference. That’s how I’m feeling about the lord’s supper. As a Baptist, the tendency is to focus on the participants of this wonderful church ordinance. And that’s not a bad thing to consider and compare against scripture. However, that’s not Paul’s focus as some of my Baptist brethren may not realize.

In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul lays out two vital things for us as believers to understand about the lord’s supper. Paul makes it clear that we in light of the lord’s supper are to remember the Lord and seek unity with the brothers. Stated another way, the lord’s supper is all about Jesus’ work and community unity. Here’s what I mean: when believers partake of the lord’s supper, we look back to what Jesus did on the cross at Calvary, so that we can look forward to what Chris will do when he returns. The lord’s supper is an ordinance set smack dab in between the first and second coming of Jesus.

Many Baptists take the memorial view of this ordinance as if the past is all that matters. But we must not let historical precedence or influence keep us from seeing the present and future sense of this ordinance in the life of the church.

In addition to that, we understand that the problems the Corinthians were having all centered around seeking unity. The rich mistreated the poor and folks were showing up wasted without an iota of a care for those who had more solemnity for the ordinance. Therefore, Paul sets the people straight and highlights how God has punished some by death.

And may I remind us all that if there’s any disunity amongst the local body, Matthew instructed us to leave our gift at the altar and go make that right. That falls right in line with what Paul’s saying in 1 Corinthians 11.

So I’ll say it again – the lord’s supper is all about Jesus’ work and community unity. May this truth call us to consider our hearts before a holy God and sinful brethren who are bound together because of the work of Jesus that we look back to so that we can look forward to his final consummation.

Soli Deo Gloria

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Tags: Jesus, Lord's Supper, Unity