Within the next couple of weeks, we will celebrate Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday (Easter). We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper with all the respect it deserves.
However,
can I be honest, I have become very heartbroken over the years as I have attended
church after church and sat in the pew while they serve the LORD’S SUPPER, or
COMMUNION, as it is often called throughout the remainder of the year. I
recently attended a church that provides the Lord’s Supper every service, so I
began timing just how long they focused on the Lord’s Supper when serving it
weekly. From start to finish it was no more than three minutes per week. Sorry
to offend any pastor that does this, but that is not what Christ expected on
that Passover time as he reflected on His coming sacrifice.
As
Christians, we would not ever think of inviting Christ to dinner at our house
and serving HIM supper the way some of us serve his Supper in church. We would never allow our children to simply
stand or sit wherever, talking throughout the meal, without truly acknowledging
the guests in the house. We would never rush through the meal and move on to
the next activity.
I
guess I’m one of those old fashion preachers/teachers that spent a lot of time
studying Pastoral or Applied Theology and in doing so I remain frustrated. I think every aspect of the service is
important. However, I see pastors and worship leaders put an emphasis on the
music, preaching, and half dozen other things which may be important at the
time, but not when it’s time to serve the Lord’s Supper. The speaker stands for the Lord’s Supper and fails
to take us to the understanding that the Bible clearly sets the stage for the
Lord’s Supper, it is a time of REMEMBRANCE, it is a time of REFLECTION, and
most importantly it is a time of REPENTANCE.
As
I view the Bible and history, I see key elements of presenting and sharing the Lord’s
Supper. In my opinion, if you can’t do it
every time, maybe it is time to reconsider the priorities of the church and come
to the Table when you can prepare to dedicate the proper amount of time.
1)
Introduce the Lord’s
Supper/Communion as a part of the Worship Service. (This is not a part of the
offering, announcements, or invitation)
2)
Explain fully that
it is a time of Remembrance, Reflection, and Repentance.
3)
Give them a chance
to do all three (It is not time to quickly rush the Lord’s Supper, you don’t
rush dinner at home)
4)
Eat and drink it
together, understanding this is a Communal Meal that is shared by the family.
Pastor/friends,
I realize that there are dozens of things happening during any given Service.
However, Christ stated to his disciple “Do this in remembrance of me”
I
don’t know about you, if you rush me through something, I really don’t remember
and don’t care. I guess what I am really doing is asking.
“Is
it time to slow down, and remember what Christ did at the Cross, not just as we
celebrate Good Friday and Easter, but every time we remember his sacrifice in
our worship services?
