Lord's Supper Liturgy

Lord’s Supper Service

The Lord’s Supper is a special event in the life of a church.  It’s all about remembering what God graciously did in punishing His Son to forgive our sins.  It’s about God’s grace in applying that saving work to us through the gift of faith in Christ alone.  It’s about the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternity with him where sickness, sorrow, toil, pain, and death shall be no more and we shall see him face to face. It’s all about what God has done for us, what he is doing for us, and what he is going to do for us in Christ.

Words of Institution

In I Corinthians 11:23-29, we have the words of institution of the Lord’s Supper delivered to us by the apostle Paul.  Here the word of the Lord,

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, And when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “this is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the lord's death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.  Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.  That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.  But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.  But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

In light of Paul’s warning, the Lord’s Supper is also a time of self-examination.  In order for us to partake of the supper rightly, each of us must examine ourselves.  You need to ask yourselves some serious questions.  Do you realize how serious your sin is to Holy God?  Are you resting fully in what Christ has done to forgive you for your sins (His perfect life, sacrificial death, and resurrection)?  Are you persevering in faith and repentance?

If you have not trusted Him as Savior, there is good news: Jesus says,

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

(Matthew 11:28-30)

And John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

If you are trusting in Christ as your Savior and sin has hindered your fellowship with God and your brother there is good news for you as well, I John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Invitation

If you have trusted Christ as your Savior and you have properly examined yourself and confessed your sins then you may joyfully partake of the Lord’s Supper this morning.  But, I urge you, by the Words of the Apostle Paul, if these things are not true of you then do not partake of the Lord’s Supper lest you eat and drink judgment upon yourself.

So, at this time, I’d like us to pause for a moment of silent reflection and self-examination.  I encourage you to use this time to confess sin, to praise God for his gracious plan of redemption, to remember the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus, to thank him for all the benefits of his saving work and the privilege of communing with Him at His table.  Will you bow with me?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we admit to you this morning that we are utterly sinful and unworthy of your favor.  We want to thank you for your grace and your mercy and love for us in that while we were yet sinners you sent your only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to save us from our sinful condition.  It was your plan before the foundation of the world.  Thank you Jesus for living a perfect life, for dying on the cross and shedding your blood for our sins, for defeating death and sin and satisfying the Father’s wrath that was aimed at us.  Father, thank you for the assurance of knowing that all those who trust Jesus Christ will one day spend eternity with you because on the third day Jesus rose again and ascended to your mighty right hand where he is today as our great high priest making intercession for us.  Lord, enable us day by day to live by faith in your Son, to walk by your Spirit, and serve in the strength that you supply.  And, as we come to your table this morning may we remember why Jesus died – to cleanse and to heal; to satisfy your righteousness and justice.  May we remember His eternal love and boundless grace.  May we receive the assurance of forgiveness, eternal life, and the hope of glory.  As the bread and cup nourish our body, so may your indwelling Holy Spirit strengthen our soul, until the day of Christ’s appearing when we will hunger and thirst no more, and sit with him at his heavenly table.  We ask that you would come quickly Lord Jesus.  Amen.

Lord’s Supper

Men, if you would come forward to receive the elements.

Hold up the bread

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.  (I Cor. 11:23-24)

Hold up the cup

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.  (I Cor. 11:25-26)

Congregational Lord’s Prayer (Mat. 6:9-13)

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Lord’s Supper

Men, if you would pass out the bread.

The body of our Lord, Jesus Christ, which was given for us.  Let us eat together.

Men, if you would pass out the cup.

The blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, through which we have the forgiveness of sins.  Let us drink together.