This lesson addresses what the Lord's Supper means and how it is to be observed in the local New Testament church.

1. The Lord’s Supper
Who, What, When, Where, Why, How
Ptr./Dr. JF Smith
Faith Missionary Bible Institute
jfrsmth@gmail.com [no “i” in jfrsmth]

2. Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring to keep
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace.
*Endeavoring : striving; working hard

3. The Context
(1 Corinthians 11:20-22)
20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to
eat the Lord's supper.
21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper:
and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise
ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What
shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
*them that have not : the poor in the church

4. What was happening in Corinth?

5. • The church met weekly to observe the Lord’s Supper
• The Lord’s Supper was part of a weekly fellowship meal
• The rich brethren would come early to eat the food and some
would get drunk from the wine
• Perhaps they were hungry and did not want to wait for the working class to
arrive later
• The rich brethren may not have wanted to eat with the poor brethren
• By their actions, they did not acknowledge that Christ died for the rich and
the poor
• When the poor brethren arrived (perhaps after work), there was no
more food
• They were humiliated
• They went hungry
• The Lord’s Supper had deteriorated into disunity and lack of
consideration for the poorer brethren

6. The Ordinance
(1 Corinthians 11:23-25)
23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered
unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was
betrayed took bread:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take,
eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in
remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had
supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood:
this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
*Ordinance : authoritative command

7. The Purpose
(1 Corinthians 11:26)
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this
cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Remembering the past Looking forward to the future
Rejoicing in
fellowship today

8. The Lord’s Supper is also a visual prayer (a reminder) for the Lord to
return (Joh 14:3) and bring us to the Wedding Feast (Rev 19:7-9)
1 Corinthians 11:26
For as often as ye eat this bread,
and drink this cup, ye do shew the
Lord's death till he come
Matthew 6:9-10
9 After this manner therefore pray
ye: Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done in earth, as it is in heaven.
The Lord’s Supper is a kind of acting
out a prayer for His return.

9. The Warning
(1 Corinthians 11:27-30)
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup
of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood
of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that
bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and
drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and
many sleep.
*unworthily : irreverently; lacking respect; immorally
*damnation : condemnation; guilt
*sleep : death
*discerning : understanding

10. What was Paul expressing here?

11. • Unworthily…, is to come to the fellowship meal and partake in the
Lord’s Supper with the wrong attitude
• It does NOT refer to someone of weak faith
• It does NOT refer to someone who is not perfect
• It does NOT refer to someone who sins
• It DOES mean that it should be observed with understanding
• It DOES mean it should be observed with reverence
• It DOES mean that we should be exercising love for one another
• It DOES mean that we should be sincere and fessed up when taking it

12. • Guilty…, is a reference to taking the sacrifice of Christ lightly;
making it a joke
• Examine himself…, is clear
• Eating and drinking damnation…, means that you are bringing
yourself under the chastisement of the Lord
• Not discerning…, refers to not understanding what the Lord
endured and accomplished for us
• Weakly…sick…sleep…, refers to the results of God’s chastisement

13. The Admonition
(1 Corinthians 11:31-34)
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that
we should not be condemned with the world.
33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry
one for another.
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not
together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when
I come.
*judge ourselves : examine and correct ourselves
*tarry : wait

14. The Lord’s Supper
Who, What, When, Where, Why, How

15. WHO observes the Lord’s Supper
• The church (the body of believers)
• Believers
• It is meaningless to an unsaved person
• Ideally, they will not partake
• Ideally, they will understand that it is not yet for them
• But, if they partake – they partake
• We, as believers, should be concerned with ourselves

16. Unbelievers may enter the assembly
• Judas was at the last supper
• But, it is thought that he left the room to betray Christ before
the Lord instituted the ordinance
• Acts 2:47
• …And the Lord added to the church daily such as should
be saved.
• 1 Corinthians 14:23-25
• …and there come in one that believeth not…

17. WHAT is the Lord’s Supper
• One of two ordinances given the church by the
Lord
• Believer’s Baptism (Acts 2:41)
• Observe the Lord’s Supper (Mark 14:23-24)

18. What it is NOT
• A funeral
• A time of extreme solemnity
• A time of disunity
• Such as can be seen by everyone sitting apart
• Such as can be observed by wafers

19. WHEN do we observe the Lord’s Supper
•As often as ye would (1
Corinthians 11:25-26, 33)
• As often as you want
• No timeframe given, but
apparently, it was done
weekly (e.g. Ac 20:7, 1 Co
11:20)
• The church must decide

20. Be watchful…
• That it is not observed too often.
• When something is done too often it can become a ritual (routine,
meaningless)
• That it is not observed often enough.
• The body may lose the blessing.
• We want to be watchful that we do not lose the meaning of the
Lord’s Supper or the blessing of the Lord’s Supper
• One way to do that is to examine ourselves and find a
balance in how often it is observed.

21. WHERE do we observe the Lord’s Supper
•When ye come together therefore into one
place (1 Corinthians 11:20)

22. WHY do we observe the Lord’s Supper
• To show forth/remember His death (1 Corinthians
11:24-25)
• To show forth His coming (1 Corinthians 11:26)
• A rehearsal for the Wedding Banquet
• Mark 14:25
• Revelation 19:9

23. The Lord’s Supper is. . .
• A time of giving thanks…
• A time of Christ-centered fellowship…
• A time for reflection…
• A time of joy…

24. Doctrine : It must be made CLEAR:
Communion does not save a person
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God…
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us…

25. HOW do we observe the Lord’s Supper
• Fellowship meal plus Lord’s Supper
• In unity
• One loaf of bread
• One cup
• Joyfully
• With fellowship
• Centered around Jesus Christ
• With sins confessed
• With right attitudes

26. Close(d) or Open
• Only known members of the assembly, or
• (+) Prevents unworthiness
• (-) Makes the leader a judge
• Anyone who attends and professes to be a Christian
• (+) Each examines himself
• (+) No one offended
• (-) You do not know who is among you
• (-) Someone may suffer because it was done unworthily

27. What about Children?
• They must know that this does not save them
• This does not make them a Christian
• Otherwise, let them take of the (bread) and juice if they
want.

28. Variables
(that you as a church must decide upon)
• Before, during, or after the love feast (meal).
• Morning assembly, afternoon, or evening
• Open or close(d)
• Break the bread and pass, or bread on table
• Bread that has leaven (yeast) or not
• Wine or grape juice
• One cup or one pitcher (?)

29. THE END