‘Understanding Church’ #3

 Why do we share bread and wine together?  What is the purpose of it?

What is it, and what should we call it?  Four accounts from the Last Supper:  Matthew  Mark  Luke  1 Corinthians  Different names in different traditions:  Mass (Catholic)  Eucharist (Anglican)  Lord’s Supper (Baptist)  Breaking of Bread (Brethren)  We ‘break bread’, but it’s still Jesus’ Supper!

Who should take part in it?  Four views of the bread and wine:  They become Jesus’ body and blood (Catholic)  Jesus’ body and blood is present with then (Lutheran)  Jesus’ body and blood is received by faith (Calvinist)  They are symbols only of Jesus’ body and blood (Zwingli)  What does it mean to “examine ourselves” (v28)?  = honour/judge rightly/pay attention to ourselves (v31) and to the body of Christ (v29)  = stop divisions (v17-19) and disregard (v20-22)  Inappropriate for non-Christians, but not dangerous!

How should we do it, and why?  No instructions in NT, except what we have seen  Not re-enacting the scene of the Last Supper, but remembering Jesus  What good does it do us? What should we “feel”?  No salvation otherwise (Catholic)  Blessing of Christ’s presence (Lutheran)  Spiritual refreshing, forgiveness affirmed (Calvinist)  One way to encounter Christ (Zwingli)  Special presence of Christ never mentioned in NT ◦ Point is always to remember Jesus and affirm fellowship

 Come not because you must, but because you may.  Come not because you are strong, but because you are weak.  Come not because any goodness of your own gives you the right, but because you need mercy and help.  Come because you love the Lord a little, and would like to love Him more.

 Come because He loved you and gave Himself for you.  Come not because this table belongs to the Church, but because it belongs to the Lord.  Come and meet the risen Christ, for we are His body.

 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name; Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.  Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen

On the night he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then He broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” In the same way after supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and His people -an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.”

Loving God, our heavenly Father, we thank for sending your Son Jesus into our dark world with signs of hope and words of life, to rescue us from sin and death. This is His story;  this is our song. On the night He was betrayed, He met with His friends to remember the rescue of your ancient people; so now we remember ours. This is His story;  this is our song.

Therefore with this bread and wine we celebrate the cross on which He died to rescue us. Conquering death, He rose and is alive with You, pleading for us and our world. This is our story;  this is our song.  Amen

 Distribution of bread and wine

From where we are to where You need us to be,  Jesus now lead on. From the sanctuary of what we know to the adventure You will reveal,  Jesus now lead on. To refashion the fabric of the world until it resembles the shape of Your Kingdom,  Jesus now lead on. Because good things have been prepared for those who love God,  Jesus now lead on.