BULLETIN ARTICLE – 23 July 2017

The major sacrament of the Church is the Lord’s Supper. Most Churches celebrate it in some form or another incorporated into their Sunday Services. We in BKC celebrate the Lord’s Supper every Sunday but some Churches do it on the first Sunday of the month. This Church sacrament of the Lord’s Supper has strong Bible teaching to back it up and we are encouraged to participate “until He comes” (1 Cor 11:26). All three synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) record the inauguration feast of the Lord’s Supper by Jesus with His disciples just hours before His death when His body and blood was sacrificed for the remission of our sins. Given below are the passages of this inauguration feast from the Gospels.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.” Then He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28)
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” He said to them.” (Mark 14:22-24).
“And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:19-20)
The Corinthian Church had their dinner “love feast” in the large homes of the rich and well-to-do Church members. Incorporated in these “love feast” is the Lord’s Supper. These Church meetings created their own problems between the rich and the poor – a standard societal challenge – and the Apostle had to reprimand the Church members concerning this. He told them: “In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good” (1 Corinthians 11:17). However, we are glad that the clear teaching of the Lord’s Supper was given in this reprimand of his to the Corinthian Christians – given in this Corinthian passage: “The Lord Jesus, on the night 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, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). He also told them that he was not finished with them on this matter with this ending comment: “Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions” (1 Corinthians 11:34).
Every time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper (the bread and the wine) as a Church, let us be thankful for the Lord’s sacrifice on the cross. Let us do it “in remembrance of Him” and “proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes”.