...........................................................................................
THE
SIGNIFICANCE
&
CONDUCTING
OF
COMMUNION
.....................................................................................
Instruction,
especially for leaders of the small church without a pastor
1.
Our
Lord Jesus saw fit to leave us with at least 4 basic mandates:
a)
the
Great Commandment - Mark 12: 28-34;
b)
the
Great Commission - Matthew 28: 16-20;
c)
the
Lord’s Supper - Matthew 26: 17-30; Mark 14: 12-26; Luke 22: 17-20;
d)
baptism
- Mark 1: 9-12; Matthew 3: 13-17; Luke 3: 21.22.
2.
Jesus left working out the theology and practice to Paul - I
Corinthians 11: 17-34. The Corinthians worshiped and fellowshipped from
house to house. They had a difficult time setting the common worship
meal apart from the regular meal. Paul had to instruct them on the
significance of the common worship meal.
3.
Some traditions bread every first day of the week (implied in
Acts 2:37-47) and the communion service is the center, the key to
worship. Other traditions feel this is abusing the Lord’s Supper: that
it should only be once a month and a separate service at that, tied to
the end of a regular worship celebration. These traditions assert they
are word centered (preaching centered) not Lord’s supper centered.
4.
Currently, among many younger leaders, communion becomes the
heart of a worship service once a month. The service is built around its
significance and teaching/preaching is done from the table. Stepping
away from the pulpit (preaching) and standing behind the Lord’s table
(and teaching) and making communion significant is meaningful to many.
Like any other part of our tradition, the Lord’s supper and its
meaning should be taught. Some well-planned variety in planning the
service is helpful.
5.
The Lord’s Supper takes us back to “first things”
regardless of our maturity in the faith. Though often brief, it should
be the vehicle to remind us of the great themes of the faith: faith -
Hebrews 11; reconciliation - II Corinthians 5; justification - passages
in first ten chapters of Romans, Titus 3:7, etc.; redemption - John
3:16; Romans 5:1-11, etc. Salvation - John 3; Romans 10:9-11, I John 5:
1-12, etc.; the resurrection - I Corinthians 15, etc.; The supremacy of
Christ - Colossians 1 and Hebrews 1; the good shepherd - Psalm 23 and
John 10; the death of Jesus - Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; our position
in Christ now - Romans 6; Ephesians 2; I Peter 2: 4-12; Jesus as the
clear word of light and life - I John 1: 1-4; we as children of God -
Romans 8; I John 2-3. We as joint heirs with Christ - Romans 8;
forgiveness and having things right before we come to the table -
Matthew 18; I John 1:9; Ephesians 4:17-32; the glory of the new covenant
- II Corinthians 3:7; the great Hebrews passages; thanksgiving - the
first chapters of several of Paul’s epistles; the Christmas story; the
Easter story; the suffering servant - Isaiah 53. It is very appropriate
to give brief teaching on great themes at the table.
6.
The Lord’s table is a great place to read scripture! It can be
read to the people, and put on the overhead projector so people can read
it our loud as they are led. It could be read by a group of younger
people taking turns. Sometimes well-read scripture can take the place of
any formal teaching or preaching.
7.
Much of our music - hymns, choruses and songs - fits well and can
be chosen to fit in with the theme being expounded from the bible. Some
hymnbooks have a special section of hymns just for communion.
8.
Commemorating the Lord’s Supper should be kept fresh and
anticipated by God’s people. This means thoughtfully planning the
service so it is different and inviting. Being a Christian is a
relationship, so communion is a relational event that needs to fresh and
new. Vary the routine with creative ideas used in other traditions:
a)
Sometimes take out the emblems separately after they are prayed
for separately; other times
pray for them together and deliver them together and take them
together; and other times, have people come forward to receive the
emblems from the elders and return to their seats and wait before the
Lord until all have received it.
b)
Sometimes have brief teaching before, sometimes during, sometimes
after.
c)
Times of silence are good as long as you instruct people how to
use the silence.
d)
Sometimes a fresh testimony of faith from a younger person can be
used.
e)
Baptism and communion done on the same Sunday can be just great!
The two together can be a rich celebration.
f)
Have several people in the congregation lead in prayer. Involve
the pastoral prayer (local church concerns for people) in the praying.
Quietly by authoritatively direct the people in their praying and what
to pray for.
g)
End with a good gospel hymn or song. Something rousing is good!
The Lord’s table is also a time of triumph. Though communion is a
serious, reflective time where Jesus shines and not us, it is not a “down
in the mouth” time.
h)
Close the communion service with prayer circles and then break
out into a song, chorus or hymn.
i)
Communion is a good time to stress unity and accept new people
into the church. It might be a time to recognize the spiritual
accomplishments of some - as long as it does not take away from honoring
Christ.
j)
The bottom line is . . . keep it fresh! This takes prayer and
planning.
k)
Be sure that the young people and children understand the
significance of what is happening in a communion service. These things
should be deliberately taught to children who are 10-12 years old. In
the OT, parents explained everything that was going on in the feasts and
at the temple to their children to make it more meaningful. We should do
the same thing in our tradition.
Dr.
Barrie Palfreyman
Associated
Canadian Theological Schools
Of
Trinity Western University 1/1999