As Jesus asked us to, we celebrate the Lord’s Supper regularly in our worship services, remembering the great price that Jesus paid for each of us on Calvary, recalling His sacrifice, and anticipating His return.
PARTICIPATION – the first prerequisite for participation is Salvation. Taking the Lord’s Supper is not just an act or an event. It is personal obedience to the command of Jesus Christ to His believers. Are you a Believer in Jesus Christ? If so, we invite you to participate in this celebration with us. If not, we invite you to speak with one of our staff members or church leaders about putting your faith in Jesus Christ.
PREPARATION – one of the most important parts of observing the Lord’s Supper and is a requirement that is set forth in 1 Corinthians. The Apostle Paul writes…Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. (Read 1 Corinthians 11:27-31 )
EXAMINE YOUR THOUGHTS – fully confess and forsake whatever sins God brings to mind – unclean or lustful thoughts; dwelling on worldly rather than spiritual things; angry thoughts, bitterness or unforgiveness. (Read Proverbs 23:7a)
EXAMINE YOUR ATTITUDES – fully confess and forsake whatever sins God brings to mind – harsh or critical attitudes; proud or condescending attitudes towards others; jealous of others. (Read Philippians 2:5)
EXAMINE YOUR SPEECH – fully confess and forsake whatever sins God brings to mind – speaking inappropriate slang talk; cursing or telling off-color jokes; exaggerating or telling lies; pattern of complaining or griping; critical or judgmental of others. (Read Ephesians 4:29; Ephesians 5:4 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18)
EXAMINE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS – fully confess and forsake whatever sins God brings to mind – offending someone without asking forgiveness; harboring unforgiveness or anger toward anyone; speaking negatively about others; gossip; poor relationships with family members. (Read Matthew 5:23-24; Matthew 6:14-15)
EXAMINE YOUR SINS OF COMMISSION – fully confess and forsake whatever sins God brings to mind – sexual immorality; viewing unclean things on TV, the internet or movies; idolatry by placing anyone or anything over loving and serving the Lord; habits that abuse or harm the body; gambling; new ageism; being harsh or unkind to others; anything that does not allow perfect peace. (Read Psalm 51)
EXAMINE YOUR SINS OF OMISSION – fully confess and forsake whatever sins God brings to mind – failing to abide in Christ by neglecting regular time in God’s Word and prayer, neglecting to be a witness for Christ; failure to discern and regularly use the spiritual gifts God has given you; failure to support and respect your spiritual leaders; failing to daily pursue holiness; robbing God of acceptable financial offerings; neglecting your family. (Read James 4:17)
EMBRACING FULL SURRENDER TO JESUS – a prayer of obedience: Lord, I fully surrender every part of my life to Your control. I will seek to obey You in everything You tell me to do and will seek to stop doing everything You tell me to stop doing. I will serve You in any way You ask me to serve. I will turn from the sins You have already clearly shown me. I claim James 4:8 . . . Draw near to God, and He will draw near to You. Amen. (Read Matthew 16:24)
www.shbctul.com
Luke 22:17-20
And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”
1 Corinthians 11:26
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
1 Corinthians 10:21
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
1 Corinthians 11:20-21
Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk.
1 Corinthians 11:23
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;
1 Corinthians 11:25
In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Matthew 26:26-27
While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you;
Matthew 26:27-28
for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
Mark 14:22-23
While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
Mark 14:23-24
And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
Luke 22:20
And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
John 20:26
After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Luke 24:30
When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.
John 6:11
Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8
Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
John 11:50
nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”
John 13:1
Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
Numbers 9:12
‘They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute of the Passover they shall observe it.
Mark 14:25
“Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Luke 22:16
for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
1 Corinthians 11:27-32
Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. read more.
But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
1 Corinthians 11:28
But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
bible.knowing-jesus.com
Today is widely regarded as the best Sunday of the month at Grace Fellowship Church. We gather in the morning for our regular morning service but afterward, instead of going our separate ways, we enjoy a potluck fellowship lunch. Following that, we have a brief second service that culminates in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. I thought this was an appropriate prayer for any of us who are preparing to enjoy Lord’s Supper on this Lord’s Day. It is drawn from The Valley of Vision.
God of all good,
I bless thee for the means of grace;
teach me to see in them thy loving purposes
and the joy and strength of my soul.
Thou hast prepared for me a feast;
and though I am unworthy to sit down as guest,
I wholly rest on the merits of Jesus,
and hide myself beneath his righteousness;
When I hear his tender invitation
and see his wondrous grace,
I cannot hesitate, but must come to thee in love.
By thy spirit enliven my faith rightly to discern
and spiritually to apprehend the Saviour.
While I gaze upon the emblems of my Saviour’s death,
may I ponder why he died, and hear him say,
‘I gave my life to purchase yours,
presented myself an offering to expiate your sin,
shed my blood to blot out your guilt,
opened my side to make you clean,
endured your curses to set you free,
bore your condemnation to satisfy divine justice.’
Oh may I rightly grasp the breadth and length of this design,
draw near, obey, extend the hand,
take the bread, receive the cup,
eat and drink, testify before all men
that I do for myself, gladly, in faith,
reverence and love, receive my Lord,
to be my life, strength, nourishment, joy, delight.
In the supper I remember his eternal love,
boundless grace, infinite compassion,
agony, cross, redemption,
and receive assurance of pardon, adoption, life, glory.
As the outward elements nourish my body,
so may thy indwelling Spirit invigorate my soul,
until that day when I hunger and thirst no more,
and sit with Jesus at his heavenly feast.
www.challies.com
Our congregation celebrates the Lord’s Supper every Sunday and we always have non-Christians present. We print these prayers in our bulletin to give those who are investigating faith a place to direct both their anxieties and their searching hearts.
*borrowed and adapted from City Church, San Francisco.
—
PRAYERS FOR THOSE NOT TAKING THE LORD’S SUPPER
Prayer for Those Searching for the Truth
Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth, and the life. Grant that I might be undaunted by the cost of following you as I consider the reasons for doing so. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open to me the reality of who you are. Give me an understanding of you that is coherent, convincing, and that leads to the life that you promise. Amen.
Prayer of Belief
Lord Jesus, I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever before believed, but through you I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank you for paying my debt, bearing my punishment on the cross, and offering forgiveness and new life. Knowing that you have been raised from the dead, I turn from my sins and receive you as Savior and Lord. Amen.
Prayer of Commitment
Lord Jesus, you have called us to follow you in baptism and in a life of committed discipleship in your church. Grant that I may take the necessary steps to be one with your people, and live in the fullness of your Spirit. Amen.
cardiphonia.org
