As we approach a weekend where we will share the Lord’s Supper as a church family it seems timely to remember what it is we are doing and why we do it.
Whilst on earth Jesus gave the church two sacraments; Baptism and The Lord’s Supper (often referred to as Communion).
Baptism is a ‘one time sacrament’ displaying an inward reality of saving faith of a believer.
As a church we believe that baptism is reserved for believers (a practice often referred to as ‘credo-baptism’ or ‘faith-based’ baptism). As a believer is immersed in the water they declare that Christ has died for their sin and they are now joined to him. Emerging from the water is symbolic of new life that Christ has bought us in his resurrection from the dead.
The apostle Paul explains,
“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4)
Whilst baptism is a one time sacrament, the Lord’s Supper is an ‘ongoing sacrament’ reserved for believers.
As we enjoy this meal together we are acting out the gospel to one another. These two elements (the bread and the wine) are physical reminders of how we enter God’s kingdom, by trusting in the broken body and spilled blood of Jesus on the cross.
The Lord’s Supper is therefore a chance to mourn as we remember what it cost Jesus to free us from sin. At the same time it is a celebration that Jesus’ saving work has been completed. It is also a fresh chance to confess our sin individually and corporately. It acts as an opportunity to affirm our faith in the Lord Jesus and commit ourselves afresh to following him in obedience.
In addition the meal helps us remember a future meal which we will enjoy in heaven one day.
As Jesus inaugurates this meal at the Last Supper with his disciples he makes them a promise.
“I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29)
The Lord’s Supper is a gift to us which we receive so much benefit from, hence why it is often referred to as a ‘means of grace’.
The Lord’s Supper is also a chance for the local church to remember our corporate identity and unity in Christ. God’s people in the Old Testament were given the Passover meal to celebrate together. The Passover was a meal God’s people enjoyed together which helped them remember God’s mighty act of rescue from Egypt. As they ate in their households on the same night of the year it gave them that corporate identity and unity as God’s people.
On the night before his crucifixion Jesus took this Passover meal and ushered in a new meal…the Lord’s Supper. When we gather around the Lord’s Table as a local church family we are doing the same thing. We are remembering our corporate identity in Christ and our unity through Christ.
As elders we would want to emphasise the importance of physically gathering together and the Lord’s Supper is a physical meal we enjoy in our physical gatherings.
But where does that leave children?
Can they take the Lord’s Supper?
We believe that children need to witness and observe the Lord’s Supper. When the Passover was given to the Israelite's it came with this command,
“Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelite's in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” (Exodus 12:24-26)
Similarly our children need to see and witness what’s going on when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. One of the benefits of this is that they will ask us questions which will help them gain understanding of the gospel of salvation as we explain what is happening. This is why children will come back from their groups and re-join us for the Lord’s Supper on a Sunday morning.
At the same time we need to remember that partaking of the Lord’s Supper is an ongoing sacrament for those trusting in Christ, a faith expressed and demonstrated by the one time sacrament of baptism. As parents (and as a church family) we need to help our children understand what the meal is and who it is for. However hard it may be we may also need to encourage them to wait until they have been baptised before joining in this meal.
This was the topic discussed at a recent parenting session with children of under 11's. For anyone wishing to chat further about any of the above we'd be happy for you to get in touch.