COMMUNION GUIDE

Many have expressed a desire to celebrate communion more frequently than the few times we corporately share in it. We believe that the context of a small community is a great place for this to happen. The following paragraphs are meant to give you some guidelines to make this a meaningful celebration within your group. Please feel free to contact Pastor Ryan with any questions.

WHAT IS COMMUNION (THE LORD’S SUPPER OR EUCHARIST)?

It is the regular remembrance and celebration of the Lord’s sacrificial death. The breaking and eating of bread has to do with Christ’s body being broken on the cross. The drinking from the cup has to do with the shedding of Christ’s blood whereby we are forgiven. [Matthew 26:26–28; 1 Corinthians 11:23–24]

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF COMMUNION?

The primary purpose of communion is to take time to remember all that Jesus did for us in his life, death, and resurrection. It is a time to worship and give thanks for the forgiveness of our sins and the new life and relationship that we have in Jesus Christ. This time of remembrance was initiated by Jesus just before His death. Because we tend to be forgetful people, in the Old Testament, believers were called to remember the faithfulness of God through various memorials. In the New Testament, communion is the way that Jesus wanted us to remember His love and forgiveness of our sins.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NLT

For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 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 in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

These verses also explain that communion is a time of personal examination. It is a time to examine our relationship with the Lord and others.

1 Corinthians 11:27-32 NLT

So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. 31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

WHERE AND HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE CELEBRATE IT?

We believe that it is a good thing for believers to celebrate not only “at church” or in the “church building” but also in homes and appropriate places all around the city. We can celebrate regularly and often. God invites to celebrate as often as we feel is appropriate.

In Acts 2:42-47 we read that believers met on a regular basis in their homes to celebrate communion. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 

WHO CAN TAKE COMMUNION?

Any person who has believed on or trusted the Lord Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. This means it is possible that some members of your group may not want to participate, and that’s ok. Taking communion is a great way for those who are not yet believers to see the gospel on display.

WHO CAN SERVE COMMUNION?

Biblically speaking, anyone who is a follower of Jesus can serve or facilitate communion.

HOW CAN WE SERVE COMMUNION?

There are many ways in which to serve communion. The Bible does not dictate a certain method. We encourage groups to use a loaf of plain bread and cups of grape juice (the early church used wine and the Jewish people used unleavened bread as a representation of passover).

You could celebrate communion after a meal together (this seems to be the way the early church did it (Matthew 26:26–29; Acts 2:42–46; 1 Corinthians 11:20–26). You could make this the centerpiece of your time together or you could partake in it before or after you complete a study and discussion time. The important thing is to remember that this is a time of worship. This is a time of celebration. This is a time of remembering and reflection. Enjoy it and you will see yourself and your friends grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ.

HERE ARE A COUPLE OF IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED:

As you begin your time of celebration you can begin with the reading of some
selected passages of Scripture that remind us of the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection for us:

• Psalm 22
• Isaiah 53
• Mark 15:21–29
• John 19
• 1 Corinthians 15:1–8
• Galatians 2:16–21
• Ephesians 2:1–10
• Philippians 2:1–11

After a time of reading, pass the bread around and ask each member to tear off a piece which represents the body of Jesus Christ that was broken for us.

• Then you can read 1 Corinthians 11:23–26
• Then pass the cup of juice or wine around and have each member dip their bread into the cup, or provide individual cups for each person.
  

Encourage each member to spend a quiet moment in prayer and reflection
after they have taken the bread and juice. After all members have been served close the time with prayer and praise.