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hat a blessing it is for Christians to come together on
Sunday, the Lord’s Day, to remember the death of Jesus. What a great honor God
has bestowed upon the men who are chosen to take the lead in giving thanks and
serving the Lord’s Supper. It is a time of communion—a time when all
Christians, with purpose in their hearts, remember the body and blood of Jesus
in fellowship.
When
David wrote, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully
made;...” (Ps. 139:14), he must have
had in mind (along with other things) our ability to remember. Even though many
centuries have come and gone since Jesus died, each Sunday we can travel back
in time to the scenes of Calvary.
The
memorial that Jesus chose to remember is a perpetual one. If He had chosen a
physical statue or a hugh image of the cross as objects for remembrance, time
would have defaced these and they would have disappeared. However, in all
generations until the Lord returns, the unleavened bread and the fruit of the
vine are new and fresh reminders each Lord’s Day of the body and blood of Jesus
(1 Cor. 1:24-26).
As
we remember the body and blood of Jesus, we want to do so in accordance to His
will, and this involves every member of the church. It is not enough to eat a
portion of unleavened bread and drink a small amount of juice from the vine. We
must do so in a worthy manner by discerning the Lord’s body (1 Cor. 11:29).
Likewise,
when men offer thanks at the Lord’s Table, we are to follow the guidelines of
the word—according to divine instructions.
When
Paul reviewed the example of the time that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper
(1 Cor. 11:23-30), he set forth the following guidelines:
(1) He
began with the bread (vs. 23).
(2) He gave thanks (vs. 24); Mark records that He “blessed and broke it” (Mk.
14:22).
(3) He gave thanks for the cup.
(4) The
purpose of each one was to be in remembrance of the death of Jesus.
Therefore,
each one of us who offers thanks at the Lord’s Table should analyze our prayers
to make sure we are meeting the scriptural requirements. Based on the model
prayer, the instituting of the Lord’s Supper, and other New Testament teaching
on prayer, the following pattern should be followed:
1. Address The Father
Jesus
taught His disciples to address their prayers to: “Our Father in heaven” (Mt. 6:9). Therefore, when giving thanks for the
bread and cup, representing the body and blood of Jesus, we should always speak
directly TO the Father.
When
Jesus gave thanks for the bread and cup, nothing infers that He gave thanks to
Himself. When we offer thanks, we are remembering the body and blood of Jesus,
but expressing thanks to our Father in heaven.
2. Address The Father With Honor
Referring
back to the model prayer, after addressing the Father in heaven, Jesus added, “Hallowed
be Your name” (Mt. 6:9). In our
prayers at the Lord’s Table, there are many expressions that can be used to
honor Him. We can honor Him by using the words, “Dear Father,” “Precious
Father,” “Holy Father,” and others. Thus, addressing the Father with honor is
an important part of worship.
3. Confine Prayers To The Cross
When
offering thanks for the Lord’s Supper, it is not the proper time to pray a
general prayer. Other times have been set-aside for this. Have you ever heard
prayers before serving the bread and the fruit of the vine, where the death of
Jesus was hardly mentioned? This is not the way it should be, because the whole
occasion centers around the death of Jesus.
We
do not need ANYTHING, even other important spiritual things, to take our minds
from Calvary. Paul quoted Jesus as saying, after both the bread and cup were
blessed, “This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as
often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death
till He comes” (1 Cor. 11:24-26).
4. Always Give Thanks or Bless the Bread and the Cup
It
is at this point (more than any other) that prayers around the Lord’s Table deviate from the New Testament pattern. In all the examples
where Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He either BLESSED or gave THANKS for
the bread and the cup (See Mt. 26:26,27; Mk. 14:22,23; Lk. 22:19, 1 Cor.
11:23-25). Jesus did not bless Himself, the occasion, or the table. He gave
thanks or blessed the bread and the cup. Therefore, shouldn’t we do the same?
5. Use Bible Names and Phrases In Our Prayers
As
we look over the list of Scriptures relating to the Lord’s Supper, we can see
that there are words and phrases that we should use in our prayers. For
example: “This is My body,” “This is My blood of the New Testament, shed for
many for the remission of sins,” “This is My body broken for you,” “show the Lord’s death until He comes,”
“cup,” and “fruit of the vine.”
6. Words and Phrases To Avoid
There
are also words and phrases that we should avoid. Such as: “wine” (for the cup,
the fruit of the vine), “shed His body” (He shed His blood, not His body)
“spilled His blood” (the giving of His blood was not an accident or something
wasted), “broken bones” (His body was broken, but not His bones, John 9:36),
“thank You for this body or blood” when referring directly to the bread or the
cup. (These represent His body and blood. These do not turn into the flesh and
blood of Jesus).
7. Always Offer Thanks In Jesus’ Name
Finally,
just as it is important to begin our thanks for the bread and cup addressed to
the Father, it is likewise important to close our prayers by offering them in
the name of Jesus.
Christians
should always remember that we have only one mediator between the Father, and
ourselves ”the Man Christ Jesus” (1
Tim. 2:5).
“If
you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14).
“For
through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” Eph. 2:18).
“you
also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5).
When
we remember the body and blood of Jesus the way that Jesus commanded, the
Father will always be pleased.
Sometimes
it helps to study some examples from others to help us develop our ability to
pray. Please consider the following for the bread:
Dear
Father In Heaven
We thank You for the
honor and privilege of remembering Your Son’s body. Would You bless this bread
representing His body and all who remember according to Your will. In Jesus’
name. Amen.
Our
Loving Father
We lift up our hearts
in thanks for this bread that Jesus said is His body. May we remember His body
as He intended for us to remember. In Jesus’ Holy name. Amen.
Dear
Heavenly Father
We approach Your
throne in thanksgiving for this bread that Jesus said to eat in memory of His
body. Please help us now to center our minds on His sacrifice for our sins. In
the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Our
Father In Heaven
We have gathered here
to remember Your Son’s blood given for our sins. Would You bless this cup to
it’s intended use? In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Dear
Father
We sincerely thank
You for this cup that Jesus said is “My blood of the New Covenant.” Help us to drink it in remembrance of Him. In the
name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Loving
Father
We lift up our hearts
in thanksgiving for this fruit of the vine that represents the blood of Christ
for the sins of the world. Father, please help us now to drink this cup in the
remembrance of this precious gift. In Jesus’ Holy name. Amen.
Merciful
Father
Thank You for the
amazing grace given through the sacrifice of Jesus. Help us now, Father, to
drink this fruit of the vine in remembrance of His blood. Please bless this cup
as we remember His blood. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
We
are so grateful for the men who serve at the Lord’s Table. You assist all other
members in carrying out the commandment of remembering Jesus and His death.
We
are also thankful for the women and men who faithfully prepare the communion
weekly. They also help the congregation to obey the Lord’s commandment to eat
the bread and drink the cup in remembrance of Him. All who have a part in
preparing and serving the communion are involved in making our worship
acceptable to God. —BBBristow