* The fifth in a series on the topic of weekly communion. Originally appearing in our church bulletin.
Part one: The Flow of the Service.
Part two: Does Scripture Tell Us "How Often?" Part three: Some Church History
Part four: Theological Considerations (part one)
Today we continue to look at the theology of the Lord’s Table to determine what it teaches us about
weekly communion. Here I draw upon
Keith Matthison’s work Given for You:
Reclaiming Calvin’s Doctrine of the Lord’s Supper (Presbyterian &
Reformed, 2002). Matthison gives
four theological arguments—two of which we looked at last week and the next two
are listed this week.
The first theological reason centers around our unity in
Christ. We take the Lord’s Supper
not just as individuals. We take
together. It symbolizes our unity
in Christ Jesus. Matthison writes:
“The
apostle Paul also tells us that the Lord’s Supper signifies the oneness of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 10:17)… If the
faithful teaching of this truth accompanies the frequent observance of the Lord’s Supper, it
inhibits division because it repeatedly and forcefully emphasizes the
sinfulness of worshipping with an unforgiving heart (cf. Matt. 5:23-24).”
Matthison then reminds us of the importance of partaking in
the Supper as a remembrance of Christ and his work. Weekly communion means that every week we get to do this
aspect of what Jesus commanded us.
“Jesus
Christ commands that the Lord’s Supper be observed in remembrance of him (Luke 22:19; cf. 1 Cor. 11:24)… In the Lord’s
Supper, we do not merely recollect these great acts of redemption. We unite ourselves with the new
covenant community for which they were accomplished. If the Lord’s Supper is truly to be observed in remembrance
of Christ’s mighty saving acts, why would any Christian not want this
remembrance to be part of every Christian worship service?”
Nobody wants the Lord’s Supper to become a dull and
meaningless ritual. If it ever
becomes that then something is wrong with us and our approach to the Table of
the Lord. The Lord’s Table is
special. Its specialness is found
in what it is and all the theology it teaches. Today let us enter into all its glory. Let us demonstrate our unity in Christ
as we remember him!
