Preparing to Celebrate the Lord’s Supper
Coming to the
Lord’s Table and participating in the Supper is not something to be
done casually. It is to our benefit to give careful attention to the
words of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Christians living in
“Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.”
(1 Corinthians 11:27-31)
It's clear from this passage that the Lord wants his people to be properly prepared when they
participate in the Lord's Supper. According to Paul's words preparation is when a person
examines himself or herself prior to Communion. The Westminster Larger Catechism (171-175)
and Shorter Catechism (97) provide a helpful outline of what is involved in this necessary self-
examination. Hopefully what follows here will assist you in understanding what the catechisms
teach.
The first thing you need to do is to be sure that you belong to Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice is
represented in the Supper. By “belong” it is meant that you trust Jesus alone for your salvation,
believing that he paid your sin penalty, when he died on the cross. “Belong” also means that you
areChrist’s servant and live obediently to him according to the Bible.
Of course there is always going to be sin in your life, but that doesn’t mean you may never
participate in the Lord’s Supper. If you really hate your sins and are sorry for them, and if you
sincerely want to live a holy life pleasing to God, then confess your sins to your heavenly Father,
be glad and thankful for his forgiveness, and come to the Table eagerly to receive God’s grace for
the strengthening of your faith and your Christian life.
However, if you are not willing to give up your sin, please do not participate in the Lord’s Supper. This is no ordinary meal. The Lord Jesus Christ is present spiritually, his body and blood being signified by the bread and drink. To participate in such a sinful and hypocritical way would make a mockery of the mercy and grace of Christ’s death on the cross and would put your eternal soul in jeopardy.
The Lord’s Supper is a serious occasion, but it is also a very joyful one. Held out to us in the bread and drink is the gift of God. That is his amazing grace in Jesus Christ for our salvation and for the strengthening of our faith and our Christian lives, grace which we actually receive, when we participate properly.