About the Lord’s Supper

The Sacrament of the Altar offers Christ’s true body and blood, under the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of sins.

·       As Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples on the night he was betrayed and arrested, He instituted the Lord’s Supper.  (Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:14–20; 1 Corinthians 11:17–29)

·       This is not merely a symbol, but the actual body and blood of Christ that is present in a mysterious way in, with, and under the visible elements of bread and wine. While we may not understand how the body and blood of Christ can be truly present in this meal, we receive it in faith because we trust in the truthfulness of Christ, who said, “This is my body… This is my blood.” (Luke 22:19)

·       This meal is a remembrance of what Christ did for us on the cross, a confession of our faith, and a foretaste of the feast to come in Paradise.  (1 Corinthians 11:25-26)

• We practice (close) communion because…

• It is the historical practice of the early Church.

• Being in communion with each other requires that we believe and confess the same things.  (Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 11:26)

• We desire to protect people from taking it to their condemnation rather than the blessing it is intended to be.  (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)