The Lord's Dinner

A good summary of the Lord’s Supper is stated by the Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647) under Q. 96 What is the Lord’s Supper?

A. “The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ’s appointment, His death is shewed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of His body and blood, with all His benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace.” Just as surely as we partake of the Table we receive grace and strength by the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no magic power in the bread and wine, we are partaking in covenant faith. God’s words about the efficacious nature of His sacrifice are apprehended by faith as we “eat” on Him as our Passover Lamb. There is mystery in the Lord’s Supper. There is mystery between a man and his wife when they come together in sexual union that strengthens their relationship with one another. How is it that a man is joined in a deeper way, not merely a physical way when he joins himself to a whore as Paul mentions. Shall Christ be made member of a harlot? There are invisible, deep, covenantal and highly spiritual/emotional lines that are made with our God. Paul calls it a mystery in Eph. 5 when he speaks of the marriage relationship like that of the relationship between Christ and His bride. And there is mystery involved when we renew fellowship and communion with our Savior-through eating and drinking. This is what we do when we want to grow in true fellowship and relationship with friends around the table, and esp. family. So it is with the Lord’s Table, we are growing up into the Head which is Christ together as one family.