Understanding the Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper, celebrated today as a communion service, is an opportunity for believers to honor the gift of God in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In doing this, the apostle Paul writes, “You proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26, NKJV). The Lord’s Supper follows the words of Jesus Christ during the Last Supper He ate before His crucifixion, as detailed in the New Testament gospels. He and His disciples came together to celebrate the Passover meal, in remembrance of Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt.

This time, however, as they partook of the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine, Jesus gave new meaning to these items. And even before they ate together, Jesus demonstrated His love for His disciples and humanity by performing a servant’s job. He washed His disciples’ feet. By doing this, He showed an example of kindness and unconditional love.