Reform School- The Lord's Supper

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper   

The Lord’s Supper, also known as Communion or the Eucharist (from a Greek word meaning ‘grateful’) is one of only two sacraments observed by the Presbyterian Church - PC [USA]. But before we explore The Lord’s Supper, just what is a sacrament, and why does the church ‘observe’ them in the first place?

A sacrament has been described as ‘an outward sign of an inward grace.’  Donald McKim, in his book “Presbyterian Questions, Presbyterian Answers”, defines a sacrament as ‘God’s gracious gifts given by Jesus Christ to the church to establish and nurture faith.’ A sacrament is both a ‘sign’ of what Christ has already done for us, and a ‘seal’ of God’s covenant and authority in our lives, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Most Christian churches, if not all, recognize some type of sacrament in their worship service.   For Presbyterians, sacraments must 1) have been instituted by Christ and 2) be available to all people. That is why the PC [USA] does not consider marriage, for example, a sacrament: not all people are married, or will marry.

Sacraments are an integral part of the way Presbyterians come together to worship Christ.  In addition to prayer, confessing, preaching from Scripture, sharing our gifts, and singing praises to God, we also recognize God’s presence and Christ’s gift of grace to us in a special - yet ordinary -way:  a simple meal of bread and juice we call Communion. Baptism- to be explored in a separate post- is the other sacrament celebrated by the PC[USA].

Even with many eloquent definitions, sacraments are still, all-in-all, a bit of a mystery! Something wonderful happens beyond the common, physical act of eating bread and drinking juice or wine.  But it is here that Presbyterians part company with our Roman Catholic and Lutheran brothers and sisters.

As Pastor Sean Butler so eloquently explained in his August 5 sermon (click this link to listen) - different churches understand different things about what communion means, and what the actual elements that make up Communion represent.

Many Catholics understand these everyday elements actually become the body and blood of Christ, also known as ‘transubstantiation’.  They base this on a very literal understanding of certain passages of Scripture. Others have pointed to Martin Luther, a key player in the Reformation, when they view that Christ somehow coexists with the elements, but is not transformed into them.  Another Reformer, Huldrych Zwingli, presented Communion as mostly a moment to reflect upon what Christ’s life, death and resurrection meant for humanity - not so much a present day opportunity to meet Him through the actual partaking of the bread and wine. John Calvin, influential in the Presbyterian tradition, saw the Lord’s Supper as a ‘sign and a seal’ of the promise fulfilled to the world in the life, death and resurrection of Christ.

McKim also makes note of this: as we celebrate this feast, we bring together our past, present and future. We remember Jesus, as He commanded us to do (1Cor 11:24); we recognize the New Covenant (1Cor 11:25); we anticipate the day that God’s Kingdom will be made real (1Cor 11:26).    
                        Past, Present, Future. Bread. Wine. People. The Holy Spirit. Mystery!          
          
Take a look at Sir Stanley Spencer’s 1920 painting of The Lord’s Supper by clicking this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/32357038@N08/5085322480/    

Works cited:
McKim, Donald K. Presbyterian Questions, Presbyterian Answers Louisville, KY: Geneva Press, 2003.
                                                          God is Love.