I grew up in a very âlow churchâ worship environment. Our Nazarene Manual directed us to receive the Lordâs Supper at least once a quarter and, apparently, we saw that as a maximum rather than minimum frequency.  As a young pastor I followed that same schedule but over time I moved to a monthly observance, trying to find a middle way between seeing the sacrament as the featured act of worship at one extreme, and as a mandated add-on at the other extreme.
While I donât think there is a right or wrong approach in how most churches observe the sacrament I do think that the freedom to vary the emphasis and approach and even mechanics of observing it can be an advantage for less liturgical churches. Â Â Whether or not you agree with me here, I hope youâll find some of these thoughts helpful.
Communion is more of a celebration than anything else. We donât believe Jesus dies again each time we receive communion and it isnât only about shed blood and broken body.  Mainly, weâre celebrating the amazing love the Lord has for us.  Jesus willingly went to the cross because âGod so loved the world.â There, on that old rugged cross, he conquered sin and death. His victory has become mine. We donât celebrate the brokenness and bleeding but we do celebrate the reason for it and what it has accomplished in and for us.  âWe come today to celebrate the greatest act of love, the most beneficial sacrifice ever accomplishedâŚ.â
Communion is the perfect platform for inviting people to come to Jesus.  As a young person I somehow had the idea that the Lordâs Supper could be hazardous to oneâs health. We were to examine ourselves and if we had experienced any spiritual failure we might be wise to skip communion that quarter. Over time I began to understand that, while it was possible to receive communion in an unworthy manner (that is, without showing proper reverence) that, honestly, no one is worthy of receiving these emblems of the Lordâs body and blood. Had we been worthy, he would have never had to go to the cross in the first place. With that in mind, I began to see the sacrament as an invitation to Christ. As I examine my heart and realize that there are spiritual failures Iâm not disqualified from the bread and wine. Rather, Iâm being given an opportunity to avail myself of the mercy and grace of the Lord in a fresh way.  If I come, viewing my receiving communion as a substitute for repentance and faith Iâm moving into the âunworthyâ territory. If I come seeking forgiveness and restoration, though, I find life in that sacrament. âThe Bible says weâre to examine ourselves before receiving communion. So letâs do that. If, as you consider your relationship with the Lord and find that things arenât what they ought to be, that doesnât mean you canât receive communion today. Instead, this is an opportunity to make things right with the Lord. As you receive the bread and wine, receive Jesus into your life all over again.â
Communion is a great way to introduce your child to Jesus. Honestly, I think our liturgical friends with their emphasis on âfirst communionâ have a great approach. However, that doesnât mean that there arenât advantages to a less structured, low church approach. As a pastor I allowed parents to bring their children forward to receive communion provided the parent agreed to have a discussion with that child about allowing Jesus to be their Lord and Savior before the day was over. Symbols are powerful and children can grasp spiritual realities earlier than we might think. I let parents decide if their children are âthereâ yet. âParents, Iâll let you decide when your children are ready to receive communion. If you do allow your child to come today, I ask this of you: letâs agree that before this day is over you will sit down with your child and talk about the meaning of communion and how it is that a person places their faith in Jesus.â
Communion ought to be the focus of at least one service a year. Baptism has been called the âentry sacramentâ to our life in Christ. Communion is the âcontinuing sacrament.â One Sunday a year the church service should be all about the Lordâs Supper (World Communion Sunday is the first Sunday of October).  Sing songs about it, read the appropriate scriptures, and preach a sermon that reminds us why we celebrate communion. Talk about our unity with believers across the ages and in the various traditions of Christianity. Talk about Godâs love for us and Christâs willingness to die for us. Remind people of its connection to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Tell them why the Lordâs Supper is called a âmeans of grace.â Then, invite people to the table of the Lord. Pastor, on this Sunday, you do all the serving, taking the role of Jesus, himself. âToday is World Communion Sunday and weâre going to join Christians of many traditions around the world in receiving communion. Before we do that though, letâs think about the meaning and purpose of this sacrament of the Church.â