How to Prepare Yourself for the Lord’s Supper

Wondering how to prepare yourself for the Lord’s Supper? Here are five ways.[1]

1. Look back

The Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed, said to take the bread and the cup in remembrance of Him (Luke 22:19).

The bread and cup are visible reminders of what Jesus did on the cross for us. The bread represents His body and the cup His blood.

God wants us to look back and remember.

2. Look in

The apostle Paul tells us to examine ourselves before eating the bread and drinking the cup lest we partake in an unworthy manner and drink judgment on ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:27-29).

Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Have you repented of your sins? Examine yourself by looking in.

3. Look up

Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper when He ate with His disciples. For us today, even though Jesus is in heaven at the right hand of the Father, we commune with the Lord Jesus Christ as we partake of the bread and the cup. So look up.

4. Look around

The Lord’s Supper is a family meal. We eat with our brothers and sisters who have been washed by the blood of Jesus. Look around at the family of God and give thanks.

5. Look forward

The apostle Paul taught that “As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

Taking the bread and cup of the Lord’s Supper is a declaration that we belong to Jesus, not only on this earth, but also forever with Him in eternity.

So how do you prepare your heart for the Lord’s Supper?

Look back, look in, look up, look around, and look forward.

[1] This short resource summarizes this larger one.

What did Jesus say at the Last Supper about Communion?

And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:22-25)

What did the Apostle Paul teach about the Lord’s Supper?

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— 34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.
(1 Corinthians 11:23-34)

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