Three-fold Communion
INTRODUCTION AND GLOSSARY OF TERMS
1. The Footwashing- A physical act which symbolizes the believer’s daily need of spiritual cleansing. John 13:1-20
2. The Love Feast- A meal shared among believers, which symbolizes the future supper the Bride of Christ (The Church) will share with Her Groom (Jesus Christ). Revelation 19:7-10
3. The Bread and Cup- Two elements consumed in remembrance of Christ’s body and blood that was sacrificed as payment for the sin of the world. 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
THE FOOT WASHING
Scripture - John 13:12-17
I. Looking Closer -
A. The Setting - "Last Supper" - It was the night before the Lord's crucifixion (v. 1-3).
B. The Action - During supper, Jesus washed the feet of all the disciples, including Judas (v. 4-5).
C. The Explanation -
1. On the physical level, the one who has bathed needs only to wash his feet to be clean (v. 10-11).
2. On the spiritual level, after being saved, we don’t need to get saved again and again. Rather, we need daily cleansing from sin. As we recognize our sin we should confess it (1 Jn. 1:9).
D. Conclusion -
1. Jesus commands us to continue to imitate His example (v. 14-15).
2. Footwashing reminds us of Christ's present cleansing ministry in our lives.
3. Christ tells us we will be blessed as we obey Him (v. 16-17).
1 THE LOVE FEAST
Scripture - Luke 22:1-23; I Corinthians 11:20-34; Jude 12; 2 Peter 2:13
I. Looking Closer -
A. The Setting - It was the night before Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus and the disciples were eating the Last Supper (I Cor. 11:20). It was a full meal and not merely a piece of bread that accompanied the cup.
1. "Supper" refers to a dinner or main meal (John 13:2, 4; I Cor. 11:20, 21, 25).
2. The term "table" found in I Cor. 10:21 points to a full meal which accompanied the bread and cup (v. 16-21).
B. The Action - There were two actions with the same cup; "a cup" (v. 17)... "the cup" (v. 20). Jesus commanded the disciples to first share the cup from the Love Feast among themselves (v. 17). Then they took the same cup and used it as part of the Eucharist (v. 20).
C. The Explanation –
1. Luke 22:28-30 connects the "Last Supper" with a future meal in the Millennial Kingdom (Rev. 19:9).
2. I Cor. 11:17-34 reveals that the primary purpose of the meal was not to satisfy hunger (v. 22, 33-34).
D. Conclusion –
1. As Jesus was about to depart from the earth, He instituted a symbolic meal that would remind believers of the reality of the future, permanent reunion with the Bride (the Church) to Her Groom (Jesus Christ).
2. The book of Acts also demonstrated that there was meal in connection with 2 the Bread and Cup (Acts 2:42,46; 20:7-11).
3. Paul's instruction in I Corinthians 11:17-34 provides very strong evidence that the early Church understood the Love Feast was to be a perpetual component until Christ’s return.
4. While our focus should be primarily on the Scriptures, the earliest evidence from church history reflects the fact that the first churches understood the Love Feast was to be practiced perpetually.
2 THE BREAD AND CUP
Scripture - Luke 22:19-20; Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; I Corinthians 11:23-26
I. Looking Closer -
A. The Setting ( Luke 22:19-20) - The Bread and Cup followed the Love Feast or Lord's Supper. Jesus took some bread and the cup used previously in the meal as a part of this symbolic time with His disciples.
B. The Action - He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and explained the significance of His action. He then took the cup and repeated His action (I Cor.11:25).
C. The Explanation - The bread symbolizes His body which was given for believers on the cross (Luke 22:19). The cup symbolizes the New Covenant privileges which were made possible by the blood that Jesus shed on the cross (Luke 22:20).
D. Conclusion - It is clear that Jesus expected this to be a perpetual practice done in remembrance of His work on our behalf (I Cor. 11: 5-26).
COMMUNION SERVICE TRAINING NOTES
Give opportunity for the individuals coming to your home to relax and to put the activities of the day behind them. The first step in the Communion Service will be for you to ask the people to turn to I Cor. 11:17-22. Ask them to open their Bibles with you.
Verse 18, 19 Paul begins by rebuking the Corinthians. There were divisions in the body concerning the Communion Service.
Verse 20 Paul points out that although they had come together to eat the Lord's Supper, they are missing the whole point.
Verse 21 There is imbalance in the body. One member is hungry and another is drunk. In other words, one has very little to eat while the other has too much.
Note that verses 20 and 21 refer to the Lord's Supper or feast. The Corinthians were not getting drunk on "the cup and bread," they were getting drunk at the love feast. Paul was attempting to correct this problem.
3 Verse 22 The one who has very little is ashamed. The Corinthians were self-centered and divisions were happening during the Lord's Supper.
Verse 27 Note the warning that if a person eats or drinks in a casual, fleshly, indifferent, or flippant manner, he will bring the judgment of God upon himself.
Verse 30 Because of eating in an unworthy manner, some are sick and some have died.
Verse 31 Thus, each person needs to examine himself. Urge each one to examine himself lest the evening provide an experience of great condemnation rather than blessing. Allow time for each to examine himself before the Lord.
Verse 33 Paul encourages them to wait and also to be attentive to one another's needs.
Verse 34 Paul tells them if they are hungry and cannot wait to eat, they should eat at home before they come to communion.
Ask two people to pray after you have prayed. You should allow three to four minutes for quiet prayer at this point. After prayer, explain that the Communion Service will be in three parts:
1. Foot washing, which pictures the present ministry of Christ in daily cleansing us from sin through the Word.
2. Love feast, which pictures the future ministry of Christ at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
3. Bread and the Cup, which pictures the past ministry of Christ through His death on the cross.
At this point you will want to move into the passage concerning foot washing. Read John 13:4-17. You may want to ask certain questions.
1. What is Christ saying in verse 13? "You call me teacher and Lord."
Answer: I am your Lord, so I have the right to direct your lives.
4 2. What does it mean in verse 14? "If I then, the Lord and the teacher washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet."
Answer: We ought to wash each other's feet. Now please note verse 15. Christ is referring to His example back in verse 4 and 5--the literal example of washing the disciples' feet.
3. What is Christ saying in verse 17? "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them."
Answer: You will be blessed when you do these things.
During the foot washing service, recall that the person washing my feet pictures what Jesus is doing for me constantly. As I wash another person’s feet, I should reflect that I am picturing Christ and pledging myself to help them walk in truth.
COMMUNION SERVICE TRAINING NOTES
General outline of 1 Cor. 11:20-34. In verses 20-22 Paul describes the problem of the Lord's supper. In verses 21-28 the institution of the bread and the cup are discussed. In verses 29-34 Paul corrects the abuses of the Lord's supper.
Verse 23 "... that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;" The bread was from the communion meal.
Verse 24, 25 The bread and the cup are the symbols not the literal body and blood of Christ that was sacrificed for us.
Verse 26 " For as often as you eat this bread..." What bread? The bread that He, Christ, picked up from the communion meal and vested this bread with special significance. This bread is different from all the rest of the bread we are eating.
"... and drink this cup, ..." This cup also has special significance. The purpose of this bread and this cup is to show or declare the Lord's death until He comes.
Verse 27 Note that this verse is dealing with the Lord's bread and the Lord's cup. The cup and the bread in verse 27 is not the same as the Lord's supper in verse 20.
Verse 28 People should examine themselves before eating the bread and drinking the cup.
5 Verse 29 Paul returns to the discussion of the Lord's supper found in verse 20. He is not repeating in verse 29 what he said in verse 27. He is thus returning to the general discussion of "how we eat" which is the abuse in verses 20-22. Paul's warning concerning "... not discerning the Lord's body" is not a reference to the bread and the cup.
In the Love Feast we are celebrating the body of Christ, our unity together, our oneness in Him, and the love we have for one another because He loved us. We are fulfilling and symbolizing and expressing our response to His command to "... love one another; as I have loved you, ..." (John 13:34-35).
Please follow these guidelines when preparing for the Love Feast:
1. Have the meal be sufficiently simple so that it does not take our attention away from the real purpose of our gathering together.
2. We must not become a part of an economic tension. One home may be able to afford much while another very little and thus force a comparison between homes.
3. Do not set the tone of the evening by the meal we anticipate. As people come, they should anticipate the celebration of the Lord's death, burial, and resurrection.
During the Love Feast reflect on the truth of the marriage supper of the Lamb and that we will meet together as a complete body not as we are tonight in separate homes. This will be the time when Christ's body, the church, will be complete. Close the Love Feast with testimonies.
At the conclusion of the testimonies, read one of the Gospel accounts to prepare for the bread and the cup (Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19-20). After this reading, first reflect on the bread. This represents the Lord's body which was broken for us. Then after you have prayed and eaten the bread, give a time for personal reflection. Second reflect on the cup. This cup represents the Lord's blood which is the seal of the new testament and the payment for our sins. Then, once again, have prayer and a time of personal reflection. After a brief time, sing a song as our Lord and the disciples did at the first communion (Matt. 26:30; Mark 14:26).
6 Element of Symbolizes Time Frame Verses Communion Bread and Cup Justification Past Experience 1 Corinthians for the Believer 11:24-26
Footwashing Sanctification Present Experience John 13:1-17 for the Believer
Love Feast Glorification Future Experience 1 Cor. 11:20, 33 for the Believer Revelation 19:6-9
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