What is the Lord's supper?
On the last night Jesus spent with His disciples before His death and resurrection, He shared bread and wine with them as part of the Passover meal (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). This sharing of the bread and wine is known as Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper.
When Jesus shared the bread and wine with His disciples, the bread symbolized His body and the wine symbolized His blood (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20). The disciples understood this to mean that He was giving up His life (body and blood) for their benefit. The earliest records of the Church show that His followers regularly shared bread and wine together, reminding themselves that Jesus had died for them (1 Corinthians 10:14-16) and will come again.
When Nazarene churches offer the Lord’s Supper today, all believers are invited to participate regardless of membership in the church. The Lord’s Supper is not appropriate for those who have not yet accepted the new life God offers (I Corinthians 11:28-29).
When Jesus shared the bread and wine with His disciples, the bread symbolized His body and the wine symbolized His blood (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20). The disciples understood this to mean that He was giving up His life (body and blood) for their benefit. The earliest records of the Church show that His followers regularly shared bread and wine together, reminding themselves that Jesus had died for them (1 Corinthians 10:14-16) and will come again.
When Nazarene churches offer the Lord’s Supper today, all believers are invited to participate regardless of membership in the church. The Lord’s Supper is not appropriate for those who have not yet accepted the new life God offers (I Corinthians 11:28-29).
