Ask Your Preacher - Archives
“Dutch Dinner”
Categories: LORD'S SUPPER, WORSHIPWhat is the purpose of the communion? We call it “Nattverd” (this question was received from the Netherlands – AYP). I know it is to connect and participate in Jesus’ sufferings, but could you please tell a little more?Sincerely,
Natt-Sure About Nattverd
Dear Natt-Sure About Nattverd,
Christ told us that whenever we take the Lord’s Supper, we should do it in remembrance of Him (Lk 22:19). In the book of Acts, we see how often the church observed the Lord’s Supper. In Acts 20:7, we see that christians ‘broke the bread’ in remembrance of Christ on Sundays. That is when they did it, so that is when we do it.
In 1 Cor. 11:26-29, we are told that we should use the Lord’s Supper to contemplate and examine whether our lives are genuinely dedicated to Christ. We can know whether our lives are faithful by the fruits we are bearing (Matt 7:16-20). When you get ready to take the Lord’s Supper next Sunday (Acts 20:7), ask yourself what kind of life you have lived this week. Examine your life and whether or not it genuinely belongs to Christ, and you will have fulfilled the commandment of 1 Cor 11:28.
Paul says that we are to take the Lord’s Supper when the church is gathered together (1 Cor 11:20). Taking the Lord’s Supper each Sunday is an act of worship done by every congregation of the Lord. Christ commands that we do it in remembrance of Him (1 Cor 11:23-28), the church gives us the example of doing it on the first day of the week, and Paul teaches that we should examine ourselves during the Lord’s Supper.
