Minding the Lord's Supper

Khen Lim



Image source: mercerjourney.com

It isn’t far-fetched a claim to say that even ‘strong’ Christians who are so Christ-engaged in many other ways can still underestimate the importance of the Lord’s Supper. While they immerse themselves in different ministries and pouring the hours and effort to doing their part, it is possible that when it comes to the Lord’s Supper, the same attention and focus might not be as high. And perhaps there might be a few things we should be mindful of.

It's Not Our Supper But the Lord's

Reflections on 1 Corinthians 11:17-33

Khen Lim




The Last Supper scene from the motion picture 'Passion of the Christ' (Image source: thelordssupper.org)

At Hosanna EFC, we follow the once-monthly communion like many other Protestant churches in the world. For us, it’s the first Sunday of every new month. We are called by the Gospel into God’s kingdom to be united as one in the sharing of the Holy Communion because Christ Jesus, while instituting His Supper, spoke of not doing so with His disciples again until that day when the Kingdom of God arrives (Heb 2:11-12). 

That kingdom – the church (Col 1:13) – came on the day we call Pentecost, a Sunday (Acts 2:1-42), which fuelled the Early Christians’ decision to observe communion and gave of their means on that day (1 Cor 10:16-17).

Like anything that becomes a fixture, it isn’t difficult for an event like the Holy Communion to be mechanically suffused into a clockwork-like ritual. As they often say, ‘familiarity breeds contempt.’ And by allowing this to happen, we unwittingly or otherwise encourage apathy and neglect to seep in.