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Study 13 of 25

The Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper is not a reward for the worthy but a confession of faith in Christ's finished obedience and death.

Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.

Synopsis

Sequeira notes that Adventists worldwide are strangely reluctant to participate in the Lord's Supper, largely because Paul's warning about eating 'in an unworthy manner' has been misread as a bar against imperfect believers. He shows that Jesus offered the Supper even to Judas, instituting it to keep discouraged believers' faith alive rather than to reward the deserving. The bread symbolizes Christ's perfect obedience shared with His people, while the cup symbolizes His sacrificial death that met the justice of the law. Paul's actual rebuke in 1 Corinthians 11 addressed selfish gluttony at the Corinthian love-feast, not spiritual unworthiness. Because the emblems carry no merit in themselves, participation is itself an act of faith — a public confession that one's only hope is Christ's life and death. Refusing to partake, understood rightly, is refusing the gospel itself.

Key points

  • The Lord's Supper points backward to Christ's finished work, as the Old Testament ceremonies pointed forward to it.
  • 'Eating in an unworthy manner' (1 Cor. 11) refers to selfish conduct at the meal, not personal unworthiness to partake.
  • The bread represents Christ's perfect obedience; the cup represents His death meeting the law's justice.
  • Participation is a confession of faith, not a reward for holy living — the emblems carry no saving merit of their own.

Key texts

  • 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
  • John 6:53-56
  • 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

From the book

Chapter 13 · Belief 16 · Read this chapter

  • “Jesus instituted The Lord's Supper, and even offered it to Judas (knowing he would betray Him), to encourage discouraged believers not to give up their faith in Him.” (ch. 13)
  • “They make no contribution to salvation. But they do point the believers to the life and death of Christ, the Source of their salvation.” (ch. 13)
  • “To understand the significance of The Lord's Supper in these terms and yet refuse to participate, is to turn one's back on Christ, the only hope of salvation.” (ch. 13)

Put it into practice

  • Examine your heart before communion not to find worthiness but to renew faith in Christ's finished work.
  • Participate in the Lord's Supper as a confession of faith, not withhold yourself out of feelings of unworthiness.
  • Practice the foot-washing service in the spirit of Christlike humility toward fellow believers.
  • Explain to a friend hesitant about communion that the emblems carry no merit — only faith in Christ saves.
  1. Comprehension

    1. According to Sequeira, why are Adventist members often reluctant to participate in the Lord's Supper?

  2. Scripture

    2. What does 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 teach about the meaning of 'participation' in the Lord's Supper?

  3. Doctrinal Clarity

    3. Why did Jesus institute the Lord's Supper and even offer it to Judas?

  4. Contrast

    4. Contrast the true meaning of 'eating in an unworthy manner' with the popular misinterpretation.

  5. Comprehension

    5. What do the bread and the cup each specifically symbolize?

  6. Doctrinal Clarity

    6. How does the Lord's Supper relate to Old Testament ceremonial law?

  7. Doctrinal Clarity

    7. Why do the emblems of the Lord's Supper carry no merit in themselves, according to Sequeira?

  8. Application

    8. In what way might your own hesitancy about the Lord's Supper reveal a misunderstanding of the gospel? What will you do differently at the next communion service?