The Lord’s Table is one of only two rituals that the Lord commanded the Church to continue until His return; the other is baptism. The Lord told His disciples at the Last Supper to “do this in remembrance of Me.” Throughout the centuries Christians have gone to great trouble and often endangered their very lives to celebrate the Lord’s Table together. In the Church today, however, I am afraid that believers have become all too familiar with the sacredness of this time.

The Apostle Paul instructed believers to examine themselves carefully before partaking of the wine and the bread. 1 Corinthians 11:28: "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup." At Harvest, we observe a time of quiet contemplation for the purpose of personal reflection and confession before we partake of the Lord’s Table.

One important component of celebrating the Lord’s Table at Harvest is the act of coming forward. I think there is a very real danger of becoming familiar with the communion service when the elements are distributed through the isles. Coming forward to partake of the Lord’s Table requires a believer to perform an act indicative of one’s faith to come forward and receive. We believe that this is important. We use unleavened bread, signifying purity, and real wine (as well as grape juice) in keeping with the practice of Jesus and the early Christians.

The Lord’s Table is for Christians only. If you have placed saving faith in the Person and Work of our Lord Jesus Christ, you are welcome to partake. Parents, if you are sure that your child has clearly understood and embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you may permit them to come. No believer who is actively living in sin or who has unconfessed sin in his or her life should partake before first resolving the issue with God. If you are in right standing with God, come and partake freely. Remember: to partake in what Paul calls an "unworthy manner" is to "be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord." The one who does this "eats and drinks judgment to himself . . . For this reason many" within the Corinthian fellowship were "weak and sick" and some had even died.

The Lord’s Table is a solemn event each time the Church celebrates it and at Harvest we hold it in the highest honor. In doing so, we remember Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf as well as the promise of His (soon!) return. In partaking, we not only affirm our communion with Christ, but also with one another. We are reminded that we are not alone in our walk of faith – there are brothers and sisters with us, many members of one body. As a Church family, we must never allow ourselves to become familiar with this important and sacred celebration.

Yours in the Victorious One,

Gene Giguere