As you walk into the building on a Sunday morning, what are your thoughts as you anticipate worship? Joyfully we think about how good it will be to see those special people who will be there, but what about the actual worship? Some may think about who will be leading singing or the choice of songs. Others the length and content of the sermon. Others are concerned about the temperature or their personal comfort. Nothing is wrong with any of these thoughts, but we might be blessed to see the emphasis the Bible places on our worship.
The Scriptures focus on the Lord’s Supper as the central aspect of worship. The disciples in Troas came together “to break bread” (Acts 20:7). The preacher that day was Paul, but the prime reason they assembled was to commune with Jesus. The church at Corinth also “came together to eat” (1 Cor. 11:33). We are in His house with His family to eat with Him around His table. Because of this truth, let’s take time to consider the following suggestions for those who preside at His table.
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Plan what you are going to say ahead of time. A communion thought that rambles with little direction does little to help us eat the supper remembering Him.
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Make sure that you focus on His death. The Lord’s Supper does not celebrate His resurrection. The bread and the cup send us to the cross, not to the empty tomb.
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Keep your remarks simple. It is not a time for a complex sermonette. The reading of scripture is always good, and there are verses other than the one in 1 Corinthians 11. Recently, someone read the words of a song as he lead the communion. It took less than a minute, but such a simple act carried all of us to the cross. Have you considered taking just one (not all seven) of His sayings on the cross as an opening communion thought?
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Another thought to share might be focusing on the joy of knowing that Jesus is in our assembly right now and communing with us.
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Remember that it was Jesus who died on the cross not the Father. When one is nervous, it is easy to address the Father and then thank Him for HIS body which was given for us. It was not HIS body; it was the body of His Son.
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Speak loudly enough to be heard. A soft spoken voice cannot be amplified to a level where those who have hearing loss can understand you. Your thoughts and leadership are meaningless if they are not heard.
Let’s improve our worship. Do you have some suggestions for those who preside? I would be glad to hear them.