Approach the Lord's Supper with a solemn, self-examining heart, focusing on Christ's death, and ensuring you are right with the Lord and fellow believers.
The Lord's Supper is a memorial of Christ's death, intended to remind participants of the finished work of the cross. Paul instructs believers to examine themselves before partaking, ensuring they are right with the Lord and others, and to avoid the indulgent attitudes that the Corinthians displayed.
1 Corinthians 11:26-28 — This passage establishes the purpose of the Lord's Supper and the requirement for self-examination before partaking.
In 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Paul recounts the institution of the Lord's Supper, quoting Jesus: 'Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.' Similarly, 'This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.' Verse 26 explains the purpose: 'For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.' Paul also addresses improper participation. In verses 20-22, he criticizes the Corinthians for turning the meal into an occasion of gluttony and drunkenness, saying, 'What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in?' He instructs in verse 27-28: 'Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.'
Les emphasizes that the Lord's Supper is a memorial of Christ's death, a constant reminder of the finished work of the cross. He notes that there is no prescribed frequency; whether a church observes it weekly, monthly, or annually, the attitude of the participant is what matters. Before partaking, each believer should examine their own heart, ensuring they are right with the Lord and with fellow believers. Les contrasts this with the Corinthians' practice, who turned the meal into a potluck feast with excesses, which is not the purpose of the Lord's table.
Les teaches that the Lord's Supper is a memorial of Christ's death, a constant reminder of the finished work of the cross. It is to show forth the Lord's death until He comes, as stated in 1 Corinthians 11:26.
Les points out that there is no stipulation from the Apostle as to how often a church practices the Lord's Supper. Whether it is practiced every Sunday or at another interval is a prerogative of the local church.
Based on the summary provided (though not explicitly in the clips), Les teaches that before participating, a person should examine whether they are right with the Lord and right with fellow believers. If there is bitter enmity or a lack of rightness, they should refrain. However, from the available clips, Les emphasizes the attitude of the participant and the Corinthians' misuse.
The Corinthians were having a potluck supper before the Lord's Supper, leading to excesses in eating and drinking. Les explains that this was inappropriate—eating and drinking belong at home, and the Lord's Supper should be kept solemn.
Purpose and Frequency
Les explains that the Lord's Supper is a memorial of Christ's death and that there is no scriptural mandate for how often it should be observed.
Corinthians' Misuse
Les describes how the Corinthians turned the Lord's Supper into a potluck feast, which was not appropriate.
Jesus as High Priest: The Order of Melchizedek Explained
And now we understand what it was all for. Now here is again, progressive revelation. The 11 there at the night of the Passover didn't understand it. Jesus did not explain it. It wasn't time for it. Because, you see, the Lord's table of the bread and the cup is a memorial of His death. And back at the night of the last Passover, it hadn't happened yet.
Jesus as High Priest: The Order of Melchizedek Explained
And then you come on down to verse 26, and as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, and break it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take eat, this is my body. Verse 27, He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Corinthians' Potluck Context
Les explains the cultural context of the evening meal and how the Corinthians brought excesses to their potluck before the Lord's table.
The Three Temptations Everyone Faces — Eve to Jesus Explained
There was no criteria for how to practice it until here. Now Paul tells us what it's all about, and how it is to be practiced in the local church. Okay, now let's go on for whatever minute or two we've got left. So he says, "...the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread.
The Three Temptations Everyone Faces — Eve to Jesus Explained
Here he's just been talking about resisting temptations and fleeing from idolatry and all these things, and then all of a sudden in 16 he takes us to the Lord's communion table. Well, he just shifts gears. All right, verse 16, the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? So he's talking about the Lord's table.
What the Bible Really Says About the Lord's Table — 1 Corinthians 10:16
They were suing each other in the pagan courts, and Paul says that�s not the way you do things when you�re a believer. So the whole book of I Corinthians is dealing basically with problems that were besetting the Corinthians church. Now we come to verse 16 concerning the Lord�s table.
1 Corinthians 11:26: For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
This verse states the purpose of the Lord's Supper as a memorial of Christ's death.
1 Corinthians 11:27: Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
This warns against participating in an unworthy manner.
1 Corinthians 11:28: But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
This commands self-examination before partaking.
1 Corinthians 11:23-24: For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
This records the institution of the Lord's Supper.
No, the Bible does not specify a frequency. Les Feldick points out that there is no stipulation from the Apostle Paul as to how often a church should practice it. The important thing is the attitude of those partaking.
You should examine your own heart and attitude, checking whether you are right with the Lord and right with fellow believers. If you can honestly say yes, you may partake; if there is bitter enmity, you should refrain.
Watch the Teaching: Most People Miss This About the Lord's Supper — 1 Cor 11