Lord's Supper Variations
Eucharistic Meditation
We hold to what is called the “regulative principle of worship,” which simply means that we believe God, through His Word, regulates our worship of Him. Therefore, we want everything that we do on Sunday mornings to be according to His Word, and we only desire to do that which our Lord has commanded us to do in worship.
In this, we distinguish between elements and circumstances of worship. Elements of worship are indispensable parts of worship clearly prescribed by the Word, such as the reading of Scripture, preaching, singing, and prayer. Circumstances of worship are the practices that surround these elements, which are not prescribed in the Bible, such as the length of our service, the type of seating to have, or which exact songs to sing. The Word will inform these decisions, but ultimately, as the Westminster Confession teaches, we must rely on the light of nature and Christian prudence when establishing these parts of worship.
You can see this reality play out in the variation of Lord’s Supper practices across many different churches, even within our own denomination. And so, this morning, I’d like to highlight two aspects of our practice here and what they teach us about the Lord’s Supper.
First, the consecrated bread and wine are primarily distributed to you by the elders, with deacons and other men assisting as necessary. This is in accordance with their biblical authority, as elders hold the keys of the kingdom and are responsible to the Lord for this Table.
Second, you all then pass the elements among one another down each row. This practice displays the reality that we are not only communing with Christ, but also with one another in Christ. You are not merely passive recipients, but are actively in fellowship with one another, sharing this covenant meal as members of Christ’s one Body.
So now with believing hearts, Come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.
This was communion meditation was given on July 6, AD 2025 at King’s Cross Church in Moscow, Idaho.