Remember the Lord's Supper Service

Coming down from a great week of Anniversary services and back to the grind of work, worship and witnessing, I was encouraged by a service our church had this past week. Because we were concluding my anniversary services on the first Sunday, it caused a problem for our normal activities.

On the first Sunday of the month, the Macedonia Church observes its Baptism and Lord's Supper Service. I had the privilege of baptizing three young people who made a profession of faith; however, I was moved by God not to observe the Lord's Supper on Sunday; before that sentence settles wrong within your system, please let me explain.

I remember when the Lord's Supper service was the most spiritual, intense and meaningful service the church ever had. It was where we learned and passed down our hymns; it was where we heard about the amazing grace of God and his providence and provisions that he has given to his people through testimonial service; it was where someone would sing a impromptu verse of "Just Another day that the Lord has kept me.....; it was where the mothers of the church would get happy and the Spirit of God had free reign. not to mention we sang hymns we don't normally sing such as At The Cross, Because He Lives, I know it was the Blood, just to name a few.

However the Lord's Supper service in the modern church does not have the same power and punch that it used to. In the older church, this service was a stand alone service. WE DID NOTHING ELSE BUT THIS. No distractions, no diversions, nothing but the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus was highlighted.

Now this service is either in between our two or three morning services or is on the back end of Sunday Morning service. It has a time limit. There is not time to linger over words, free praise as you reflect in the goodness of God; testimonial service is almost an unheard of concept because we have to get this done and out of the way. Got to get ready for morning worship! Got to get ready for our afternoon service! Got to get out of church as we have been in here too long!

I was moved by God to quit fitting the Communion service in. Quit half doing it. This is our chance to remember the most magnificent gift ever given to us. SALVATION. Jesus gave his life, he died on the cross in our place, He was buried in an borrowed grave, He stayed there all night Friday and Saturday and early Sunday morning He got up with all power in His Hand.

Certainly He deserves more than 15 or 30 minutes. Certainly He deserves more concentration than just a duty or obligation that we punch on our religious check list of observations that have no power, no meaning, no transformation but rather just another religious ceremony. It should mean more than that.

It was in this service I learned, there is no talking in church, no gum-chewing, no sleeping, no playing, no texting, no horse play, JESUS DIED FOR OUR SINS!

I wonder what our young people see now when they see us observe the Lord's Supper!

With that said, I no longer wanted to be a part of the system that only gives God a part and not all. A system where we try and fit God in our time instead of saying however long you need Lord is OK with me. A system that sees this as a religious ceremony instead of a worship experience. There should be crying, shouting, singing, dancing, worship and praise whenever we think of what God has done for us and it shouldn't be on a time schedule, a clock or metered out for comfort.

Therefore, I was moved not to observe the Lord's Supper on the first Sunday but I moved it to Wednesday night. A stand alone service. I recognize I am a rebel because the Bible Says the Lord's Supper should be observed on the First Sunday or at least that is what someone tried to tell me until I asked for Scripture and Verse and then it turned into I was taught that, etc.

What I would like to encourage someone reading this is this, I took a risk and a chance following God. Everyone didn't like it or agree with. FOLLOWING GOD COMPLETELY WILL NOT ALWAYS MAKE YOU POPULAR.

We started our service at 7:30pm and didn't actually observe the taking of the bread and wine until almost 8:45pm because the Spirit of God had free reign. People shared, people testified, people sang without a praise leader, praise team, choir or organ and we all left here refreshed and energized because we put God as the Main attraction and not a side appetizer.

Communion is too important to be rushed through, hurried by and treated as an inconvenience. Christ died for us, it is about time through our actions within the local church we start living for Him.

Owens