The Home Christian's Handbook

Chapter 16 – Baptism and the Memorial

When someone is convinced that Jesus is the Christ, repents of their sins, and desires to dedicate their life to God, they are baptized in water as a public declaration of their faith.  Thereafter, the new believer joins in the celebration of the Lord’s evening meal, also known as the Memorial of Christ’s death or the Communion Meal.  Baptism initiates the new believer into Christianity.  The Memorial reminds him of what God has done for him through His son Jesus.  Baptism and the Memorial are sacraments we are commanded to obey in the bible.

Baptism

The word baptism is a translation of the Greek word baptismatoa, meaning immersion or submersion.  It comes from the root word bapto, to dip.  Our first introduction to baptism in the scriptures is in the work of John the Baptist.

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.   5 Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. (Mark 1:4-5, NKJV)

The baptism of John, therefore, was an immersion or dipping in water--in this case, the Jordan River.  The Lord himself set the example for all Christians by being baptized himself.

7 And he [John] preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.   8 "I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."   9 It came to pass in those days [that] Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.   10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.   11 Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Mark 1:7-11, NKJV)

Observe that Jesus submitted himself to water baptism, and God his father was well pleased with him.  We also note that the Spirit descended upon him “like a dove”, so there is an association between water baptism and the gift of God’s Spirit, as the apostle Peter later affirmed.

38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." (Acts 2:38, NIV)

Notice Peter commands that the people be baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”  There is an act of repentance before God by the baptismal candidate, as in John’s baptism, but there is an additional requirement: that they are baptized in the name of Jesus.

But how could our Lord be baptized with John’s baptism, for the forgiveness of sins, when he himself was sinless (1 Peter 2:22)?  If we are to believe the scriptures, we must believe both that Jesus was baptized by John, and that he was sinless, and we must reconcile these two truths.  John recognized this problem, and suggested that instead, Jesus should baptize him.

13 Then Jesus came from Gal'i·lee to the Jordan to John, in order to be baptized by him. 14 But the latter tried to prevent him, saying: “I am the one needing to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?” 15 In reply Jesus said to him: “Let it be, this time, for in that way it is suitable for us to carry out all that is righteous.” Then he quit preventing him. (Matthew 3:13-15, NWT)

We must conclude then, that Jesus’ baptism was a special case: not repentance from sin, but a public dedication to God’s will and the ministry set before him.  As the apostle Paul affirms:

5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

   "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

       but a body you prepared for me;

    6with burnt offerings and sin offerings

       you were not pleased.

    7Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll--

       I have come to do your will, O God.' " (Hebrews 10:5-7, NIV)

In imitation of our Lord Jesus Christ then, we submit ourselves to baptism as a public affirmation of our consecration to the will of God, doing so in the name of His Son.  Unlike our Lord, however, we are imperfect, sinful humans, so we must in addition, repent of our sins prior to baptism.

The apostles recognized the requirement of baptism for one who wished to follow Christ.  Paul himself is baptized after his life-changing encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus.

17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul [Paul], he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength. (Acts 9:17-19, NIV)

Paul likened the act of baptism to a symbolic dying to our old self, with its sinful nature, and being raised to a new life in Christ Jesus.

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?   4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.   5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be [in the likeness] of [His] resurrection,   6 knowing this, that our old man [the sinful self] was crucified with [Him,] that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.   7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.   8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,   9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.   10 For [the death] that He died, He died to sin once for all; but [the life] that He lives, He lives to God.   11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:3-11, NKJV)

The act of baptism then, according to Paul, is a metaphor for the spiritual death and resurrection of the new Christian.  He (or she) repents of past sins and is immersed in water in the name of Jesus, signifying death to the old sinful self, and then raised up out of the water, signifying a resurrection into the new spiritual life in Christ. 

…baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21, NASB)

The promised gift of the Holy Spirit from God assists the new Christian in his or her spiritual walk.  From this point forward the new Christian is dedicated to the will of God, and leaves the old self with its worldly desires and ambitions behind.  If we remain faithful, after we die we will be literally resurrected with a new body, and will be with Christ (1 Corinthians 15:42-49).  For now, during this present life, we are with him in a new spiritual life.  This new life is initiated by our baptism and the free gift of the Spirit of God.

We have learned that the scriptural view of baptism is one of repentance, a turning away from our old life course, and a commitment to do God’s will by following His Son for the rest of our lives.  It is a public declaration of our faith in the presence of God and men, and an affirmation to follow our Lord Jesus wherever he leads us.  The question arises however: does the gift of the Holy Spirit always accompany a baptism?  What is the nature of the gift of the Holy Spirit?  What should the newly baptized Christian expect?

The Gift of the Holy Spirit

44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

47Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? (Acts 10:44-47, NIV)

In this case, the Holy Spirit is given to Cornelius and his family before they are baptized.

14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:14-17, NIV)

Here, the apostles had to place their hands on these baptized individuals before they received the Holy Spirit.  And yet Peter says, “"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38, NIV)

How do we reconcile these things?  It would appear that the gift of the Holy Spirit is promised to those that get baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.  At the same time, this gift could be given to others prior to baptism, or after it, if God so willed.  In the case of Cornelius’ family, the purpose evidently was to demonstrate to Peter and his Jewish friends that God was calling the Gentiles also.  In the case of the Samarians, apostolic authority was needed to facilitate the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Here, God was demonstrating to the Samarians that the apostles had authority from Jesus Christ to take the lead in the Christian congregation during that time.  And for us today, we have the authority of their writings in Scripture.

So the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to true Christian believers after, during or sometimes before, their baptism.  It is the power of God’s presence operating on the believer, when that believer makes a commitment in his heart to God through Jesus Christ.  It transforms him or her into a new creation, an image of God’s son Jesus Christ, inspiring him or her with spiritual insight and passion (2 Cor 5:17, 1 Jn 2:27).  In the first century, the gift of the Holy Spirit was often (but not always) accompanied by miraculous demonstrations—speaking in foreign tongues (languages), healings, and prophetic utterances, among other things.  We certainly don’t rule out these gifts, but we observe that in Scripture they are associated with the apostles, or those the apostles laid hands on.  The purpose seems to have been to clearly establish the Christian Congregation and Apostolic authority by these miracles.  Nevertheless, we still are recipients of the “fruit of the Spirit” in all its fullness today.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV)

Of course God can perform any miracle at any time according to His good will and pleasure through any of his worshippers.  We should never try to limit what God can do in our lives through prayer and faith.

For more information on the Holy Spirit, see Chapter 8—The Holy Spirit, God’s Will in Action.

Home Christian Baptism

In your home Christian fellowship, an individual may express interest in getting baptized.  They may be new to Christianity, or may have been baptized in a particular denomination, but now desire to be baptized only in the name of Jesus Christ.  What do you do?

It’s really quite simple.  Arrange a day for the group to go to a lake, the ocean-side, or someone’s swimming pool.  Even a bathtub will work fine!  Try to find a place that offers some privacy if possible.  Start off like any other meeting, with songs, prayers, perhaps some reading of the scriptures.  Someone may want to prepare some information about what it means to dedicate our lives to Christ, and give a brief talk.  You should then allow the baptismal candidate(s) to speak to the group, telling them of their dedication and what it means to them.  Finish with a song and more prayer if you like.  At this time, the baptismal candidate should get changed into their bathing suit if they aren’t already.  A spiritually mature man or two should also get changed, if they are performing the baptism.  The group can then gather at the water to witness the event.

Usually the older man or men enter the water first and invite the baptismal candidate to follow.  Wade out into the water about up to your waists.  Have the candidate hold his nose with his right hand (to keep the water out), and hold his right wrist with his left hand.  The older man or men stand close to the candidate, putting one hand behind the candidate’s head and the other hand on the candidate’s left wrist.  Count to three and dip the candidate backwards completely under the water, and then lift them out, back on to their feet.  That’s it!  A brand-new Christian has been born!

After the baptism, have a meal together if you wish.  Celebrate with songs and prayers.  The angels in heaven rejoice when a new believer accepts Christ as his savior, and so do we (Luke 15:10).

In one home Christian fellowship I am a member of, the entire group wanted to get baptized.  Some of us had been baptized previously in other denominations, some had never been baptized, but we all wanted to be baptized together in the name of Jesus Christ—not in the name of some denomination. 

We all went out to a lake one beautiful, sunny day in August.  An older man baptized me, I baptized him, and then both of us baptized the rest.  We spent the day at the lake singing worship songs and fellowshipping.  In the evening we went into town and had dinner.  We took lots of pictures.  It was certainly a highlight of my life, and we continue to speak about it years later.

The Memorial of Christ’s Death

The Memorial was instituted by Jesus himself, during the celebration of the Passover with his disciples, on the night of his arrest.

7Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover."

9"Where do you want us to prepare for it?" they asked.

10He replied, "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11and say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' 12He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there."

13They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

14When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."

17After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. 18For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

19And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."

20In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:7-20, NIV)

Christians have been celebrating the Memorial, also known as the Lord’s Supper, ever since.  It is a reminder and celebration of the great sacrifice our Lord made on our behalf, and is a personal testimony to our being in the New Covenant with him.  Although our Lord instituted the Memorial on the night of the Jewish Passover, the Memorial would replace the Passover celebration from that time onwards.

The Passover

The Passover itself was instituted much earlier in Egypt through Moses.  God had asked Pharaoh, through Moses, to let the Israelites go out into the wilderness to worship Him, but Pharaoh had refused.  As punishment, God sent nine plagues, one after another, against the Egyptians, but still Pharaoh refused to let them go, even though Moses repeatedly gave him opportunities to comply.  Finally, as further punishment, God decided to kill all the firstborn of the Egyptians, by sending an angel of death.  He knew that only after this final plague would Pharaoh finally let His people go.

The Israelites were then commanded to slaughter a lamb, put some of its blood on their doorframes, and prepare a special meal.  The death angel would “pass over” the Israelite households who obeyed, but visit God’s wrath upon the Egyptians.  The Israelites were to keep this celebration annually.

1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire-head, legs and inner parts. 10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 11 This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover.

12 "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn-both men and animals-and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD . 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

14 "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD -a lasting ordinance. (Exodus 12:1-14, NIV)

The Passover became the highlight of the year for Israelites down through their generations.  It continually reminded them of their deliverance from Egypt under the cruel Pharaoh.  The sacrificing of an unblemished young male lamb and the symbolic power of its blood on their doorframes had saved their forefathers from certain death.  The annual celebration continually reminded them of God’s loving-kindness towards their people.  Yet these symbols pointed forward to a much greater realization of God’s sublime purpose.

The Passover as a Type

God performed a great work in delivering his people from Egypt, yet this was really a prophetic pattern of much greater things to come.  The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the antitype, or fulfillment of this pattern, or type.  Jesus Christ is, in fact, the Lamb of God.  The Passover lamb is a symbol pointing to Christ.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him [John the Baptist] and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29, NIV)

Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast–as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. (1 Corinthians 5:7, NIV)

The system of animal sacrifices that God instituted with the Israelites was designed to make them acutely aware of their Adamic sin (Romans 7:7).  These sacrifices would only have a superficial redemptive effect (Hebrews 10:1-4).  Only the sacrifice of His only begotten son could take away all sins for all time.  This was the ultimate price that God paid in our behalf—the death of His own son.  God established a system of justice whereby sacrificial blood atones for sins.  He then supplied the ultimate sacrifice.  Thus, by this one act, God’s system of justice was satisfied for all time, for the benefit of all who submitted to this loving provision.  What Adam had lost Christ had gained.

18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:18-21, NIV)

The covenant that God made with the Israelites through Moses was a picture of a much greater covenant that God would make with all people from all nations who put faith in His son.  This new covenant was prophesied centuries before Christ’s first advent.

31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD ,

"when I will make a new covenant

with the house of Israel

and with the house of Judah.

32 It will not be like the covenant

I made with their forefathers

when I took them by the hand

to lead them out of Egypt,

because they broke my covenant,

though I was a husband to them, "

declares the LORD .

33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel

after that time," declares the LORD .

"I will put my law in their minds

and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor,

or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD ,'

because they will all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest,"

declares the LORD .

"For I will forgive their wickedness

and will remember their sins no more." (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

23 I will plant her for myself in the land;

I will show my love to the one I called 'Not my loved one.'

I will say to those called 'Not my people, ' 'You are my people';

and they will say, 'You are my God.' "(Hosea 2:23, NIV)

This was the new covenant that Jesus instituted with his disciples that Passover evening.  "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20).

This is further explained in Hebrews.

5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

   "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

       but a body you prepared for me;

    6with burnt offerings and sin offerings

       you were not pleased.

    7Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll--

       I have come to do your will, O God.' " 8First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5-10, NIV)

The Passover that God instituted with the Israelites pointed forward to the celebration of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf, and the establishment of the promised New Covenant. The sacrifice of the lamb symbolized our Lord willingly laying down his innocent life. The bitter herbs stood for the Israelite’s bitter experiences in Egypt. For Christians, these are the trials and tribulations of living in a world opposed to God, as we struggle with our sinful nature. The blood on their doorframes represents the blood of Jesus poured out in our behalf, especially it’s sin-atoning and live-saving power. The unleavened bread represented the sinless body of our Lord that would be laid down for our sins. It also represents our ideal, our goal, in this life: to be like our Lord in sincerity, truthfulness and love despite our imperfections (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). As God led the Israelites by Moses out of Pharaoh’s Egypt, He would later lead Christians by Jesus Christ out of this wicked world under Satan (Ephesians 6:12) into the Promised Land of God’s Kingdom.

The Memorial

The Memorial was instituted by Jesus Christ and is documented in Luke 22:7-20, Matthew 26:17-30 and Mark 14:12-26.  During this meal, Jesus reveals that one of his disciples would betray him.

17When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me--one who is eating with me."

19They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, "Surely not I?"

20"It is one of the Twelve," he replied, "one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born." (Mark 14:17-20, NIV)

He then institutes the memorial of his death.

22While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."

23Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.

24"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them. 25"I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."

26When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Mark 14:22-26, NIV)

Matthew’s account is similar to Mark’s.  Luke’s account (quoted earlier) differs in that he describes Jesus giving his disciples not one but two cups of wine to share.  Only the cup they pass after the meal, however, is associated with the new covenant he makes with them, by virtue of his blood (Luke 22:17, 20).  The scriptures are not clear on what the purpose of the first cup was.  It may have been the cup which, in Jewish tradition, the host would initiate the meal with[1], or the first of four cups passed in the traditional Jewish Passover[2].  Another explanation is that these two cups were the third and fourth of the four traditional Passover cups, referred to as the Cup of Joy, and the Cup of Praise respectively[3].  In some Jewish traditions there is also a fifth cup, known as Elijah’s cup that no one was to drink.  It was to be left for Elijah who would return prior to the coming of the Messiah.  The bible is not clear as to which of the Passover cups Jesus was using during his final meal with his disciples, and so we can conclude that it is not an important issue.

In any event, only one cup is mentioned in subsequent Christian celebrations (1 Corinthians 10:14-22, 11:23-30), the cup of the new covenant by virtue of Jesus’ blood.  When Jesus instituted the Memorial, he also fulfilled and ended the Jewish Passover celebration.  From this point forward, true worshippers of God would celebrate the Memorial of Christ’s death, and would continue to do so until it was fulfilled in the Kingdom; that is, until the Kingdom is established over the earth with Christ as King.

The celebration of the Memorial was encouraged by the Apostles, in obedience to Jesus’ command to “do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).  Paul writes in 1 Corinthians:

23   For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;

24   and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

25   In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

26   For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.

27   Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

28   But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

29   For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.

30   For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.

31   But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.

32   But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

33   So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

34   If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. The remaining matters I will arrange when I come. (I Corinthians 11:23-30, NASB)

Paul highlights the need to “judge the body rightly”.  We are to prayerfully examine ourselves, ensuring that we are spiritually fit to partake of these sacred emblems.  It seems that some in the Corinthian congregation were not appreciating the sanctity of the Memorial, perhaps viewing it as something to satisfy their hunger only (“If anyone is hungry , let him eat at home”).

It does not appear that the Memorial was a public event, but rather a private event for those who had dedicated their lives to Christ and were approved before God.  Also, there is no explicit command regarding the frequency of celebration.  It seems reasonable to celebrate it annually, as the Passover was an annual celebration, but neither Paul nor our Lord teach this explicitly.  If some Christians wish to celebrate it more frequently, they should be free to do so in good conscience.

In chapter 10 of 1 Corinthians, Paul highlights the meaning of the Memorial with regard to the communal fellowship in the blood and body of Christ, of which all true Christians are members.

16   Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?

17   Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:16-17, NASB)

We share in the blood of Christ by submitting ourselves to its redeeming power, recognizing we are naturally sinful and cannot attain a righteous standing before God without it.  We also pattern ourselves after Christ, sacrificing this life with its pleasures and ambitions in order to serve God, our Christian brothers, and our fellow humans.  By feeding on the one loaf, we proclaim ourselves part of Christ’s spiritual body, and declare our complete dependence on him as our head, for all things, even our very lives.  As we eat, we symbolically declare that Christ is in us, fellowshipping with us in the Spirit.  We also recognize that our brothers and sisters in the faith are fellow-members of Christ’s body, and that we should love them as Christ loved us.

But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. (Romans 8:10, NIV)

4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (Romans 12:4-5, NIV)

5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5, NIV)

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34, NIV)

The cup of wine signifies the promised new covenant that Jesus instituted with his disciples at the first Memorial celebration.  This new covenant was prophesied by Jeremiah (quoted earlier), Ezekiel and Zechariah.

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. (Ezekiel 36:26-27, NIV)

11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you,

I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. (Zechariah 9:11)

The significance of the New Covenant is explained in Hebrews.

19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22, NIV)

Through this new covenant, God has offered reconciliation to Himself, to all who put faith in the sacrifice of His son.  Through this one unselfish act, glorious future possibilities and life eternal are made available to us by faith, even though we are sinners.  What undeserved kindness and great love our Heavenly Father has for us!  This loving-kindness should move us to fellowship with one another, to share our faith, and to minister to each other’s needs.

23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23-25, NIV)

Celebrating the Memorial

The Memorial of Christ’s death is the most important event in the Christian’s calendar.  As a fellowship, you should discuss it, and make appropriate plans.  It would be good for the group to consider pertinent scriptures in the weeks prior to the event.  Individuals can meditate on Christ’s words as they prepare themselves mentally and spiritually, “judging themselves” as to their individual fitness, and approaching God in prayer where they see weaknesses.

Some Christians strongly believe the Memorial should be celebrated on Nisan 14 of the Jewish calendar, the day of the Passover.  Nisan 14 does not usually fall on the same day each year in our modern calendar, so a Jewish calendar should be consulted if your fellowship feels this day is important.  Other groups choose to celebrate it on a different day, or more than once a year.  There is no specific command in the scriptures as to frequency, so fellowships should feel free to schedule the Memorial according to their personal preferences, after prayerfully considering the matter from our Lord’s perspective.

Normally one brother is asked to prepare a Memorial talk, although some groups have opted to have a bible discussion instead.  The unleavened bread can be purchased from a Jewish delicatessen.  Red wine should be used for the Memorial cup, or grape juice, if your fellowship has individuals who may have a problem with drinking alcohol.  Some people may object to drinking out of a communal cup, so small individual cups may be provided in addition to the communal cup, or instead of it.

The meeting should open with prayer, and perhaps a song.  The brother should then give his prepared talk, or if a discussion is desired, the fellowship should read one or more of the gospel accounts of the Last Supper, along with Paul’s comments in 1 Corinthians11:20-34.  A prayer can be said prior to sharing the unleavened bread, and then a plate or two with the bread should be distributed to the group.  If you are using Jewish matzah, you may want to break it into smaller pieces before distributing it.  Each person should think deeply and prayerfully about his relationship with his Lord, and what being part of the body of Christ involves, as they partake of the unleavened bread.

If you wish, another prayer can be said prior to the sharing of the cup.  Those that desire to can drink from a communal cup.  Others can drink out of individual cups if they are more comfortable doing so.  Each Christian should consider seriously and with gratitude, the sacrifice our Lord made on our behalf by the pouring out of his lifeblood.  As we partake of the cup, our hearts are filled with joy knowing our sins are forgiven because of him, and we confirm and validate the New Covenant by his blood.

If you desire, you can sing a final song of praise to our God, as Jesus and his disciples did (Matthew 26:30).  A final prayer should be said thanking God for all He has done for us through His son.