1 The Lord’s Supper is not designed for the satisfaction of physical hunger and thirst, or for the nourishment of the physical body. It is designed to.

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The Lord’s Supper is not designed for the satisfaction of physical hunger and thirst, or for the nourishment of the physical body. It is designed to meet spiritual, rather than physical needs. As a spiritual meal, it has many aspects, or facets.

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The Lord's The Lord's SupperSupperA Memorial MealA Memorial Meal

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The Lord's The Lord's SupperSupper

A Proclamation MealA Proclamation Meal

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The Lord's The Lord's SupperSupperA Covenant MealA Covenant MealA Covenant MealA Covenant Meal

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The Lord's The Lord's SupperSupper

It Is AlsoIt Is Also A Fellowship A Fellowship MealMeal

It Is AlsoIt Is Also A Fellowship A Fellowship MealMeal

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1 Corinthians 10:161 Corinthians 10:16

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship Meal

The word rendered “communion” in this passage is from the same word translated “fellowship.” It means “participation, association, intimacy.” When Christians eat the bread and drink the cup in the Lord’s Supper they participate in and have fellowship with the blessings and privileges of His body and His blood.

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship Meal

Of course, our fellowship or communion with Christ is much broader than partaking of the Lord’s Supper.

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1 Corinthians 1:91 Corinthians 1:9

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

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1 John 1:1-31 John 1:1-3

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-- the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship Meal

Of course, our fellowship or communion with Christ is much broader than partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Paul says that, in everything he did to serve the Lord, foregoing anything and everything that would keep him from being loyal to his divine Master, he had fellowship or communion with the sufferings of Christ.

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Philippians 3:8, 10-11Philippians 3:8, 10-11

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ... that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship Meal

The apostle John affirms that this fellowship includes the blessing of cleansing from sin by the Savior’s blood, which is one way of having communion with the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

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1 John 1:71 John 1:7

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship MealThe apostle John affirms that this fellowship or communion includes the blessing of cleansing from sin by the Savior’s blood, which is one way of having communion with the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. But to enjoy this blessing, the apostle insists that we must not walk in the darkness but in the light, which means that we are to follow the Lord’s will in all things, not only participating in the fellowship meal but keeping all the divine commandments and ordinances.

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1 John 1:5-61 John 1:5-6

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship MealThis does not mean, however, that the Christian must be perfectly sinless in order to have fellowship with the body and blood of Christ. If walking in the light meant never sinning, the Christian who was walking in the light would have no sin and would not need cleansing by the blood. But it does mean that he is putting forth a determined effort to do the Lord’s will, not picking and choosing which commandments he will obey.

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship Meal

These truths do not, in any way, minimize the importance of the fellowship of the body and blood of Christ, which Christians enjoy in the partaking of the Lord’s Supper. There is no more intimate, immediate and direct fellowship possible for men and women to have with the sacrifice of Christ, than that which is available in the fellowship meal.

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship Meal

When partaking worthily, their minds and hearts are consciously centered upon the suffering, crucified Savior and the blessings involved in that loving, merciful, meritorious sacrifice. Hence, it seems impossible that a child of God could be walking in the light, while neglecting the gathering of the saints around the Lord’s Table to commemorate the Lord's death.

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship MealSuch a person’s irreverence in failing to partake of the Lord’s Supper is indicative of his unconcern for his sins and for his need of the Savior’s sacrifice, which the fellowship meal represents. He has turned away from Christ, rejecting a means of access to the mercy and grace of God. In rejecting the fellowship meal, he has rejected fellowship with the body and blood of Christ.

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship Meal

Jesus gave the last measure of devotion in the service of mankind when He tasted of death for every man.

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Hebrews 2:1-4Hebrews 2:1-4Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

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Hebrews 2:5-8Hebrews 2:5-8

For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: "What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.

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Hebrews 2:9Hebrews 2:9

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship MealJesus gave the last measure of devotion in the service of mankind when He tasted of death for every man.And those who truly see in the fellowship meal His perfectly unselfish devotion cannot keep from dedicating their lives to the Lord by unselfishly serving their fellowmen, by worshipping God, and by keeping themselves unspotted from the world.

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship Meal

Also, the fellowship we have of the body and blood of Jesus Christ through the Lord’s Supper is but a foretaste of heavenly glory when our fellowship with Christ shall be full and unending. The union between Christ and the Christian will never be dissolved in heaven, and thus the fellowship between them will never end. Delightful is the unity and fellowship of believers on earth.

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Psalm 133Psalm 133

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.

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Psalm 133Psalm 133

It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing-- Life forevermore.

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A Fellowship MealA Fellowship Meal

But this delight will be immeasurably heightened in heaven, when we will need no meal to commune with Him.