05/18/2026
“What Should We Talk About at the Lord’s Supper?”
When we come together each Sunday, we spend a portion of the worship service focusing on a memorial that Christ personally gave to His church, to remember His death until He comes. But in that part of the worship, what should a Christian think about? And more to the point, when someone is before the congregation helping guide the thoughts of those taking this holy supper, what should they say?
Can I make a plea? By virtue of it being Scripture, there can be nothing wrong with reading from a text like I Corinthians 11:23-26, or one of the similar accounts in the gospels. But, can I suggest that God did not intend for this to be the only text to read at the Lord’s Supper? Yes, it describes the setting up of that supper, and even gives the purposes of that supper. But, imagine if preachers did the same, simply standing up and reading, “And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation’” (Mark 16:15); And that’s it, no exposition, no commentary, just reading it because it tells us that we are to preach. Would that be effective? Would that be a sensible plan week-after-week?
What if our song service followed this pattern, and consisted of reading, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19), but never once singing a song? Thank God for the commands He has given us, but please do not let the command take the place of the heartfelt acting out of that command. Are we meant to employ what can easily become vain repetitions in talking of communion? God gave us the command to observe this meal weekly for our remembrance, why make it less memorable by repeating the same words each week in the manner of a Catholic liturgy? Why let something so special become so monotonous? Why not use the Holy Word that God has given us to inspire our thinking, and thereby inspire the minds and hearts of those who hear of God’s love? And if you ask any Christian sitting in the pew, which would help them to think more deeply about the supper, I Corinthians 11 or any other text, what would be their response?
So, is there another text that one could turn to that might be appropriate for the Lord’s Supper. There is no shortage. In fact, any book of the New Testament (not to mention in the Old Testament), could provide material for that sacred time of communion. I have taken the liberty of proving that out, and I would encourage anyone who is willing, to borrow from this list, or add to it, or use it in your own thinking about the Lord’s Supper.
• Matthew 21:37-41- the parable of the wicked vinedressers: the Jews killed the Son, and deserved destruction, but God chose grace
• Mark 10:33-34- Jesus knew He would die, but He went to cross anyway
• Luke 23:32-34- “Father forgive them” was Jesus entire purpose on Earth
• John 12:27-32- Jesus was genuinely sacred, but trusted in God more
• Acts 3:14-18- we all denied Christ, but God had a plan all along
• Romans 1:3-4- what the Law and humans could not do, God did in Christ
• I Cor. 1:18-20- is the message of the cross wisdom or foolishness to you?
• II Cor. 5:21- this one verse tells the whole of the gospel, what does it mean?
• Galatians 3:13-14- Jesus became cursed in order to break the curse on us
• Ephesians 2:13-16 – look at where we started, and where He has brought us
• Philippians 2:5-9- what else, besides His life, did Christ give up for you?
• Colossians 2:13-14- Jesus nailed the Old Law and our sin to the cross
• I Thess 5:9-10- God never wanted us to die, and sent Jesus to make sure
• II Thess 2:13-14- thank God that He chose us for salvation, and that He was willing to send Jesus to the cross to make it happen
• I Timothy 1:15-17- we were also the chief of sinners, however…
• II Timothy 1:8-10- Christ abolished death and brought light and immortality
• Titus 3:3-6- the story of the gospel is our story
• Philemon 18-19- like Paul, Christ will pay for whatever wrong was done
• Hebrews 10:11-12- Christ only needed one sacrifice to cover every sin
• James 5:5-6- same as the Pharisees treatment of Christ, do we do the same?
• I Peter 2:21-24- Peter turns back to Isaiah to see Jesus’ suffering
• II Peter 2:16-19- we have not been deceived, Peter was there, and we all proclaim that death, until He comes, (as seen in verse 19)
• I John 4:8-10- what did that amazing love of God do for us?
• II John 6-8- why do we take the supper? 1) to keep the commands, 2) To reprove false teaching, 3) To examine ourselves
• III John 9- Diotrephes wanted “preeminence,” he loved being first, he was typical of all humanity, but not of Christ
• Jude 14-15- speaking of the end, but this is what humanity deserved at the cross
• Revelation 5:6-10- a half-dead lamb, the most victorious image of heaven
Meditate on the death of Christ, and help others to do the same. Use what God has shared with us to move the souls of the church to thoughtfulness.
-Isaac Hall
