TAKING THE LORD'S SUPPER AT HOME

1 Peter 2:1-10

1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:

"See, I lay a stone in Zion,a chosen and precious cornerstone,and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

"The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,"8 and,"A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall."They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Eating the bread

Begin with the reading of Matthew 26:26-30, followed by 1 Corinthians 10:16-17. The bread symbolizes the body of Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life. Christ lives in us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, making us part of the unified body of Christ — his church, the family of God made up of all believers everywhere through all time. Eating the bread indicates our commitment to Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:26-30; 1 Peter 2:20-24).

Give thanks for the bread, asking God to bless it as a symbol of Christ's body, given for us. This prayer should include thanksgiving for the fact that Christ suffered for us and that he has cleansed and healed us of all sin. Thank God for his love and mercy. Thank him for inviting us to eat of him, to come to his table and to share in his suffering that we might also share in his glory. Then each person may eat a small piece of the bread.

Drinking the juice

Take turns reading aloud such passages as Matthew 26:27-28, Hebrews 9:11-15, 1 John 1:7, Ephesians 1:7 and Colossians 1:20-22.

Give a prayer of thanks for the juice, asking God to bless it as the symbol of Christ's blood, shed for the remission of our sins. Thank God for the sacrifice of his only Son to die for us, washing us clean and reconciling us to him. After the prayer, each member may drink the small portion of wine.

Next, the group or couple may want to read portions from John 13:18 through John 17, and 2 Corinthians 5:16-21.

The conclusion

The time may be concluded with one or more songs, and prayer (Matthew 26:30).

Bread and juice that had been taken into the room for the service and had been blessed should be respectfully discarded. None of this bread or juice ought to be consumed for any other purpose after the service.

Excerpt adapted from Grace Communion International