Who should take communion?

...anyone who eats and drinks without recognising the body eats and drinks judgment on themselves. 1 Corinthians 11:29

I can’t now remember the first time I ate bread and drank wine in remembrance of Christ’s death - “took communion” as we call it. 

In the church where I came to faith the “communion service” was separate from the main service - tacked on, really, to be honest - to allow those who didn’t feel able to share in the meal to leave. So it was quite a significant moment in your life when you first “stayed to communion”. You were making a clear statement about yourself - “I am a Christian!” - and there was a sense of belonging to a select group.

The thinking behind this was the verse I have quoted from 1 Corinthians 11. If I remember rightly that word “judgment” appeared in the King James Version as “damnation”, which was actually quite frightening. A little earlier (verse 27) Paul says that “whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord”. That was quite frightening too.

Communion, emphatically, was for believers only!

Well, things have changed enormously over the half-century since then. Communion is now generally incorporated into the service as a whole. In many churches you don’t have to be baptised, or an official church member, in order to share in the bread and wine. In some churches children are welcome to participate, at least in some form or other. The invitation to the Lord’s table is given to “all who love and trust the Lord”, with the rider that anyone is free not to participate if they feel that is more appropriate (don’t worry, no embarrassment!).

But unease is still felt in some Christian, not least Baptist, circles. The old idea of “guarding the table” holds sway in the minds of many. But it’s an idea that triggers a sequence of questions.

First, does the table in fact need “guarding”? If so, guarding from what exactly? Surely it is the people who are in danger of “eating and drinking judgment on themselves” who need guarding? - the people who eat and drink “in an unworthy manner”?

Then second, who in fact are these people? This is where many Christians have a blind spot. They don’t seem to see that the people in question are not unbelievers, non-Christians, at all! No, they are Christians, members in this case of the church in Corinth, who are coming to the Lord’s table “in an unworthy manner”.

And third, what is that “unworthy manner”? Well, according to verses 20-22, it seems to be the nasty habit of enjoying a mini-feast purely for their own pleasure, even to the extent of gluttony and drunkenness, while other members of the church are excluded. 

It is this kind of behaviour that Paul is angry about - simply nothing to do with the completely separate issue of how a non-Christian should be viewed if he or she happens to be present at a communion meal. There is no reason to think that any harm is done, either to the individual or to the church as a whole, if someone as yet outside the family of Christ participates. 

No: let’s say it again to be absolutely clear - the people who need to watch out are those who profess to be Christians but who are demeaning something sacred and holy by gross, selfish, shallow and vulgar behaviour. In other words, Christian, you; or me.

Jesus left us a meal to remember him by - a proper meal, not just a little token ritual. And it was in origin quite a normal, ordinary meal. The wonderful thing is that he proceeded to invest this ordinary meal with a new and extraordinary significance: “this is my body, broken for you... this is my blood, shed for you”. 

We who know that our sins are forgiven through that sacrifice may enjoy that privilege and pray to be more worthy of it.

And that stranger down the row who looks a bit out of place? Relax! Don’t worry! On the contrary, be glad they are there - and pray that this strange meal will be a means of God’s grace to them. Who knows - you could have a convert on your hands!

Lord Jesus, thank you for leaving us a meal to remember you by. Help me to respect and value it for my own spiritual growth, and also to see its evangelistic value for those who don’t yet believe. Amen.