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The Lord’s Supper is a really important part of Church life, but we so often lose the deep sense of meaning as to what it is all about. The following list is a brainstorm of ideas about the various emphases that could be brought out when introducing the Lord’s Supper. I am sure that there are more, but it is a good start!

1. Remembering Jesus death [including the nature of the death]

2. Cleansing by his blood; we are clean

3. Unity of the body (1 Cor 11:29)

4. Prefiguring the end-time banquet (1 Cor 11:26)

5. Placing the Lord at the centre of the community life (1 Cor 11:20)

6. Covenant renewal (Ex 24; 1 Cor 11:25)

7. Body as the curtain – reconciliation with God (Heb 10:20)

8. New Passover Feast (1 Cor 5:8)

9. Unleavened loaf – get rid of the yeast => purity (1 Cor 5:7)

10. Celebration of our release from slavery (See Passover)

11. The New covenant sign

12. Eating together in the presence of God (Ex 24; 1 Cor 10:21)

13. The LORD’s supper – behaviour in gatherings (1 Cor 11:17-34)

14. Servanthood as the former of and model for the community (John 13)

15. Placing God in the reality of our everyday lives (1 Cor 11:17-34)

16. The Lord building his temple (Eph 2:22)

17. Celebrating the benefits of salvation

18. Manna & water from the rock – God’s miraculous provision and constant presence. (1 Cor 10:16)

19. Forming of Christ’s body – everyone has a place, all come on equal terms (1 Cor 12:12)

20. Our participation in Christ (1 Cor 10:16)

21. Link with a historical faith (in the realities of the events of the past and the celebration through history)

22. Means of receiving God’s forgiveness

23. Awe at God’s work in Christ

24. Being right with each other

25. Life through the resurrection

26. Sustaining life – Food for the journey [spiritual food and drink]

27. Renewing and ratifying the covenant; allegiance to King Jesus

28. Linking past [act in Jesus], present [reality of that today] and future [expectation and hope]

29. Shared lives together

30. Jesus’ life and humanity

31. Our link with Jesus

32. Tool to teach children our history (Deut 6:7)

33. Reminder of sacrifice for everyone [evangelistic]

34. God’s expression of unconditional love for us

35. Symbol of hope in all circumstances

36. Freedom from slavery; from darkness to light

37. Intergenerational family event

38. Symbol of victory of God’s power and defeat for the enemy

39. Sacrifice [taking God’s judgment for us]

40. Forming the identity of the community in Christ