Expository Preaching Blog #38 – “Expository Preaching and Communion”

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Right preaching should bring right practice. The reason I believe so strongly in expository preaching is so that I preach the Word of God accurately, honestly and precisely. Then I want to “practice what I preach” accurately, honestly and precisely.

I have noticed an alarming trend in the last 10 years. The majority of churches that I have been in during that time are not regularly having a communion service. These are mostly Baptist churches. One of the Baptist distinctives for me has always been “Two Ordinances”, baptism and communion. We also call the later The Lord’s Supper. Am I missing something? Did something change? Did the Bible change? My Bible hasn’t changed so I have not seen nor heard anything differently.

In my 31 years of active pastoring in 3 different states it was my practice to have communion once a month on the first Sunday of the month. On a rare occasion I moved it to a different Sunday because of a conflict. But I always led the congregation in the Lord’s Supper regularly at least once a month. We would also observe the Lord’s Supper in our yearly Good Friday service. I believe that is exceptionally appropriate. I never really understood having communion in the Christmas Eve service. Christmas is celebrating the birth of Christ not His death.

I did not ever treat the communion table lightly but I also tried to make it available to every believer who wanted to partake. I really do believe that the Lord’s Table should be for baptized believers only but I did not police it. I also served communion on Sunday morning when the greatest number of the congregation were present. After all it is for them!

Years ago I attended a church where they never seemed to take communion. After a couple of months I found out that they did it in the basement during the Sunday school hour. It was like it was hidden for a few secret members. We were never invited to attend and participate. We were also later asked to leave that church and never come back. I guess that they has a new Bible that taught them these ways that no one else had. I don’t miss that church.

Another church had it only on Sunday night or Wednesday night. I could never figure out what the schedule was. In my year in that church I only remember taking communion 2 times. I don’t think that is what Jesus had in mind.

I know many pastors worry about people taking of the Lord’s Table “unworthily”. Frankly I have never overly worried about that. I would follow the commands in I Corinthians 11 but I would let the people judge themselves. It was not my purpose to police them. God knows the heart and God knows them much better than me. God is their judge not me. It is my job as a pastor to make sure that my congregation has the opportunity to regularly observe the Lord’s Supper. When you exegete the Scriptures correctly that is the conclusion you will come to. If you preach it right then you will practice it right. I believe that expository preaching Sunday to Sunday in every service will lead to that.

 

Rev. David Johnson

Former Pastor

First Baptist Church of Austin, MN

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