CD - The Salutary Use of the Lord’s Supper? - 1 Cor. 11:26-29

What is the proper use of the Lord’s Supper? Or better, what is the proper way to prepare ourselves to approach the Lord’s Supper? Is fasting commended or required? How do I know if I am properly prepared? What if I am not properly prepared? Following are the answers to these questions.

Fasting as a means of preparation for the Lord’s Supper is indeed commendable and a noble thing to do, but we must remember that it is neither required nor commanded by God. Fasting can also be done in a sinful way, as we have seen of the Pharisees of Jesus’ time. True fasting is a good way to focus your attention on the sacrament and is good as a means to clear out your body’s system. It should be done between you and God, alone. While you are fasting, I would suggest using meal time as your prayer time. You might want to plan this for a day you know you will not be disturbed by being asked to eat, like not on a day you are expected to be at a dinner or a party, etc. You might want to search the scriptures and read up on fasting some time before you begin this endeavor.

A good way to prepare yourself to approach the Lord’s Table would be to examine yourself. The Catechism as well as the Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship, and Lutheran Service Book have some questions you can ask yourself. The questions or types of questions you will want to use are those that ask if you know you have sinned and if you are truly sorry for your sin. If you believe that Jesus will and has forgiven your sins, and if you are ready to start and with His help, sin no more, you should partake of Holy Communion.

Those people who are not properly prepared are those who are, including yourself if you are, impenitent or ungodly, those who are not instructed (as in Confirmation) or do not understand this sacrament, thus, the reason for close communion, that is communing with only those of the same belief (denomination). Those who do not understand the sacrament may include those who believe it is either a symbolic act or a transubstantiation and not a real presence of bread and wine and body and blood.* Those who cannot examine themselves, such as little children. Those people who are unrepentant or are carrying around a grudge. All these people should refrain from communing.

What then is confirmation? The word means simply to “confirm” or to state for yourself what your sponsors said you believed at your baptism. Or, to confirm for yourself what you believe if you were not baptized as an infant. This is a public confession, not a decision for Christ, although it can be considered a commitment. It is also a rite whereby you become a part of the communicant membership of the church. This commitment should not be taken lightly but should be adhered to and daily remembered as our baptism.


Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me especially when I approach Your table unprepared. Forgive me when I neglect to partake of Your Holy Meal. Thank You for the forgiveness You have purchased for me and for the many gifts which are mine through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Continue to strengthen me through Your Word and Sacraments. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

*Note: When you think about it, if a person partakes of the Lord’s Supper at a church that believes it is a symbolic act, one in which the bread and wine symbolize the body and blood of Jesus, then that same person partakes of the Lord’s Supper at a church that believes the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ so that there is no longer bread and wine only body and blood and finally if that same partakes of the Lord’s Supper at a Lutheran church that believes, teaches and confesses the real presence, that is that there is bread and wine and body and blood, then in essence they have lied to two of the three churches, because you cannot believe all three mutually exclusive claims at the same time.