Just short of thirteen years ago, I moved to Nashville, full of dreams and excitement. My first Sunday in a new town came with plenty of butterflies as I walked into a new church hundreds of miles from my last. The songs were unfamiliar, and I didn’t always know when to sit or stand, but when the time came to receive the Lord’s Supper, I was overwhelmed by what I saw.
As the trays of little crackers and juice were passed around, I watched as the two little boys leaned over to their dad and in their best yell-whisper asked, “Why can’t we have a snack, too?” I then watched this dad explain why God’s people receive the Lord’s Supper, what it symbolizes, and the kindness of God to make a way for us to be made right with Him through the blood of Christ shed on our behalf. The beauty of these moments would be repeated around the room in dozens of families during the months and years to come as we received the Supper.
Unlike thirteen years ago, I now have children of my own asking why they can’t have the snack mommy and daddy are enjoying during the service. The Lord’s Supper is both a remembrance of what happened on the cross and a rehearsal of what will one day happen when Jesus returns and we feast with Him forever. The Supper is a beautiful physical representation of the gospel and an excellent opportunity to reinforce the good news about Jesus for our kids.
Here are some talking points we use with our kids:
- WHAT IS THE LORD’S SUPPER?
The Lord’s Supper is a special time for those who follow Jesus to remember His death on the cross that paid for our sin. This time happens in the setting of a local church, as a pastor leads God’s people to receive bread, which represents Jesus’s body, and wine or juice, which represents Jesus’s blood. It’s not magical—and we aren’t actually drinking Jesus’s blood or eating His body. It is a symbol and reminder of what Jesus has done and a moment to enjoy the beauty of His presence together.
The first Lord’s Supper was led by Jesus in Luke 22:7-23. Jesus and His disciples were celebrating the Passover meal together when Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He told His disciples, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (v. 19). “In the same way,” He took the cup and told them, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (v. 20). This new covenant that Jesus has established is with all who have faith in Him and who trust that He paid for their sins on the cross.
Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, unlike the many animal sacrifices required in the Old Testament. He was the once-and-for-all payment needed for our sin, and the Lord’s Supper reminds us of the depth of God’s love seen on the cross and our desperate need for a Savior.
- WHO CAN RECEIVE THE LORD’S SUPPER?
The Lord’s Supper is to be practiced within the local church by those who have become Christians. It is a reminder of what God has done for His people on the cross and a moment to remember His lovingkindness in paying for our sin.
- HOW SHOULD WE RECEIVE THE LORD’S SUPPER?
Paul gave instructions for receiving the supper in 1 Corinthians 11:23-29. He spoke of participating in a worthy manner, examining our hearts. So, if our kids have become Christians, how can we help them do so? The most helpful way to help kids understand the Supper is to discuss it both at home and as it is happening in your church.
ENCOURAGE CONFESSION OF SIN.
Before we receive the supper, we take time to think about our sin and how one sin is enough to separate us from God forever. We couldn’t keep His Law, so God sent Jesus to pay for sin so that we could be made right with Him. Before we receive the Lord’s Supper, it’s important to confess our sin to God, and if any of our sin has been against another person or hurt them, we should confess our sin and apologize to them as well.
ENCOURAGE REMEMBRANCE.
As we receive the bread and the juice and eat and drink together, we seek to focus our minds on Jesus and His kindness to us on the cross. We think about how our sin brings about God’s wrath and how Jesus took on the punishment for our sin on the cross. Paul said that in practicing the Supper together we “proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (v. 26).
We teach the good news of Jesus to our own hearts and to those around us as we eat the bread and drink the juice. We proclaim that Jesus died, but He will also return, and we will eat and drink with Him in the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9). May we take every opportunity to remind our kids of this great truth!
Mary Wiley is the author of Everyday Theology, an eight-week Bible study exploring essential doctrines and why they matter in our everyday lives. She holds a BA in Christian studies and English from the University of Mobile and an MA in theological studies from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She and her husband, John, have two children and live in the Nashville area. She works in publishing and you can follow her on Instagram.
