(Consider teaching this lesson to the children on a Sunday when they are present in the main assembly, after the congregation has shared communion. Leave out one tray of bread and juice) 

Can any of you tell me what these trays are for? (The Lord’s Supper, communion)

What did we just do with it? (Passed it around and ate little pieces of the bread and drank from the cups) 

Would you like to see what's in the trays? (Open them so that the children can see.)

Do any of you know how often we do this? (Each week) 

Now I’m going to ask a little harder question. Can any of you tell me why we do this? (Let them respond) 

Actually we do this every Sunday because Jesus commanded his disciples to “Do this in remembrance of Me.” On the night when he was betrayed by Judas, the night before He was crucified, Jesus met in an upper room with His twelve disciples and ate a meal called “Passover.” When they were finished, the Lord took some of the flat, unleavened bread that was on the table and some of the grape juice that was there also and started what He wanted to be an ongoing memorial. Since He was about to give His life for their sins and ours He didn’t want them to ever forget how important His sacrifice was.  

According to Jesus, the little pieces of bread like this represent His body which was about to go through a lot of pain and suffering. Little cups of grape juice like this represent His blood that symbolizes His life He gave as a sacrifice for our sins. When the Christians in this congregation and in churches all over the world observed this Lord’s Supper this morning, they were remembering Jesus and how important He is to them. 

Have you ever wondered why little children do not usually share in the Lord’s Supper? It’s because they’re not yet grown up and they haven’t yet made the grown up decision to become Christians. When they do make that decision and are baptized, they too will be able to have the Lord’s Supper. 

Before you go back to your seats this morning I would like to ask you to remember something for me, OK? Actually two things. First, these little pieces of bread represent Jesus’ body. These little cups of juice represent Jesus’ blood.  

Now let’s see if you remember. What do these little pieces of bread represent? (His body) 

What do these cups of juice represent? (His blood) 

When will you be able to partake of them in the church? (When you make the grown-up decision to become Christians and are baptized.) 

Very good! I’m going to talk about the Lord’s Supper in my sermon today and already you are ahead of me because you know what these emblems represent. You may return to your seats now. Thanks for coming up.

Dave Redick is Minister of the Hwy 20 Church of Christ in Sweet Home, Oregon and Editor of The Preacher's Study. He may be reached at pstudysupport@comcast.net.

Copyright © 1996-2008 by The Preacher's Study. Permission is granted to subscribers to use this document in total or in sermon preparation in the context of the local congregation only. Publishing it in a book, on the Internet, or anyplace beyond the local congregation is prohibited.

All Scripture quotations and references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise stated.

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