Assemblies of God: What Does the Lord’s Supper Mean?
The Assemblies of God teaches that the Lord’s Supper is a Christ-commanded ordinance using bread and the fruit of the vine. It is a symbol of sharing in Christ, a memorial of His suffering and death, and a prophecy of His return. Communion invites believers to remember, proclaim, examine, give thanks, and hope.
If Communion ever feels confusing, formal, or intimidating, you are not alone. Christians use several names for this practice, including the Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion, and the Eucharist. Different Christian traditions also explain the bread and cup in different ways.
The Assemblies of God approaches the Lord’s Supper through Scripture and describes it in a clear, deeply meaningful way: it is a symbol, a memorial, and a prophecy. These three truths help us understand both what Communion means and how it should shape our hearts.
What Is the Lord’s Supper According to Assemblies of God Teaching?
Within the Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths, Holy Communion is one of the two ordinances of the church. Water baptism is the other. An ordinance is a practice commanded by Jesus that visibly communicates an essential part of the gospel.
Jesus gave His disciples the Lord’s Supper on the night before His crucifixion. He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and told them to eat in remembrance of Him. He also took the cup and connected it to the new covenant established through His blood.
Because Jesus commanded His followers to continue this practice, Communion is not an optional religious tradition with no biblical foundation. It is a continuing act of obedience, worship, remembrance, and gospel proclamation.
The Assemblies of God teaches that the bread and cup are symbols. They point believers to the body of Christ given for us and the blood of Christ poured out for our salvation. The elements are not treated as magical objects, and participating in Communion does not save a person apart from faith in Jesus Christ.
Salvation is by God’s grace through faith in Jesus. Communion does not replace repentance, conversion, discipleship, or a living relationship with Christ. Instead, it gives believers a physical and communal way to remember and proclaim what Jesus has already accomplished through His death and resurrection.
Why Is Communion Called a Symbol?
The word symbol does not mean meaningless or unimportant. A biblical symbol points beyond itself to a greater reality. The bread and cup direct our attention to Jesus Christ, His sacrifice, His covenant, and our relationship with Him.
When believers receive the bread, they remember that Jesus gave Himself for us. His body was subjected to suffering, rejection, and crucifixion. His sacrifice was not an abstract idea. It happened in history, and it was offered for sinners who could not rescue themselves.
When believers receive the cup, they remember the new covenant in Christ’s blood. Through Jesus, God offers forgiveness, reconciliation, and a restored relationship with Him. The cup reminds us that our hope rests not in our goodness, religious effort, or performance, but in the finished work of Christ.
The symbol also expresses fellowship with Christ. Communion is not merely a private memory exercise. It is an act of faith in which believers confess that their life comes from Jesus and that they belong to Him.
How Does 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 Explain Communion?
Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 is one of the clearest passages about the meaning of the Lord’s Supper. Paul begins by reminding the church of what he received from the Lord and passed on to them.
He places the meal in a specific historical setting: “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread.” Communion is connected to the real suffering and death of Jesus. It is not a vague spiritual metaphor detached from the cross.
Jesus said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Then He took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Paul then gives the continuing purpose of the practice: “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” This one sentence brings together the past, present, and future of the Christian faith.
We look back: We remember Christ’s suffering and death.
We live in the present: We proclaim the gospel and share fellowship as Christ’s people.
We look forward: We wait with hope for the return of Jesus.
Communion is therefore more than looking backward. It remembers the cross while declaring that the crucified Christ is risen, reigning, and coming again.
Why Does Assemblies of God Teaching Call Communion a Memorial?
Jesus specifically commanded His followers to eat and drink “in remembrance” of Him. A memorial brings a person or event intentionally before our minds and hearts. It helps us refuse spiritual forgetfulness.
We can know the facts of the gospel and still become distracted by fear, exhaustion, shame, success, grief, or daily responsibilities. Communion brings us back to the center. Jesus gave His life. Jesus established the new covenant. Jesus is our hope.
Remembering Christ is not trying to make Him present because He has disappeared. Jesus is alive, and the Holy Spirit is with His people. Instead, remembrance is an act of faith in which we consciously turn our attention toward who Jesus is and what He has done.
For the anxious believer, Communion says that fear does not get the final word. For the grieving believer, it says that death did not defeat Jesus. For the ashamed believer, it says that forgiveness is grounded in the blood of Christ. For the spiritually tired believer, it says that God’s grace is not built on human strength.
The table calls us to remember the gospel personally: Christ died for sinners, Christ rose again, Christ forgives, Christ is with His people, and Christ will come again.
What Does Communion Proclaim?
According to 1 Corinthians 11:26, believers proclaim the Lord’s death whenever they participate in Communion. This proclamation is both verbal and visible. The church announces the gospel not only through preaching and singing but also through the faithful practice Jesus gave us.
Communion proclaims that the cross was necessary because sin is serious and humanity cannot save itself. It also proclaims that God’s love is greater than our rebellion because Jesus willingly gave Himself for our redemption.
The meal tells the world that Christianity is centered on a person and an event: Jesus Christ crucified and risen. We do not gather around our own goodness, cultural identity, political preferences, or religious achievement. We gather around the saving work of Jesus.
Communion also reminds the church that the gospel is meant to be shared. When believers receive the bread and cup together, they publicly identify with Christ and with His people.
How Does Acts 2:42 Connect Communion to Christian Fellowship?
Acts 2:42 describes the first believers after Pentecost: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” This verse gives us a picture of a church shaped by Scripture, shared life, worship, and prayer.
The phrase “breaking of bread” may include ordinary shared meals, and many Christians understand it to include the Lord’s Supper as part of the early church’s gathered life. The important point is that Christian faith was not designed to be lived in isolation.
The early believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching. They devoted themselves to fellowship. They devoted themselves to breaking bread. They devoted themselves to prayer. Communion belongs within that larger pattern of life together.
This matters because Paul’s teaching about Communion in 1 Corinthians 11 addresses serious divisions in the church. Some believers were eating selfishly while others were being neglected. Their behavior contradicted the meaning of the meal.
The Lord’s Supper calls believers to discern the body of Christ. That means looking honestly at our relationship with Jesus and considering how we are treating His people. We cannot celebrate the unity created by Christ while intentionally practicing contempt, exclusion, pride, or indifference toward others.
Communion does not mean that every conflict disappears instantly. It does mean that the cross calls us toward humility, reconciliation, generosity, and love.
What Does Self-Examination Mean Before Communion?
Paul’s instructions continue beyond verses 23–26. In 1 Corinthians 11:28, he says, “Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.” This instruction is sometimes heard as a threat, but its purpose is not to drive sincere believers away from Jesus.
Self-examination is an invitation to come honestly before God. It means asking the Holy Spirit to reveal whether we are approaching Communion with faith, reverence, gratitude, and love.
Self-examination may include questions such as:
Am I trusting Jesus Christ, or am I relying on my own religious performance?
Have I allowed bitterness, pride, or contempt to take root in my relationships?
Is there sin I need to confess and surrender to God?
Am I treating other believers as people made in God’s image?
Do I understand that Communion points me toward the cross and the return of Christ?
This is not a demand for sinless perfection before approaching the table. If perfection were required, no one could come. The gospel tells us that we come because Jesus is merciful.
Self-examination is not self-condemnation. It is honest openness before the Lord. We confess sin, receive forgiveness, repair relationships where possible, and rest again in the grace of Christ.
Is the Lord’s Supper a Sacrament That Saves Us?
Assemblies of God teaching describes Holy Communion as an ordinance rather than teaching that the elements themselves automatically communicate saving grace. The bread and cup are sacred because of what they represent and because Jesus commanded the practice, but they do not save a person by being consumed.
A person is saved through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Communion is a response of obedience and worship from those who trust in Him. It points to salvation; it does not replace the Savior.
This distinction protects the central message of the gospel. Our confidence is not in the amount of Communion we have received, the setting in which we received it, or the religious actions we have performed. Our confidence is in Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again.
At the same time, we should not treat Communion as empty or casual. A symbol can be deeply meaningful. A memorial can strengthen faith. A shared act of worship can renew gratitude and restore our awareness of belonging to Christ and His people.
Who May Participate in Communion?
Assemblies of God churches commonly practice open Communion, meaning believers in Jesus Christ may participate regardless of denominational background. Local churches may explain their practice in different ways, but the focus is generally on personal faith in Christ, reverence, and self-examination rather than membership in one specific denomination.
If you are not yet a follower of Jesus, Communion should not be treated as a ritual that makes you a Christian. However, you are welcome to listen, learn, ask questions, and consider the grace of God revealed through the cross.
If you are a believer who feels unworthy, remember that Communion is not a reward for people who have performed perfectly. It is a gospel-centered practice for people who need Jesus. Come with humility, confessing your need and trusting His mercy.
How Does Communion Point to the Return of Christ?
Paul says believers proclaim Christ’s death “until he comes.” The phrase gives Communion an unmistakable future direction. Christians remember the cross while waiting for the return of Jesus and the completion of God’s redemptive work.
This hope matters in a world filled with uncertainty. News changes quickly. Circumstances shift. Bodies weaken. Relationships experience strain. Plans fail. Yet the Christian story is moving toward the return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the fullness of God’s kingdom.
Communion is a quiet declaration that Jesus’ death was not the end. The risen Lord will come again. The church does not gather around a dead teacher or an inspiring memory. We gather around the living Christ.
How Can Communion Shape Your Faith This Week?
Even when your church observes Communion only at certain times, the meaning of the Lord’s Supper can shape your daily walk with Jesus.
Remember Christ: Return your thoughts to the cross when shame, fear, or distraction becomes loud.
Practice gratitude: Thank God for the new covenant and the mercy given through Jesus.
Protect fellowship: Ask God to help you pursue humility, forgiveness, and love within the body of Christ.
Examine your heart: Confess sin without hiding and receive God’s grace without pretending.
Hold on to hope: Live today with confidence that Jesus will come again.
If you would like to explore these Scriptures more deeply, you can read related encouragement through the Assemblies of God teaching on daily renewal through the Holy Spirit, learn about finding real Christian community online, or visit the Boundless Prayer Wall guide.
The Bible Study Club also offers a welcoming place to discuss Scripture, ask honest questions, and grow with other people who are seeking to follow Jesus.
A Pastoral Prayer for Understanding Communion
Jesus, thank You for giving Your life for us and for establishing the new covenant through Your blood. Help us remember Your sacrifice with gratitude, humility, and faith. Search our hearts and lead us away from pride, bitterness, and indifference. Teach us to love Your people, proclaim Your gospel, and wait with hope for Your return. Draw every searching heart closer to You. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions About Assemblies of God Communion
What does the Assemblies of God believe about the Lord’s Supper?
The Assemblies of God teaches that the Lord’s Supper is an ordinance commanded by Jesus. It is a symbol of sharing in Christ, a memorial of His suffering and death, and a prophecy of His second coming.
Does Communion save a person according to Assemblies of God teaching?
No. Assemblies of God teaching holds that salvation comes through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Communion is an act of obedience, worship, remembrance, and proclamation for believers; it does not replace personal faith in Christ.
What Bible passage explains the meaning of Communion most clearly?
First Corinthians 11:23–26 clearly explains that Communion remembers Christ’s body and blood, proclaims His death, and looks forward to His return. Luke 22:19–20 records Jesus instituting the meal, while Acts 2:42 shows the early church devoted to breaking bread and prayer.
What does it mean to examine yourself before Communion?
Self-examination means coming honestly before God, confessing sin, receiving grace, and considering whether your relationships reflect the unity and love of Christ. It is not a demand for sinless perfection or a reason for sincere believers to remain trapped in condemnation.
Can Christians from different denominations take Communion in an Assemblies of God church?
Assemblies of God churches commonly practice open Communion, welcoming believers in Jesus Christ from different denominational backgrounds. Local churches may explain participation in their own way, but faith in Christ, reverence, and self-examination are central considerations.
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