A Baptist Lord's Supper Litany

An Observance of the Lord’s Supper:

Call to Communion

Minister 1 – Revelation 3:20 Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with Me.

Minister 2 – 1 Corinthians 16:22 and Didache 10:6 (paraphrased): If anyone will be set apart for God’s service, let that person come. If anyone love the Lord, let that person come. If anyone will not, let that person repent. Marana tha [μαράνα θά]. Our Lord, come.

Minister 1 – Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let everyone who hears say, “Come.” And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.

Minister 2 – Revelation 2:7 To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the Tree of Life that is in the Paradise of God.

Minister 1 – Revelation 2:17 To everyone who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, . . .

Minister 2 – 1 Peter 5:14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

The Breaking of the Loaf

Minister 1 – 1 Corinthians 11:23 . . . the Lord Jesus on the night when He was betrayed . . .

Minister 2 – Luke 22:14-16 . . . when the hour came, [Jesus] took His place at the table, and the apostles with Him. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”

Minister 1 – Mark 14:22 While they were eating, He took a loaf of bread, and He blessed it [εὐλογήσας eulogesas] and broke it, . . .

Minister 2 – The Passover Haggadah: BaRUKH ’atah, ’AdoNAI ’eloHEInu, MEHlekh ha-oLAM, ha-motzi LEHkhem min haAHrets.

“Blessed are You, O LORD our God, Sovereign Ruler of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.”

Minister 1 – 1 Corinthians 11:24 . . . and then He gave thanks [εὐχαριστήσας eucharistesas], . . .

Minister 2 – Didache 9:3-4 . . . “We give You thanks [Εὐχαριστοῦμέν eucharistoumen], O our Father, for the life and the knowledge that You have made known to us through Your Son Jesus; Yours is the glory for ever and ever. As this broken bread was scattered as seed upon the mountains and being gathered together became one, so may Your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Your Kingdom; for Yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever and ever.”

Minister 1 – Exodus 16:15b Moses said, “This is the bread that the LORD gave you to eat.”

Minister 2 – Matthew 26:26 and 1 Corinthians 11:24 . . . Jesus then broke the loaf and said, “Take and eat.” “This is My body that is for you. . . . ”

[The Gathered Brothers and Sisters Take and Eat from the Broken Loaf]

Minister 2 – 1 Corinthians 11:24 “. . . Do this in remembrance of Me.”

Minister 1 – John 6:32-35, 51 Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from Heaven, but it is My Father Who gives you the true bread from Heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world.”

They said to Him, “Master, give us this bread always.”

Jesus said to them, “I AM [ἐγώ εἰμι ego eimi] the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry, and whoever places trust in Me will never be thirsty. . . . I AM [ἐγώ εἰμι ego eimi] the Living Bread that came down from Heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

[The Gathered Brothers and Sisters Share A Common Meal]

The Sharing of the Common Cup

Minister 1 – 1 Corinthians 11:25 and Mark 14:23 In the same way Jesus took the cup also, after supper, and He gave thanks [εὐχαριστήσας eucharistesas]. . .

Minister 2 – The Passover Haggadah: BaRUKH ’atah, ’AdoNAI ’eloHEInu, MEHlekh ha-oLAM, boREI p’RI ha-gaFEN.

“Blessed are You, O LORD our God, Sovereign Ruler of the universe, Who created the fruit of the vine.”

Minister 1 – Psalms 117:12-14 What shall I return to the LORD for all His bounty to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the LORD, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people.

Minister 2 – Didache 9:2 . . . We give You thanks [Εὐχαριστοῦμέν eucharistoumen], O our Father, for the holy vine of Your son David that You made known to us through Your Son Jesus; Yours is the glory for ever and ever.

Minister 1 – Exodus 24:8 Moses said, “Behold, the blood of the Covenant that the LORD made with you.”

Minister 1 – Jeremiah 31:31-34 Jeremiah said, “The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the Covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt – a Covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. But this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My Torah within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.”

Minister 2 – Matthew 26:27 and 1 Corinthians 11:25b . . . He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. . . . ” “This cup is the New Covenant in My blood”. . . .

[The Gathered Brothers and Sisters Drink from the Common Cup]

Minister 2 – 1 Corinthians 11:25c “. . . Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Minister 1 – John 15:1-5, 8-9 “I AM [Ἐγώ εἰμι ego eimi] the True Vine, and my Father is the vine grower. . . . Every branch that bears fruit He prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the Word that I have spoken to you. Abide in Me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me. I AM [ἐγώ εἰμι ego eimi] the Vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in Me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from Me you can do nothing. . . . My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you; abide in My love.

Minister 2 – Didache 10:2-5 We give You thanks [Εὐχαριστοῦμέν Eucharistoumen], Holy Father, for Your holy Name, which You have made to reside in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality that You have made known to us through Your Son Jesus; Yours is the glory for ever and ever. You, Almighty Master, created all things for Your Name’s sake, and gave food and drink to human beings for enjoyment, and thus we render thanks to You; but You have also provided for us spiritual food and drink and eternal life through Your Son. Before all things we give You thanks [εὐχαριστοῦμέν eucharistoumen] that You are powerful; Yours is the glory for ever and ever. Remember, Lord, Your Church to deliver it from all evil and to perfect it in Your love; and gather it together from the four winds – even the Church that has been set apart – into Your Kingdom that You have prepared for it; for Yours is the power and the glory for ever and ever.

Minister 2 – 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a koinonia [κοινωνία] – a sharing, a participation, a fellowship, a communion – in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a koinonia [κοινωνία] – a sharing, a participation, a fellowship, a communion – in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

The Greatest in God’s Realm Are Those Who Serve Others

Minister 1 – Luke 22:24-27 . . . A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as One Who serves.”

Minister 1 – John 13:15-17 “. . .  I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. . . .  ”

The Eschatological Hope

Minister 2 – 1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

Minister 1 – Revelation 22:20-21 The One Who bears witness to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Marana tha [μαράνα θά]. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all who are set apart for Him. Amen.

Minister 2 – Didache 10:6 May grace come and may this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. . . . Marana tha [μαράνα θά]. Our Lord, Come. Amen.

The Brothers and Sisters Pray the Following Benedictions in Unison

1 Thessalonians 5:23, 28 May the God of peace indeed sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. . . . The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you, brothers and sisters. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace indeed give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of you.

2 Corinthians 13:13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the koinonia [κοινωνία] – the communion, the fellowship, the partnership – of the Holy Spirit be with all of you and with your spirit.

Romans 16:25-27 Now to God, Who is able to strengthen you according to the Good News and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages, but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be the glory forever! Amen.

Jude 24-25 Now to the One Who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the Presence of His glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

2 Peter 3:18 Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the Day of eternity. Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21 Now may the God of peace, Who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal Covenant, make you complete in everything good so that you may do His will, working among us those things that are pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.