The climaxing part of the Lovefeast as the New Testament describes it and as the Brethren have practiced it, is the Communion of the bread and the cup. It is the high point of the Lovefeast service because it symbolizes the central fact of the Gospel.
The New Testament Basis: Jesus took a piece of bread and blessed it and broke it, and said, “Take eat; this is my body.” Likewise He took the cup, and after giving thanks, He asked the disciples to partake of it (Matthew 26:26-28). Luke’s account says all this happened “after supper” (Luke 22:20). The word “communion” itself implies that a union in heart and belief and life must exist among those who engage together in the observance. Each believer is admonished to examine his life carefully before participating (I Corinthians 11:28).
Not the Lord’s Supper: Many speak of the Communion of the bread and cup as “The Lord’s Supper.” The Supper however is the simple evening meal. The Greek word translated supper means “the principal meal taken in the evening” (Harper’s Analytical Greek Lexicon). A little square of unleavened bread and a sip of grape juice could not be called the evening meal. The bread and the cup are never called “The Lord’s Supper” anywhere in the Scriptures.
The Meaning of the Symbol: The piece of broken bread and the sip of the fruit of the vine are observed is remembrance of Christ’s broken bruised body and of His shed blood (1 Corinthians 1 1 :24-2 5). When we partake of the Communion elements we are remembering Calvary; we are thinking of how our Lord was nailed to the Cross; we are recognizing that He was wounded for our transgressions and that the wrath of God which was poured out on Him, should have been heaped upon us! We are saying with the hymn writer, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”
The service of feet washing, the supper, and the communion were all instituted by the same Lord, at the same time, and with the same authority. Jesus said of them, “If ye know these things (plural because there are three parts), happy are ye if ye do them.” Is it not a serious thing to separate what God has put together?