1 Corinthians 12:27: “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
There are many things that a local church ought to be engaged in. However, two have great importance according to the word of God. These two things are called ordinances which were given to us by Jesus Christ. These two ordinances are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper and they were observed by the earliest Christians. In fact, they were observed and instituted by Christ himself. We want to consider the meaning of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, but first, what is an ordinance? An ordinance is a ceremony ordained by Christ which pictures a spiritual truth. It is something we can see and feel which symbolizes a spiritual truth.
What is Baptism? Baptism is a ceremony which pictures our union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. When we stand in the water to be baptized, we testify to the fact that we have been crucified with Christ; when we are placed under the water, we picture our burial with Him; and when we are lifted up out of the water, we picture our resurrection with Him. The Lord Jesus commanded every one who believes on Him to be baptized. By baptism we give public testimony to the fact that we belong to Jesus and that we are united with Him in His death, burial and resurrection.
What is the Lord’s Supper? The Lord’s Supper is a time of remembrance of our Saviour’s death on the cross. The cup which we drink represents His blood which was shed for our sins. The bread of which we partake represents His body which was broken for us. The Bible says that we are to observe the Lord’s Supper till Jesus comes again: First Corinthians 11:26 says, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”
The Gospel Light Minute X 