Heidelberg Catechism: Lord’s Day 29

How should we understand Christ's words, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24)?

Heidelberg Catechism: Lord’s Day 29

Last week we explored the beauty of the Lord’s Supper, not as a ritual to perform, but as a gift to receive. We saw how Christ, by His Spirit, nourishes our faith as we come to the Table. But now a deeper question arises: What is this bread and wine? What happens when we take and eat?

Some traditions teach that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus. Others claim that Christ’s real body is present in, with, and under the elements. But as a congregation within the Evangelical Free Church of America, we hold to the centrality of the gospel, the authority of Scripture, and a view of the Lord’s Supper that resists both ritualism and reductionism.

We do not believe the elements are transformed. We do not re-sacrifice Christ. We do not view the Lord’s Supper as a means of grace that functions apart from personal faith.

Instead, we affirm that the Supper is an ordinance instituted by Jesus, through which He reminds and reassures His people of His finished work. And within the EFCA, faithful believers hold to two main views of how this happens:

  • Some affirm a spiritual presence view, often associated with John Calvin and the Reformed tradition. This view teaches that while Christ is not physically present in the elements, He is truly present by His Spirit, feeding and strengthening believers who come in faith.
  • Others affirm a memorial view, associated with Ulrich Zwingli, which sees the Supper as a God-ordained act of remembrance, a symbolic proclamation of Christ’s death, a moment of gratitude, and a renewal of our dependence on Him.

Both views emphasize this: the Table is not a magic ritual, but a gospel gift. Christ is central, faith is essential, and the grace offered is always grace already accomplished—never earned.

Question 78
Do the bread and wine become the real body and blood of Christ?
No.
Just as the water of baptism
is not changed into Christ’s blood
and does not itself wash away sins
but is simply a divine sign and assurance of these things,
so too the holy bread of the Lord’s Supper
does not become the actual body of Christ,
even though it is called the body of Christ
in keeping with the nature and language of ordinances.¹

¹ Matthew 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:17–20

Question 79
Why then does Christ call the bread His body
and the cup His blood,
or the new covenant in His blood?
(Paul uses the words, a participation in Christ’s body and blood.)

Christ has good reason for these words.
He wants to teach us that
as bread and wine nourish our temporal life,
so too His crucified body and poured-out blood
truly nourish our souls for eternal life.

But more important,
He wants to assure us,
by this visible sign and pledge,
that we, through the Holy Spirit’s work,
share in His true body and blood
as surely as
our mouths receive these holy signs in His remembrance,
and that all of His suffering and obedience
are as definitely ours
as if we personally had suffered and made satisfaction for our sins.²

² 1 Corinthians 10:16–17; John 6:53–56

Ordinance, Not Altar

The Lord’s Supper is not a new sacrifice. It’s a gospel sign. We come not to an altar, but to a table set by grace, not by works. And though the bread and wine remain what they are, God uses them to stir our faith and draw us near.

Jesus did not give this ordinance to complicate our theology. He gave it to comfort our souls. In a world of shifting words and broken promises, here is a visible, tangible reminder: His body was truly broken. His blood was truly shed. And His love has not changed.

A Shared Meal, A Shared Savior

When Jesus said, “This is My body,” He wasn’t inviting us to speculate; He was inviting us to believe. The bread doesn’t become something else. But neither is it empty. It’s a sign that points and a pledge that assures.

The Spirit of Christ meets us in that act of remembrance, not by descending into the bread, but by lifting our hearts to heaven. He feeds our faith, not by magic, but by mercy.

In the EFCA, we cherish the unity this ordinance brings. Though believers may differ on exactly how Christ is present, we agree on what matters most: the Table points to Him, and it calls us back to the cross.

Feeding the Faithful

The catechism reminds us that Christian growth is not just about learning more, but feeding well. We don’t grow by effort alone. We grow by grace. And grace has a taste.

That’s why, in our church, we invite to the Table those who have placed their trust in Christ and have publicly identified with Him through baptism. For children and students, this often involves a time of preparation and a personal profession of faith, so that their participation is joyful, sincere, and rooted in their own relationship with Jesus.

This Is for You

Whether you hold the Reformed view or the memorial view, the Table is for the hungry. It is not for those who come with spiritual resumes, but for those who come with open hands.

The Lord’s Supper is not about what you bring to Christ. It’s about what He’s given to you. And when you eat in remembrance of Him, you are reminded again: His body was given. His blood was poured out. And His grace is still enough.

A Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You did not ask me to bring perfection, only trust.
You gave this meal not as a mystery to explain,
but as a mercy to remember.
As I take the bread and drink the cup,
lift my eyes to Your cross.
Lift my heart to Your throne.
Let this meal never become routine.
Let it remind me, again and again,
that I live by what You’ve already done.
Feed my faith.
Renew my hope.
And help me leave the Table with gratitude,
ready to follow You.
Amen.

Daily Bible Readings

New Testament in a Year
July 20 – Acts 17:1–15
July 21 – Acts 17:16–34
July 22 – Acts 18:1–17
July 23 – Acts 18:18–28
July 24 – Acts 19:1–20
July 25 – Acts 19:21–41
July 26 – Acts 20:1–16

The Bible in a Year
July 20 – Psalms 20–22; Acts 17:1–15
July 21 – Psalms 23–25; Acts 17:16–34
July 22 – Psalms 26–28; Acts 18:1–17
July 23 – Psalms 29–30; Acts 18:18–28
July 24 – Psalms 31–32; Acts 19:1–20
July 25 – Psalms 33–34; Acts 19:21–41
July 26 – Psalms 35–36; Acts 20:1–16