The Memorial Service, better known in other churches as the Lord's Supper or Communion Service is held only once a year, around Easter or at the time of the Jewish Passover, by the Watchtower Society.
Background information:
Only those who believe they are of the heavenly class, the "remnant" or the "144,000 class," partake of the emblems of the bread and the cup. The others have been taught that to do so, would be to drink eternal damnation to themselves. The result today is that in most Kingdom Halls when the Memorial Service is celebrated, the emblems are passed around and no one partakes because there are no members of this "heavenly" class still living in that local congregation.
This evening is one to which every Witness, interest and backslider is urged to attend. Visitors are also warmly welcomed. There is a tradition among Witnesses that Armageddon could come at this time and the "angel of death" would pass over those gathered in a Kingdom hall. Thus literally millions of backslidden and inactive Witnesses attend that night. (This explains why the 1991 Memorial Attendance was 10,650,158 world-wide when during that year the number of Peak Publishers, was only 4,278,820! Of the 10,650,158 who attended that Memorial Service only 8,850 professed to be of the "born-again" heavenly class, and partook of the emblems of the bread and cup.)
The ordinance of humility or footwashing ceremony is never practiced, and most Witnesses do not even know that Christ commanded it. For information on this subject, read John 13:14, 15, but we will also cover this topic in this lesson.
1. Why are we to partake of the emblems of the Christ's body and His blood, the bread and the cup, and what does that show we believe?
John 6:53, 54; 1 Corinthians 11:26
Answer:
"Accordingly Jesus said to them: 'Most truly I say to you, _____________ you eat the ____________ of the Son of man and ______________ His _____________, you have ____________ life in yourselves. He that feeds on my _____________ and drinks my _____________ has _______________________ ___________ and I shall resurrect him at the last day;'" John 6:53, 54
"For as __________ as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep ___________________ _________ _______________ of the Lord, until he arrives." 1 Corinthians 11:26
a. It is true that Witnesses believe that those who are raised in the resurrection to "everlasting life" refer to the earthly class . The heavenly class have already been raised and are in heaven, and those of that number still living on the earth do not depend on a resurrection, but believe they are "changed" at the moment of death, to become spirits and go to heaven! Therefore it is only the heavenly class who are to partake of Christ's body and blood and "have life within themselves!" Thus it is claimed that only the heavenly class receive "immortality," while all others left behind on the earth receive "everlasting life."
Yet, John 6:53, 54 says those who eat and drink Christ's blood have everlasting life, not immortality! So should only those in the "heavenly" class celebrate the communion if they don't receive "immortality" afterall? There is something terribly wrong with the Watchtower teaching of who should receive communion. For those who do not partake of the emblems in the service, they show that they do not believe that they need to make Christ's life theirs! Therefore they cannot have everlasting life or immortality if they refuse in that sense to eat Christ's flesh and drink His blood. We cannot put off salvation for one moment, according to 2 Corinthians 6:2--"....Look! Now is the especially acceptable time. Look! Now is the day of salvation."
b. Christ commands us to eat His flesh and drink His blood! He said at the last supper, "Take eat. This means my body."..."Drink out of it, all of you: for this means my 'blood of the covenant.'" Matthew 26:26-28. There is something you can do if you think that you are unworthy to partake of the Memorial Service, and this will be discussed in this lesson also.
c. The Society also applies the passage of John 6:52-65 to the "Lord's evening meal." Read this passage from The Watchtower, March 1, 1978, page 10. --
"So, in the discussion recorded in John 6:52-65, Jesus was not talking about the world of mankind as the ones to drink his blood as well as eating his flesh, figuratively, during his millennial reign. He was talking about believers whom he would bring into the new covenant. (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Revelation 20:4-6) These would become spiritual Israelites. That is why, when Jesus inaugurated the 'Lord's evening meal,' he said to his Israelite apostles: 'This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.' (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:20, 25.)"
Unfortunately in applying John 6:52-56 to the "Lord's evening meal," the Society still only allows for the "spiritual Israelite" believers, or the heavenly 144,000 class to partake of the emblems. The earthly class are still not included. So for them there is not the promised "everlasting life" and resurrection of John 6:54!
Now the tragedy of the Watchtower Society with this teaching begins to come together. The example already quoted is that of the 1991 Memorial Service, where there were 10,650,158 in attendance world-wide, but only 8,850 partaking of the emblems. It means that 10,641,308 people were sitting in the Kingdom Halls around the world, with Bibles in their hands, but perishing, because they were denied the very emblems of what Jesus said meant "life" to them. He then qualified this in the next verse as "everlasting life" with the promise of being resurrected at the last day.
This subject is one that cannot be taken lightly. It is linked with one being "Born-again," in fellowship with Jesus Christ, and cleansed from sin by their Lord and Saviour. Unless they have this understanding and relationship with Jesus Christ, they will be lost! May God help us all realize the necessity to obey Jesus!
2. At the Lord's Supper, or Memorial Service, what three emblems did Christ use?
1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Matthew 26:26-30; John 13:4-17
Answer:
a. "...Consquently let us keep the festival, not with __________ __________________, neither with ______________ of badness and wickedness, but with ________________________ ________________ of sincerity and truth...." 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
The Society rightly uses at their Memorial Service "unleaven" bread, because leaven or fermentation represents sin.
b. "....Also, he took a _______ and, having given thanks, he gave it to them, saying: "Drink out of it, all of you; for this means my 'blood of the covenant,' which is to be poured out in behalf of many for _________________ of ____________. But I tell you, I will by no means drink henceforth any of this product of the _____________ until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father...." Matthew 26:26-30.
(The word "wine" is never used in the Bible in connection with this service.) In view of the above symbol being "unfermented cakes" one would expect the sinless blood of Christ to be symbolized by "unfermented" grape juice. However the Watchtower Society uses fermented red wine! When this inconsistency is pointed out to many Witnesses, it comes as a shock to them!
c. "Therefore, if I, although Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to __________ _________ _____________ of one another. For I __________ the _______________ for you, that, just as I _________ to _______________ you should do _______________." John 13:4-17. Read all of the account!
This command of Christ could hardly be more direct!
3. What did Peter do when Christ wanted to wash his feet, and what did Jesus answer?
John 13:8
a. "Peter said to him: 'You will certainly _____________ _____________ ________ ______________.' Jesus answered him: 'Unless I _____________ _____________, you have ________ _______________ with me.'"
John 13:8
It is serious not to partake of the foot washing!. It is part of our communion with Him.
b. This command cannot be spiritualized away as a custom of the East. It is like baptism--it is a command of Christ.
c. It is like a partial baptism, a spiritual stocktaking when a man "examines himself," (1 Corinthians 11:28) and makes everything right between himself and God and then symbolizes it with this cleansing. The person is then ready to partake of the emblems of Christ's sinless body, and His death. This is how you prepare yourself so that you may not partake of the Memorial Service unworthily.
d. Jesus said "If you know these things, happy you are if you do them." John 13:17.
What people are carrying out these instructions of Jesus Christ in this meaningful and solemn service? Only the Seventh-day Adventists and a welcome awaits you!