Communion Sermon: 3 Outlines for the Lord's Supper

A communion sermon is a message that prepares the church to come to the Lord's Table by fixing their eyes on the death of Jesus, the new covenant in His blood and the hope of His return. It can be a full sermon that leads into the Supper or a short communion meditation of a few minutes before the elements are served. Below are three communion sermon outlines you can preach this month, along with a ready short message and practical guidance for leading the table well.

Churches observe the Lord's Supper in different ways and at different rhythms. Some take it weekly, some monthly, some quarterly. Some call it communion, others the Lord's Supper or the Eucharist. These outlines stay with what the passages themselves say, so you can adapt them to your own tradition and your church's practice without fighting the text.

What makes a good communion sermon?

The table is a visible sermon. Bread is broken and the cup is poured, and every person in the room sees the gospel in a way they can touch and taste. Your words should serve that moment, not compete with it. A strong Lord's Supper sermon usually does four things:

• It looks back. Jesus said, this do in remembrance of me. The center of the message is His body given and His blood shed.
• It looks within. Paul calls believers to examine themselves, not to scare them away, but so they come honestly.
• It looks around. The table is shared. We come as one body, reconciled to God and to one another.
• It looks ahead. We proclaim the Lord's death till he come. Every communion service carries a note of hope.

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (KJV)

Communion sermon outline 1: Do This in Remembrance of Me (1 Corinthians 11)

This is the passage most pastors read when they serve the elements, which makes it the natural place to start. Paul received these words from the Lord and passed them on to a divided church in Corinth. The outline moves from remembering, to proclaiming, to examining.

Communion sermon outline 2: The New Covenant in My Blood (Luke 22)

Luke places the first Lord's Supper inside the Passover meal. That background helps your people see communion as the fulfillment of a long story of deliverance, from the lamb in Egypt to the Lamb of God. This outline works well before Easter or at the start of a new year.

Communion sermon outline 3: Known in the Breaking of Bread (Luke 24)

The road to Emmaus is not a Last Supper text, but it is a powerful table text. Two discouraged disciples walk with the risen Jesus without recognizing Him, until He breaks bread with them. It fits Easter season and any Sunday when your congregation is tired or confused.

A short communion message you can use this Sunday

Many services do not have room for a full sermon before the Supper. A short communion message of five to eight minutes can be just as rich. Here is a simple structure you can fill in with any of the passages above.

1. 1
   Read one text

   Choose a short passage, such as 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Isaiah 53:4-6 or John 6:35. Read it slowly and let it stand on its own for a moment.

2. 2
   Make one point

   A meditation has room for one truth. For example: the bread reminds us that Christ was broken so that we could be made whole before God.

3. 3
   Give one picture

   Offer a single image or brief story that helps the truth land. Keep it short and let it serve the text, as our guide to sermon illustrations explains.

4. 4
   Invite honest reflection

   Give a quiet moment for confession and thanksgiving. Thirty seconds of silence can feel long, and it is worth it.

5. 5
   Serve with the words of institution

   Read the words of Jesus as the elements are distributed, then close with a prayer or a hymn of praise.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:5-6 (KJV)

How long should a communion sermon be?

It depends on what the service is built around. If the Supper is the center of the gathering, a twenty to twenty-five minute communion sermon outline like the ones above leads naturally into the table. If communion comes after your regular sermon, a meditation of five to eight minutes is usually enough. Our guide on how long a sermon should be has more detail for different occasions.

What should you avoid when preaching on communion?

• Turning examination into fear. Paul calls believers to examine themselves and then eat. The goal is honest coming, not staying away in shame.
• Arguing about doctrine at the table. Traditions understand the Supper differently. The communion moment is not the time for a debate; teach your church's position in another setting.
• Rushing the elements. Plan the logistics with your servers so the reading, the distribution and the prayer feel unhurried.
• Forgetting guests. Explain simply and kindly who is invited to take part according to your church's practice, so no visitor is confused or embarrassed.
• Leaving out the hope. Till he come is part of the text. End with the return of Christ, not only with His death.

If you lead communion regularly, consider planning the texts in advance as a short series through the Gospels' accounts of the Supper. Our list of sermon series ideas can help you place those Sundays in your calendar. Whatever text you choose, the table always brings the church back to the same words of Jesus.

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:35 (KJV)