Preparing Children for the Lord’s Supper

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper seem like such simple things. After all, they appear as if they are only just sprinkling some water and reciting some words… eating a little piece of bread and drinking a little tiny cup of wine and saying some prayers. But the Church also seems to tell us that there is something mysterious going on. So many of us ask ourselves:

• “How do I communicate to my child the simple nature and mystery of these two sacraments?”
• “How do I use the scriptures to instruct my child about the sacraments?”
• “What do I tell my child is the meaning of their baptism?”
• “Should I just let a pastor or elder from the church take care of this part so I don’t tell my children something wrong?”
• “Should I be afraid that my child might do something wrong or eat and drink in the wrong way at the Lord’s Supper?”
• “Am I really even sure I know what the Lord’s Supper is?”

Questions like these roll around inside our minds and cause many of us to unnecessarily postpone bringing our children to the Lord’s Supper. This study guide includes a very simple Bible study on the meaning of baptism and the Lord’s Supper as well as the corresponding Children’s Catechism questions and Westminster Shorter Catechism questions. This should prove to be a good primer to help parents communicate to their children how the Lord Jesus marks us and feeds us through these simple yet mysterious signs and seals.