The Lord's Supper

And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
Mark 14:22-25

On the night Christ was betrayed, He instituted for us a memorial. We usually refer to this as the Lord's Supper or Communion. It is a solemn time for us to consider the sacrifice that was made for each one of us as individuals. It is an occasion to reflect on our lives, our spiritual condition, and our relationship with the Lord.

We see the physical elements of it, the bread and the fruit of the vine. Because it was during the feast of unleavened bread prior to passover, the bread would have been unleavened. The fruit of the vine indicates, well, juice made from grapes. As these are the things that Christ uses in instituting the Lord's Supper, they are what we continue to use to this day.

We also see in I Corinthians that it is possible to abuse the Lord's Supper.
When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. 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 show the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
I Corinthians 11:20-34

We must be careful to have the proper attitude and mindset when we partake. It should be one of reverence and dedication. It is not something we do lightly.

We can also see the example set for us in the New Testament of partaking on the first day of the week in Acts 20:7.
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
This makes perfectly good sense, as the first day of the week is the day on which Christ rose from the dead. It is fitting then, that it is on that day that we remember the sacrifice Christ made, and the gift that resulted from it: salvation.