Communion is the time we set aside to remember Christ’s death on the cross. It is a time when, as 1 Corinthians 11:26 says, “you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
We do this by eating bread (a small cracker) that reminds us of Jesus’ body, which was beaten, bruised, and nailed to the cross, and by drinking grape juice, which reminds us of Jesus’ blood that was shed on the cross for our sins.
The short answer for this is…because Jesus said so. Here is the longer answer. We do communion “in remembrance of me (Jesus),” according to 1 Corinthians 11:24. We can be forgetful people. But there are some things that we should never forget—and the biggest of all is Jesus’ death on the cross for us. That’s why we do communion! It’s important—I mean, it’s super-important to remind ourselves of the amazing sacrificial love that Jesus has for us.
Communion is for anyone who has accepted Christ as their Savior.
If your child has accepted Christ, and they understand the purpose of communion, then yes, they are ready.
Make sure you take some time before the communion service, maybe around the dinner table or at bedtime, to talk about this so they come prepared for this important night. If in your time talking, you are not convinced that your child is ready, then tell them that this time, you want them to listen and pay close attention during the communion service, and when the bread and juice are passed out, let pass it by. They can watch and learn, and maybe next time, they will be ready.