According to common usage, the word ‘sacrament’ refers to some formal religious act that is an outward sign of an inward spiritual truth. The two sacraments commanded by Jesus are baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-24). They are also called ‘ordinances’, meaning rites or ceremonies established by divine command.
Baptism is an outward expression of faith in Christ and what he has done for believers through his death and resurrection (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4; see BAPTISM). The Lord’s Supper is an outward expression of fellowship with the risen Christ and his people, through recalling his sacrificial death and proclaiming its eternal blessings (Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 1 Corinthians 11:26; see LORD’S SUPPER).