Communion

Two Cups

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And said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:10-11 ESV

I have sometimes wondered why the first miracle Jesus did was to fill wine cups by turning ordinary water into delicious wine. Why didn’t He cleanse a leper, give a blind man sight, or raise someone from the dead? But then I remember another cup and another dinner table, where Jesus sat down to eat with His disciples, He took a cup, but this time He didn’t change water into wine. Instead, He told them that the wine in His cup was His blood, and then He passed it to them to drink. Today we receive that cup when we take communion. Our communion cup is different from the ones the people drank from at the wedding because even though Jesus gave them miraculous wine, eventually their cups ran dry. Just like the blood of the Old Covenant never really worked, those people, just like us, have lied, stolen, lusted, or hated. But the good news for us today is that Jesus didn’t come to fill our cups with old wine. He came to miraculously transform the ordinary water of our old life into the wonderful wine of something new. The cup that Jesus offers us is filled with the new wine of His blood, and each time we receive communion we are reminded that His blood paid the price for our salvation and set us free from sin. And this cup is not reserved only for special guests but for anyone who comes and drinks and then follows the Lamb of God who came to take away our sin!

And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Luke 22:20 ESV
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Table of the Lord – Part Three

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And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. Luke 22:14-15 ESV

This time when we come to the Lord’s table, it is not a feast in a green pasture, nor is it a banqueting table under a beautiful banner. This table where Jesus invites us was where He ate His last meal on earth, sharing it with His closest friends. Here is the table where Jesus took bread and blessed it, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me” Later, as dinner was ending, Jesus took His cup and said, “This cup is poured out for you which is the New Covenant in my blood.” This is the table which He ate at while His enemies watched. This is the table where the banner of His love was spread over us. So, let’s take a moment and lift up our hearts in praise because, at this table we are asked to remember the terrible price that He paid for our salvation. Let’s worship Him in amazement, because this is the table overflowing with blessings that He has earnestly desired to share with us. But before we eat and before we drink: we are cautioned to ask, “Have we prepared our hearts for this table which Jesus has prepared for us?” If not, He invites us to seek His pardon, trusting that He will never turn away any child who comes with faith and a repentant heart. Here at the Lord’s Table, is the good news that He has done all that we need to make us ready to share this table with Him!

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Christmas Communion Service

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 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 1 Corinthians 11:23 ESV

Since our meetings at Watermark are only on the 1st and 3rd weeks each month, this past Sunday was our last service of 2023. What a beautiful time we shared together. If you watch the video, you may notice one of our ladies passing by the camera as she serves communion. Maybe it feels so right to be singing Silent NIght, as we take the bread and the cup, because, in the words we are remembering the birth of Jesus and in the elements, we remember His death. I pray that you also find the peace of our Lord, through the shed blood of Jesus, not only at Christmas time, but even on those moments when you feel betrayed by life. Jesus gave us His example, washed our feet and then laid down His life. At birth, He was laid in the manger, and in death He was laid on the cross. At birth He was wrapped in swaddling clothes and nursed by Mary. In death He was stripped, and while soldiers gambling for His clothing, they gave Him vinegar to drink. These are two silent nights that bring us hope and salvation. The first in Bethlehem, the second at the garden tomb. At Christmas we should remember both of them, as the precious gifts of God’s love that they are, and then fully surrender our hearts and lives to Him.