Communion

In Remembrance

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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 and when He had given thanks He broke it and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.                                           1 Corinthians 11:23-24 ESV

That night when Jesus sat down for the last supper it seemed that just about everything was going wrong. Judas had gone to the high priest to betray him. The Sanhedrin had decided to have Jesus put to death. The other eleven disciples were spending part of their time at the table arguing over which one of them was the most important. But in the presence of so much going wrong the Bible tells us that on that night when he was betrayed Jesus blessed and shared the bread and then the cup. Not one single detail of His plan was stopped.

In some ways this scene reminds me of what we are passing through now with the Corona virus snatching away from us innocent lives. And in the middle of our own time of testing if we look to the Lord and remember we will find a promise of a rejoicing in faith; hope in the face of any sufferings and most of all the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord even in the shadow of the cross.

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For those wishing to share in an online service that includes communion I invite you to join us today at 9 Am 11 AM and 5 PM Eastern Standard Time. We are Generations Christian Church of Trinity Florida and whether you live in our community of not we would be delighted to have you join us! You can either just click on the link below or look for us online at Generationscc.com  – God bless and have a wonderful Lord’s Day!

Generations Live Worship

Remembering Him

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In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”                                   1 Corinthians 11:26 -27 ESV

Though the bread given to us may be held by human hands; 2,000 years ago it was given to us first by Him. As we take the bread and cup in our hands, He wants us to remember the marks of the whip, the crown of thorns and the cross. In the same way that Mary worshiped by pouring out the spikenard to prepare Jesus for His burial, we worship Him as we take the bread and cup and remember His cross.

 

I often think of the spear that pierced His side. Jesus hung lifeless after having given His spirit to the Father. But even as His body hung limp and vulnerable, a soldier plunged his lance into the side of Jesus. It was cruel but it was his job to make sure that Jesus was dead and with no possibility of rescue. And then there flowed out water and blood down His side and onto the ground showing the price that He paid for our sins and yet we easily forget. In the middle of the activities and pressures of life we need to come and sit again at His table. We must tell again the story of the bread He broke and the cup He blessed till the day when we eat and drink at His table in Heaven.

Serving Communion at Nursing Home Part 2

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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

To those who have returned for part two I want to say thank you. Finding people willing to volunteers bring communion to nursing home is always a challenge. So if you are involved in nursing home ministry or would like to be and to begin bringing in the Lord’s Supper here are a few ideas that can help you get started.

Be Joyful: Serving communion is not a duty it is a joy! At the end of the last supper, even though Jesus knew that He would soon be facing death on a cross; scripture tells us that He has them sing a hymn. There are few things more exciting than sharing about and serving the Lord’s supper. So serve with a smile. You will be amazed at the blessing you will carry in your heart all week!

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Collect your materials. Do not buy a communion set. They cost a fortune! Instead beg, borrow or create your own serving plates. In my current home we have only about 15 people and a small silver tray along with a ceramic cup work just fine. I buy the disposable plastic cups by mail order and the juice and matzos at the store.

Communicate to your people and set a regular schedule of when you will be serving. Residents really look forward to receiving and will make a special effort to attend if they know about it in advance. Right now I am choosing the first Monday of every month but over the holidays I am flexible and sometimes serve a special communion such as at Easter; Christmas or Thanksgiving.

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Cooperate: Ask for help as well as permission from the staff. Just as I discovered, they are usually more willing to get involved than we realize. We see our people a few times a month, but the staff is with them at least 40 hours a week! They know them far better than we do and nothing could possibly replace the gentleness and love they have for the residents.

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