Holy Communion

Remembering

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And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Luke 22:19 KJV

Just before Jesus went to the cross, He invited His friends to a private dinner, and there began to explain to them what was going to happen next by using bread and wine. Afterwards, Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

“But if we are saved by faith.” You might ask, “Why do we need to follow a ritual?” We ask that because we think of remembering, as simply recalling facts, as when we memorize formulas so that we can pass the math exam. But the kind of remembering Jesus talked about was not just keeping all the details straight. Receiving communion is more like, when I remember my dad, every time I glance up at a photograph of him. That photo isn’t my dad, but it reminds me of seeing his smile, hearing his voice, and feeling His gentle hand on my shoulder. In the same way, we are doing more than just eating a piece of cracker and a drinking a cup of juice. Holy Communion reminds us of His sacrifice, helps us remember His voice in the words of scripture, and even gives us the sense of His hand on our shoulders giving us the strength to live our lives for Him.

Preparing for Communion

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You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Psalm 23:5 ESV
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed took bread. 1 Corinthians 11:23 ESV

As Jesus sat down to eat with His disciples, little did they know that this would be the last time they would share a meal together. Though we call that night the last supper, we could also call it the first supper. It was the first time Jesus took the bread and broke it saying that it was to be a reminder of His body, given for us. It was time that the cup would represent the blood of the New Covenant which He purchased for us with His own blood. On that night the disciples had set the table, but it was Jesus who had planned what the meal would mean. His plan was not really understood by those who sat with Him, but it was so effective that we still celebrate it today. On that night of betrayal and in the presence of His enemies, Jesus chose to give us one of His greatest gifts. So, next time you sit in church, waiting for the communion plate to pass, remember it as His last supper, but celebrate it as if it was the first and give Him thanks!

And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”  In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 1 Corinthians 11:24-25