Lord’s Supper

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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He Took the Cup

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Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:20 NKJV

As the disciples gathered at the Last Supper, they thought they had come to share a traditional Passover. Everything was put in place just as it had been since the days of Moses. But when they sat down to eat; Jesus began telling them that one of them was a traitor. Imagine sitting down at Thanksgiving dinner and hearing your Dad say, “Praise God, I am thankful for this meal but I know one of you is a murderer!”? In a Passover celebration there were four cups to be drunk. The first cup Jesus took was called sanctification and this He told the disciples to share among each other because He would not drink it again until He drank it in the Kingdom of God. The next two cups were the proclamation cup, and the blessing cup, the later being most likely the one He blessed as the New Covenant in His blood. Last of all was the cup of praise which after they drank they sang a hymn and went out and followed Jesus to the garden. We do not know if Jesus drank any of the cups at the Last Supper. Our cup He blessed and gave to us so when we receive it we must be thankful. But in Gethsemane after He had prayed He took a different cup filled with bitterness and drank, so that ours could be filled with joy and eternal life!