COMMUNION
Communion is taken by those who have made Jesus Christ their personal Lord and Savior. It is a symbolic ‘meal’ that serves as a reminder of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
During the service, everyone will be prompted to think about two symbols: bread and juice. These two things are a way to remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Even though the things we will eat and drink together are quite normal, they remind us of very important spiritual things. When we eat the bread, we remember Jesus’ broken body. When we drink the cup, we remember Jesus’ blood that paid the price for us.
At the last Passover meal Jesus celebrated with His disciples, He began the tradition of the Lord’s Supper. Passover is a time when Jewish people remember God’s deliverance of their nation from Egypt. An angel passed over those homes that had been marked with the blood from a lamb. Jesus, through His actions at this supper, showed Himself to be the new way to forgiveness of sins. He is the sacrificial lamb, whose blood is the payment for our sins.
Here is the story of how Jesus turned the Passover meal from the Old Testament into communion in the New Testament.
Luke 22:14–20
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14
When the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him.
15
Then he said to them, 'I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
16
For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.'
17
Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, 'Take this and share it among yourselves.
18
For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.'
19
And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'
20
In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'
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It is important to note that the bread and juice are pictures of the body and blood of Jesus and not literally part of Jesus. Jesus gave us a way to remember Him and a way to be united as a church. Each of us has direct access to God through prayer, and we are also one body of believers, the church. Often the Bible calls the church “the body of Christ.” So, we as the body of Christ will together remember the actual body of Christ!
I Corinthians 11:17–34 gives us an important warning about communion. It reminds us to examine our hearts before God. Take a moment for individual prayer to think inwardly, ask God to forgive your individual sins, and also consider if you need to ask anyone to forgive you for doing wrong to them. If a person feels a need to ask forgiveness from someone, it should be done before taking the communion symbols.
