COMMUNION (Bread and Wine or Juice)
What is the importance of remembering and meditating upon what Jesus did for us at the cross and all that He achieved for us there?
Scripture
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:26-29
- What do you think the disciples felt in this story?
- What do you think they understood about what Jesus was doing and saying?
The Apostle Paul said that his most important bit of teaching is ‘that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day’ – 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.
Understanding why Jesus died and the enormity of what He accomplished for us through this act is incredibly important. It is impossible to cover it in a single short study. It is encouraged to go through the other resources to learn more.
Story
The following worship song is a powerful reflection on the importance and power of Jesus’ sacrifice on
the cross.
How deep the Father’s love for us
How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss –
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.
Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life –
I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom.
Stuart Townend Copyright © 1995
Thankyou Music
- What strikes you about these song lyrics?
- How do they deepen your appreciation of what Jesus did at the cross?
Jesus gave us a powerful practice in order to regularly remember what He has done for us at the cross.
This practice has various names including ‘communion’, ‘breaking bread’ and ‘The Lord’s supper’.
This practice may have various names, but please understand the importance and the sacredness of partaking in and of it. We meet Him at His table, to which He comes to give Himself to us.
Don’t take the Lord’s Supper lightly. It is one of the most precious gifts Christ has given to His church. (1 Corinthians 11:27–32 )
Jesus mentioned 3 key parts to this act:
- To remember what He has done for us in His
final sufferings and resurrection.
- To break and eat bread together to signify
His broken body.
- To pour out and drink wine together to
signify the blood He shed.
When He first showed His disciples this act it wasn’t done as a big formal ceremony but was done simply, in an informal setting as part of a meal with His friends. He didn’t give us a set formula or any detailed instruction to follow. Just simply remember, eat bread, and drink wine/juice.
- Have you celebrated communion before?
- In what way will you participate in The Lord's Supper differently now?
So What?
Celebrate communion together as the family of God.
Here are a few suggestions of things you might do to help you as you remember, eat bread and drink wine/juice.
Remember
- To focus the mind on Jesus and especially His historical work in dying for our sins. As we do the physical act of eating and drinking, we are to do the mental act of remembering.
- To consciously call to mind the person of Jesus as He once lived and the work of Jesus as He once died and rose again, and what His work means for the forgiveness for our sins.
- As believers when we eat the bread and drink the wine/juice physically we do another kind of eating and drinking spiritually. We eat and drink - that is , we take into our lives - what happened on the cross. By faith- by trusting in all that God is for us in Jesus- we nourish ourselves with the benefits that Jesus obtained for us when He bled and died on the cross.
Grow Further
Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
‘For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures’
Other Bible passages: Acts 2:42-47, Acts 20:7-12, 1 Corinthians 10:14-22, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
