communion

Matthew 26:26-30

Understanding things in their context helps me to see the overall picture. 

So let me paint this for you:   Jesus has gotten all of his disciples together (the twelve) for a meal.  He knows it is His last night before He gets crucified.  The meal is a traditional meal in celebration of the Passover (where God passed over the Israelites in the plagues that took place in Egypt).  Everyone in town was celebrating this but Jesus was doing it different. 

On this night, Jesus tells Judas to go do quickly what he is to do.  Judas stomps out, with the disciples confused, and goes to sell Jesus to the Sanhedrin.  Jesus knows that this is it, yet He goes on.  He tells them to “take, eat [the bread]; this is My body.”  Then He takes the wine and gives it to them and says, “drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.”  Before He gives both the bread and the cup to the disciples, He blesses it or thanks God for it. 

Many people throughout history have debated whether or not, the bread and the wine are actually Jesus’ body and blood.  To me, this is not the point.  For me, I see that this act of communion, or as some call it – the Eucharist, is a testimony of what God has done for us.  Just as the Passover meal was a celebration of God passing over their sin, Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper to remind us of where He has brought us from. 

Let’s keep going:  Oh, by the way, for every worship leader out there, notice that in Matthew 26:30, they sing a hymn.  Yep, even then, rocking it out in worship.

Ok, check out 1 Corinthians 11:23-33. 

This is Paul’s message about the Lord’s Supper.  After going over what the Gospels say Jesus did that fateful night, read what Paul says, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” We proclaim it.  We remind ourselves of it.  We preach it.  We declare it to be true.  The Lord died for us, as He said, it is His “blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.” 

But Paul goes on to say that “whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.”  Wow, that is a statement needing to be understood.  Paul is saying that we should drink it in a manner worthy of it so that we don’t become the reason it was given.  He is saying that we should honor our Lord by preparing our hearts for receiving His body and blood into our lives.  He goes on to say that we should “examine [ourselves]… for he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.”  Paul is telling the Corinthians to eat with a view to where our sin is.  Thinking about how we can live out rightly and where we have lived wrongly. 

So in preparation of taking communion this Sunday, examine yourself to see where you stand with God.  Look deep into your heart and get out the stuff that is holding you back from seeking God. 

“Search me, o God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” – Psalm 139:23-24

There is a song by one of my favorite worship leaders, Charlie Hall, that really hits me about communion, here are the lyrics:

Let my life shine
come and let my heart shine
Gonna walk the world
We lift the bread and wine

Like the stars shine
Come and let our hearts shine
In a dark world,
We lift the bread and wine

Broken but singing
Our hearts keep shining