I had the privilege of hosting communion a while ago at church. I thought I’d share it with you.
Just before communion we sang “In Christ Alone”. Part of one of the verses struck me as particularly poignant based on what I wanted to talk about during communion.
And as he stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
What a promise!
He stands in victory, sin has lost its curse on me. His blood has bought our salvation.
Do you get it?
I wonder, back at that first communion, did the disciples really get it? They had a habit of not really grasping Christ’s greatness. When Christ asked them who they said he was, in Matthew 16:16, Peter replied “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”. So in one aspect they knew who He was, but they still didn’t really get it. Immediately after that in verses 21-22.
Matt 16:21-22
21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.
22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”
He is reprimanding the Messiah!
Still they haven’t learned to take Him at His word. They admit he is the Messiah, but when he tells them of what is to come they try to correct him. We don’t do that, do we?
Now that night when they were in the upper room sharing the Passover, Jesus introduced them to the elements.
From Matthew 26: 26-29
26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”
27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
Now they ate and drank the elements with Him. Did they really understand what the significance of that symbolic act was? They were confirming their place in the covenant of His grace. Now we are saved by His grace when we accept Christ in our hearts, but taking communion with our fellow believers is a reminder of the amazing gift He bestowed upon us.
As you take the elements I want you to think back to that first night when Christ set up the new covenant and invited us to be part of it. A symbolic act:
- The bread to signify that we are part of body of Christ, part of His church, part of His family.
- The blood that He was to shed to pay for our sins, once and for all.
Did they get it? Did they understand the enormity of what was happening? Do you get it? As the elements are handed out, think on what it means and how amazing that gift was.
Prayer for the bread
Heavenly Father, bless this bread as we take it. Bless us as we think on the amazing gift of Grace you bestowed upon us and as we strive to be more like you every day.
Amen
Hand out bread
Please hold you glasses and we will drink as a family.
Hand out drink
Prayer for the wine
Heavenly Father
As Christ stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on us,
For we are His and He is ours
We thank You Lord for our lives, bought with the precious blood of Christ.
We thank You in Jesus name,
Amen
Drink