DAY TEN
Communion
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Communion or the Lord’s Supper is a Christian sacrament that succeeded the Jewish feast Passover. The Lord’s Supper was instituted by Jesus with his disciples during Passover. In His final hours with the disciple, Jesus installs the new sacrament. A tradition that has been passed down ever since. In this tradition, Christians eat bread in the symbolism of Jesus' body and drink wine in remembrance of his blood. The Lord’s Supper is a moment of remembering, preparing, uniting, and expecting.
The Lord’s Supper is remembering, recalling, and revisiting. Another word for The Lord’s Supper is the Eucharist which is a Greek word that means thanksgiving. Communion is looking back on what Christ did for us. It is remembering the beating, blood, and brutality. It is recalling the joy and love displayed in our savior. It is revisiting the mighty act of resurrection. The Lord’s Supper is an opportunity to honor the memory of the cross.
The Lord’s Supper is preparing. In the Old Testament, the day before Passover was the day of purification. The people had to prepare for Passover. Today, the Lord’s Supper is an opportunity to look at ourselves, to monitor the status of our hearts. In the process of remembering grace and forgiveness, we need to let go of shame, guilt, and frustration. We are invited to rest in Christ's finished work and restrain from our striving. The Lord’s Supper is a moment of internal cleansing.
The Lord’s Supper is uniting. In Jewish Passover, it was a tradition that the whole family participated in the Passover Celebration. Jesus accompanied all of the 12 disciples, even Judas! The Lord’s supper is not absent from communion, and communion requires community. The tradition is about sharing and displaying that Christianity is connected to other people.
The Lord’s Supper is expected. This tradition is filled with hope and expectation of the return of Jesus. There is hope in ultimately being in a perfect relationship with God forever in eternity. The Lord’s Supper is waiting, hoping, and expecting the Feast in Heaven. The Lord’s Supper is a moment of remembering, preparing, uniting, and expecting.