Communion means intimate fellowship or partnership. The dictionary describes communion as the act of sharing (having in common), an exchange of thoughts and feelings, an intimate time together, fellowship, and a close spiritual relationship. Communion is also referred to as the Lord’s supper, love feast, breaking of the bread, meat and drink offering, or first works.
In communion we use two elements: bread and juice. Each one is significant and has it’s own meaning and benefits. Also when the two are brought together, it is very significant and powerful. When we receive the communion elements (bread and juice) we are to remember Jesus – what He has done for us and what He is going to do for us. We also look forward to His return to take His bride home and we commit fresh and anew our commitment to prepare to be His bride. When we receive the communion elements (bread / juice) we enter into a very special (sacred) time with God.
1 Corinthians 11:25-26 NIV
“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.”
Jesus instituted communion (the Lord’s Supper), as we know it today, after His final Passover meal was eaten. Jesus had celebrated many Passover meals before in His life and had even celebrated several with His disciples before this time.
Luke 22:15 NKJV
“Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer’ ”
Communion is not a magic formula or any mystical. It is a time of reflection. Communion is not to be worshipped – God is to be worshipped in and through communion.
Numbers 21:4-9 NKJV
“Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”
So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.”
When bitten by a serpent, the people were to look at the bronze serpent on the pole and they would be healed. However, after a period of time the people began to worship the bronze serpent instead of God. In the same sense, we are to worship the God that gave us communion as a means of being healed, not the communion elements themselves.
We live in a fallen world and because of that there are diseases, sicknesses and sin. The threefold atoning work of Jesus brought healing for our body, soul and spirit. During communion you should reflect on the reality that Jesus took your sicknesses and your sin. Make it personal – even in the midst of a crowd.
1 Corinthians 10:15-16 NKJV
“I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.”
Communion is a time of sharing, a time of exchange, a time of close spiritual relationship, and a time of fellowship.
Thank-you for giving Your Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice for our sins. Through Jesus we have the privilege of having an intimate relationship with You. Thank-you for the atoning work of Jesus which brought healing for our body, soul and spirit. Help us to fully understand the reality that Jesus took our sicknesses and our sin. May we never worship communion, but let us worship You in communion. By the power of the Holy Spirit, reveal to us everything that we have been given through communion. As we receive communion cause us to remember Jesus – what He has done for us and what He is going to do for us. May we also look forward to His return to take us, His bride, home. And we commit fresh and anew our commitment to prepare to be His bride.
In Jesus’ name, Amen