Communion…… “Do this in Remembrance of Me”

The Communion Service is perhaps the central celebration in most Christian communities.  It helps  us focus not only on the Lord himself but we become active participants in the ceremony.

Some call it “the Lord’s Supper or “Eucharist”.   Unleavened matzah bread is broken and eaten, striped and pierced symbolic of the Lord’s sinless body and a symbolic cup is received.  Jesus said it this way…”This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matt. 26:28)  He also said……”Do this in remembrance of me.”

This type of service carries the idea of a special blessing, sanctification and proclamation of the Lord’s return.   However, we rarely discuss the context of the communion and that matters!

Context is essential to provide clarity to the whole service itself, especially since it is the central act of worship in the assembly.  But it just so happens that the context of communion is more often what is missing. Do we ever discuss the origins of this ceremony? 

This is a Jewish ceremony which is the reenactment of the Passover story of God’s judgment when He “passed over” the homes of the Hebrews marked by the lamb’s blood when they were enslaved in Egypt.   The Passover and Exodus is being remembered.  The bread is unleavened (meaning it is made without yeast which represents sin) and it is known as the “bread of affliction”.  It must be striped and pierced and holding it would remind us of the sobering cost of redemption and a new beginning.

 It is in this context that Jesus says.  ’’ This is my body which is given for you; do this in rememberance of Me.” His body symbolized the lamb that was offered at the first Passover.

Luke 22:20 writes that then Jesus took the third cup in the Passover Seder (the word Seder means order) known as the Cup of Redemption or Deliverance.  The wine in the third cup presented the blood of the Passover Lamb that was painted on the doorposts of each home.  In this context, Jesus identified Himself as the ultimate Lamb of God sacrificed for our redemption when He said…………”This is the cup of the New Covenant in my blood, which is shed for you.”  

But wait there’s more………

“Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:25).  There is more to this Passover meal that we leave behind.  We spend so much time on the sacrificial part that we never talk about the glorious ending.  It is the New Covenant. 

The New Covenant is not only the church or our salvation,  it is God’s kingdom on earth.  It represents the covenant that God made with Israel (Read Jeremiah 31) and we as believers have been added into that covenant because of our faith. 

This New Covenant is another way of saying that at His second coming Jesus will establish the Kingdom of God on planet earth.  God’s divine redemption plan will again be celebrated but this time in its completion.          

Context matters.   We need to spread the word.  We need to create the space for it in our thinking, both the context of the meal and in the context of that day.  Jesus revealed how the New Covenant would be inaugurated in His blood on the cross, allowing us to experience afresh the passion and purpose of the ingenious plan of our Heavenly father in His Son. 

So this is actually the Gospel!  The Good News……..something glorious is coming. That God is preparing us for the New Kingdom.  That’s why we need to make disciples.

                                       Our Good News is really Good!!!