It is called “The Lord’s Table”, “The Lord’s Supper”, “Communion”, “Holy Communion”, and “The Eucharist”. Most Christians know immediately what these words imply. We have heard the passage in Mark’s Gospel so many times that if often runs off of us like water off of a ducks back, having no impact on us whatsoever.
The setting was the Jewish Passover meal that Jesus was having with his closest friends. It was the most sacred time in the Jewish calendar year. It was the tradition that allowed all Jews the opportunity to relive the amazing work of God in securing their deliverance from the Egyptians so many years earlier.
In the midst of this meal Jesus, speaking of the bread says, “Take it; this is my body” and of the cup he states, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” The disciples sitting there with him that evening caught the imagery even if they did not understand the whole message. It was a powerful evening that two thousand years later still causes us to reflect on the condition of our own souls.
We live in a world of “contracts” that require our signatures on pieces of paper. Every time we sign a credit card slip we sign a contract. We sign contracts for work to be done, homes to be purchased and cars to be leased. A contract is for the exchanging of property and business transactions. Jesus did not say to us that His blood was given as part of a contract. No, Jesus says that His body and blood are a “new covenant.”
According to those who are much brighter than me, a covenant does not deal with property, but deals with people. A covenant is the exchange of persons. An example of this can be found in the wedding ceremonies I perform. There are two people exchanging vows and making a covenant of love and faithfulness between them. They are giving their lives away in pledge to each other.
Jesus is telling us that He is giving us His life and is asking that we give our lives to Him in return. He has made a covenant with us and every time we take the bread and cup we not only remember His sacrificial death, but we renew our convent, our vows.
If you ever take the opportunity to read early church history either online or in a book, you will be amazed at how much emphasis is placed on “The Lord’s Supper.” I often hear people mock the Catholic Church for putting so much emphasis on this aspect of their service, yet we often make it almost obsolete in our Protestant churches. We have made church so “hip” that we have forgotten the sacred, the holy, the reverence.
Jesus made it very clear that the taking of the bread and cup was to be a “big deal” in His family. He did not say to His church that every time we gather we should have a Bible study or sing songs, or have a potluck. Jesus said that when we come together we should renew our vows to Him in a covenant relationship with bread and cup.
Personally, I think it’s a sad day when a church tacks Communion on at the end of the service. Sometimes you get the feeling that it is something that “we have to do” so that the older people won’t get upset. It can come across when done in haste in the earlier part of the service like something we “have to get through” so we can get on to the more important part of the service-the preaching. Funny, Jesus did not say anything about the preaching of great sermons, but He did tell us to honor Him and our covenant with Communion.
In what are often called “High Churches” like Episcopalian, Lutheran, and others, the word used for Communion is “Eucharist”. The Catholics also use this second century expression, which simply means, “Thanksgiving.” An attitude of thanksgiving is certainly the need of our day. When the bread and cup are passed to you what is your attitude? Are you thankful for the amazing covenant that Jesus has made with you?
Justin Martyr was born about the same time that the Apostle John died. He was executed for his faith, but not before he wrote much in defense of Christianity to the Roman government. Today we still have many of his lengthy writings and can see the seriousness and commitment of the early church. Regarding The Lord’s Supper he writes,
“We call this food the thanksgiving (Eucharist), and the only people allowed to receive it are those who believe our teaching and have received the washing for the remission of sins and for regeneration; and who live according to the commands of Christ.”
May I encourage you the next time you celebrate Communion at your church that you focus on the vows you have made to the Lord Jesus. You have asked the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you of your awful sin and to come into your life as you submitted your very being to Him. This is the vow you made through an act of prayerful repentance and confession. Now, are you keeping those vows you made to the Lord? Are you faithful to Him, are you growing in love for the Savior and for others, are you being obedient to His leading?
Blessings to you,
Dan Owens
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
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