Based on Matthew 26:26–29; Mark
14:22-26; Luke 22:14–23; John 13:22–30
At First Baptist Church of Killeen, we try to have Communion or Lord’s
Supper about every two months. Other churches have it weekly, while others have
it quarterly. There is a past, present, and future part of Communion or more
commonly called the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is a special act of
worship that represents a wonderful spiritual truth for believers.
What does Communion mean?
I really like the word “communion”. It reminds us of our “common union”
that we have together with one another and also with Jesus. Paul used this word
in 1 Corinthians 10:16, saying, “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?”. There’s the common union we have
with Christ. The very next verse says, “For we, though many, are one bread
and one body; for we all partake of that one bread,” (1 Corinthians 10:17).
Elsewhere, that word is translated as fellowship. We have fellowship
with each other and with Christ every time we take the Lord’s Supper.
Before we take Communion, we are supposed to be restored to our brothers
and sisters. Paul rebuked the Corinthian church because while they came
together for the Lord’s Supper, they were not there in “fellowship” with each
other or “communion”. He wrote, “When you come together, it’s not for better
but it is actually for the worse. I hear that there are divisions among you,
and I believe it,” (1 Corinthians 11:17-18)
What does Communion show?
In observing this memorial, we see the three aspects of our salvation: Justification,
Sanctification, and Glorification.
We see justification, or the fact that we have been forgiven of our sins
by Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. Jesus said, “This is My body” and “This
is My blood”. By His sacrificial death, we have been made right with God,
by the forgiveness of our sins. As a result, we “proclaim His death” every time
we observe the Lord’s Supper.
Secondly, “as often as we eat and drink” the Lord’s Supper, we see our
sanctification, or God’s setting us apart to be dedicated to the work of
service. That is why we are called to examine ourselves prior to partaking.
Every time that we eat the bread and drink the cup, we should be seeking to be
more like Christ than we were the previous time.
Thirdly, we are to observe the Lord’s Supper “until He comes.” Jesus
promised that He would not eat or drink of it, until the kingdom of God comes.
We are looking forward eating with Christ at “the Marriage Supper of the Lamb”
in our glorified, sinless, and perfected bodies in Heaven someday (Revelation 19:9).
That will be our glorification.
In the Lord’s Supper we remember we were saved (Justification), that we are being saved (Sanctification) and that we someday will be ultimately saved (Glorification).
Lord Jesus, how I wish I could have been with You at the
Last Supper and how happy I am that I will be with you and the Lamb’s Supper. Until
then, wash my feet. Take away the dirt of this world that cakes between my toes
and causes a stench to our spirits. Until then, keep me from betraying You,
from denying You. You gave thanks for the cup.
