Communion, often called the Lord’s Supper, holds a central place in Christian worship. Instituted by the Lord Jesus Himself on the night before His crucifixion, it is both a solemn remembrance and a joyful proclamation. When believers partake of the bread and the cup, they do more than participate in a ritual. They step into a moment that bridges the past, the present, and the future: remembering Christ’s sacrifice, experiencing spiritual fellowship with Him and with one another, and anticipating His return in glory.
Jesus’ words, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19), serve as the foundation of this sacred ordinance. The command is not optional; it is given to the Church as an ongoing practice of obedience, faith, and proclamation. Communion is not meant to be treated lightly or as a mere religious formality, but as a continual act of worship that keeps Christ’s sacrifice before the eyes and hearts of His people. To understand its importance, we must consider its biblical origins, its theological meaning, its connection to Israel’s history, and the ways it shapes our lives and worship today.
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Historical and Cultural Background
The setting of the Last Supper is deeply rooted in Jewish history. Jesus did not randomly choose a meal to institute this practice; He chose the Passover, the annual remembrance of God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt. In Exodus 12, the Israelites were commanded to sacrifice a spotless lamb and place its blood on their doorposts so that the angel of death would pass over them. That lamb represented God’s provision of protection and redemption, pointing ahead to a greater sacrifice.
The cup of wine and the unleavened bread, already familiar to the disciples in the Passover celebration, took on an entirely new meaning in Jesus’ hands. He broke the bread and declared it to represent His body given for them. He lifted the cup and proclaimed it to signify His blood, the blood of the new covenant that would be shed for the forgiveness of sins. In one powerful act, He transformed the old covenant symbol into a new covenant ordinance.
The early church, following His instruction, incorporated communion into their regular worship. Acts 2:42 tells us that the believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” This breaking of bread was not merely a shared meal but a deliberate remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. It was a defining practice of the Christian community, uniting believers in worship and testimony.
Biblical Narrative
The New Testament provides rich testimony concerning the practice of communion. In the Gospels, Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper is recorded in detail. Matthew 26:26–28 describes Him taking the bread, giving thanks, and breaking it, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then, taking the cup, He said, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Here, Jesus declared that His death would inaugurate a covenant far greater than the one made with Israel at Sinai—a covenant established through His own blood.
Paul expands upon this in 1 Corinthians 11:23–26, reminding the Corinthians that the Lord Himself gave this command, and that whenever they ate the bread and drank the cup, they proclaimed His death until He comes. This shows that communion is not merely reflective but declarative. It is an act of proclamation, a sermon in symbols, declaring to all that salvation is found in Christ’s death and resurrection.
Furthermore, Paul warns that communion must be approached with reverence and self-examination. Some in Corinth had treated it carelessly, mingling it with gluttony and division. As a result, Paul rebuked them, insisting that “everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.” The seriousness of communion lies in what it represents: the very body and blood of Christ given for sinners. To treat it lightly is to dishonor Him.
The imagery also points forward. Jesus, after distributing the cup, said in Matthew 26:29, “I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Each observance of communion therefore looks toward the marriage supper of the Lamb, when Christ will once again drink with His redeemed people in His kingdom.
Theological Significance
The Lord’s Supper is packed with theological depth. It is first a memorial. Jesus commanded His disciples to remember Him—not merely as a historical figure, but as the Lamb of God who bore their sins. In the bread, we are reminded of His body broken under the weight of sin. In the cup, we see His blood shed, the very price of our redemption. Communion keeps the cross central to Christian faith and worship.
But it is more than a memorial; it is also a proclamation. Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 11:26, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” In this act, believers collectively testify to the world that their hope rests in Christ’s atoning work. It is the gospel dramatized in visible form, preached not by words but by symbols.
Communion also carries a dimension of spiritual nourishment. While the bread and cup are symbols, they are not empty symbols. Jesus said in John 6:53–56 that those who eat His flesh and drink His blood remain in Him and He in them. Though this passage is not a direct reference to the Lord’s Supper, it reflects the truth that communion points to: our complete dependence upon Christ for spiritual life. In sharing the elements, believers affirm their union with Christ, acknowledging that apart from Him they can do nothing.
Furthermore, communion fosters unity within the body of Christ. Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 10:17, “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.” Communion is not merely an individual act of devotion; it is a corporate declaration of unity. In a divided world, the Lord’s Supper reminds the Church that all believers are one in Christ, sharing the same Savior and the same hope.
Finally, communion directs our eyes to the future. Jesus’ promise in Matthew 26:29 anchors our hope in the coming kingdom. Each time we partake, we are reminded that the story is not finished. The cross is not the end but the beginning of a new creation, and communion points us toward that final consummation when Christ will reign in glory and His people will feast with Him forever.
Spiritual Lessons and Application
What does communion mean for the believer today? First, it calls us to continual remembrance. We are prone to forget. Daily life, with its distractions and struggles, can dull our awareness of Christ’s sacrifice. Communion interrupts our routines, compelling us to stop, reflect, and remember the price of our redemption.
Second, it calls us to reverence. Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 11 makes it clear that communion is not to be taken lightly. Approaching the Lord’s Table with unconfessed sin, with division in our hearts, or with indifference to its meaning is to dishonor Christ. The act of self-examination, of confessing sin and renewing our devotion, is essential. Communion should cleanse our hearts as we humble ourselves before the Lord.
Third, communion calls us to unity. In an age where churches are often divided by personal preferences, cultural pressures, or secondary disagreements, the Lord’s Supper reminds us of the one thing that unites us all: Christ’s sacrifice. At the table, social distinctions, personal rivalries, and worldly categories melt away. We are all sinners saved by grace, sharing in the same bread and cup.
Fourth, communion calls us to hope. The Christian life is marked by longing. We await the day when Christ will return, when sorrow will end, and when sin will be no more. Communion fixes our eyes on that hope. Each observance whispers a promise: He is coming again. Until that day, the bread and the cup sustain us with a foretaste of the glory that awaits.
Lastly, communion challenges us to proclaim. Each time we partake, we proclaim the Lord’s death. This proclamation should not remain confined within church walls but should overflow into our daily lives. The Lord’s Supper is a rehearsal for a life of gospel witness. If we proclaim His death at the table, we must proclaim it in our homes, workplaces, and communities.
Conclusion
The Lord’s Supper is far more than a religious ritual. It is a divinely instituted ordinance that calls believers to remember, proclaim, be nourished, unite, hope, and witness. Rooted in the Passover, fulfilled in Christ, and practiced by the early Church, it remains a vital act of worship for every believer today.
Communion is both sobering and joyful. It is sobering because it reminds us of the cost of our salvation—the broken body and shed blood of the Lord. Yet it is joyful because it reminds us of the grace of God, freely given through Christ, and the hope of His return.
As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:26: “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
In every observance, the Church looks back to the cross, lives in the present reality of grace, and looks forward to the kingdom to come. Communion is the Church’s continual song of remembrance, proclamation, and anticipation—until faith becomes sight and we sit with Christ at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
“Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:9)
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New International Version (NIV)
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