One morning, long before Lambchow was launched, I sat beside a rocky stream just outside of Yellowstone National Park. I love these alone moments with God. Especially when they are in different surroundings. The morning was mountain air cool with just a hint of haze. My creature comforts were simple, a Bible, a large cup of coffee, and a granola bar. While I sat on a water bleached tree trunk I read, prayed, listened, and unexpectantly wandered into our next Jesus Says command.
Based on what I’d been reading that morning I felt I should do communion as an act of obedient worship. Now I don’t carry around a ready to go set of bread and juice. All I had with me was coffee and a granola bar. So, while praying for the Lord’s grace I used those instead. I can’t say that some huge revelation came, or that some great weight was lifted. All I know is that partaking of the Lord’s Supper in that way seemed good the Holy Spirit.
Communion or the Lord’s Supper is recorded in all four gospels. Luke records it this way. “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:19–20, NIV) When we combine the Gospel accounts we find three imperative commands. “Take, eat”, “take, drink” (Matthew 26:26-27) and “Do this in remembrance of me.”
At this point, we must recognize the grand diversity of thought and practice concerning Communion. It is not the purpose of this article to pronounce judgment on any of those. But I am sadly amazed that Christ followers have divided over something that was intended to draw us together into a common faith. Something we’re not going to correct in a 600-word article.
Communion, however, is more than just one of the many ways we worship God. We are commanded by Jesus to remember, to reflect upon, to recall again His sacrifice of love that opened the way to the Father. In its simplicity we are remembering and cherishing Christ’s body that was broken for us and His blood that was shed for us. Communion reminds us that the fellowship, love, and grace of God is freely given but dearly bought. In it we are reminded that we don’t approach God based on our good deeds, our gold, or our purity but by the broken body and shed blood of Jesus. This one act of worship reminds us of those world-shaking, life-changing truths.
Whether we are in a church building surrounded by others embracing the journey of following Christ or alone beside a mountain stream with improvised bread and juice we can remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us in a physical, tangible, and real way. In that moment of remembrance, we center our faith, push aside all the “have to” of religion, and return to that one monumental truth that binds Jesus’ followers together.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NIV)
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5, NIV)
“The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 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.” (1 Corinthians 11:23b–26, NIV)
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