COMMUNION: In Relationship with God

This morning, we are going to share in “The Lord’s Table” or “Communion”. If you grew up attending church services, you may have heard this referred to as:

• The Lord’s Table
• The Eucharist
• The Lord’s Supper
• Communion or Holy Communion

If you did not grow up in church, those words and phrases may sound a bit mysterious or even intimidating to you.

Regardless, Communion is a practice that is unique to the Christian Church. It is not found in other religions, or even in the Jewish traditions from which Christianity has its roots.

So, what is “The Lord’s Table” and who does the church still practice it today?

The First Communion

The reason it is referred to as “The Lord’s Table” is because it was the Lord Jesus who initiated this practice at a meal around a table.

Just before Jesus was arrested, falsely accused, beaten, mocked and hung on the cross, he and his disciples celebrated a meal together. It was the “Passover” meal. However, when they celebrated this centuries old traditional meal, Jesus added a new depth of meaning to it. Let’s read about that:

Luke 22:14–20 NLT

14 When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. 15 Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. 16 For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”

17 Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.”

19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

20 After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.

Jesus took a few of the elements of the Passover meal and connected them to what was about to happen to him. The disciples were probably a bit confused, because they didn’t know all of what was about to happen. But they did have a good understanding of the Passover and what it stood for.

The First Passover Meal

The Passover Meal was something the Jews celebrated as a memorial each year. They remembered the event when God redeemed them out of slavery in Egypt and brought them to the wilderness to worship God. The first Passover meal took place in Egypt, while the Israelites were still slaves.

Exodus 12:1–14 NLT

1 While the Israelites were still in the land of Egypt, the Lord gave the following instructions to Moses and Aaron: 2 “From now on, this month will be the first month of the year for you. 3 Announce to the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each family must choose a lamb or a young goat for a sacrifice, one animal for each household. 4 If a family is too small to eat a whole animal, let them share with another family in the neighborhood. Divide the animal according to the size of each family and how much they can eat. 5 The animal you select must be a one-year-old male, either a sheep or a goat, with no defects.

6 “Take special care of this chosen animal until the evening of the fourteenth day of this first month. Then the whole assembly of the community of Israel must slaughter their lamb or young goat at twilight. 7 They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the sides and top of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the animal. 8 That same night they must roast the meat over a fire and eat it along with bitter salad greens and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat any of the meat raw or boiled in water. The whole animal—including the head, legs, and internal organs—must be roasted over a fire. 10 Do not leave any of it until the next morning. Burn whatever is not eaten before morning.

11 “These are your instructions for eating this meal: Be fully dressed, wear your sandals, and carry your walking stick in your hand. Eat the meal with urgency, for this is the Lord’s Passover. 12 On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the Lord! 13 But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.

14 “This is a day to remember. Each year, from generation to generation, you must celebrate it as a special festival to the Lord. This is a law for all time.

And that meal, with the bitter salad, unleavened bread and roasted lamb was prepared every year as a reminder – that God spared them from death and freed them from slavery.

There are so many connections that we can, and often do make between that first passover and the Passover meal that Jesus shared with his disciples. And we SHOULD – that is what Jesus was trying to point out!

The Last Supper marks a pivotal moment where Jesus transformed the traditional Passover meal into a profound expression of grace and redemption through the establishment of the New Covenant.

As we think about this, might see connections like:

• Jesus was the spotless or unblemished lamb that was sacrificed to save us
• The application of the blood prevents one from death
• Obedience to God is required for life
• Obedience to God leads to freedom

BUT, one thing that we often overlook is the fact that this was a meal.

WHY? Why not just an olive branch over the door? Or a sign that says, “Descendant of Abraham”? What about a tattoo of the name of Yahweh on it?

ask: Why a meal?

Meals represent “communion” or “community”.

There is something about “breaking bread” together, having a meal around a table at someone’s house (not just a restaurant) that helps to strengthen relationships and even remove barriers.

I think this is something that you and I kinda get. How many of you celebrated the holiday with a meal? How many of you shared that meal with others? Often, we want to celebrate important events with a meal, and with others that we care about. We desire community, and we often connect community with cooking.

What you might not know is that this concept of “community” around meals is embedded in the scriptures.

After the first Passover, the Israelites entered the wilderness. God was with them, and even appeared in a pillar of fire and cloud. But something very special happened in that wilderness.

When the people of Israel were camped before Mount Sinai, just after God had given the Ten Commandments, God called the leaders of Israel up to the mountain to meet with him. Listen to what took place:

Exodus 24:9–11 NLT

9 Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel climbed up the mountain. 10 There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a surface of brilliant blue lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself. 11 And though these nobles of Israel gazed upon God, he did not destroy them. In fact, they ate a covenant meal, eating and drinking in his presence!

“they ate a covenant meal, eating and drinking in his presence”

What is a covenant?

A covenant is a contractual relationship. One that we are familiar with in our society is the marriage covenant. It is where two people gather in front of witnesses and make a contract to live with each other no matter what.

Let me ask you, “What is common after the ceremony?” A meal! Where do you think that idea came from?

Moses and those with him ate a meal with God. It even mentioned that God did not destroy them. God, in his grace, has always desired to be with and among his creation! He is…

Psalm 86:15 NLT

15 But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

Did you know that is one of THE most quoted passages in the Bible? God is compassionate and gracious, and he not only wanted a relationship with Israel – he initiated it!

God demonstrated his commitment to his people by sharing a meal with them. It has always been his desire to be in communion with his creation – with you and me! We push him away. Our sin drives him away. But he is persistent in pursuing us.

The Lord’s Supper was very similar to that meal on Mount Sinai – it was a covenant meal between God (Jesus) and his people.When Jesus shared the meal with his disciples, it was not just a man with his friends. It was God, in human skin, sharing a meal with mankind. It was what took place on the mountain and so much more!

The Commandment to Feast

Which would you rather have as a law? a) give 10% of everything you earn and make to your boss, or b) throw an annual party with a huge feast of meat, bread, and wine… and invite your boss?

Later, after the meal on Mount Sinai, in the Law given to Moses, God asked the Israelites to trust him buy giving 1/10th (10%) of what they produced each year to Him. And listen to how they were to do it:

Deuteronomy 14:23, 26 (NLT)

23 Bring this tithe (10%) to the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored—and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. Doing this will teach you always to fear the Lord your God… Then feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and celebrate with your household.

They actually got BOTH laws! Give 10% to God and use it for a feast with him, in his presence! Take your gifts, your first fruits, to God, and then feast and celebrate in the presence of God. What an amazing picture of the reality that God wants to be in communion with his creation – with people. He wants us to trust him by giving him and experience his richness and blessing.

When Jesus shared the meal with his disciples, it was a picture of Him being the first fruits that were being consumed by his people in celebration before God.

The Beginning & Ending Feasts

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Bible Doctrine Explanation and Scriptural Basis > Chapter 50: The Lord’s Supper: What Is the Meaning of the Lord’s Supper? How Should It Be Observed?

But even earlier than these, God had put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and given them all of its abundance to eat (except the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil). Since there was no sin in that situation, and since God had created them for fellowship with himself and to glorify himself, then every meal that Adam and Eve ate would have been a meal of feasting in the presence of the Lord.

When this fellowship in God’s presence was later broken by sin, God still allowed some meals (such as the tithe of fruits mentioned above) that the people would eat in his presence. These meals were a partial restoration of the fellowship with God that Adam and Eve enjoyed before the Fall, even though it was marred by sin. But the fellowship of eating in the presence of the Lord that we find in the Lord’s Supper is far better.

The Old Testament sacrificial meals continually pointed to the fact that sins were not yet paid for, because the sacrifices in them were repeated year after year, and because they looked forward to the Messiah who was to come and take away sin.

The Lord’s Supper reminds us that Jesus’ payment for our sins has been accomplished and is complete. It does not need to be repeated year after year. But there is still a feast that is yet to come!

Jesus said he would not feast with his disciples, celebrate the passover, until he did it in the Kingdom. While the Lord’s supper pointed to a new relationship, a new covenant where we can be connected to God, it is still in an imperfect and broken way. It is certainly NOT like it was in the beginning in the garden.

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Bible Doctrine (Explanation and Scriptural Basis > Chapter 50: The Lord’s Supper: What Is the Meaning of the Lord’s Supper? How Should It Be Observed?)

Lord’s Supper looks forward to a more wonderful fellowship meal in God’s presence in the future, when the fellowship of Eden will be restored and there will be even greater joy, because those who eat in God’s presence will be forgiven sinners now confirmed in righteousness, never able to sin again. That future time of great rejoicing and eating in the presence of God is hinted at by Jesus when he says, “I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matt. 26:29). We are told more explicitly in Revelation about the marriage supper of the Lamb: “And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb’ ” (Rev. 19:9). This will be a time of great rejoicing in the presence of the Lord, as well as a time of reverence and awe before him.

From Genesis to Revelation, then, God’s aim has been to bring his people into fellowship with himself, and one of the great joys of experiencing that fellowship is the fact that we can eat and drink in the presence of the Lord.

In the grand narrative of Scripture, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan. Each act of communion reflects back to the sacrifice of the lamb during Passover in Exodus and points forward to the ultimate victory of Jesus over sin and death.

Summary

So, when we celebrate communion, or partake in “The Lord’s Supper”, we are eating and drinking in the presence of the Lord God. Because of the life and death of Jesus, we can have this restored relationship with God.

Colossians 1:19–22 NLT

19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. 21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.

Jesus sacrificed his body, and shed his blood on the cross, so that you and I could have a restored relationship with God. If we have accepted Jesus as Lord, then we have been reconciled with God and can enter into his presence and eat with him. Jesus said it this way:

Revelation 3:20 NLT

20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

Communion Celebration

When we celebrate communion as a church, we have bread and juice. We have chosen not to use wine, but it is still a juice from the grape vine. A few people will come forward to help distribute it to you, and they will go row by row, first with the bread and then with the cup.

If you are not sure that you have accepted Jesus as Lord of your life, if you have not surrendered your life to him, then simply pass the plates by to the next person. If you are confident you have been reconciled to God, then you are invited to eat and drink at his table. Simply take a piece of the bread when it comes by and when everyone has it we will eat it together. Then take the cup when it comes by and we will drink together when everyone has it.

I want to read for you another passage that talks about this celebration:

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 NLT

23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.