Communion

 Communion

com•mu•nion \kə-ˈmyü-nyən\ noun

[Middle English, from Latin communion-, communio mutual participation, from communis] 14th century

1. an act or instance of sharing
2. capitalized: a Christian sacrament in which consecrated bread and wine are consumed as memorials of Christ’s death or as symbols for the realization of a spiritual union between Christ and communicant or as the body and blood of Christ
3. intimate fellowship or rapport: COMMUNICATION
4. body of Christians having a common faith and discipline 〈the Anglican communion〉

Do you have an ESV bible?, CSB?, NAS? NLT? If you have any of those versions, the word Communion does not appear at all in your New Testament.

If you have the NKJV you will find the word communion in the following passage:

1 Corinthians 10:16–17 || 16 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? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. [NKJV]

1 Corinthians 10:16–17 || 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, since all of us share the one bread. [CSB]

Communion = Sharing => Greek word Koinonia:

If you remember when we started looking at the story of God, we discovered that mankind was created for at least two things: RELATIONSHIP and REPRESENTATION. We were not only created to be the image bearers for God, we were created for fellowship with God and fellowship with other believers in Christ.

In the beginning, Adam was placed in the garden to enjoy friendship and communion with God. When God created Eve and put them together they had perfect fellowship with each other. However, when Eve and then Adam chose their own autonomy rather than obeying God, fellowship was broken.

• We see that Adam and Eve’s relationship with God was broken because they hid themselves from the Lord’s presence (Gn 3:8)
• We see that their relationship with each other was broken when they covered themselves with fig leaves (3:7) and when Adam blamed Eve for what happened (3:12)

Yet God sought them out (v 9) and revealed his plan for the ultimate restoration of sinners through the work of the Redeemer (v 15).

God’s mission has been restoration of fellowship with Him – communion. That was accomplished through Jesus as we studied 2 Sundays ago. Once our communion with God has been restored, and now we get to join God on his mission of helping others enter fellowship with God through the work of Jesus. We looked at that last Sunday.

Today, we celebrate our communion with God in a special memorial that Jesus passed on to us just before dying on the cross for us. Just before paying the price to buy our forgiveness, redeeming us from death and restoring our fellowship.

This morning I would like to look at the communion, the fellowship we have, that we celebrate today:

Because Jesus lived a perfect life, died for our sins and rose from the grave, when you and I accept the FREE gift of forgiveness and life from Jesus we can have:

Communion with the Godhead

Fellowship with the Father

1 John 1:3 || 3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. [CSB]

Fellowship with the Son

1 Corinthians 1:9 || 9 God is faithful; you were called by him into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. [CSB]

Fellowship with the Spirit

2 Corinthians 13:13 || 13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. [CSB]

This is “the gospel” – the good news. That you and I can have renewed fellowship with God because of the sacrifice of Jesus.

Communion with One Another

As we partake of the Lord’s Supper (Communion), we get to see another relationship that is restored. Let’s go back to the verses that we started with this morning:

1 Corinthians 10:16–17 || 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, since all of us share the one bread. [CSB]

We are united with each other into the body of Christ, the church. We, who are many, become one through the work of Jesus.

It is amazing how words shape our perspective, isn’t it?

• If I said, “we are celebrating Communion”, what image comes to mind?
• If I said, “we are partaking in Koinonia” what image comes to mind?
• If I said, “we are fellowshipping with God” what comes to mind?

So this morning, as we celebrate Communion, let us rejoice in the communion, in the fellowship that it represents! Fellowship with the Father, the Son and the Spirit. Fellowship with each other, regardless of ethnicity, geography, denomination. If we are united through faith in Jesus, we are one.

When we take the bread and when we drink the cup we are declaring our relationship with God because of the work of Jesus

Mark 14:22–26 || 22 As they were eating, he took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I tell you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. [CSB]