In Remembrance

On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 
(1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

Meditation

I always look forward to the Lord’s Supper because it brings me closer to Christ every time I participate. I started going to my church because it was close to my home, but I kept going to that church because they served Communion every Sunday. It’s much more than a ritual that we do mindlessly on Sundays. I do not take it lightly or without regard for what Jesus did for me. I am thankful and humbled to be in communion with him, but what does that mean? The word communion comes from the Latin, communio, which can be translated as, intimate communication. When we participate in the Lord’s Supper, another name for Communion, we are in close fellowship with the Lord.
Communion is our time to bare ourselves with the Lord in prayerful meditation. Inspecting ourselves for unresolved sins to make us worthy of such interaction with the Lord. As we approach the Lord’s table, take the time to look inward and seek pardon for our shortcomings through the week and be made worthy to share the meal with him. His sacrifice provided the ONLY way for our sins to be forgiven making it possible for us to stand in the presence of the Father. It’s Jesus’ body, represented by the bread, that was sacrificed for us. It’s Jesus’ blood, represented by the juice, that washes away our sins.
We share the Lord’s Supper to remember the sacrifice of the perfect and spotless Lamb of God on the cross. The first day of each week we come together to share this sacramental meal in communion with the Lord, and in fellowship with our brothers and sisters with us. With the sharing of this meal we recognize the establishment of the new covenant with Jesus being the fulfillment of the old. It’s very hard to remember his sacrifice and recognize the new covenant, if we’re only share this meal once a quarter or on Christmas or Easter. This celebration is more than pieces of bread and juice or wine. They are the symbols of his body broken and his blood shed for us. If we can’t remember this once a week, something is wrong.




Daily Prayer

Father God, your love shines a light on our paths, your grace saves the unworthy, and your mercy forgives the all who ask. Lord, it’s so easy for us to fall back into old habits. When we come to the Lord’s table, help us to remember to unburden ourselves from any sins we have not confessed. Father we thank you for the opportunity to commune with you. Help us to never forget the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. We know he didn’t have to, but we are so grateful he did. We always want to honor what Jesus did by declaring his imminent return to rule and reign over the earth. Don’t ever let us treat this sacrament as a tired old ritual we perform out of tradition rather than loving obedience to your command to share this meal when we come together. Fill us with your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

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