Communion this Sunday Morning

This weekend we have the privilege of celebrating the Lord's Supper together as we gather on Sunday morning. I think it would be fitting to take a couple of minutes and highlight some things about communion, specifically with respect to your partaking of it with other believers. Hopefully what follows serves to fuel Christ-centered, God-exalting thinking and enjoyment of Communion.

Communion is Divinely Decreed: Paul writes, "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you..." (1 Cor. 11.23). We are not gathering together for communion because it is just what we do, but rather because it is what God has said to do.

Communion is Intensely Christ-Centered: In this same passage in First Corinthians, we read:

1 Corinthians 11:24-26 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." ²⁵ In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.

There is so much bound up in these verses. We have the Savior himself breaking bread to symbolize the breaking of his body as the sinners’ substitute. We have him tying his redemptive act to the cup of the new covenant. And we have the reminder that we are, in communion, proclaiming the death of Jesus until the return of Jesus.

You may rightly say you have the whole redemptive work of God on display for you as you partake of communion. You are to meditate upon the promises of God, the incarnation of God in Christ, the obedience of Christ—even unto death, the giving of the life of Jesus, the unleashing of the wrath of the Father, the resurrection from the dead, the work of God calling saints unto himself, and the imminent return of Jesus to bring about the restoration of all things. Indeed communion is far more than a detached sacrament, it is a sermon of the power, beauty, love, and glory of God!

Communion is Corporate: The Corinthians were being rebuked by Paul as they came together for communion in an unworthy manner. But note the point that the setting is corporate. Therefore, it is a special and unique privilege for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. (See 1 Cor. 11.19-22, 33-34)

Communion is Serious: Paul rings a sober alarm in the Corinthian assembly:

1 Corinthians 11:27-30 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. ²⁸ But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. ³⁰ For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.

Gulp.

There is a sober call to examine our hearts in light of the word of God. Are we harboring sin? Are we not even saved in the first place? Are we not serious about Christ? If there are ‘unresolved issues’ then do not partake...or else?! It is a sober warning.

Communion is Worship: This is redundant, but a point that is worthy of redundancy! As we are able to conclude our time of corporate worship together we are able to sit and meditate upon the person and work of Christ. We may praise him for his kindness, goodness, love and faithfulness. We may meditate upon his attributes, petition for his work in the church, pray for his return, confess our own sin while clinging to his righteousness, and sing in our hearts to him the song of redemption.

So then, let us worship together this Sunday morning as we celebrate the unique privilege of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ through proclaiming his death and infinite love unto sinners like us.