There are many days meant to evoke remembrance: Veteran’s Day, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Martin Luther King Day and of course, Memorial Day, to name a few. As Christians, we also have several days of remembrance: Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Easter, and probably most obviously, Christmas.
There is one act of remembrance that doesn’t just come around once a year on a certain day, but (at my church) every week – communion.
Typically, during communion (also referred to as the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist), one takes the wafer or piece of bread and drinks or dips it into the chalice of wine or grape juice in recognition of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us at the cross. This act comes from the Bible during the last supper with Jesus and His disciples: And He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.” Luke 22:19-20
Not only did Jesus institute communion from the very beginning, He even tells us why: to remember that He died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
Taking communion is also an act of communing with the Lord. We show our love for Him and acknowledge our belief in His death and resurrection when we partake in the Lord’s Supper. We are also communing with our fellow believers, past and present, here and around the world. As the body of Christ, we show our mutual love of Christ each time we take communion.
The more difficult part is to look inward and examine whether my relationship with Jesus during the past week has been truly authentic and genuine because, If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:6-7
Of course, I always have something that needs His forgiveness, but nobody likes to acknowledge where they have failed, myself included! The good news is that we can be assured that we are forgiven and can be thankful for the cleansing we receive as a result of Jesus’ work at the cross.
So the next time you have the opportunity to take communion don’t just go through the motions, but try to remember why as Christians we take communion and the importance of self-reflection. Most importantly, remember that we do it to follow His command and we do it in remembrance of Him.
In His Service,
Lori
Listen to Hillsong Worship’s beautiful expression of remembering in their song, Remembrance.
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