Holy Communion: Remember the Sacrifice

Holy Communion is an essential time for us who Believe in Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God, our Lord and Savior. This holy time is a vein that flows throughout the branches of the Church, though there are some variations in the ways and times it is commemorated. But before we commemorate and partake in our next Communion it may be good to seek to better understand it and the essential command that makes Communion a core practice of our faith.

What is Holy Communion?

Communion or The Lord’s Supper is an appointed time by Jesus that originally occurred on the last Passover before He was crucified. This holy time is also called by the Church “the Lord’s table” (1 Cor. 10:21), cup of blessing (1 Cor. 10:16), and the “Eucharist” or giving of thanks (Matt. 26:27).

Jesus instructed His disciples to, as often as we do, eat the bread and drink the wine, which represent His body and blood respectively in remembrance of Him (and His atoning sacrifice) until He returns in His Father’s and His glory. His loving instruction is that we are to remember Him as we partake of the Holy Communion. Jesus wanted us conscious of how His body was broken for our wholeness, and His blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. And whenever we partake in this consciousness, we “proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

Why Do We Partake of Holy Communion?

We are to take communion in solemn and holy remembrance and proclamation of our Savior, who lived in the flesh to lead us to salvation and died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead (though Jesus speaks of the resurrection indirectly by mentioning His return). The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 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.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “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.”

When we take Communion, we proclaim Jesus’ death for our sins until He comes back. The bread is representative of His body which we are a part of, and the wine represents His blood that was shed for our sins. These elements of the Eucharist are of the new covenant of grace by faith which we are under in Christ, by the faith which we received by God’s grace.

How Do Different Churches Partake of Holy Communion?

Of the different churches and denominations, the most televised Holy Communion practice is that of Catholics and so many are familiar with how Catholics receive the Eucharist. Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (the belief that Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist which was previously just bread and wine) through “transubstantiation” - a spiritual transformation of the essence of the bread and wine, and that by receiving the Eucharist the holiness of Christ is imparted into the Christian.

Lutherans share much of their beliefs with Catholics regarding the Holy Communion with some differences in vocabulary and how the “bread” of communion is kept. The Lutheran Church does not use the term “transubstantiation” to describe the transformation of the bread and wine to Christ. Also, Catholics practice reserving communion wafers in the tabernacle, believing that Christ is still present. But according to some Christian sources, Lutherans do not believe that the presence of Christ continues in the bread and wine after the time of the Communion.

Orthodox Christians believe that the Eucharist is a sacrament, but they refer to it as a “mystery” rather than a “sacrament.” Orthodox Christians accept the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist but do not attempt to explain how this transformation occurs. Many Orthodox churches refer to the Holy Communion service as the Divine Liturgy.

Presbyterian and Reformed denominations have a different view of the Eucharist, derived from the teachings of John Calvin. These churches teach that Christ is not literally present in the bread and wine, but that Christ is spiritually present and is received with the power of the Holy Spirit for the faithful.

Baptists and similar denominations largely view the Lord’s Supper as a remembrance of Christ’s suffering. Many, according to the website Christianity in View, deny any form of physical or spiritual presence of Christ in the bread and wine.

There are also different rules within different branches of the Church concerning the commemoration of Holy Communion and how often it is offered. The Vatican, for example, mandates that only Roman Catholics who are in good standing with the Church and are free from mortal sin are allowed to participate in the Eucharist. In addition, Catholics must fast for an hour before receiving Communion, while many other churches make Communion open to any Christian. Some churches offer Communion every day or once per week, while others offer Communion once per month. In some churches recipients may walk up to the altar to receive from a common cup and bowl, while others pass around the Eucharist among parishioners. What’s distributed also may be different. Fruit juice may be substituted for wine.

What Do We at Greater New Saint Paul Believe?

We at Greater New Saint Paul Baptist Church (GNSP) share in the belief that the bread and wine of the Eucharist are symbolic representations of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. We partake in Holy Communion, as Christ commanded to remember His atoning sacrifice on the cross until He returns in glory. We remember how His body was broken for our wholeness, and His blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins and with that in our hearts and minds we “proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Cor 11:26). We believe that Communion is a holy sacrament, and that the elements (bread and wine) are transformed from a natural use to a spiritual use so that by the act of receiving the Eucharist in conscious faith in Christ’s sacrifice we receive grace and life (John 6:54). We take care to “examine ourselves” (1 Cor 11:28-32) to see if we accept the life of Christ into us or reject it by choosing to continue to intentionally live lives of sin before receiving the Lord’s supper, so that we not be found guilty of receiving Communion unworthily (1 Cor 11:27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.) Communion is offered every first Sunday at GNSP and we pass the Eucharist around to the members of the congregation. All Christians who are baptized and confess Jesus as Lord and believe that He died for our sins and was raised from the dead are welcome to receive Communion.

What Does The Bible Say About Communion?

When faced with such variations in opinion and belief about when and how Communion is to be observed, we at Greater New Saint Paul believe that the most important thing we Christians can do is return to the word of God and seek His leading. According to God’s word we are to observe communion (Matt. 26:26-27, John 6:53-56), we are to observe it together (Acts 20:7), that the whole Church is to partake of the eucharist (1 Cor 10:17) and we can do it as often as we want (1 Cor 11:25).

Let’s take the time to read and ponder the verses below and seek God’s leading and ordinance on the Holy Communion:

Matthew 26:26-28

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

John 6:53-58

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

1 Corinthians 11:23-27

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 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, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

1 Peter 3:18

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

Acts 20:7

7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.

Isaiah 53:5

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

John 6:33

33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

John 6:35

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Luke 24:30

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.

Luke 22:19-20

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

John 6:48-51

48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Acts 2:42-46

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

1 Corinthians 10:17

17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.

1 Corinthians 11:28-32

28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

May God Bless You!