35. Communion, John 6:53

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1 35. Communion, John 6:53 So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Question: Why is communion so central to the church? Trajectory Verses: 1 Corinthians 11:24; Luke 22:14-20; Matthew 26:26-28 Communion is the most unified practice of the church. Throughout history, every church has participated in this memorial meal. At the same time, it has caused more fights than any other issue. In fact, more Christians have been killed by other Christians over communion than any other issue. Some use juice, others insist on wine. Some take it weekly others sporadically. Some insist it is a sacrament others teach it is a mere metaphor. We can t even agree on what to call it: Communion, the Lord s Supper, or the Eucharist (after the Greek word meaning give thanks ). So it deserves a conversation about what communion means and how it should be celebrated. It began in the upper room the night before Jesus died. He instituted the Lord s supper as part of a Passover meal with merely Thirteen participants. From that narrow circle rumors circulated far and wide about this memorial meal. The Apostle Paul, some twenty years later could record the moment in detail. When he [Jesus] had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me (1 Corinthians 11:24). The Apostle follows this note with a commentary on the nature and meaning of this memorial (verses 25-34). To this day these few words summarize the celebration with unparalleled clarity. Communion Looks Backward 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 (1 Cor 11:25). Communion is an ancient practice that actually precedes the church. It goes all the way back to the founding of Israel, the very night the Israelites were released from Egypt. Jesus told them to do it in remembrance of me. This word remembrance could be translated memorial. This observance is not merely about remembering. It was more like reenacting. Every year since the Exodus (c B.C.), Jews had gathered in family groups around a table with a very specific script and props. The unleavened bread represented the haste with which they had to leave. They eliminating leaven which was a symbol of sin. The wine represented the blood of the covenant. The Passover lamb told the story of their escape from Egypt. The bitter herbs, dipped in the special sauce, charoset, reenacted their bitter bondage and shed tears. The table itself was the story board of Israel s inauguration as a nation.

2 For Jesus this meal was his own prophetic script the night before he died. Because he fulfilled Jewish history and hopes, he interpreted the elements as his own body and blood. He was the Passover lamb. His blood established the covenant. His body was the sinless offering for Israel. This interpretation is nothing short of astounding since nothing was more patriotic for Jews than Passover. Jesus identified the historical elements on the table with his own impending future. He was either a crazed megalomaniac or the true Son of God. This astounding reinterpretation of Passover as his own personal biography was something Jesus had pondered for years. It was deliberately planned and well-orchestrated, unveiling his ultimate identity. It goes back at least two years when Jesus fed the 5,000. He followed the feeding the next day with a stately sermon detailing his identity. His message built to a crescendo when the scandalized crowd heard Jesus say: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you (John 6:53). Clearly, he knew his destiny. He knew this miniature meal would encapsulate the sum of Jewish history. As if that s not shocking enough, for Jesus, Passover wasn t just about the distant past. According to him, this memorial points to the distant future the consummation of the ages. Communion Looks Forward For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord s death until he comes (1 Cor 11:26). This weekly memorial was a reminder in the early church that Jesus was, in fact, returning. When he comes there will be a spectacular banquet. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9). We re not there yet. Yet Jesus predicted it s coming even as he instituted the Eucharist. In his own words, I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God (Luke 22:15 16). What follows is curious. Jesus passed around the cup of wine (v ), then the bread (v. 19), and then another cup of wine (v. 20). Why two cups? Actually, historians tell us there were four cups in Jewish tradition. Each of the four cups of wine were a toast to each of the four lines of Exodus 6:6-7. Cup #1, Say therefore to the people of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. This first cup was traditionally given in the entryway of the home before the banqueting party went upstairs to the upper room. It was a kind of welcome refreshment to set up the meaning of the meal. Cup #2, I will deliver you from slavery to them. This was the first cup Jesus gave to his disciples (Luke 22:17-18). Think of this first cup as the promise of the bread. It pointed to Jesus death that would deliver us from the slavery of sin. Cup #3, I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. This was the cup following the bread. Jesus identified this cup as my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matt 26:28).

3 Redemption is the price paid for our sins. Hence, it is Jesus shed blood that redeems us. His life is the price of our freedom. Cup #4, I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. This cup is the one Jesus said would have to wait until his return. This makes perfect sense since the fulfillment of this verse won t take place until we reach our eternal home in heaven. It is described in Revelation 21:3, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. By applying this promise to himself, Jesus was claiming to be equivalent to Yahweh the very one who would welcome us into our eternal home in heaven. Because of this rich historical symbolism in this meal, we don t just reenact Passover, we proclaim the story of Jesus through Jewish history. Yes, every one of us who partakes of the Lord s Supper also preaches the entire Gospel message of salvation. It is an enacted sermon (like baptism) that is perfect down to the punctuation. Communion is a corporate sermon before the preacher ever stands up to give his message. Here s some really good news about this sermon. We cannot proclaim it incorrectly since the elements themselves tell the story. The Passover inaugurated Jewish history; the Eucharist will be its culmination at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9) when Jesus will be our God with us (Immanuel) and we will be his people. Communion Looks Inward The Lord s Supper is the most introspective element of our worship services. It is appropriate, even obligatory, that we reflect on our relationship with God. It is not that we evaluate our worthiness to partake. It is Jesus sacrifice alone that makes us worthy. Rather, we ready our minds and hearts for the sanctity of the celebration. It is no small thing to imbibe the blood of Jesus or to ingest his body. Paul offers this warning. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world (1 Corinthians 11:27 32). The fact that Christians fell ill or even died by partaking unprepared indicates that this memorial is more than a symbol. It is a sacrament. Something spiritual, mystical, and powerful takes place. Be forewarned, the cosmic Christ is present in the elements. Communion Looks Outward

4 Communion is not just about communing with Jesus. It is a communal meal with other Christians. Originally this was a full meal in the spacious home of a wealthy Christian. That is where the entire worship service was held in the early church before they built separate buildings. Consequently, the meal followed the preaching. The banquet hall was cleared and tables set up. The problem was that you could fit far fewer people in the banquet hall after you set up tables. So, the majority of the congregation ate in the courtyard that was more spacious. Who got to stay in the banquet hall? Not surprisingly, it was the wealthy believers who had formerly acquired their seats of honor long before being baptized. Old habits are hard to break. Hence, the shocking news that the poorer Christians went home hungry and the wealthier Christians went home hammered. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk (1 Corinthians 11:21). This explain why the full meal was soon replaced by the more moderate miniatures we have today. Paul explains: So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home so that when you come together it will not be for judgment (1 Corinthians 11:33 34). There is good reason not to have a full meal in our modern context. However, something essential has been lost in the process. We barely recognize the communal nature of communion. It has become the most individualistic time of the service. Somehow, we need to recover the we over me of this meal. After all, Passover was about a people not an individual. And just as the original meal demarked the birth of a nation, so this continued celebration is the mark of a Christian community. And that is why communion is the only uniform celebration of every church throughout history. Key Points: Communion is a Christian extension of the annual Jewish Passover meal. Most churches practice communion weekly as a reminder of Jesus past sacrifice and future return. Though communion is a time for personal reflection, the name reminds us that it is a communal event, binding the body together in Christ. Action Step: Have a communion celebration in our home around a full meal. You have the spiritual freedom to do this. See how different it feels when done in community. Further Resource: The Lord s Supper Pamphlet by Rose Publishing (2011). Questions for Discussion: 1. If you went to church as a child, how do you remember the celebration of communion? 2. How do you prepare yourself spiritually for communion? 3. How could we make this private moment in the service more communal?

5 4. What could you do as a group to plan a full meal that would include communion?