Reclaiming The Communion

The Importance of Communion, the partaking of the bread and wine to remember Christ and His sacrifice should be done with great joy and excitement!  The Communion is a celebration, originally called the love feast where Christian brothers and sisters remembered with jubilation what Jesus had done on the cross. The ceremony (Communion) only became somber and almost regimented when Paul had to address people who were abusing the Lord’s table, “But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,[a] 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

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, 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 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.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 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. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. 

So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— 34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come..” (1 Corinthians 11:17-34). 

The words of the Apostle have been misunderstood and added an unintended fear to Communion; that if a saint should partake hastily and without due reverence they will become ill or perish!  That was not what Paul was addressing, the problem he was correcting was that people were actually  coming to Communion feast (love feast) just to get drunk, and fill their gluttonous bellies (1 Corinthians 11:23, 34). They were not there to remember and celebrate Christ and the New Covenant (1 Corinthians 11:23 and 34) but to stuff themselves. Some scholars eve argue it was also hungry pagans that were coming to the Communion simply to get wine and bread for free and weren’t interested in the Gospel, or if they were it was simply to get food which something Jesus rebuked, “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” (see John 6:26-27). 

While holding a respect in our heart for our Redeemer when we partake of the Communion is noble and worthy, I do not believe it should a somber affair. Why must we approach the bread and wine as shameful sinners when we have been redeemed (1 Peter 3:18), and God The Trinity lives in us (1 John 4:15)? If Christ is in us (Colossians 1:27), then is no our Lord partaking with us of Communion Table? This Communion should be a moment of rejoicing, we should be taking the cup and bread with joy in our hearts and praise on our lips, and a smile on our face. Why have we let a occasion for celebration and remeberence of God’s Grace become a dirge filled funeral? The attitude of fear that has been blanketed over The Communion is antichrist! It turns what should be so joyous a celebration into requiem!  Christ gave His life joyously so that He could purchase our eternal life and be close to us forever! Why then do we act during Communion as if Christ is one of those caricatured in a medieval painting, acting aloof and with a displeased look? On the contrary Jesus is rejoicing, and laughing in celebration as if at a party with you! How did we let an occasion to weep with joy, laugh, dance, and give thanks and enjoy this cup and bread with love and security in our hearts turn into a terrifying event that most Evangelicals and Charismatics reserve only for once a month because its so dreary and solemn? 

It is time to take back Communion and make it feast of joy and remembrance of God’s love (John 3:16, Romans 5:4-11). We are not like the people Paul was chastising for their abusing the Communion by getting drunk and stuffing their bellies on gluttony, they were using it as mere food not as celebration, wedding party, and remembrance of Christ’s love and passion. We are not suppose to view Christ’s crucifixion and Communion with grime heart, for Jesus’ attitude was this, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God..” (Hebrews 12:2). Our Lord and God Jesus Christ is not like the paintings where he looks at the viewer with a frown and expression as if to say, “you did this to me! You scared me!” On the contrary the only frowns Jesus bore was due to the pain in His physical body not due to the cause of earning us salavation or what our sin did to Him. I hate these songs that say, “I put the nails in your hands and feet, I am the sinner who marred you, O forgive me.” In contrast, Jesus chose to die for us because He so loved us! (John 3:16). Yes our sins ravaged His body, but He choose to sacrifice that body willingly, “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded,” (John 10:18). The truth is this remembrance vis the Communal Meal should not be sad and shameful, but full of joy at the knowledge that God is love (1 John 4:18) and He loves us so much that He made the way to be with Him forever on the cross. 

The Communion should be akin to a birthday party. At the party you do revere the person but you also hug, eat and share a joyous celebration! This is how we should partake of the Communion, with a zeal and zest and happiness not a indifferent and grime heart. We have allowed what should be a moment to look forward to, like the worship and sermon to become a fearful and back burner event. Jesus said to “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." 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.” (Luke 22:10-20). Jesus is not a-somber Lord, but a loving Bridegroom (Mark 2:18-20, Revelation 19:4-11, Matthew 22), and the Communion is the Anniversary of your wedding day to Him (Revelation 19:4-8). You do not celebrate a wedding anniversary with fear and terror, but with joy and love. 

When you love Jesus and know His love, there is no fear, “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like Him. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” (1 John 4:15-18). Jesus often said, “do not be afraid,” (Matthew. 28:10). When we partake of the bread and cup we do so in reverence in our hearts, because we do respect our Lord, but it should be accompanied with passion and joy as is customary of a bride with her groom! The problem is that people fear losing the honor but when you love someone deeply and know you are loved, honor is already there, but so is joy and euphoric feelings of passion and intimacy. Let us reclaim the Communion, as a feast every Sunday we’re we commune with our God and Bridegroom Jesus Christ! Celebrating our union and marriage to the Lord with joyful shouts and happy faces. For this feast is one we partake of until at last we reach the greatest feast of all, The Wedding Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9). 

To quote a pastor friend, “God is a party animal.” Just look at all the feasts in Old Testament. The Hebrews cut loose and drank and were merry as they remembered what God had done for them. Why do we not imitate this joviality and jubilation? For what God has done through Christ Jesus our God is far greater than an Exodus out of Egypt, it is an Exodus out of Sin and Hell into eternal life through Christ and His Sacrifice! We have a better reason to feast during the Feast of Tabernacles, For the Lord Incarnate, Jesus Christ came and tabernacled with us in flesh and bone! 

Let’s feast as if it’s a party! Let the Communion feel you with God’s never ending love and remind you that He joyfully laid down His life on the cross because He wants to be with you! Jesus loves you as intimately as husband loved his wife and beyond! He is not distance and cold, but offers the bread and cup as Bridegroom does to His bride and we are the Bride of Christ, the Saints of God (Revelation 19:6-9). Amen.