Day 34: A New Meal
As they were eating, he took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
Mark 14:22-23
How often do you remember the pain and suffering Jesus endured to save our souls throughout your busy week? When you are working on a big project at work or dealing with the chaos of family life… When do you actually stop and think about the significance the death of Jesus had on our behalf?
The holy sacrament of taking part in communion has long been the subject of several important errors, surrounded by diverse opinions and contentious disputes. We must remember that this is a divine appointment from God which we have been called to do – “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. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:53-54)
Partaking in communion on a regular basis gives us the opportunity to do exactly that – remember and honour our Lord Jesus Christ.
During the Passover feast Jesus ate with his disciples, in what would be his final meal. He blessed the bread, broke it up and said to his disciples, “Take, eat: this is my body.” (Mark 14: 22) When we eat this bread as part of communion, we are saying in our hearts, “Lord Jesus, I take you as the bread of my life.” Food offers us nourishment and that is exactly what Jesus does for us – he nourishes our souls. Jesus then took the cup of wine and after giving thanks, he gave it to them to drink and said, “This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.” (Mark 14:24) When we drink the wine as part of communion, we are saying in our hearts “Jesus, thank you for shedding your blood for my salvation.”
However, this is not something we should take lightly and is too precious a thing to treat as a meaningless religious ritual. The Lord’s Supper is not only a reminder of his brutal death, but it is also a celebration of the incredibly generous grace of God and the invaluable privilege of being forgiven. Before taking the bread and wine we should be under torment of conscience when we consider who we are, and examine what is in our hearts. “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.” (1 Corinthians 28:29) Are you actually having communion, or are you just selfishly satisfying your own appetite? “How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.” (Psalm 19:12)
How incredible it is that wretched sinners like us are even invited to sit at the Lords table! He is right there with us… allowing us to leave our sins, anxieties and burdens at the feet of the Lord at HIS table. In exchange he strengthens and refreshes us, allowing us to remember the hope and joy his death has given us. How blessed we are! Eternal salvation with no more sorrow or mourning… face to face with our saviour. We can walk away from communion with a new lightness in our step and new delight in our hearts. “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
Written by Ruth Taylor
Passage for today: Mark 14:12-31
A thought to remember: Jesus called his people to remember and celebrate his sacrifice.
A question to ask: How can you take time today to remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross?
A song to sing: Jesus, Thank You