The believers continually devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking bread or communion, and prayer. Last week, we talked about the importance of studying the Word of God and fellowship. Today, we are going to discuss the importance of communion. What is communion? Communion is remembering what Jesus had done on the cross to forgive our sins. Communion began when Jesus had supper with His disciples. In Matthew 26:26-28 Jesus says, "Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing, it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.' And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'" And Jesus continued to say this in Mark 14:25, "Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
Similarly, the apostle Paul explained communion and encouraged the believers to practice it. He said this 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."
The body of Christ represents the bread, and the blood of Christ represents the cup of wine. Both elements represent the sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus, which paid the penalty for our sins. God commanded us to always remember His sacrificial death because He doesn't want us to forget who we are in Him. We are accepted, loved, forgiven, and precious children of God because of the sacrificial love of Jesus toward us. Every time we take communion in the church we go to, we need to remember and thank and worship Jesus sincerely because of His sacrificial death on the cross. Because, without it, we will never have hope of being forgiven. There is forgiveness because Jesus paid the penalty of sin by sacrificing His body and pouring His blood on the cross.
Ask yourself these questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully and meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speaks to you). What is communion? Why do I need to always remember Jesus' sacrificial death? What should be my attitude when I am taking communion?
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you for teaching me today about the importance of communion. I am forgiven today because my Lord Jesus sacrificed His body and poured His blood on the cross so that He could pay the penalty for all my sins. Thank you, Jesus, for loving me sacrificially. Please help me always thank and worship you whenever I take communion. May I never take for granted the importance of remembering your sacrificial death. In your name Jesus, I pray. Amen.