The Lord's Supper

(What is communion) noun “we receive a strong sense of communion with others: AFFINITY, fellowship, kinship, friendship, fellow feeling, community, togetherness, closeness, sharing, harmony, understanding, rapport, connection, communication, ciation, empathy, sympathy, agreement, accord, concord, unity”

Let’s get the true meaning of what the body of Christ is, and why communion is even a thing.

Jesus is the living bread that came down from heaven, and if we want to take part in that living bread then we have to except him for who he is, repent of our sins and turn to Jesus, trust him to lead us into eternal life and then we follow Jesus!

Don’t just take my word for it though, let’s take a look at what the Bible says:

“Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

“Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

“I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me.” (John 6:32-33, 35, 50-57) “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Jesus explains that a little more simple right there, Jesus is the only way to heaven, we don’t follow anyone else but Jesus, Jesus is the only way!

I cannot explain it any clearer than that, I really don’t think anyone could.

But now let’s get into the communion ritual that we see in churches today, some churches teach that you need to do communion every month, some churches say only once a year and others are all between there. Some denominations even say: “The Bible says we have got to have communion every single week, on the first day of the week, and if you don’t you’re going straight to hell!” Well, maybe they are not quite that drastic, but they do think highly of it.

But my question is where in the Bible does it say this? I found a place where it says they met on the first day of the week, I even read where they had the Lord Supper every time they met, but there is no rules saying that you have to, I wonder why? Oh, that’s right, this is just another man-made religion, and like I said many times, it just makes peoples lives complicated and miserable.

Okay back to the basics..

Most times for most denominations, communion consist of little pieces of bread, sometimes wafers or some type of crackers, and then also they have some grape juice for drink, some “churches” even think you have to use real alcohol or wine, and they put it in this little bitty glass that if you are extremely lucky you almost get a half a swallow out of it.

Where did this come from? I’ve looked all through the Bible and I cannot find where it says what Jesus drank, It doesn’t say he drank grape juice and it doesn’t say he drank wine, but some people base a whole religion or a denomination I should say, on the fact that you have to do it just like Jesus did and get the liquid right! But the funny thing is, all it says is a cup, and last time I checked you can put anything in a cup, right? That’s what I thought.

And before anybody says “Jesus said he’s not going to drink the fruit of the vine again until we go be with him, so there it is, he’s definitely drinking wine!” before anybody goes there, I’m just going to be very straightforward with you, and I would ask that you would be honest to yourself as well. If we are totally honest with ourselves, if the Bible actually said “thou shalt drink milk for communion!” the man-made religion “denominations” would still argue if it was chocolate milk or vanilla milk, low fat, pasteurized, or whole milk, cow milk, or goat milk, or even almond milk! and you know it’s true, so don’t even go there!

(Just a little side note here, if you want to say “you gotta do it just like they did” then you have to use one cup, and everyone has got to drink from that one cup, I mean that’s what they did! some might say “well that’s what we do!” how about when COVID-19 hit? Yea, that’s what I thought.)

Let’s go a little deeper

Most times communion is at the end of the service or at the start of the service or during the middle of the service and it only last long enough that everybody can grab their piece of bread, normally while the preacher or teacher reads the verse “take this is my body do this in remembrance of me” then while you have the dry little cracker in your mouth, he can then say the second part “take this cup in remembrance of my blood shed for you”

(Now I know some folks say the whole verse, and some people make up their own little saying to say, but that’s close enough for what we’re doing right here).

So at that point you can take that half a swallow of liquid and hopefully the cracker is not stuck in your throat in the meantime, while you’re looking around wondering if anyone else is suffering the same fate as you, meanwhile screaming to yourself “I need water!”

Now is this what Jesus wanted us to do?

I’m glad you asked this, let’s look and see, so I just gave you a verse at the start of this when Jesus said he is the way the truth and the life in John 14:6 Have you ever took the time to think about when Jesus said this to his disciples?

Well if you didn’t ever think of this, I’m making you take the time right now as you’re reading this. So from John 13 to John 17 is all during what we call the Lord Supper, this was not just a quick get together because they felt like they had to, it wasn’t that they ate a partial cracker and a little bit of liquid that people still fight over today.

No, They actually had a full fledge supper, I mean it was the passover meal, Jesus even had a special place picked out and also performed a miracle just for the disciples to be able to find it, they sat around a table they ate and they drank while they fellowship together and ask Jesus questions and Jesus taught them, this is what you call church fellowship.

When is the last time you were at communion at your local “church” and you sat down with the whole congregation and y’all sat there and communicated and discussed things in life and just remembered Jesus and what he did for us and talked about it with each other while you had communion?

I know folks are gonna grab their stones on this one, but I got to say it, John was actually like sitting in Jesus lap with his head on Jesus chest, and even tho Jesus said to not call anyone a teacher but him, your preacher is kinda like a teacher, and if you’re one of the listeners then you would be kinda like the students, so when is the last communion that you sat in your preachers lap put your head on his chest and ask him questions? (I know that’s getting a little bit crazy there but you get my point) Anyways, I can answer this for you, and that would be a definite never!

But why is that?

Again, wow y’all just have the greatest questions! I’m so very glad you asked that, it’s because men make rules and when they do that it is called religion, I’m not understanding why people do this, but for some reason people love to make rules for themselves, I think it’s because they feel like they are covered if they just follow a set of rules and then they do not have to worry about anything else, but yet if you set some rules for people then they always want to break them, it confuses the crap out of me, and leaves me scratching my head.

Jesus wanted us to remember what He did for us, without Jesus we would be nowhere, if Jesus did not come make away for us we would have no hope! So why can’t we sit around together and remember what Jesus did for us together and celebrate our life in Christ? instead of having some ritual that most of the time has no meaning for anyone, nobody has time for religion, (man made rules and tradition).

Jesus made it so simple for us, Jesus says “I came and I fulfilled the law, all you have to do is acknowledge that you broke my law, repent of your sins and follow me, and since I fulfilled the law, the law no longer apply to you since you’re following me, follow my example and I’ll lead you straight into eternity to be with me forever in the greatest place imaginable, beyond any human comprehension”

(Now, before anyone gets there tighty-whities to tight, that’s of course in my own words not Jesus, but if you read the Bible that’s pretty much what it says).

Here is a little more scripture for you to read to understand the real meaning of communion and how Jesus was at the table for the passover dinner,

not just a quick bite and sip, and please read (John 13-17)

“And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat ituntil it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves. “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Luke 22:14-22, 24-30)

This one here is really good, I mean the Lord supper was so long that this guy got sleepy and fell out the window, this definitely wasn’t a quick bite and a quick sip.

“As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!” Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper, and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left.” (Acts 20:9-11)

Paul talks about it in great detail here, I mean really just read your bible, and leave all the religion and denominationisms out of it! I strongly believe that religion is straight from the devil and his demons, and why do you wanna mix religion with the grace of God? Jesus came in fulfilled the law so we might be free in him, why are we trying to make ourselves slaves to rules and religion, we are basically trying to make a new system of law, how foolish can we be folks!

“But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized! When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper. For some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk. What? Don’t you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace God’s church and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this! So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world. So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.” (1 Corinthians 11:17-22, 27-34) “I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idolatry. You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true. When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body. Think about the people of Israel. Weren’t they united by eating the sacrifices at the altar? What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons. You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is? So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.” (1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 9-22, 31-33) “Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.” (Galatians 2:16-21)

There is absolutely nothing wrong with having the Lord Supper, I mean it’s a very good thing that we are supposed to do, If we don’t remember what Jesus did for us, then we don’t know why we are so blessed and we lose our blessed hope and our focus on Jesus and his word.

Now if you want to have that communion ritual once a month or once a year, or even once a week, and that’s the way you want to remember Jesus and what he did for you, well then you be my guest, I mean we are free to do whatever we want because God gave us a free will!

But if I were you I would think about it just for a second anyways.

Just think about it folks, I mean the greatest being imaginable, the One and only One that created heaven and earth and everything you see, I mean all the flowers the birds, the trees, even the wind that you cannot see, I mean the One who made the whole human body, and the scientific stunning human eye, and the wondrous human mind, (the thing that scientist don’t even know where it is located) This One and Only I AM, the all Powerful Perfect GOD ALMIGHTY, The One who came down to earth, put on human skin, and lived in this sinful God forsaken world, suffered all of our miserable human defects, He was tempted like you and I and still he did not sin, not even once breaking the perfect law of God, I mean we have a hard time just not breaking one law, and he keeps all of them, But all he wanted was to tell people the truth and to make a way to heaven for us and to Love us unconditionally, and so we could love Him! But even after all that, the people (the religious folks) still had him killed and he becomes our perfect pure passover sacrifice, he dies the most gruesome death you could imagine.Then if that’s not enough he goes to hell to preach to the captives, and then just like he said and promised He rises again on the third day, and all this was done just to make away to eternal life for us, so we don’t have to burn in hell, because He loves us so much and he wants us, I mean us, look around! We are sinful sick human beings that don’t deserve nothing but punishment for our wickedness, But he wanted us to be his holy bride, to live with him forever, and now he is making our new home, the most spectacular thing ever imagined for us to live in for all eternity.

So he did all this for us, and in return we do him the extraordinary privilege and honor of giving him 30 minutes of our time once or twice a year?

How special! How about NO!

Are you kidding me? We need to be in total remembrance of what he did everyday all the time, Paul says pray without ceasing!

There is no way to ever be good enough to deserve Gods precious gift, But at least we can do is be in remembrance of what he as done, and what better way then thanking him all the time everyday! What is something we do everyday?

Glad you asked! We eat everyday, so why not for starters every time we eat (break bread) we do this in remembrance of him, and thank him for all he has done, without his sacrifice it would be no point in eating, not to mention he blessed us with the food we eat everyday if we realize or not. When we meet fellow Christ followers, why don’t we encourage each other about the things God has done for us and talk about what we have been blessed with and help each other everyday, Jesus says where two or more our gathered in His name he is right there with them!

For starters, Let’s just do ourselves a big huge favor and read our Bibles and do our very best to be a Jesus follower, I’ll say again: “being a follower of Jesus, means you are following Jesus” (just in case some folks were confused about the whole concept)

I hope someone got some encouragement out of this, I want to thank you for taking the time to read this, all I ever want is for people to know Jesus, and have a better relationship with the God they think they know!

Until next time, and from now on, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, may he bless you and keep you!

~Joe Lester~