Communion

Intro

Recap - last gathering teaching on Baptism

6 people baptized, praise report!

Again recapping last message to refresh understanding

We talked about “ekklesia”, which means “church”

The assembly or body of people that is centered on faith in Jesus and share common bond of faith in Jesus Christ being Lord and Savior

This community of believers live out our faith 24/7, every day

In the workplace, at home, with your friends, at the beach.... everywhere

We don’t go to church, we ARE the church

So there are a few things that we practice, as a community, to proclaim, to follow His Word, to build our faith in God, and to build each other up in this faith

So last message we talked about how baptism is an essential step in that process

Its proclaiming your faith in Christ - but not only that, but identifying with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ

That when you are baptized, you are united with Christ in crucifying your old self, and just as Christ was raised from the dead, you rise up out of the water to walk in the newness of life

That your ‘old self’ is crucified with Christ, breaking sin’s hold on you, and that since we have faith in and believe that Jesus conquered death, we too now live in the assurance that we are no longer slaves to sin and death

So baptism is this act of obedience, this step of faith, that is integrated into being a part of this ekklesia community

And I want to add that this process of walking in the newness of Christ sometimes is a process

Some people make a 180 turn around in their life; others its a process

I was a process

But making that leap of faith, making that decision to follow Christ, is the turning point - is the fork in the road where you start to go down a different path

Encourage people who got baptized to keep pursuing Jesus, maybe this last couple of weeks were the roughest, but you are not alone - you have HIM

Continuing with that line of teaching, today we’re going to talk about another essential and key ordinance that we, the church (or ekklesia), practice to keep His commandments and deepen our faith in Jesus

Talking about Communion

Definition/Origin

How many have heard the word or are familiar with ‘communion’? - where we take the bread and the cup.....

The word ‘communion’ is defined generally as: the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level.

Or - an act or instance of sharing

In a non-biblical sense, "communion" refers to a deep sense of connection, closeness, or shared understanding between people or within a group.

It implies an intimate, meaningful relationship where individuals are united by shared emotions, beliefs, or experiences.

Some examples outside the church context:

Support groups - when people share personal experiences or offer each other support, fostering a sense of mutual understanding and empathy.

Military or Veteran gatherings - groups often share rituals or ceremonies that create a sense of solidarity and mutual support. Shared meals or memorials can be a form of "communion," recognizing the sacrifices made and reinforcing a bond of brotherhood or sisterhood among members

Fraternal or Service Organizations: Groups like the Freemasons, Lions Club, or Rotary Club have rituals and gatherings that promote camaraderie and shared purpose

In essence, ‘communion’ in secular contexts conveys a bond that transcends superficial interactions, connecting individuals on a deeper, often emotional or spiritual, level.

Interestingly, in the Bible, there isn’t a straightforward translation of the Greek writing to the english word ‘communion’

The Greek word that CAN be translated to ‘communion’ is the word koinōnia

In most bible translations - English word you read is ‘fellowship’ or a word related to sharing, or common - or having some kind of bond

The Greek word and related verb and adjective all have english translations that refer to sharing, giving/receiving, having a common bond, or common participation

But the term and PRACTICE of Communion in the church, where we take the bread and the cup, is referred to as Holy Communion or another term for it is the Eucharist

The term ‘Eucharist’ comes from the Greek word eucharistia, which means “thanksgiving” or “gratitude”

How appropriate, since the Thanksgiving holiday is next week! (didn’t plan that, but the Lord always makes things work out like that)

At Thanksgiving, we sit around a table with family, friends, and loved ones; and we give thanks for our families, our country, our community

Its a tradition that traces back to a 1621 feast in Plymouth, Mass. between English Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people to celebrate a successful harvest

Parallel between Thanksgiving being traced back to a memorable feast or meal; and church communion

Holy Communion or the Eucharist is rooted in what’s called ‘the Lord’s Supper’

Mark 14:22–26 “22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 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.” 26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”

The Lord’s Supper is described in 3 gospels - Matthew Mark and Luke

This is where we get the institution of the Lord’s Supper and taking Holy Communion

Where Jesus says that the bread they were eating and the wine they were drinking symbolizes His body and His blood which, at that moment, was going to be broken and poured out for many

But this wasn’t just some random dinner that Jesus and His disciples were partaking in - how many know why they were eating and having a meal together in the first place?

If you back up a few verses in the accounts, you find the answer

PASSOVER

Now the Jewish tradition of Passover can be a whole teaching series in itself, but to understand the significance of the Lord’s Supper, we have to understand a little about the Passover

The account of the Passover event is found in Exodus 11 and 12

Basically what happened was God was invoking plagues on Egypt as a response to Pharoah’s refusal to release the Israelites from slavery

So as you read, there were nine plagues before the Passover event - all were directed at the Egyptian gods that they worshipped

Then the tenth and final plague - God said that He would send the ‘destroyer’ or the angel of death, thru the land and all the first-borns in the land would die;

Exodus 11:4–7“4 So Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, 5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. 6 There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. 7 But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’”

But to the Israelites He had more instructions

Exodus 12:3–8 “3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household........ 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. 7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel <or the beam above the door> of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.

<skip down to verse 12

Exodus 12:12–14 “12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. 14 “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.”

So this is the ‘Passover’, the Lord “passed over” the houses that had the blood of the lamb on the doorposts

Passover is still celebrated in the Jewish community today - as one of their most important holidays

I want us to notice a few things about this Passover event

They sacrificed a ‘lamb without blemish’ - so in church or worship songs, have you guys ever heard Jesus referred to as the Lamb of God?

That comes out of the Passover event where the lamb’s blood was put on the doorposts of the houses

This signified their faith and obedience, and when the angel of death passed through Egypt, it "passed over" <hence the name> the homes marked with the lamb's blood, sparing the firstborn within

Then the Lord said to keep that event as a memorial day, and they were to have a feast and celebrate that Passover day for generations

So during the Lord’s Supper, when Jesus was having a feast with his disciples - they were celebrating this Passover event

But on this occasion, Jesus parallels the Passover event with what He was about to do

He was going to be the Lamb, the sacrifice for the people in their stead, so the consequence of sin ‘passes over’ those who put their faith in Him

Do you guys see the parallel between the Passover event in Exodus and what Jesus did on the cross?

If you put your faith in Jesus, if you accept Him as your Lord and Savior, and repent and turn away from your sins - you are COVERED by His body which was given up for you, and His blood which was poured out in our place, for our sin....

He was the sacrifice which saves us from judgement

His sacrifice was the price paid for my sin, for your sin; and when it comes time to face judgement for what we choose to do in our life - if we have put our faith in Him, His blood will be like the lamb’s blood on the doorpost, and the Lord will “Passover” our consequence and Jesus’ blood will have washed our sin clean

So when we take ‘communion’ at church, which we will do today; it has significant meaning for us and is a very important part of practicing our faith....

Meaning/Application

For our understanding - I broke it down into 4 meanings for us as a church

When we take communion...

1. It means we Recall His Sacrifice

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 (ESV)

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.”

Paul writes in Corinthians what Jesus said at the Passover Feast before He went to the cross

‌Its a time to remember the great length and the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us

<preach on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and how that is good news for us>

‌So we remember His sacrifice...

2. Its a time to Reflect and Repent

1 Corinthians 11:27–29 (ESV)

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.

‌As we recall what He did for us, we reflect on where our hearts are at

Paul's warning here in 1 Corinthians 11 - that whoever takes this communion in an “unworthy manner” will eat and drink judgment on them-self

The people in Corinth, Paul’s audience in Corinthians, were basically partying - getting drunk, not sharing food with some going hungry… at their so-called gatherings

So Paul gives a warning that taking communion, fellowshipping and sharing in the Lord’s Supper, is a sacred time and needs to be taken with reverence and self-examination and repentance

So he warns them that their hearts need to be in the right place

When we take communion, its a time to reflect, repent, seek reconciliation, embrace God’s mercy and grace, foster a spirit of humility, and remind us of our need for Jesus’ mercy in our life

‌

3. Its means we Rejoice in Unity

1 Corinthians 10:16–17 ESV

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

‌As much as taking communion is a time for reflection and repentance, it is a time for joy, and thanksgiving

What Jesus did for us is heavy and came at an enormous cost with Him giving the ultimate sacrifice; and we should always come to that with reverence and humility

But as heavy as the sacrifice He made is, its also a time for us to rejoice, be glad, and celebrate that we are all loved and saved by the grace of God

And this joy and love is something we, as a church, all share in

The ‘ekklesia’ or church that is founded on the common faith in Christ - all share in this joy and celebration in unity with each other

When we take communion, we share in the joy and we collectively rejoice for the gift of salvation, forgiveness, mercy, grace, and love that our God has for us

‌

4. Communion means an Invitation to Hope

Revelation 19:6–9 (ESV)

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God

the Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and exult

and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his Bride has made herself ready;

it was granted her to clothe herself

with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

‌

Taking communion is not only a time to reflect on what has been done in the past, or even what is happening in the present; but its also a time to hope for what is promised for the future

This scripture in Revelation foretells of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, which portrays the completion of God’s redemptive plan

We, the church, are described as the bride; and Jesus is the groom - where we are reconciled back into a relationship with our Creator in eternity

Each time we take communion, we celebrate and rejoice of what is to come - filled with hope and anticipation of eternal joy and fellowship with God in HIS kingdom

Hope is the most precious thing that comes out of faith in Jesus

That no matter what is happening in your life, no matter what tragedy or struggle you are experiencing in this broken world - that faith in Jesus means there is ALWAYS hope

Hope not only in this life, not only in this world, but that our God is ETERNAL

What that means is that when we bind ourselves to Christ, when we make Him the foundation, the center, the Lord of our life - it means that we are communing with and attaching ourselves to a God that has defeated death

A God that is eternal - and that brings HOPE

Conclusion

<call up for music and to pass out the cups>

So when we take communion today, its means:

We remember His sacrifice for us

Its a time to reflect, repent, and examine ourselves - our flaws, our mistakes, who we are, why we are doing what we’re doing

Its a time to rejoice and be glad together as a church body - that we all share in this amazing gift of salvation and love that the God of the universe offers us so freely

And its a time for HOPE

A time to look to the future with knowing that we are under the wing of the Most High

That no matter what the world does to us, no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in - that if we hold to our faith, we will share in this covenant relationship with our Creator for eternity

And with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up next week - where we give thanks for our family, our country, our community.... we also give thanks to God

We sit around a table on Thanksgiving and enjoy a meal with our friends, family, and loved ones; we fellowship around good food and good company

Communion is us fellowshipping, with each other and with God

But today, we will be taking communion, and so as you receive the bread and cup, remember all the meanings this sacred time has

<go to communion>