Communion & Thanksgiving

Isaiah 53:4-5

Isaiah 53:4–5

"Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed."

Communion and the Thanksgiving holiday share a deep and intertwined connection. Both call us to pause, reflect, and express heartfelt gratitude. At its core, Communion, also known as the Lord’s Supper, calls believers to give thanks for Jesus Christ’s sacrificial love. Similarly, the Thanksgiving holiday is a time to pause, reflect, and express gratitude for the blessings in our lives. Together, they present an opportunity to unite the spiritual and the temporal in heartfelt appreciation.

Communion invites us to the table of grace, where bread symbolizes Christ’s body given for us and the cup represents His blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus’ words, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19), call us to reflect on His ultimate sacrifice and the hope it brings. This act of remembrance is deeply intertwined with thanksgiving. As we partake in Communion, we are reminded that Christ’s sacrifice is the foundation of all our blessings—life, salvation, and eternal fellowship with God. Such gratitude transcends the fleeting concerns of this world, anchoring us in a spirit of thankfulness for God’s steadfast love.

Thanksgiving is an expression of a universal human need to acknowledge blessings and share them with others. Historically rooted in moments of harvest and provision, Thanksgiving echoes the communal nature of the early church, where believers “broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts” (Acts 2:46). This practice reflects the essence of Communion: unity in gratitude and generosity.

As we gather with loved ones during Thanksgiving, we can draw from the richness of Communion to deepen our expressions of gratitude. Just as Communion transcends individual moments to connect us to the eternal, Thanksgiving reminds us to recognize God’s faithfulness in every season. Together, these observances invite us to live out a life of thankfulness, both to God and in our relationships with others, embodying the spirit of love and sacrifice that Christ demonstrated. In this union of sacred and seasonal traditions, we find a deeper understanding of what it means to give thanks.

Colossians 1:12–14 ESV

giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Invitation to the Lord’s Table