Exodus Story is the background for the Last Supper

the Last Supper is what we are remembering.

= The way out of slavery is Jesus!

What is Communion and how did it originate?

Exodus Story

Last Supper

What do we do, how, and why?

Paul correcting the Corinthian Church

1 Cor 11:23-26

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 “23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.”

Elements

Bread and Wine

Symbols - wedding ring

Daily symbols

Where is Jesus they would have pointed to him not the bread.

Frequency

No biblical mandate for frequency.

My tradition feels it looses it specialness like Christmas every quarter

It’s not about routine participation, but something much more!

Remembrance

We are not good at this these days. We so individualistic - depressed and lonely…

English falls short…

Not just thinking about the past - There is a Greek word for that

Little kid, remember when we played Legos all summer. I think about it

To make present by means of thoughts and actions

4th of July fireworks - John Adams July 3 1776 wrote a letter to his wife saying he wanted special activities. Then July 4th 1777 (1 year later) 13 rockets (1 for each colony) when off

Celebrate Faith - tangible reality

When we take Communion we actively bring the sacrifice of Jesus into the present. The eternal God who sits outside of time and space

>>> Communion <<<<

The past comes forward and the future moment of the Jesus return come backward to us.

Why

Jesus is the way out of slavery.

The announcement of Jesus’ death - the death that defeated the power of death. Setting free the captive

Communion

Now what? Is it just a feeling or an experience?

Hebrews 13:8–15 “8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them. 10 We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 Under the old system, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, and the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. 12 So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. 14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. 15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.”