Two Fold Message of Communion

Communion doesn’t just look back; it looks forward. Also, it doesn’t just encourage us to participate; it encourages us to anticipate. What do I mean?

The first statement, “Communion doesn’t just look back; it looks forward” reminds us that Communion (The Lord’s Supper) points back to cross where we were justified (redemption of our souls). It also looks forward to the time when we shall be glorified (redemption of our bodies). The same was true concerning the Passover. The Passover Feast was celebrated by Israel as a commemoration of the time when God delivered them from Egypt under Moses. However, Passover also looked forward to a time in the future when God would redeem the nation through the Messiah.

The second statement, “Communion not only encourages us to participate; it encourages us to anticipate” reminds us that Communion is an opportunity to participate in His death. Not only do we get an opportunity to appropriate the benefits of His death (by eating the bread and drinking the wine), but we also get an opportunity to share in the proclamation of this event. What do I mean by ‘proclamation’? A proclamation is a public announcement. Paul said, “You do ‘shew’ the Lord’s death.” The word “shew” means to publically declare something. Whenever we partake of communion we are to publically declare, “The Lord’s death is for me!” Doing this identifies us with His death and transforms us. However, Communion is also an opportunity for us to anticipate. Again, Paul tells us, “You do shew the Lord’s death TIL HE COMES.” In other words, whenever we participate in Communion we are anticipating (looking forward) to another event. Communion is a meantime thing until something better comes along. Taking communion should not only inspire thanks for what has taken place; it should also inspire expectation for what shall take place in the future.

We see here that the Communion meal that Jesus introduced to His disciples (here called Passover) was intended to be a temporary celebration until it is fulfilled in heaven. The word ‘fulfilled’ means to make full or complete; to satisfy all the requirements of a contract. Communion represents a contract establish between God and the Church (). The promise of the new Covenant (testament) is to: restore us back into fellowship with God, put God’s word in our heart and completely cleanse us from sin (spirit, soul and body). There will come a day when the promises of the covenant will be completely satisfied/fulfilled. At which time, the cup we drink will be a ‘new’ cup ().

Jesus is said to be ‘fasting’ until that time, why? Why is Jesus fasting but we’re still eating and drinking? Jesus has already tasted of the fulfillments of God’s promise. He has already been glorified. Therefore, to partake of the same cup (anticipation) as we partake of would taste old or flat to Him (). The idea here is once people get accustomed to a thing, it’s hard to introduce them to something new. In Jesus’ case, it’s the exact opposite. He has been introduced to something new (tasted of the resurrection). Therefore, to go back and partake of a meal that basically anticipates what He is already enjoying seems bland.

Now, why aren’t we also fasting like He is? It’s simple, we haven’t yet fully tasted what He is enjoying. Our communion is not yet fulfilled. When our communion has been fulfilled and we’re in His presence we won’t have need of the old wine any more. Remember that the first miracle of Jesus was turning the water into wine. They called it ‘new’ wine. However, He did not perform the miracle (i.e. He did not produce ‘new’ wine) until the old wine was gone. There’s a message in that. If God were to fully introduce the life of the kingdom (new wine) when we are first converted, we would most likely reject it (“No man having drunk old wine STRAIGHTWAY desires new: for he says, ‘The old is better!’”) When you introduce new things to old people you have to do it slowly. Not because they are retarded or slow to understand, but because they are accustomed to their old ways. (You can’t teach an old dog new tricks—at least not overnight!)