| Communion is probably one of the most | | | | the Sabbath day to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8). The |
| misunderstood events that Christians practice. Those | | | | Jews understood that to mean every Sabbath. It |
| who are not Christian-based often conjure up images | | | | seems to us that by the same reasoning "the first day |
| of some ritualistic cult practice, while others just think it | | | | of the week" means the first day of every week. |
| is a waste of time. | | | | Again, we know from such respected historians as |
| As a Christian community, I believe that this practice of | | | | Neander and Eusebius that Christians in those early |
| communing with our Lord, in memory of His sacrifice | | | | centuries took the Lord's Supper every Sunday. |
| for us, needs to be shared in truth with all people. | | | | What does this memorial supper, the communion, |
| As we gather every Sunday morning to share this | | | | mean to us? |
| communion with the resurrected Christ in spirit, in | | | | When Stephen was being stoned to death, every rock |
| memory of His physical death that was a sacrifice for | | | | hitting him causing excruciating pain, and he knew that |
| your sins and mine, I want to share these thoughts. | | | | all he had to do was say "OK, I don't believe in Jesus |
| One of the things that people seem to notice a | | | | being our Savior either, I was just saying it because..." |
| difference in between churches of Christ and other | | | | and all of the stones would have stopped; he could |
| religious groups is in the Lord's Supper. | | | | have simply left that town for another and started |
| This memorial supper was inaugurated by Jesus on | | | | preaching again to a friendlier crowd where no one |
| the night of his betrayal (Matthew 26:26-28): | | | | knew him; and asked God to forgive him of his denial |
| 26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, | | | | in the previous town. But he didn't. Why? |
| and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the | | | | The same thing that motivated the martyrs then, and |
| disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." | | | | still does today, is the same thing that motivated Jesus |
| 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, | | | | on that day that he was beaten, and scourged, and |
| He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; | | | | beaten some more, and then hung to a splintered |
| 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is | | | | cross with nails pierced through His hands and feet. |
| poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. | | | | There wasn't a nail or ropes or chains made that could |
| It is observed by Christians in memory of the Lord's | | | | bind Him there. There wasn't an army strong enough |
| death (1 Corinthians 11:24,25): | | | | to keep Him there. There wasn't a ruler on earth |
| 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and | | | | powerful enough or scary and evil enough to intimidate |
| said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in | | | | Him to stay on that cross. |
| remembrance of Me." | | | | He stayed and went through that humiliation, through |
| 25 In the same way He took the cup also after | | | | that torture, and through that death because He Loves |
| supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My | | | | you. More than life He Loves you and He ALWAYS |
| blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance | | | | wanted to do His Father's will and do the right thing, no |
| of Me." | | | | matter what the cost was. And we thank God this |
| The emblems - unleavened bread and fruit of the vine | | | | morning that He did. |
| - symbolize the body and blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians | | | | The ONLY thing that held Jesus' tongue when He was |
| 10:16): | | | | being questioned and struck in the face; the ONLY |
| 16 Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing | | | | thing that kept Him doing what His Father in Heaven |
| in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we | | | | wanted Him to do; the ONLY thing that kept Him on |
| break a sharing in the body of Christ? | | | | that cross and on that hill that morning, was Love. |
| Churches of Christ are different from many in that we | | | | Love for His Father, Love for you, and Love for me... |
| observe the Lord's Supper on the first day of every | | | | even when He knew that He could have called those |
| week. As in all that we do, our reason centers in our | | | | ten thousand angels and changed it all. |
| determination to follow the teaching of the New | | | | We share this communion now, to remember His |
| Testament. It says, describing the practice of the | | | | voluntary death; and to live in the celebration of the |
| first-century church, "And upon the first day of the | | | | hope that we now have because of that sad morning |
| week . . . the disciples came together to break bread ..." | | | | on a hill. |
| (Acts 20:7). | | | | Think of the divine blood sacrifice that was made for |
| Some have objected that the text does not specify | | | | you. |
| the first day of every week. This is true--just as the | | | | Whether you believe in God or not, He believes in you |
| command to observe the Sabbath did not specify | | | | and is still waiting. |
| every Sabbath. The command was simply, "remember | | | | |