Institution of the Lord's Supper (MKJV)

Mat 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat, this is My body.

Mat 26:27 And He took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink all of it.

Mat 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Mat 26:29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom.

 

   IS COMMUNION A CONVENANT?

The answer is YES! Here’s why. We need to understand what a covenant is before understanding what communion is.

What is a covenant - A covenant is an agreement or written promise between two or more parties that constitutes a pledge to do or refrain from doing something. There are two covenants established by God.

1 - The ‘Old Covenant’ - Between God and man.

2 - The ‘New Covenant’ - Between God and Jesus.

A covenant requires blood be shed to seal the covenant.

 

The ‘Old Covenant’ - Ten commandments given by God to Moses so man would be pure enough to be able stand before God.

The 10 commandments are the law of God and “The Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Romans 7:12).

The problem was man’s inability to keep it. The failure was with man and not God. The covenant designed to result in life, resulted in death. Paul said, “And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death” (Romans 7:10).

The ‘New Covenant’ - The old covenant revealed we needed something better. “Therefore the Law has become our tutor (teacher) to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). The new covenant is between the Father and the Son. God told Jesus if He would go to earth in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3) and go to the cross for the sins of mankind (1 Peter 3:18), God would forgive the sins of anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (John 1:12, Romans 4:4-5, Romans 5:1, Romans 10:13).

The new covenant doesn’t depend on us. It’s a covenant between the Father and the Son. God lived up to His part of the first covenant, but we failed to live up to our part. In the new covenant man is left out of the equation. Jesus lived up to the new covenant by going to the cross in payment for our sins. God lived up to the covenant by forgiving and justifying all who put their faith in Jesus. This one cannot fail because both parties involved lived up to their side of the covenant. When Jesus shed his blood and died on the cross the Old Covenant system of Law and forgiveness was replaced by the New Covenant.

 

   WHAT IS COMMUNION ?

Communion Explained : 1Co 11:24-26 And giving thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me." In the same way He took the cup also, after supping, saying, "This cup is the New Covenant in My blood; as often as you drink it, do this in remembrance of Me." For "as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show" the Lord's death until He shall come.

Communion is a part of the ‘new covenant’ (Mat 26:28) of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. It is the part of the covenant Jesus has with man to remember Him.

The physical parts of communion are the bread (BODY) and wine (BLOOD). There is also the spiritual aspects of communion.

 

   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BREAD.

Why bread - The early Christians came together regularly for common meals, which included the breaking of bread. Acts 2:44 refers to them having “everything in common,” and this no doubt included sharing meals together, each one receiving from the others what they needed. Verse 46 describes them breaking bread in their homes. It represents everything they had was shared with others when they needed it. We are to do the same as Christ did. This is why the bread is taken first. It shows that Christ will give all He has to others when they ask, who believe in Him. In taking the bread we are to do the same as Christ, share with others when they need it. In the Bible, bread symbolized Jesus the Messiah and the eternal life he offers to those willing to follow him with their whole heart (John 6:32 - 35, 41, 50 - 51). The unleavened version of this staple was used during Christ's last Passover. It represented his willingness to offer his own body as a sacrifice for our sins and to make our healing possible (Matthew 26:26, 1Co 11:23 - 30). The apostle Paul wrote how bread symbolized the true spiritual unity of the church of God (1Corinthians 10:16 – 17).

 

   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WINE.

Why wine - The Old Covenant and the Law of Moses was put into effect with the blood of animals. (Hebrews 9:19-22) For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined to you." And likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission.

 

The New Covenant began at the cross. That is the day that the New Covenant was ushered in and replaced the Old Covenant. At the cross, Jesus took away the sins of the world by sacrificing His body and dedicating His blood. It was a one time sacrifice for sins. This is far different from the Old Covenant blood sacrifices of animals, which had to be repeated year after year. When Jesus shed his blood and died on the cross the Old Covenant of Law and forgiveness was replaced by the New Covenant and remembered by communion.

 

   TAKING COMMUNION UNWHORTHILY.

The central focus of the celebration is to remember Christ’s sacrifice and proclaim His work of salvation (1 Corinthians 11:23–26). In essence, when people outside the church observe a unified body of believers eating and drinking to remember Christ’s broken body and spilled blood, the message of the gospel becomes visible.

 

Paul said, “So that whoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, he will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” (1 Co 11:27, MKJV). The phrase in an unworthy manner could refer, in general, to harboring unconfessed sin while participating in the Lord’s Supper. Confession of sin is a beneficial practice to prepare one’s heart for worship; in fact, we are told to “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.” (verse 28).

 

The “unworthy manner” Paul had in mind was most likely a failure to express the love and unity of the body of Christ—the problem he had just addressed. Those who selfishly promoted divisions in the church were guilty of a serious offense. They were dishonoring the very purpose of communion, which is to honor and remember the Lord’s work of salvation on the cross. Those who partake of communion in an unworthy manner are “guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Co 11:27). That is, they are showing irreverence or contempt for that which is meant to represent the body and blood of Christ. They are not examining or discerning themselves before taking the body and the blood of Christ (verse 28), which means they are acting indifferently toward communion, as if it were just another meal.

 

Paul went on to teach the Corinthians how they could avoid taking Communion unworthily—by examining their motives and actions and making sure they lined up with the significance of the Lord’s Supper (1 Co 11:28). They were to perform this self-examination in preparation for eating and drinking to avoid bringing God’s discipline upon themselves (verses 29–31).

 

Paul stressed that the Lord’s Supper should be a time of celebration for the church in which Christians focus on honoring Jesus, exhibiting unity, and proclaiming the gospel of Christ’s salvation. The focus ought to be on others, and not on oneself. In this manner, believers avoid taking communion unworthily.

 

   MORE INFORMATION

For more detailed reading and information of Communion ask for “Understanding Communion”.

 

To see why Jesus died on the cross to replace the Old Covenant ask for “The Five Levitical Offerings”. This is an in-depth look at what God had required for offerings and sacrafices. This shows the significance of the shedding of blood for the remission of sin.

​

   IN SUMMARY

Communion is the sharing of the body (bread) of Christ meaning we remember Jesus gives us all, if we believe in Him, as He gave all, His life, and that we are willing to give all to those who are in need.

The blood (wine) of Christ shows we believe in Jesus. We remember the new covenant and how Jesus fulfilled His part of the covenant by dieing on the cross and shedding of His blood, the sealing of the new covenant, the death and resurrection of Jesus from the dead. God has kept His part of the New Covenant by welcoming all those who believe and have faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. By believing in Jesus who fulfilled His part of the New Covenant we as believers in Christ are fulfilling our part of the Covenant with Jesus by believing in and following Jesus Christ.