The Lord’s Supper

READING
Exodus 12
1 Corinthians 10, 11
Matthew 26
Luke 22
Leviticus 4












Make sure you take it seriously. You are remembering the biggest sacrifice in history. And you are on the receiving end!

Sometimes the Lord’s Supper is called communion. It’s basically when we have bread and wine as a church in memory of Yeshua sacrifice for us.

The first “Lord’s Supper” was in the upper room during Yeshua’s last Passover meal with his disciples the night before he went to the cross.
It was part of a meal. And when his disciples first instituted this as a church after Yeshua’s death and resurrection, they also did it as part of a meal.
Sometime during the meal, someone will give thanks to God for the bread which represents Yeshua’s body/flesh which was sacrificed for us.
Sometime later, not necessarily straight away, someone will give thanks to God for the cup or the wine which represents Yeshua’s blood which was poured out for us.
(The Bible says that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. In the garden of Eden God himself shed animal blood to create coverings of skins for Adam and Eve to cover their shame after their sin. Then God introduced the Law and the sacrificial system of the Old Testament where priests would again shed animal blood to cover over any sins the people had committed. Then, finally, Yeshua shed his own blood, not just to cover up, but to wash away completely our sin).

These days many churches skip the meal, (which I think is a shame), and just have a ceremony where we eat bread and drink wine.
The idea is still there. The bread and wine are symbols of Yeshua.
Some churches (like the Catholics) teach that the bread actually becomes the body/flesh of Yeshua when the priest prays. This is not correct. It’s just bread. It’s a symbol.

Some churches use little wafers instead of bread. I think that’s a shame too. The original bread was Passover bread. Unleavened bread. Bread made without yeast. And it represented Yeshua’s body made without sin.
Also, it was one loaf broken into pieces so that each person could have some. But they all shared in one loaf. A bit hard to do in a church of 2,000 people, but it was also symbolic.

Some churches use grape juice instead of wine. Usually they say it is in case there are any alcoholics in the church. But usually they say that even when they know there are not any alcoholics in the church.
Yeshua made wine. Wine is OK to drink (just don’t get drunk). And if you know there are no alcoholics in your church, then I think you should use wine. But that is up to you.
You can have the Lord’s Supper in a small group, like at Bible Study or with Christian friends in your home too. Try it, it’s usually a very powerful moment. Maybe you can even try to incorporate it with a meal.

Some churches also get very caught up on who can partake, and they have strict rules. I figure that if anyone understands what it’s about, he can eat it. But again, just do what your church says. If you really don’t like it, change churches.

Basically, it’s symbolic. So don’t get caught up on how they do it in your church. Just make sure you participate. And make sure you take it seriously. You are remembering the biggest sacrifice in history. And you are on the receiving end! Remember what Yeshua has done for you, and be humbled.

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