Quite a number of Christians today, partake of the Communion without a good understanding of what they are doing. To many, it has become a religion, tradition or routine to share of the Lord’s Table, though they partake regularly.
On the other hand, some do not see any need for the communion, so they just conduct it somehow and once in a ‘blue moon.’ There are others who do not even partake it at all. The illumination meal is a New Testament mystery designed by God to seal our covenant rights.
This is the understanding!
First, the communion is not a symbol but a medium. Do not mistake it be just an ordinary bread and wine. When the meal is set before you and blessed; it becomes the actual flesh and blood of Jesus Christ himself indeed. The communion meal is not an object or image nor an emblem that refers to something; it is a substance in which something is being transmitted.
Second, the orderliness and proper and coordination of the communion with application, communication and commemoration.
26 ¶ And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
28 "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Matthew 26: 26 – 28
a. The bread first, the emphasis on what it represents and the efficacy of what the transformation that it brings.
…this is my body…
This is a figure of speech which is called metonymy: that is to say, the giving of one name for another: so he calls the bread his body and yet nonetheless, it is a figurative and changed kind of speech meaning that the faithful do indeed receive Christ with all his gifts (though by a Spiritual means) and become one with Him.
b. Then the wine, emphasis on what it represents and the efficacy of what it is meant for.
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
28 "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Matthew 26: 27 – 28
The blood is the life of Jesus shed for many for the remission of sins. The blood is efficacious for the pardon of sin.
Third, discerning the Lord’s body; distinguishing between it and a common meal and properly considering it as a sacrifice for sin.
It is not the power of words in the prayer we offer on the meal that transmit the real into it. The bread and wine changed, not in nature but in quality, for without doubt they become tokens of the body and blood of Christ, not of their own nature or force of words but Christ’s institution; which must be recited and laid forth, that faith may find what to lay hold on, both in the word and in the elements. Don’t take it because you are mouth washed or hungry. Remember, the Holy Communion is NOT a love feast.
THE HOLY RECIPE
26 ¶ And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
28 "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Matthew 26: 26 – 28
Communion is one of the mysteries of God designed to actualize the flow of eternal life in your system. Food is required for physical growth; in the same vein, the communion is required for healthy living spiritually. Each time you partake of the communion, a spiritual blood transfusion takes place.
a. BREAD – any available bread. It doesn’t have to be any special kind of bread. It could be cake, biscuit, snacks or anything baked or fried of flour.
b. WINE – any available fruit of the vine. It doesn’t have to be any special kind of drink. It could be juice, wine, etc
The Misunderstanding!
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. {damnation: or, judgment}
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
1Corinthians 11: 27 – 30
Some religious people have taken hold of the words “unworthily” to make the communion service look like an occult thing and they keep on discriminating against who can take it or not take it.
Many times, I’ve been in a communion service and some people refused to partake it because of their misconception of the above scriptures. They claimed they didn’t want to be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, because they considered themselves unqualified or unworthy to receive the Holy Communion.
I have seen where people go out of the communion service without partaking, children and youth at a certain age not permitted. I’ve heard where only the adults take it and the pastors decide and announce those who partake of the communion.
I’ve also heard of an assembly where they pass round the communion and no one dare takes it except those who will sit with Jesus at the white throne; their thought was that it is only meant for the Apostle. You need to understand the context within which Apostle Paul made that statement:
a. There was usually fighting whenever it was communion time because some people would have finished all the bread and the wine without minding if others got or not. Paul had to tell them to eat at home before coming because the communion was not meant to be taken as a dinner.
33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. {condemnation: or, judgment}
The Supper of the Lord is a common action of the whole church and therefore there is no place for private supper. The supper of the Lord was instituted not to feed the belly but to feed the soul with the communion of Christ and therefore it ought to be separated from common banquets or social parties.
b. They took the communion to be an ordinary meal. Paul warns them not to come to the house of God to eat an ordinary meal, let him eat at home – to take that in his own house which is necessary for the support of his body before he comes to the sacred repast, where he should have the feeding of his soul alone in view.
c. The Corinthians took the communion to be the subject of dispute, party spirit and division.
d. The rich people in the Corinthians church claims purity and precedence over the poor. Paul told them to tarry for one another, that the table was instituted and common for the rich and the poor.
e. Paul is correcting their indecency and disorderliness to the honour of Christ and for their own spiritual good.
Let’s get the scripture straight
17 ¶ Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. {divisions: or, schisms}
19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. {heresies: or, sects}
20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. {this...: or, ye cannot eat}
21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. {have not: or, are poor?}
23 ¶ For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. {in...: or, for a remembrance}
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. {ye do...: or, shew ye}
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. {damnation: or, judgment}
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. {condemnation: or, judgment}
1Corinthians 11: 17 - 34
At this junction, I am going to explain the meaning and application of what Paul is saying and implication of the above scriptures; the word of God is not confusing, should not be misunderstood and wrongly administered in its application – lets get to the root of the truth
1. The communion service is for the better. 1Corinthians 11: 17; John 6: 53 – 54. It’s a matter of greatest importance that must not be neglected or perverted. It should promise edification, piety, spirituality and harmony.
2. The Holy Communion Service is not the same as the Passover of the Jews and should not be celebrated as one. John 6: 3 – 4; Lev.23: 5 & 7; Deut. 16: 1; John 2: 13 & John 5: 1.
3. The Holy Communion is not either an ordinary supper or the paschal lamb as some think, as some think and should not be observed as one. It is the Lord’s Supper. Matthew 26: 26 – 28. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper as they were eating the paschal supper, near the close of the meal (Luke 22: 15 – 20). It is called the Lord’s Supper because it is the night Jesus gave himself to be crucified (1Cor.11:23). Jesus instituted it while observing religious rites of his country; he instituted it for their use and for the edification of all Christians, the supper which is called by his name – The Lord’s Supper.
4. We should be careful that nothing at the communion service appears to make light of the sacred institution.
5. The Lord’s Supper is not an occasion for gluttony or reveling.
6. There must be orderliness in the serving. It is not only based on the consent of doctrine but also of affections. Bishop Oyedepo said, “The communion is not the doctrine of any church, it is the wisdom of God contained in scriptures which guarantees a great future.”
7. The communion can be observed as a private or public worship.
8. It is called “The Lord’s” because it his appointment and is in honour of him. It is called “Supper”, because the word denotes the evening repast. So, it was instituted in the evening and it does not mean it cannot be observed at any time of the day. Some people call it the Holy Communion according to Paul; others call it The Lord’s Table or Passover; I call it the communion of real life. Whatever name you give to it based on understanding; so it is! No particular name was given by our Lord Jesus Christ but people call it different names based on understanding. What matter are what it represents, the communication and commemoration.
9. The Holy Communion should not be observed as love feast, common feast or festival. No one should come to the table and satisfy the hunger and drink for a thirst.
You don’t need to drink a big cup of wine or whole big bread so that you can be satisfied. The communion is not to satiate the appetite (1Cor.11: 22).
10. The sacramental elements are bread and wine and nothing else. Please do not use water in the replacement of the wine; it must be a fruit of the vine because Jesus is the Vine. The bread must be anything baked or fried with flour and not anything cooked, not yam or meat, etc; simply because Jesus is the bread of Life. It is not manna.
11. The Holy Communion should be taken often: do it remembrance of me (1Cor. 11: 24 & 25). The purpose is to bring the sacrifice of Christ and all its blessed results vividly to our mind.
12. It’s a celebration of the Lord’s death and not a funeral (1Cor.11: 26). It should be celebrated on any occasion of affliction, trial or deep interest; when there is need for it and when it would edifies the church.
7 ¶ Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
1 Corinthians 5: 7NKJV
• BECAUSE HE WAS BEATING, ENSURES YOUR HEALING – 1 PETER 2: 24; ISAIAH 53: 4.
• BECAUSE HE WAS BROKEN, ENSURES YOUR BLESSING – MATTHEW 26: 26 – 29; ISAIAH 53: 4.
• BECAUSE HE WAS SLAIN ENSURES YOUR SUPERNATURAL FOLD – REVELATION 5: 12; REVELATION 7: 12.
A life of DIGNITY, EXCELLENCE and RESTORATION is a FUNCTION of the COMMUNION.
53 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
54 "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6: 53 & 54
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2 Peter 1: 3 & 4
The communion is instituted by Jesus Christ himself connects you to the real source of life. You are being empowered to manifest the lifestyle of Jesus; Eternal life is God Kind life.
The Seven Supernatural Fold
12 saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen."
Revelation 7: 12
It takes an understanding of the relevance of the communion to access the seven supernatural fold of the communion.
Number 1 – FOR A LIFE OF BLESSING – Matt.26: 26; 1 Cor.10:16.
Number 2 – FOR A LIFE OF GLORY – John 6: 54; Isaiah 60: 1 & 2.
Number 3 – FOR A LIFE OF WISDOM – Luke 24: 30 & 31.
Number 4 – FOR A LIFE OF GRATITUDE – Acts 2: 46
Number 5 – FOR A LIFE OF HONOUR – 1 Corinthians 11: 17
Number 6 – FOR A LIFE OF POWER – John 6: 56; 1 Cor. 6: 17
Number 7 – FOR A LIFE OF MIGHT (STRENGTH) - 1 Kings 19: 5 & 6; John 6: 35 & 48.
Pray with me
1. Psalm 138: 8
• Father, Perfect all that concerns me this year in the name of Jesus.
2. Phil. 1: 6
• Father, complete every good work you have started in me this year in the name of Jesus.
3. Hebrews 13: 21
• Father, make me complete in every good work this year in Jesus name.
