There is a lot more to communion than we realise. Not only is it for the forgiveness of our sins, but the healing of our bodies. Christ gave us of His all at the cross.
I had a funny thing happen to me when we were at the Life Conference in Auckland awhile back. I fasted on one of the days about a problem I had and was going to eat later that evening. A group of us went to Denny’s for a meal, but as I sat down to order something I didn’t feel that I should eat yet, so decided to abstain and walk back to the Conference.
After the meeting I was really feeling hungry and noticed that the Pastors’ lounge was open and that there was a meal provided. It was a special meal that I thought had been put on for all the pastors and because I felt hungry I joined the line. It was a beautiful meal of lamb. “Praise the Lord “
I thought to myself that I’m glad I didn’t eat at Denny’s, for this meal is far better than the one I turned down and its free. I’m always into free. I sat down and enjoyed this meal, I thought of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb that I’ll be invited too one day. As I looked around I didn’t notice anyone that I knew but didn’t take much thought about it as I was hungry. A lady came up to me as I indulged in these tender morsels and asked if I had been invited. I said no, as I’m a pastor. She said this was a special meal put on for the conference speakers and special guests. So that’s why none of my pastor friends were here. Suddenly I felt like the man caught out at that other Wedding Banquet in the wrong clothes and was cast out. She said not to worry just finish your meal and leave – in a nice sort of way.
A peace came over me and I felt the Lord say that this was from Him as He wanted to bless me and had taken note of my day of fasting.
I thought afterwards about this yummy meal of lamb. Here in New Zealand we enjoy lamb as a delicacy but do we think much about the process of bringing that meal to the table? The innocent lamb was frolicking in the paddock and suddenly caught, slaughtered, chopped into pieces, cooked and served up. That’s the part we don’t want to think about, but it’s all necessary for the end result.
As Christians we understand that Jesus was the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world. Do we really consider how this came about at such a great price. We need to remember this fact and understand the horror that Jesus he had to go through on the cross in order to bring eternal blessings upon us all.
At the first Passover the Israelites acquired a spotless sacrificial lamb from the flock that had to then live in their house for a few days, before they killed it. They had to shed its blood and sprinkle it on the door posts of their houses and then roast and eat the lamb. It wasn’t an easy thing either as they were becoming attached to the cute little lamb as part of the family. The children would have been devastated to see their pet lamb put to death and then end up eating it. After that Passover meal all the Israelites were supernaturally empowered to leave Egypt at midnight and walk the long march to the Red Sea. It says that there was not one feeble person amongst them. It particularly mentions too, that they were to specifically eat the legs. Exodus 12:9. They needed strong legs for that march and even the elderly amongst them were empowered to do it.
“He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.” Psalm 105:37
Jesus is the Lamb of God who offered Himself freely at Calvary. At the Passover Meal before He died it’s mentions in 3 of the gospels that He gave us His body. All of His body and not only giving us His body, but asking us to eat it as well. Matthew, Mark and Luke record what Jesus said to His disciples that night at the Passover meal. They are basically the same words each time concerning the bread and the wine, but I want to point out that He was giving them His body to eat.
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Matthew 26:26
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” Mark 14:22
“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19
You will notice that the gospel of John doesn’t give any account of the Passover meal that night. He was there, in fact he was leaning his head on Jesus’ breast. However He does give a very comprehensive teaching on all the benefits of the bread and the wine in John chapter 6. For instance, He says that unless we eat Jesus’ flesh and drink His blood we have no life in us, and also that when we eat and drink we abide in Him and He abides in us, and that this meal is real food and real drink.
“Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” John 6:54
“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.” John 6:56
It must have seemed strange for the disciples that Jesus shows them a piece of bread and says, “this is my body, eat it.” In fact, some walked away from Him after hearing these words, because it was too hard for them to understand.
After Jesus died and rose again from the dead, He spent 40 days with the disciples and then ascended into heaven. Then ten days later He sent the Holy Spirit and the Church began.
You can imagine the disciples thinking, “Great, Jesus has gone and left us with a biscuit, and says that this is His body, what does all this mean?“
Its like going to the reading of a will for a friend and hearing it said? “I’m leaving you with my body - in a biscuit,” or maybe his leaving you with an urn with his ashes in it. Jesus says He’s leaving us with His body in a piece of bread. He could have left us with His robe, His sandals or pieces of the cross in His will – but He leaves us with His body.
It wasn’t until Paul had his amazing revelation on communion that it all comes together. Paul wasn’t there at the last supper but Jesus explained it all to him by revelation.
“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you : The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you ; do this in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-24
“For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.” v29 -30
He points out again that He left us with His body. Here Paul stresses that we need to discern His body. The word ‘discern’ means to ‘make a difference.’ Today, when it comes to communion we don’t make a difference between the bread (body) and the wine (blood). We say that it’s all for the forgiveness of sin but we need to make a difference between the blood and the body if we are going to reap the full benefits of His death. Paul told us that we need to ‘discern’ the body of Christ for in it we are given healing and life.
The blood at the first Passover protected the Israelites from the Angel of Death, and the Lamb gave them strength and healing to walk out of Egypt with no feeble person in their midst. The body of Christ heals us and makes us strong. Forgiveness of sin is found in His blood and most Christians only understand this benefit which is very important, but we can be ignorant of His body which can cause us to die before our time. We don’t take advantage of all that Christ has given us.
“many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. v29 -30
Our ignorance of this truth is costing the Church dearly. We have been given His body as a gift and it’s the most wonderful gift of all.
If you wrote out your will, what would you bequeath in it? We would say things like. “I leave you with all my worldly wealth,” “my house,” “my slippers.” Jesus says that He leaves us with His body. When you really consider what He is saying here, He couldn’t have given you a greater inheritance than this. This is Paradise, this is Canaan Land, and it doesn’t get much better than that. He has left us with His living eternal body and in this body is all the fullness of the God of the universe. In His body is life and all of God. He’s not left us a treasure chest on a deserted island filled with perishable gold and silver or a large mansion – but He has left us Himself in all of His fullness.
