Scriptural
Reference:
"And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said,
“Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in
accordance with all these words."
Exodus 24:8
"This is my
blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness
of sins."
Matthew 26:28
"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.”
Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them,
and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which
is poured out for many,” he said to them."
Mark 14:22-25
"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.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This
cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it,
in remembrance of me."
1 Corinthians 11:23-25
Reflection:
I've already reflected on the Sacrament of the Lords' Supper previously.
In this post I will look deeper into the individual elements as well
as the various traditions concerning the Lords' Supper.
To Begin With:
The Lord's Supper isn't just a symbol of the love Christians should
share with each other; it's also a Sacrament representing our redemption
through Christ's death. For those who receive it rightly, worthily,
and with faith, the bread we break becomes a sharing in the Body of
Christ, and the Cup of Blessing represents a sharing in the Blood of
Christ.
We believe that
when the Body of Christ is shared, received, and consumed during the
Supper it happens in a heavenly and spiritual way. The way we take in
the Body of Christ during the Supper is through is solely by faith and
through faith. So that the Lord's Supper isn't set aside, carried around,
raised up, or worshipped according to Christ's instructions. This is
a unique meal that is a special form of remembrance that is to be shared
by all true Christians in remembrance of the Lords' sacrifice for all.
And Then: The Lord's
Supper, a sacred Christian ritual, traces its symbolic roots back to
the Passover meal described in the book of Exodus, emphasising continuity
with the Old Testament tradition. It was during his final gathering
with his closest followers that Jesus instituted this significant practice,
using elements of bread and the cup to symbolise his impending sacrifice
on the cross. These tangible symbols representing his selfless act of
giving his body and shedding his blood, stand as the foundational emblems
of the profound New Covenant offered through Christ for believers to
remember and honour.
The Bread: The
bread we use during communion represents Jesus' body, which was sacrificed
for us. He bore all our sins, wrongdoings, illnesses, sorrows, and shame.
The wine, or grape juice, symbolises His blood, poured out to create
a new agreement between us and God. Over the years I have attended many
various congregations and denominations. Each one had its' own interpretation
of what form of bread should be used for the Lords' Supper. Some used
ordinary white bread that was cut into small squares. While some of
the churches that I attended used the familiar flat round wafer; used
within the Catholic Church. While, some churches used a range of fresh
artisan breads like Sourdough or French. I remember a story shared by
a Uniting Church minister of his visit to a small rural congregation.
He had asked them to prepare a solid loaf of bread that he could break
apart while preparing the elements for the supper. They told him that
they traditionally cut the bread into small squares that the congregation
would pick up and eat. He was persistent and they gave in.
On the eventful
Sunday they visiting minister stoop at the front of the church as an
elder brought the tray that had a set of small cups filled with grape
juice and a large loaf of bread. The minister was pleased they had followed
his instructions. He then started into the well-known and traditional
patter prior to presenting the elements for consumption. He lifted the
load of bread, said the appropriate words, and then went to split the
loaf in half. To his bemusement the bread broke in half and small square
bits of bread flew out all over the first pew in the church. It turned
out they had already cut the bread up. But to please the visiting minister
they decided to stuff an empty loaf of bread with the pieces. Waste
not want not?
The Wine: Wine
was the go-to drink back then, symbolising togetherness, which is a
big part of what the Lord's Supper means to us. As with the bread used
there is a wide range of variations in what can be used. Some avoid
the whole challenge, such as the Salvation Army, and not hold the Lords'
Supper. The Salvation Army stands out from many other Christian groups
because it doesn't practice Baptism or Holy Communion. They believe
you can still feel the inner grace that these sacraments represent,
even without going through the actual rituals. While in the Baptist
Church they tend to use grape juice. Many site this verse;
"But I say
unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine,
until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."
Matthew 26:29
They view this
as a sign to refrain from fermented wine. Though, the verse doesn't
restrict his followers. The Anglican Church I attend provides a choice
of water or wine. I have observed a balanced number of those who select
either of the options.
The Activity Itself:
Baptists hold the belief that everyone has a role in the priesthood,
so anyone can serve communion to one another. This is why you'll see
the bread and juice being shared around the room. Instead of wine, Baptists
usually opt for grape juice. While within the Anglican Church and as
per the 39 articles of religion, we are informed that it's only a Bishop
or Priest who can consecrate or bless the elements and distribute to
the congregation; with the assistance of a select group of parishioners.
My experiences:
I remember at a leadership training course I did with the Uniting Church
(please don't judge me) had set out a range of settings for the Lords'
Supper. Some were traditional and had the traditional elements that
were quickly recognised. One setting had caused an argument. It had
an energy drink in place of the usual wine or grape juice. It also had
small party pies instead of the usual unleavened or ordinary bread.
Up until this point it was curious at how adaptable and even accepting
the group could be. Essentially the message was not to get stuck on
what you used but to stay focused on the purpose and intent behind the
sacrament.