Communion Questions

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socperkins

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#1
#1
Hey everybody, I have some questions about communion. I was raised Baptist, and here's how it goes down in the churches I've been to. 1) Retelling of the last supper, 2) Handing out of the bread (body), eat 3) Handing out of the grape juice (blood), drink. After that we sing a hymn because Jesus and the disciples sang a hymn before they went out into the night.

I know that communion is the act of remembering the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Now, here's where I have some questions. I've heard, and tonight I saw at a Methodist church, that a person needs time to get ready for communion. What are they getting ready for? I also heard somebody say once that if you take communion without getting yourself ready you can commit a terrible sin. I uh...I dunno, I just don't get it.

Does anybody know what I'm talking about? Basically, is there a point to communion besides remembering the sacrifice that I haven't been told about?
 
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shad

Guest
#2
#2
socperkins said:
Hey everybody, I have some questions about communion. I was raised Baptist, and here's how it goes down in the churches I've been to. 1) Retelling of the last supper, 2) Handing out of the bread (body), eat 3) Handing out of the grape juice (blood), drink. After that we sing a hymn because Jesus and the disciples sang a hymn before they went out into the night.

I know that communion is the act of remembering the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Now, here's where I have some questions. I've heard, and tonight I saw at a Methodist church, that a person needs time to get ready for communion. What are they getting ready for? I also heard somebody say once that if you take communion without getting yourself ready you can commit a terrible sin. I uh...I dunno, I just don't get it.

Does anybody know what I'm talking about? Basically, is there a point to communion besides remembering the sacrifice that I haven't been told about?
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It is a good thing that you have asked about this.

If IMOSS is signed on, I am sure she can help you with your questions about preperation for communion.
 
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Harley_Angel

Guest
#3
#3
You are supposed to take communion with utmost reverance. You prepare yourself by clearing your mind of worldly things, clearing your heart of anger and hate, and focus your thoughts on the amazing thing you are about to do. You are recreating the LAST SUPPER your SAVIOR shared with His disciples. You are partaking in the blood and body of our LORD! It's not something to be taken lightly, it's to be respected. God tells us not to come to his altar with unresolved feelings towards our brothers. It's the same way with communion. You need to prepre your heart to forgive and to love and prepare your mind to focus on what the communion is and what it means.
 
Nuhen

Nuhen

Banned
#4
Jan 22, 2010
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Harley_Angel said:
You are supposed to take communion with utmost reverance. You prepare yourself by clearing your mind of worldly things, clearing your heart of anger and hate, and focus your thoughts on the amazing thing you are about to do.
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Personally, I believe this should be done every day, not just for communion :)

You are recreating the LAST SUPPER your SAVIOR shared with His disciples.
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I mean no offense by this, but Christian communion practices are nowhere near recreating the Last Supper :)
 
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Harley_Angel

Guest
#5
#5
It's supposed to be. When you take communion, Jesus says, Do this in remembrance of ME. Just like how He broke the bread and blessed the wine, our priest does that for us, and we eat and drink just like the disciples. Communion is not only about remembering what He sacrificed for us, but also about fellowship. We all eat from one loaf, and drink from one cup (Jesus Christ). A priest cannot take communion by himself, he must have another person there to share it with. It's not a solitary act, it's something you do in fellowship. It represents how we are ALL the Body of Christ.
 
Nuhen

Nuhen

Banned
#6
Jan 22, 2010
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Harley_Angel said:
It's supposed to be. When you take communion, Jesus says, Do this in remembrance of ME. Just like how He broke the bread and blessed the wine, our priest does that for us, and we eat and drink just like the disciples. Communion is not only about remembering what He sacrificed for us, but also about fellowship. We all eat from one loaf, and drink from one cup (Jesus Christ). A priest cannot take communion by himself, he must have another person there to share it with. It's not a solitary act, it's something you do in fellowship. It represents how we are ALL the Body of Christ.
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That's just the thing, though. To recreate the Last Supper, it's NOT a solitary act...nor is it done the way it is done in Christian services.
 
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Harley_Angel

Guest
#7
#7
I just said it can't be done alone so I'm not sure what you're getting at (said confused, not with attitude). I've never been to a Christian service where nobody else was there to take communion with me. The communion was always blessed by the priest or preacher, and the distributed to everyone and then people were sent out to share it with folks who couldn't physically be there. How are Christian services doing it wrong?
 
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greatkraw

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#8
#8
1 Cor 11:27 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.

Math 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

1 Cor 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
 
Nuhen

Nuhen

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#9
Jan 22, 2010
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Harley_Angel said:
I just said it can't be done alone so I'm not sure what you're getting at (said confused, not with attitude). I've never been to a Christian service where nobody else was there to take communion with me. The communion was always blessed by the priest or preacher, and the distributed to everyone and then people were sent out to share it with folks who couldn't physically be there. How are Christian services doing it wrong?
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Well, you said it's about recreating the Last Supper. Now, think about it. The Last Supper was the Passover seder done by Yeshua and his disciples. It was SO important to Yeshua, that he made absolutely sure he and his disciples could have the seder before he was arrested, because if you notice from the Scriptures, they went to Gethsemane to pray RIGHT AFTER the seder, which was when Yeshua was arrested.

Yeshua meant to do much more than just eat a piece of bread and drink a cup of wine (ridiculous, some people use grape juice...). He wanted us to continue that observance that he did even just before his arrest.
 
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charisenexcelcis

Guest
#11
#11
Nuhen said:
Well, you said it's about recreating the Last Supper. Now, think about it. The Last Supper was the Passover seder done by Yeshua and his disciples. It was SO important to Yeshua, that he made absolutely sure he and his disciples could have the seder before he was arrested, because if you notice from the Scriptures, they went to Gethsemane to pray RIGHT AFTER the seder, which was when Yeshua was arrested.

Yeshua meant to do much more than just eat a piece of bread and drink a cup of wine (ridiculous, some people use grape juice...). He wanted us to continue that observance that he did even just before his arrest.
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How close does it have to be to be accurate. If you were to use the exact recipe for the bread and use the exact kind of grape for the wine and have the wrong attitude, it would not be the Lord's Supper. If you have the right attitude, then any elements that represent your best effort will do.
 
Nuhen

Nuhen

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#12
Jan 22, 2010
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charisenexcelcis said:
How close does it have to be to be accurate. If you were to use the exact recipe for the bread and use the exact kind of grape for the wine and have the wrong attitude, it would not be the Lord's Supper. If you have the right attitude, then any elements that represent your best effort will do.
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I agree that attitude is everything, but having a good attitude about it doesn't make any practice the right practice. G-d has always been very specific in Scripture how He wants us to observe the feasts and festivals He gave us to set apart as holy days.
 
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charisenexcelcis

Guest
#13
#13
Nuhen said:
I agree that attitude is everything, but having a good attitude about it doesn't make any practice the right practice. G-d has always been very specific in Scripture how He wants us to observe the feasts and festivals He gave us to set apart as holy days.
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The principle instruction on the Lord's Supper is by Paul (whom you reject as inspired) in I Corinthians. It is all you attitude (unworthily) that matters.
 
Nuhen

Nuhen

Banned
#14
Jan 22, 2010
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charisenexcelcis said:
The principle instruction on the Lord's Supper is by Paul (whom you reject as inspired) in I Corinthians. It is all you attitude (unworthily) that matters.
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The L-rd's Supper is not some new event, it is the Passover seder that has been around since the night of the tenth plague when G-d brought the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt :) G-d instituted it, not Paul.

And following G-d's Word is what matters far more than your attitude :) But the two go hand-in-hand, because by following the Word of G-d you will have a good attitude. But having a good attitude does not mean you follow the Word.
 
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charisenexcelcis

Guest
#15
#15
Nuhen said:
The L-rd's Supper is not some new event, it is the Passover seder that has been around since the night of the tenth plague when G-d brought the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt :) G-d instituted it, not Paul.

And following G-d's Word is what matters far more than your attitude :) But the two go hand-in-hand, because by following the Word of G-d you will have a good attitude. But having a good attitude does not mean you follow the Word.
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The Lord's Supper was celebrated at the Passover, but is not the Passover. The instructions on it are primarily in I Corinth. Attitude is the central issue on the manner in which it is celebrated.
 
Nuhen

Nuhen

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#16
Jan 22, 2010
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charisenexcelcis said:
The Lord's Supper was celebrated at the Passover, but is not the Passover. The instructions on it are primarily in I Corinth. Attitude is the central issue on the manner in which it is celebrated.
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If this is the case, then Paul has tampered with one of the holy observations of G-d, seemingly without any approval from G-d. I've not seen where G-d gives man the authority to change the days He sets apart as holy to Him.
 
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charisenexcelcis

Guest
#17
#17
Nuhen said:
If this is the case, then Paul has tampered with one of the holy observations of G-d, seemingly without any approval from G-d. I've not seen where G-d gives man the authority to change the days He sets apart as holy to Him.
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Jesus, who was God, established a new observation, one open to Gentile and Jew.
 
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Definition_Christ

Guest
#19
#19
Passover (Pesach) - Points to the death of Jesus for our sins.
Firstfruits - Points to His resurrection.
Pentecost (Shavuot) - Points to the out-pouring of The Holy Spirit.
Trumpets - Points to His return.
Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) - Points to national salvation for Israel.
Tabernacles (Sukkot) - Points to the in gathering of the nations, the great and final harvest

Christians should even be observing the biblical holidays because it points to such a deeper meaning when you add Jesus to them. That is the job for Christians, Paul says..

Romans 11
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.
12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.
15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,
18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

A good way to provoke Jealousy is by observing the biblical holidays with the newer and deeper meanings that Jesus adds to them!
 
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charisenexcelcis

Guest
#20
#20
Nuhen said:
Yeshua added new significance to an old holy day :) And Passover IS open to Jew and goyim.
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So, as a Jew, do you follow these new instructions? Do you remember the death and resurrection of Christ, looking forward to His return? If you do not integrate the Lord's Supper into your Passover, then don't try to proclaim that we should integrate the Passover into the Lord's supper. Jesus said, "This is the New Covenant in my blood."
 
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