What is Holy Communion?

[Webers.Home]

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• John 6:53 . .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.

The kind of life that Jesus spoke of in that passage is eternal life.

The verse below is deliberately misquoted for a purpose. Watch for the
revision.

• John 6:54 . . Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood obtains eternal
life

The verse actually says "has" eternal life. In other words only folks who
already have eternal life can even begin to think about dining upon the Lord's
flesh and blood because his body doesn't dispense eternal life, rather, his body
sustains it; similar to how manna sustained the lives of Moses' people.

So then, folks lacking eternal life need not concern themselves with the
meaning of that section of the sixth chapter of John because they are quite
dead on the hoof --due to their lack of confidence in Jesus and his Father.

• John 5:24 . . Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word and
believes in Him who sent me has everlasting life, and shall not come into
judgment, but has passed from death into life.

And another thing: the words Jesus spoke in that section of the sixth chapter
of John appear to be ordinary human words at first glance, but Jesus
claimed they are actually spirit: not spiritual, rather, spirit (John 6:63),
which means the words he spoke were sentient, i.e. living things. An
excellent example of sentient words is located at John 1:1-4.
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[oyster67]

What is Holy Communion?



Revelation 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

 

[ChristianTonyB]

Matthew 26:26-28
New International Version
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 and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 14:22 While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.
Luke 22:14-23
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
14 When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles. 15 He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, 16 for, I tell you, I shall not eat it [again] until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; 18 for I tell you [that] from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.
1 Corinthians 11:23-25
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, 24 and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

From these passages we learn:
Jesus instituted this Supper for believers to eat and drink often.
Jesus gives those who commune His body and blood in, with and under the bread and wine.
Jesus gives the very price of redemption, his body and blood, so the recipient receives the victories He won-- forgiveness of sins and heaven.
Jesus invites to to do this often to remember what He did for us. This helps us to value His sacrifice and benefits. It encourages us to know Christ is with us in our Christian life.

Sorry Greg, I have a different take on this. If we were going to hold a memorial to the Passover, then yes, we would do it now remembering that it is Jesus who is the pure and last (lasting) Lamb of God. The Passover was only remembered once a year. For we Christians, we are mindful of His love and sacrifice every day. We don't need to be reminded by a ritual. As far as the so-called Holy Communion is concerned, for me this is simply a term that should describe the physical gathering together, the fellowship and social interaction of those made holy/saintly by their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and their ongoing loyalty to Him.

I see that you have stated elsewhere you are a pastor/elder. We are grateful to such men for sacrificing their lives in that admirable service. These are God's men set apart to act as case managers for the members of the flock that He has given them responsibility for. It is obviously a crucial support role for the health and wellbeing of every individual in the church, and therefore for the church as a whole. We thank them all for such dedication.

 

[pottersclay]

It seems to me that reading the event of the passover has instituted a custom in the christian faith that is unfounded.

Have you ever had a tradition you practiced but didnt understand? Family, school, work ect.
Then someone told you the meaning, origins of it? Thats whats happening here.
This passover was once a year. So we can conclude that the 12 were familiar with it.
What jesus is doing (read it slowly and carefully) is explaining to the 12 its true meaning in refrence to him.

The bread which has holes peirced in it and stripes on it.......this is my body.
The wine which is new (new covenant) blood on the door post to save.......this is my blood.

Remember me when you eat and drink......feast days...holiday. and also everyday.

All scripture points to Jesus also all feast days were the Lords.

 

[Goliath]

amen he’s the reality of those patterns and figures in the law and prophets

faith needs us to hear the gospel and believe baptism for remission of sins is what the gospel establishes , to her about the offer God makes through baptism and get baptized believing what he established it means , is faith in action

we hear God teach us a truth in the gospel , and we let it sink in and believe it’s true , that will lead us to do it and lead us tomlewrn from Jesus and ct more and more as we get older and persevere in faith we learn to act much better and wiser in Christ as we abide in his word trusting it is true and keeping what we can keep pressing into more because we know it’s life and truth

but if we don’t hear about what’s written down well Never be able to believe it , then can never act in faith and do any of it because we believe him and hears his word

it’s like a circle that needs us to hear and consider his word on a regular basis so we can let the seeds of faith grow and change our lives for the better and change our hope for the best regarding repentance , righteousness and eternal
Life.

The things of God can be very confusing...especially when we try to create a format, to make all the verses we see written in the Bible, fit what we believe.
Each verse is an experience, an experience which can not be fully understood until we have those experiences with Gods Holy Spirit. Many have these experiences, but lack the understanding of why they have these experiences. And the teachers in our churches simply do not address these experiences, for lack of knowledge.

For example...Everyone who had ever confessed their sin before God has experienced what is taught in (1 John 1:9). It's more than just a bible verse, it's an experience, a spiritual experience. But nobody teaches what that experience is all about....even though it's crucial to our salvation.

 

[Webers.Home]

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FAQ: Christ's sacrifice satisfies God for New Testament sinners; by whose
sacrifice was God satisfied for Old Testament sinners?

REPLY: Christ's

It's sometimes said that Christ's crucifixion reaches back to Old Testament
sinners. That's truth, but it's not the whole truth. Jesus was reckoned
already crucified for Adam's entire posterity prior to God creating even one
stitch of the cosmos with all its forms of life, matter, and energy.

• 1John 2:2 . . He himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours
only but also for the whole world.

• 1Pet 1:19-20 . .The precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the
world

• Rev 13:8 . . The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world
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[ChristianTonyB]

I would like to offer that God won‘t be impressed by our participation in what is called the Lord’s supper, if we aren’t working at ditching our adamic nature and character flaws.

I used to participate in the last supper rite, until I saw that people were not being changed for the better. So I concluded they must have mistakenly decided that, providing they participate in church services and the communion rite and other religious rituals, they are good with God.

I’m sure you’ll agree that unless our behaviour is improving, then God will not be impressed with our offerings and sacrifices.

 

[Webers.Home]

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I’m sure you’ll agree that unless our behaviour is improving, then God will
not be impressed with our offerings and sacrifices.

I think it's a huge mistake to regard the Lord's Supper as either an offering,
a sacrifice, or a rite when it's merely a memorial service.

• Luke 22:19 . .This do in remembrance of me.

The only requirement that one needs to meet prior to taking part in his
memory is to be very, very sure they know what it's all about
otherwise they risk beng slammed with sacrilege. (1Cor 11:23-29)
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[ChristianTonyB]

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I think it's a huge mistake to regard the Lord's Supper as either an offering,
a sacrifice, or a rite when it's merely a memorial service.

• Luke 22:19 . .This do in remembrance of me.

The only requirement that one needs to meet prior to taking part in his
memory is to be very, very sure they know what it's all about
otherwise they risk beng slammed with sacrilege. (1Cor 11:23-29)
_

That’s true, it is a remembrance of what was previously done. You are offering up your time and actions to God to conduct a specific religious observance. On reflection, I should have used the words that, God desires obedience above offerings, sacrifices, and religious observances.

It becomes a rite if we do it repeatedly out of a sense that there is a religious obligation to do it. There’s no law stopping anyone from holding the Lord‘s supper in their home. But whether that be many times a day, or once a week, or once a year, or whenever, they need to have full understanding about Who and what they are remembering here, and be careful not to be flippant and disrespectful in their manner, because God will not be mocked!

 

[SparkyGreg]

Ill take the individual points I made one at a time.
From these passages we learn:
1. Jesus instituted this Supper for believers to eat and drink often.
Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper when he gathered his disciples, on the night He would be betrayed, in the upper room to celebrate the Passover. During the meal which consisted of bitter herbs, wine, unleavened bread and roasted lamb Our Lord commanded his disciples to begin a new practice. He was going to fulfill the Passover by sacrificing himself and shedding His blood to cover all sins. A new meal in which He could give them the benefits of His Work was begun using the bread and wine. This Last Supper is called the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion or Eucharist because Jesus who is holy institutes it. He offers and gives His Holy body and blood to believers. He washes us clean making us Holy. He wants us to do this often. With such loving command by our Savior and rich benefits He offers this is not an obligation. Recognizing our sins and need for forgiveness we partake of communion trusting in Jesus promise. Knowing that as He strengthened the disciples for what was to come He does so for us too.

 

[ChristianTonyB]

Ill take the individual points I made one at a time.
From these passages we learn:
1. Jesus instituted this Supper for believers to eat and drink often.
Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper when he gathered his disciples, on the night He would be betrayed, in the upper room to celebrate the Passover. During the meal which consisted of bitter herbs, wine, unleavened bread and roasted lamb Our Lord commanded his disciples to begin a new practice. He was going to fulfill the Passover by sacrificing himself and shedding His blood to cover all sins. A new meal in which He could give them the benefits of His Work was begun using the bread and wine. This Last Supper is called the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion or Eucharist because Jesus who is holy institutes it. He offers and gives His Holy body and blood to believers. He washes us clean making us Holy. He wants us to do this often. With such loving command by our Savior and rich benefits He offers this is not an obligation. Recognizing our sins and need for forgiveness we partake of communion trusting in Jesus promise. Knowing that as He strengthened the disciples for what was to come He does so for us too.

This seems a clumsy interpretation of what Jesus did. He was merely saying that whereas in the past when you met annually to remember the killing of the lamb, with its blood then sprinkled over the door posts of Jews and their followers as part of God's plan to separate them from their captors, do it in remembrance of Me instead. 'I am the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world, not just of Israel'.

There's another act that Jesus did in that upper room that we often forget, and that is the washing of the apostles' feet. This was a symbolic baptism, harking back to the washing off of harmful influences from Israel's past as per the closing of the waters over the pursuing Egyptians. If we followed the OP's logic, maybe we should consider rebaptising ourselves every weekend too.

I'd like to reiterate if I may, that no matter what symbolic observances we follow, if our heart is not right with God our symbolic observations are useless to us. We need our hearts right with God every day, which is achieved by us denying our flesh's want to sin, and following Jesus. Faith without accompanying acts of righteous behaviour is a dead faith. And so, symbolic observations, no matter how often they are done, are lifeless acts unless they are accompanied with righteous behaviour.

 

[SparkyGreg]

Ill take the individual points I made one at a time.
From these passages we learn:
1. Jesus instituted this Supper for believers to eat and drink often.
Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper when he gathered his disciples, on the night He would be betrayed, in the upper room to celebrate the Passover. During the meal which consisted of bitter herbs, wine, unleavened bread and roasted lamb Our Lord commanded his disciples to begin a new practice. He was going to fulfill the Passover by sacrificing himself and shedding His blood to cover all sins. A new meal in which He could give them the benefits of His Work was begun using the bread and wine. This Last Supper is called the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion or Eucharist because Jesus who is holy institutes it. He offers and gives His Holy body and blood to believers. He washes us clean making us Holy. He wants us to do this often. With such loving command by our Savior and rich benefits He offers this is not an obligation. Recognizing our sins and need for forgiveness we partake of communion trusting in Jesus promise. Knowing that as He strengthened the disciples for what was to come He does so for us too.

This is more than a memorial meal. Yes we do remember our Lord's suffering and death. The sacrifice of His perfect body and blood to cover our sins is definitely worthy of our consideration and praise often. But note what Jesus gives to the disciples and tells them to do this often. His body and blood. Jesus is giving those who communion the very price He paid for our sins. He is giving it to those who know their sins and come to honor his sacrifice and receive His gifts. What do they receive as a result? Remission of sins. That which we need often. Realizing why we need forgiveness and what Jesus promises here we ought to hunger and thirst for this sacrament. Those who come in repentance and faith do not consider this an obligation. It is not a rite they need to do that earns them entry into heaven. No, Jesus gives us His Body and blood which earned our forgiveness and heaven. He gives those benefits to us in this meal. Then, ChristianTony we do want to live as people who are thankful for that gift and glory God by our life.

 

[Simona1988]

Had the early church met like most Christians do today (in a specific place on specific days) it most certainly would have been wiped out by the Romans and removed from the area completely.

And yet, that's exactly what the early church did: meet in a specific place, on specific days in order to eat the Holy Body and drink the precious Blood of Jesus Christ. This is what gave them power to confess Him and power to endure the tortures and persecutions they had been subject to.

I find it weird for someone who is a christian to say "it most certainly would have been wiped out by the Romans...", as if the Romans had a greater power than the Almighty God (Who stands by their side, by the martyrs side).

 

[Aaron56]

And yet, that's exactly what the early church did: meet in a specific place, on specific days in order to eat the Holy Body and drink the precious Blood of Jesus Christ. This is what gave them power to confess Him and power to endure the tortures and persecutions they had been subject to.

I find it weird for someone who is a christian to say "it most certainly would have been wiped out by the Romans...", as if the Romans had a greater power than the Almighty God (Who stands by their side, by the martyrs side).

I should have noted that this was during the Roman persecution that began around AD 50 and ended officially around AD 313 with the Edict of Milan. During the most rampant and extensive periods of persecution believers didn't meet openly because the Lord led them to not meet openly. Similarly to how many believers meet in China, Iran, Afghanistan, and North Korea today.

 

[SonsOfCaleb]

I should have noted that this was during the Roman persecution that began around AD 50 and ended officially around AD 313 with the Edict of Milan. During the most rampant and extensive periods of persecution believers didn't meet openly because the Lord led them to not meet openly. Similarly to how many believers meet in China, Iran, Afghanistan, and North Korea today.

Hey, Aaron56, have you checked your email/messages? I sent a few messages.

 

[Simona1988]

I should have noted that this was during the Roman persecution that began around AD 50 and ended officially around AD 313 with the Edict of Milan. During the most rampant and extensive periods of persecution believers didn't meet openly because the Lord led them to not meet openly.

I understood perfectly what you said, what period of time you were reffering to.
They met in catacombs in order to eat the Body and drink the Blood of Jesus Christ.

I no longer remember where I have read this, but, I read that christians used the catacombs not so much as hiding places, but as places which reflect their faith and hope in the resurrection of the dead; their faith was profoundly eschatologically oriented. This aspect can be observed in the countryside, where, next to a church, there is the graveyard of the people that attended and attend the church (the people of the village). Something very beautiful, in my opinion.

Anyway, I will make further investigations to be 100%sure about the catacombs (that they ment much more than merely hiding places).

 

[Simona1988]

The Holy Communion is the central point of the christian faith: it is the real body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Church is not a building, but the Body of Christ. We become members of His Body through participation in the life of the Church.

 

[SparkyGreg]

Here is more discussion on the second point of the post that started this thread:
"Jesus gives those who commune receive His body and blood in, with and under the bread and wine."

The night that Jesus gave this meal to His disciples and thus to His Church was Thursday. He had asked Peter and John to go get the necessary items: lamb, bitter herbs and spices, unleavened bread and fermented wine. They brought that back to the upper room and prepared it. The blood of the lamb would have been put on the door posts of the room. These elements were served.
At the end of the supper Jesus took the bread, gave thanks and broke it and said "Take and eat this is my body, given for you for the remission of sins." Then He distributed pieces to the disciples. Each one received a piece of bread knowing that this was also Jesus' body. Then He took the wine, gave thanks and said "This is my blood of the covenant shed for you and for many for the remission of sins." Each disciple received the cup and took a sip knowing this was not just wine it was also the blood of Christ.
Jesus has the power to take ordinary elements and add to them the benefits and power He wants. He clearly says this is what He is doing to the bread and wine. They aren't changed into the body and blood because the earthly elements remain. Jesus does not say "This represents or symbolizes" as if his body and blood were not really present. The Bread is the body of Christ which He was about to sacrifice for the sins of the world. The wine is the blood of Christ which He would shed completely to cover all with His righteousness. And why is it so important to Jesus to provide this miraculous union? Because He gave them so the benefits He earned by His body and blood would be give to His believers.
More will no doubt be said on this based on the replies received.

 

[Dirtman]

The Holy Communion is the central point of the christian faith: it is the real body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Church is not a building, but the Body of Christ. We become members of His Body through participation in the life of the Church.

Baptism. We become members via baptism.
I like the way you think about things.

 

[Simona1988]

Baptism. We become members via baptism.

Yes.

I like the way you think about things.

Thank you.