1stCorinthians 4:20 Partnering with the Alpha & Omega
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Communion, The Lord's Table

Jesus eating the Passover meal with His disciples, (the last supper).

• 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. Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins, Matthew 26:26-28.
• And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, Take, eat; this is My body. Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many, Mark 14:22-24.
• And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:19-20.

References Jesus made to bread from heaven and of His body.

• Then Jesus said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Then they said to Him, Lord, give us this bread always. And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. John 6:32-36.
• Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world, John 6:46-51.
• 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. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever, John 6:52-58.

Teachings in 1^st Corinthians as to the taking of communion.

• [Our fathers], all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ, 1^st Corinthians 10:3-5.
• The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread, 1^st Corinthians 10:15-17.
• on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me. In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. 1^st Corinthians 11:23-26.

The purpose for communion.

1. We are sharing one in "union" with the Father, through His Son Jesus Christ.
2. We are proclaiming the Lord's death till He comes again.
3. We are acknowledging the family of believers to be one family with Christ as the center.

If we view the communion elements as simply a wafer and a taste of wine or grape juice, we have missed it. This is spiritual food and drink, our physical bodies profits nothing, Galatians 6:15.

The importance of communion, the cup the Father has given us to drink of.

Then Jesus said to Peter, Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me? John 18:11

The bread Is compared to the physical body of Christ John 6:35 and represents the nature of Christ. How He walked in love and compassion while always doing the Fathers will.

The wine Is compared to the blood of Jesus and is for the remission of sins. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins, Matthew 26:28.

Administering the communion elements.

Communion can be taken with a body of believers or can also be taken individually. Communion (common union with Christ), has been called 'the meal that heals'. When you partake in communion you are partaking in Christ's body and of His saving blood, I encourage you to partake often.