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#030: What’s Communion Simply Defined [Podcast]

Communion is the most solemn and holy of the ordinances of the church. It is the sacred of the sacred. The holy of the holiest. But what does it mean? What do all the elements convey? A.W. Tozer had his opinion. He said “The communion table will not have ultimate meaning for us if we do not believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is literally present in the Body of Christ on earth.” ¹. Today we are going to look at some of the Bible words surrounding this most revered ceremony. We are going to look at Communion in simplest terms.

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1 Corinthians 11:23-32 (KJV)
23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come. 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. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Simple Terms: Remembrance

DEFINITION: remembrance/ἀνάμνησις/anamnēsis – a reminder of something or to call to memory

• There are 2 ordinances that were left to the church
  • Water baptism
  • Communion
• Of the 2, communion singularly points to Jesus
• Communion is not about remembering God the Father particularly.

Hebrews 1:1-2 (NASB)
1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

• These last days are about the Son and what He has to say.
• After the millennium, it is not going to be about what the Son has to say so much as what God the Father has to say.

1 Corinthians 15:24-28 (KJV)
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Simple Terms: Covenant

• Our celebration of communion is primarily ‘in memory of’ Jesus who established a new blood covenant to replace the old blood covenant.
• We have, in our Bible, an Old Testament or covenant and a New Testament of covenant.
• May I put you in memory of the fact that the ancient rite of blood covenanting was an eight step process?  You can see all 8 steps in the New Testament.
• Step One: Exchange Coats

• Step Two: Exchange Weapon Belts

• Step Three: The Walk of Blood

• Step Four: Swear By God
• Step Five: The Flesh of Each Party Is Cut and Mingled

• Step Six: The Exchange of Names

• Step Seven: The Covenant Meal
• Step Eight: Memorials Erected
• You can see from these eight steps some of the imagery connected to the Communion table we celebrate today.
• What is communion in simplest terms? It is a covenant meal. It is where believers are called to remember the terms of the covenant that Jesus cut with his own blood.

Simple Terms: Unworthily

• There is a proper manner and an improper manner to partake of communion.

DEFINITION: unworthily/ἀναξίως/anaxiōs – in an improper or inappropriate manner; careless manner ².

• What’s a proper manner to take Communion?
• The Kingdom of God is built on reverence and respect for God.
• When the day is spent, when all is said and filed away, God is still the Most High God.
• Respecting God is also respecting God’s creation, man.
• To respect another man, to regard the individual members of the body of Christ properly, know this.
• If you respect someone, you won’t lie about or to them.
• If you respect someone, you won’t gossip about them.
• If you respect someone, you curb your anger and put strife away.
• Another word that should garb our attention here is the word honor.
• Believers in Jesus must honor Jesus and His sacrifice for us.
• How do we honor Jesus sacrifice?
• The answer is compelling, believe in it and all that it means.
• Not only believe in it but appropriate all of its provisions for your life.

Simple Terms: Examine

DEFINITION: examine/δοκιμάζω/dokimazō – to judge as good, approve, regard as worthwhile or trustworthy.

• What is your judgment of yourself?
• Let a man judge himself as good, as clean and pure.
• Most times when people examine themselves, they are looking for the bad stuff. They are plowing their life trying to turnup something bad.
• The word examine does not mean that you should ask yourself, ‘What have I done wrong?’
• This word ‘examine’ means to judge as good.
• It means you look at your life through the eyes of the blood of Jesus.
• What if you are aware of sin in your life?
• Don’t wait until communion to get that right.
• Don’t allow yourself to stay in wrong doing.
• As soon as you mess up, fess up. Fix your failure with the Blood.
• Now, you can judge yourself as good because it is the blood that you are celebrating.
• I am clean because of the blood. I examine myself and the verdict is I am clean. I am approved. I am worthwhile in His sight.

Simple Terms: Damnation

DEFINITION: damnation/κρίμα/krima – judgment or verdict

• Damnation is a legal term.
• The scripture tells you what the judgment is.
• ‘For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep.’
• Notice the judgment is not hell.

Simple Terms: Discerning

DEFINITION: discerning/διακρίνω/diakrinō – carefully evaluate

• If you don’t carefully evaluate the communion table, and appropriate it to your life you eat and drink a ‘verdict’ or judgement to your self.
• The verdict comes, the judgement appears in your life, when you break the covenant and fail to appropriate the Blood.
• People think, ‘if I don’t get partake then I’ll be alright. I won’t be in danger of the verdict.’
• Not true at all.
• You cannot continually sin and be successful. You will not prosper.

Proverbs 28:13 (KJV)
13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

• If you don’t partake, and you won’t repent, judgment is inevitable.
• You are in a blood covenant relationship everyday of your Christian experience.
• You are not just a covenant child of God on Communion Sunday.
• Take the time to look at yourself in quietness.

Simple Terms: Chastened

DEFINITION: chastened/παιδεύω/paideuō – instruct, train, or teach. This is a word used in raising children.

• God’s chastening is always to bring recovery of the person.
• God never chastens because of anger.
• It is never because he’s ticked off with you.
• It is always to bring you in line with his Word so that He can bless you.

Call to Action:

There is great joy in celebrating Communion. Look forward to it in your church. Allow it to have a special place in your heart. Partake of the elements, remembering the Covenant of grace and mercy that we walk all because of Jesus.

Episode Resources

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1. What’s Communion Simply Defined?

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