COMMUNION WITH GOD

THIS IS TABLE ROCK FELLOWSHIP – PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Communion with God

For nearly two decades now I have celebrated the Lord’s Supper, Communion, or the Eucharist as part of our corporate expression of worship as a church. Currently, our church shares in the meal of Communion almost every week.

All of this partaking of Communion has taught me the value of this instructional and challenging meal. As the family of faith gathers in the name of Jesus Christ, to focus on the meaning and the message wrapped up in the gift of Communion, we are invited into the relationship of God’s grace, again and again.

In the passage below, you can hear the message Jesus Christ gave to his disciples, along with the elements of Communion as presented to us in the Gospel of Mark:

“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. “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”

Mark 14:22-26 NIV11

Bread

As Jesus and the disciples tore the bread, so was the body of Jesus broken and torn. This use of the bread of Communion was given to the church to remind us of the physical reality of the incarnate Christ. Jesus was not some spirit pretending to be a man, nor was he merely a human pretending to be one with God.

The bread also speaks to the need we have for the Lord. As Jesus told the Accuser in his time of trial in the wilderness, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

As we take the bread, we confess our need to be daily walking with the Lord in faith.

Cup

The cup of Christ is the sign that seals the covenant or relationship that the Lord has brought into being through the saving work of Jesus Christ. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we have been welcomed into a new and living relationship with the Lord.

As we take the cup, we embrace by faith the gift of this grace-filled relationship or covenant. We receive the gift of God’s love and mercy as we join him as he lifts up the cup.

After They Sang

After Jesus Christ gave his disciples the gift of the bread and the cup, they all gathered together and lifted their voices in worship of the Lord.

Imagine being a part of that worship service!

I bet even the most reluctant singer would happily stand with Jesus and the Apostles and sing at full volume any song they saw fit to sing. If they clapped, or danced, or raised their arms to the Lord in a sign of surrender and honor, I cannot imagine many of us would sit passively as spectators in this worship service.

Reflection

As you go through your day today, reflect on the worship of the Lord and his disciples. Try and place yourself alongside them as they sang praise to the Father. As you reflect on this situation, consider the following message take from the Psalms:

“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.”

Psalms 95:1-2 NIV11

In Christ,

Ryan Laden

OUR MISSION AS A CHURCH

“TO ENCOURAGE AND EQUIP EACH OTHER IN LOVE TO KNOW JESUS AND MAKE HIM KNOWN”

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