What is Communion all about?

This Sunday evening at Trinity we'll be celebrating Communion together. I was recently challenged to help the young people in our Teen Group understand and appreciate the significance of the Lord's Supper, and why it should be such a joyful, sorrowful, challenging time for us. Wayne Grudem shares seven things that Communion is supposed to teach us of and remind us of:

1) Communion teaches us about the death of Christ. The bread and juice are object lessons that show us the broken body and shed blood of Jesus. This is why when we take part in Communion we are proclaiming the fact that Jesus died for us.

2) Communion teaches us about our participation in the benefits of Christ’s death. When we reach out our hand for the bread and juice, we’re saying that the benefits of Christ’s death are for us.

3) Communion teaches us about spiritual nourishment. Just as food nourishes our body, so communion nourishes our spirit. Spiritual refreshment only comes through Jesus. Remember in John 6 He said that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood? This is part of what He is talking about. Communion helps us to remember and celebrate the fact that Jesus has died for us, and that refreshes us.

4) Communion teaches us about the unity of believers. Paul says in 1 Cor 10:17 that we who share communion together are one body, though we are many. When we come together to celebrate this we remember that Jesus has not only died for me, given benefits for me, and nourished me, but also the person sitting next to me.

5) Communion is Jesus affirming His love for me. Jesus invites you, personally to come to eat and celebrate, because Jesus loves you, personally.

6) Communion is Jesus affirming that all the blessings of salvation are reserved for me. The invitation he gives is also an invitation to enjoy the blessings of salvation. Remember we said we reach out for them because we need them? Well communion reminds us that Jesus gives them to us!

7) Finally, in communion, we affirm our faith in Christ. As we take the bread and juice we’re saying, ‘Jesus, I need you, I need your broken body and shed blood if I am to be saved.’ We remember that our sins were the reason Jesus had to die, and we proclaim that He died willingly for us. Sorrow, joy and thanksgiving are mingled together as we celebrate communion.