Luke 22: 14-23 v V19 “He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. “After supper he took another cup of wine and said” This cup is the new covenant between God and His people- an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.”
Jesus was eager to sit down with his friends the disciples and eat the Passover meal with them before his suffering would begin. He performed for the first time what we now know as communion, the sharing of small pieces of bread as His body and wine as his blood. Still done over 2000 years later as a sign of the new covenant between God and his people. Also, we hear that sitting at the table was a friend who would betray Him. He predicted that He Jesus must die. Shocked the disciples began to talk about who would do such a thing?
I grew up in the Anglican church, they used wafer thin pieces of “bread” and real wine for communion, and it was performed every week in the regular Sunday service. A Catholic friend was getting married, and I had the job of making sure she got to Church on the day of her wedding for communion. I was wondering how we had time to be at Church for an hour to do this. However, she knew the time communion would be served at the Saturday service and rushed into the line received communion and then left, it maybe took 5 minutes, then we were off to the hairdressers! In the United Church of Canada real pieces of bread, often gluten free, are used and juice instead of wine. Sometimes the bread is dipped into the wine and then eaten right away as one kneels at a railing, some standing. In other services everyone is given a piece of bread, and all eat at the same time, followed by an individual cup of juice and then everyone drinks at the same time.
However, we remember, and perform these actions is up to individual choices. That Jesus had a real body on this earth is important for us all. That He enjoyed fellowship with friends. That a friend ultimately gave Him up to the authorities of the day to be killed. That His blood poured out of Him as a sacrifice for you. Body lived on this earth and blood given for you.
CrossWalk 