Before Jesus went to his death, he desired to have one final meal with his disciples.  He knew he was going to die.  They didn’t.  But it didn’t matter.  He wanted to one more time be with his closest friends.

A lavish meal was prepared.  It was the Passover after all.  A perfect time for the final connection.

They had a big meal together, and afterwards, Jesus said and did some extraordinary things.  One of them is that he removed his attire down to that of a slave and washed their feet.  He instructed for them to go and do the same.

Then he did something very profound and as a memorial.  He took bread, broke it, said it was his body, and encouraged them to take the bread in a ceremonious way.  With the wine, he declared the wine resembling his blood as the new covenant.  Then he told the people that whenever they came together, to eat the bread and drink the blood to proclaim his death.

The disciples likely were uncomfortable with his words.  They still didn’t realize he was talking about his impending death in the very near future.

But here they were, enjoying a meal together.  And without their realizing it, celebrating the first communion.

Communion was and is absolutely about remembering the body and blood of our Lord who was crucified.  The Scriptures are explicit about this.

But how often do we see the bigger picture.

First of all, communion often followed a time of a meal together.  There is not enough said about eating together.  The early disciples did this all the time.  They were in each others homes and ate together as groups. We would do well to bring this back so that it is commonplace.

After the meal, they would take communion together.  It was a celebration of the Passover, at first, and after Jesus’ death, was the remembering of the fulfillment of the Passover, Jesus.

Yet it was more than just eating and drinking in remembrance of the Lord.  We see this in the rebuke of Paul.

So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk.  Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!” (1 Cor 11:20-22).

The Lord’s supper was about remembering the Lord, AND celebrating one another around a meal and afterwards, communion.  But the Corinthians were not doing this.  When they came to the meal table, some  downed the wine and became drunk.  Others went ahead and indulged in eating caring not about the poor person.

The poorer among them may have arrived late, or the more wealthy ate their food and the best of the other food, leaving little for the rest.  It was become a class-segregated gathering it would seem.

This was so dishonoring of one another that Paul says that they may have come together and eaten, but it wasn’t the Lord’s supper.  The Lord’s Supper is about loving, honoring, and serving one another, just as Jesus did when he washed their feet.

How serious was this?

^“So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.  Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.  For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.  That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.  But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world” (1 Cor 11:27-32).

This is ridiculously strong language.  Some people are weak, sick, and even die for violating the Lord’s supper?  Granted, I don’t think these are one time infarctions, but rather the judgment comes from repeat, unrepentant behavior.

But make no mistake, communion is sacred.

It is not about being perfect.  Although yes, when we come to the meal together and communion, we want to come with a clean heart.

But is about acting honorable towards one another.  Not selfishly, in division, or with contempt towards others.

This honors Jesus.  It honors his death.  It honors his life.