Communion At Home
The Power of Participating in Communion at Home
Communion, also known at The Lord’s Supper, was instituted by our Lord Jesus in the Upper Room on the night He was betrayed by one of His disciples, Judas. It happened as part of a festival celebration that began in the Old Testament period. Jewish people would have celebrated Passover in remembrance of how God lead His people out of slavery.
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke record the first Communion.
Here is Luke’s account:
And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of n Luke’s Gospel, he included a few more of Jesus’ words from that evening, “do this in remembrance of me.”
Those six words and the Apostle Paul’s reminder in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, are the motivation for why we take Communion together as followers of Jesus.
The Power of Remembrance
Remember the things I have done for you in the past. For I am God, and there is no one like Me. From the very beginning, I told what would happen long before it took place. I keep My word and fulfill my promises. I know the end from the beginning. (Isaiah 46:9-10)
When we take Communion, it reminds us exactly who God is. Our God is an awesome God, the Alpha and Omega. God is sovereign. God is in control. Remembering is important to God. It means to rehearse, replay, recount, God’s ways and who God is to us. It helps us remember how God has been faithful throughout history but also more importantly, on a personal level. This remembrance is commanded. Participation at the Lord’s Table is not an option. It isn’t enough simply to say, “Remember!”
The elements of bread and wine/juice are given to stir our minds and hearts. The physical action of eating and drinking is designed to remind us that we spiritually “ingest” the saving benefits Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It reminds us of our utter dependence on Jesus. Perhaps now more than any other time in history, we need this reminder in our homes.
Communion Provides Spiritual Power, Strength, and Endurance
The food we put into our bodies is designed to nourish and strengthen the immune system. It is necessary for healthy muscles, strength to do work, and endurance for activities like running.
Communion is our spiritual nourishment. The physical nature of this practice can be viewed in the literal sense of eating and drinking. In fact, the eating and drinking of the elements used to be literally nourishing (see Acts 2:46) to the partakers. However, due to abuses and factions between the haves and the have-nots, Apostle Paul admonished the Corinthians to first seek nourishment at their own table before coming to the Lord’s Table to participate in the Sacrament (1 Cor. 11:17-23). These fractures and unkind treatment of fellow believers in the church were also suffered by black brothers and sisters during the 1780s in the Methodist church leading to the founding of the AME Church. Such harsh actions associated with Christian practices is an affront to the heart of Christ and stand in direct opposition to the teachings of 1 Corinthians 1:10, “Let there be no divisions among you.”
Partaking of this Holy Meal will give us the ability to fend off temptations that harm or kill the soul. It will give us the ability to uphold the truth, perform acts of service indefatigably, and give our families grace from God.
Communion reinforces our spiritual defense mechanisms, equipping the person with potent spiritual weapons that repel attacks from our enemies while keeping our hearts and minds on Christ.
Right now, millions of believers assume they cannot receive the power of Communion at home. However, before the coronavirus ravished our world, millions of believers were already taking Communion outside of a church building because of religious persecution.
Other brothers and sisters in Christ are homebound due to disabilities or the inability to drive or have transportation. They too, have been benefited from the power of Communion in their living quarters. As such, we invite you to celebrate Communion at home.
A Guide for Communion at Home
For those desiring to participate in Communion, here are the basic requirements:
-Have the Communion elements: bread/wafer (representing Christ’s body) and juice/water (representing Christ’s blood).
-Search your heart for unconfessed sin (1 Corinthians 11:23-30).
-Confess your sin to God (1 John 1:9).
-If there is unresolved conflict in your life, seek reconciliation (Matthew 5:23).
-Reflect on all Jesus did and went through to pay the penalty for your sin (1 Corinthians 11:23-30).
-Read Matthew 26:26-28 or 1 Corinthians 11:23-30.
-Reflect with worship music and prayer. Let the Holy Spirit lead.
-Partake of the Communion bread/wafer and juice/water.
-Continue in prayer as the Holy Spirit leads and give thanks for the body and blood of the Lord that was shed for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18).