“O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so…” What do you suppose the Psalmist was referring to when he wrote these lines? Since they were written approximately 2500 years before the birth of Jesus, I doubt he was referring to the sacrament of Holy Communion. But if we consider these words, we can readily see how well they would apply to the LORD’s Supper.
Some have approached me and asked for an explanation of the meaning of Holy Communion, or at least to help better understand how we are transformed through it. Today, I am again going to depend heavily upon scripture, the Reverend John Wesley, and what he had to say about the reasons for communing. His sermon, “The Duty of Constant Communion” gives a very in depth discussion of his beliefs and theology concerning how we should celebrate this most holy of sacraments.
Let’s return for a few minutes to the psalmist’s words. We can give thanks to the LORD in various and sundry ways, and we have every reason to do so. The psalmist tells us “He is good,” and we can agree with that because of all the blessings we receive from God. The psalmist continues by saying, “for His steadfast love endures forever.” One of the ways God shows His love to us is through the celebration of Holy Communion. When we partake of this meal, we are in effect preparing ourselves for the holy feast before God’s throne in heaven. This taste of bread and wine are but a precursor of that time when we will all be gathered around the LORD’s table feasting with Him in all His glory. We are “the redeemed of the LORD,” redeemed through the shed blood of Jesus Christ; and by sharing in this meal we are saying so.
According to former Bishop Mack Stokes, “This sacrament awakens a holy memory of what Jesus Christ has done for us and for the whole world. It fixes our mind on the fact of our sin and on our need for forgiveness. It communicates God’s love for each soul. And mysteriously, through the bread and the cup, the Holy Spirit moves in our midst to bring home to us, both personally and in community, the effects of the great work of Christ in our behalf. Therefore this sacrament is a celebration of God’s redeeming love and empowering grace. It means our grateful acceptance of God’s gift of forgiveness and new life. It means renewed commitment and resolve.” (Stokes, Mack B., Major United Methodist Beliefs, Abingdon Press: Nashville, 1984, pgs.120-121)
When Paul wrote his letter to the people in Colossae, he was also in a round about way speaking of Holy Communion. His statement “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God,” calls us to reconsider where our priorities are. If we are indeed “hidden with Christ in God” then we have the duty to commune with Him constantly. Reverend Wesley says, “The first reason why it is the duty of every Christian to do so is, because it is a plain command of Christ.” (Outler, Albert C. & Richard P. Heitzenrater,eds., John Welsey’s Sermons: An Anthology, Abingdon Press: Nashville, 1991, pgs. 501-510) Jesus tells us, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” As a command from Christ, we are promised by it to receive eternal happiness, and if we refuse we will be in eternal misery. We might respond, “Scripture does not tell us to do this as often as we can; it only says do it in remembrance.” But is it not our call to obey every command from God as often as we can? The same concept applies to church attendance, but then that is another sermon.
We can also consider the LORD’s Supper as a show of God’s mercy toward humankind. In His mercy He has given us certain means of obtaining His help. One of these ways is by partaking Holy Communion as often as we are able. Through this sacrament we are assisted in attaining those blessings which God has so readily prepared for us; blessings of holiness in our earthly lives and a place of everlasting glory in Heaven. We should also consider the benefits of receiving forgiveness for our sins and the strengthening and refreshing of our souls. Our world is a world of sin and temptations. “Whatever way of life we are in, whatever our condition may be, whether we are sick or well, in trouble or at ease, the enemies of our souls are watching for the slightest opportunity to lead us into sin.” (Outler, Albert C.) When we then realize we have sinned against God, what better way to seek forgiveness than, as Paul says, “seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated…set you mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Just as our bodies are strengthened by food and water, so are our souls by the tokens of bread and wine which represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Holy Communion is food for our souls which gives us strength to perform our called duties and then leads us onward to Christian perfection. By our celebration of this feast we are bringing ourselves nearer to the revelation of the conviction of Christ in our lives. “When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Can we think of any better reason to continually commune with our LORD and Savior?
Another concern of observing Holy Communion so often is that it becomes meaningless, just another ritual to observe on Sunday morning. This may be so, but so what if it is? No where in scripture does God tell us it is alright to disobey His commands if for some reason we feel we are losing reverence for them. If we accept this suggestion of irreverence to keep us from Holy Communion, then what might we consider a proper amount of celebration of it? There may be arguments that once a quarter is enough, or even once a year is sufficient. Then for sake of argument why not every ten years or maybe once before we die? These arguments either solidify our belief we should do it constantly or they prove nothing at all. The command to the disciples from our LORD on the night of His betrayal was fairly explicit, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me…This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we are proclaiming the salvation from our LORD’s death until He returns for His Church.
One other common unease I hear is, “Who should come to the table?” The United Methodist Church believes in open Communion. Our Book of Discipline states, “The cup of the LORD is not to be denied to the lay people; for both parts of the LORD’s Supper, by Christ’s ordinance and commandment, ought to be administered to all Christians alike,” and also “The Sacrament of the LORD’s Supper was not by Christ’s ordinance reserved…”(Olson, Harriet J., etal. eds., The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2004, The United Methodist Printing House: Nashville, 2004, pg 64) Our only requirement to come to the table is the repentance of sins and a mind focused upon Christ as Savior. Paul tells us, “…you have stripped off the old self with practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its Creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.” If “Christ is all and is in all,” then the Holy Table can not be denied to anyone who claims Jesus’ promise of salvation.
“One of the enduring values of this sacrament is its unalterable focus on Jesus Christ and Him crucified as a central [truth] of the Christian religion. Sermons may or may not do this. The music may or may not do this…But in this sacrament God’s action in Christ is the central reality. Therefore, let all who sincerely repent and are in love with their fellows, or who long to be, come to the Table of the LORD!”(Stokes, Mack B.)
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT…AMEN
