A note on COMMUNION

You can take communion just about anywhere! First, is it possible to take communion at home? Yes, it is. Actually, when Jesus first modeled the spiritual tradition of communion, He did it in someone’s home. If you’re a Jesus follower, you can take communion just about anywhere.

Did you grow up in a church that offered communion as part of the service every week? Or maybe once a month? If you’re attending Word of Life, you’ve probably noticed that communion is available periodically. We hope you’ll take the opportunity to participate in communion as God leads you during our worship time together.

Let’s talk about taking communion at home. If you’ve ever thought of taking communion with your family or LIFE Group, good for you. That’s a great idea! We’re going to give some really practical ways to do that soon.

But first, what is communion all about?

The most famous story of communion in the Bible is the story of The Last Supper. It was Jesus’ last dinner with His disciples before He was killed. You can read the story (and if you’re going to host communion you’ll definitely want to) in Matthew 26, Luke 22, and Mark 14. It happened as part of the celebration of Passover which was actually a festival that began in the Old Testament period. Jewish people would have celebrated Passover as a way to look back and remember how God brought them out of Egypt and spared their lives in so many ways. The eating of the bread and drinking of the wine that led to what we call communion is still a regular part of celebrating Passover that Jewish people and some Christians celebrate each year.

With Passover as the setting, Jesus took the bread, broke it, yet didn’t follow the typical Passover tradition. He said, “Eat. This is My body.” Then, with the cup of wine, He explained further.

And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.”
Matthew 26:27-28 NLT

In 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 Jesus followers. Jesus asked us to carry out this simple tradition to remember that He gave His life for our lives. That He was poured out to wash away our sins. Like baptism, communion is a spiritual symbol and reminder of what Jesus has done. But it holds power not only as a symbol, it also reminds us to invite the Holy Spirit to examine our lives and to continue to do His work of washing us by the grace of Jesus.

So, communion is a time of looking back and remembering what Jesus has done for us. It is a time of looking within and examining our own heart's need for salvation. Finally, it is a time of looking forward to the eventual remaking of all things as Jesus points forward to a future moment where we will have communion with God himself as His kingdom comes.

After taking communion, Jesus and His followers walked to the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed His famous prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane only hours before He was arrested and eventually died so that we could truly live.

Ideas for Taking Communion at Home

If your LIFE Group or family isn’t familiar with the meaning of communion, use the Scriptures above to explain how it came about and what it’s for.
Jesus and His followers used wine and unleavened bread, but it is simplest to use grape juice and whatever bread or crackers you have available. Using juice is a great way to involve children while also being sensitive to anyone who might not drink alcohol. If you really want to use unleavened bread, a matzo cracker is a great option. If you can’t find grape juice, another juice will do. What’s important is focusing on the meaning of this spiritual symbol.
Ask one person to pray for the bread and lead the group in this first part of communion. Here’s an example.

Hold the bread, a symbol of Jesus’ body. Jesus asked us to eat this to remember that He gave His body for us. Let’s pray. God, thank You for sending Jesus who not only lived for us, but died for us. The Son of God, who came in the body of a man, gave Himself up so we could live! Thank You that His body was raised back to life. Thank You that because of the grace of Jesus we have real life, and we can live forever in You. Amen. Okay, go ahead and eat the bread.

4. Next, ask someone else to pray for the cup and lead the group in this second part of communion. Here’s an example.

Hold the cup, a symbol of Jesus’ blood. Jesus asked us to drink this cup to remember that our sins are washed by the powerful new covenant Jesus made possible between us and God. Let’s pray. God, what an incredible picture this is of Your love for us. You allowed Your only Son to literally be poured out so that we could be in a fully restored relationship with You. Thank You, Jesus, for giving your blood. Amen. Go ahead and drink the cup.

Remembering what Jesus did while taking communion can feel like a somber moment, and that’s okay. But don’t forget, this is an incredible reason to celebrate. Ask some people in your group to come ready to share a story of something that Jesus has restored in their life. Encourage your group to not just experience the symbol of communion but to live in its truth. We are set free because Jesus is alive and giving us life to the full.
Ask your group to reflect and share anything they felt like God might have been helping them to see or remember while they were taking communion.

We hope you take communion at home soon. It’s a wonderful way for followers of Jesus to do something He asked us to, which is to remember what He did for us. And it’s the perfect time to thank Him for His grace which gives us life.

COMMUNION RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES

Background: Exodus 12: After centuries of slavery in Egypt, in one night God delivered His people. On that night the Israelites commemorated the first Passover by painting their door frames with the blood of a perfect lamb.

The story of Passover doesn’t end there. The Bible says that the night Jesus was betrayed was Passover. He and his disciples were enjoying the Passover meal together when He told them that His blood would save us from death and free us from the slavery of sin. Today, we believers celebrate our deliverance from sin that was provided by the blood of Jesus, the one and only perfect Passover Lamb. Because the Son has set us free, we are free indeed (John 8:36).

Prepare and Confess: The communion emblems are symbols of what Christ did for us. When we partake of these emblems (typically bread or communion wafers and grape juice) we are remembering His sacrifice.

Take some time before Communion to prepare your heart, remembering that Jesus took our sins upon Himself when He died.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you anything that you need to confess and repent of. Do that and thank God for the forgiveness provided to you through Christ’s sacrifice.

Devotional Readings for Passion Week

Monday- Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday. Read Matthew 21:1-11. Imagine what it was like that day. The crowds of people were waiting for a King, a Messiah, to save them from Roman rule- Jesus came instead to save them from their sins. Spend some time thanking Him for being the King we need, not the King we want.

Tuesday- Read Exodus 12. Think about what it was like for the Children of Israel on that first Passover night as they feasted and waited to be rescued. Thank God for His provision to rescue us.

Wednesday- Read Matthew 26:17-30. Ponder the significance of this Passover Feast that Jesus shared with His disciples. Remember that Jesus came to be the Perfect Lamb, the Sacrifice that rescues us from our sin.

Thursday- Read Matthew 26: 36-45. Meditate on the prayer that Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Thank Him for choosing to die for you.

Friday- Read John 19. Take time to be quiet and contemplate the agony and pain that Jesus endured for you.

Express Praise and Thanksgiving: After we take communion in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice our response if one of praise and thankfulness. Express to Him your love for Him, your gratitude for the forgiveness He provided for you and worship Him because He is your Savior.

For Parents: Children are ready to understand the concept of and partake in Communion at different ages. We want to give you this resource to have once you determine your child is ready. In general, once a child has decided to seek forgiveness and salvation through Christ parents can start talking with their child about remembering Christ’s sacrifice during Communion

Discuss: Have conversations beforehand explaining what communion means. You can use a birthday cake or wedding ring as an example to help explain symbols and remembrances. Remember that kids are very literal! Children may need help understanding symbolism and that they are not really eating Christ’s body or drinking His blood.

Confess: Before we take communion we examine our hearts and silently confess anything we need to before God. It might help if you offer your children some guiding questions like “What do you want to tell Jesus you are thankful for?” and “What do you want to tell Jesus you’re sorry for?”

Read: Choose one of these Scriptures to read as a family:

Matthew 26: 17-30
Mark 14:12-26
Luke 22:7-38
1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Partake: During communion show your kids what to do. Even if it’s very obvious to you, it may not be for them.

Pray: Thank some time as a family to pray some prayers of thankfulness. If you would like, you can follow this suggested format for the communion time: Take the cup and the wafers or bread. First take the wafer (if using prepared communion sets, open the top and get the wafer). You can say “This is the body of Christ, broken for us.” or “Let’s partake together, this bread symbolizes the body of Christ broken for us.”

Then take the cup and say “This Is the blood of Christ, poured out for us” or “Let’s partake together, this cup symbolizes the blood of Christ poured out for us”.

Process: Take some time afterward to discuss what it meant to them to remember Jesus in this way. Ask questions to cement understanding and offer clarity like “What are we celebrating?” , “What are we remembering?” or “Why do we take communion?”
Then move on to more personal questions like “How did you feel when you remembered Jesus’ sacrifice?” “What has God done for you?” “How can we thank God for what He has done for you?”

Conclusion: Close this time together thanking God for sending His son Jesus as a sacrifice, and that He is so good to us! Consider singing a worship song together!

Celebrate: Consider a hands on activity or worship station. Here is an idea:

Make a “door frame”. This can be as simple as drawing with a marker on a piece of poster board or as involved as fashioning one out of 2x4 pieces of wood. You can use red paint to symbolize the blood of the lamb.

Circle back to Exodus 12: As God’s people celebrated the Passover they were reminded of the night God freed them from slavery in Egypt. God instructed them to take the blood of a perfect lamb and spread it on the doorposts of their homes so God would pass over them when He went throughout Egypt and killed the firstborn of every household.

When we partake of communion we remember that Jesus is our perfect Lamb and that His blood delivers us from death and sets us free. Let’s remember together some ways that God has blessed and protected us.

Have each family member paint a word of picture on the doorframe (i.e. “God saved me from my sin”, “I have new life”, “Faithful”, “Protects”, “Freedom”.) Worship God together for providing salvation for you!

Sensory Involvement:
See: Have each family member look up or read part of the Scriptures. Find pictures to show younger kids.
Touch: Hold hands as you pray.
Taste and Smell: While taking communion, stop and think about what you are tasting and smelling.
Hear: Listen to a song like “Good Good Father” and think about the great gift that God gave us, His son Jesus.