Chapter 1: What is Holy Communion?

What a Holy God we serve! It’s a pleasure to be counted worthy of His Spirit. It is our faith that has given us total and complete access to Him; by the Holy Spirit, in whom we live. It is obvious God is wooing His Body into holiness. It is imperative that the saints of our Lord Jesus Christ discern the heart of God towards them.

To install the ceremony of Holy Communion is to obey the instructions of our Lord. …Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. (1Cor.11:24). Practically all Christian churches observe this ceremony, without even considering the many questions associated with it. However, in order to settle the controversies, it is imperative that those of us in Christianity understand exactly what we are doing, and why.

To simply install such a ritual in the church without being able to answer the questions bound to come up about it, does not serve the purpose of God. We must know the mind of the Father and pass that mind on to those we serve. That having been said…

There are many discussions throughout the Body of Christ regarding who ought or ought not take part in the communion of the Lord. However, I don’t really understand the reason for such controversy, seeing as how the scriptures are quite clear on this subject. Nevertheless, I think as always the controversy exists due to a lack of understanding of the mystery of Christ. Yes, here we go again. It is always the mystery of Christ that provides a revelation of all that we are instructed to do.

The Communion is a physical presentation of a spiritual operation.

The Last Supper

Luke 22:14-15

14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

Let us take note of the fact that this is the “passover feast.” It just happens to be served the night of Jesus’ arrest. This feast was inserted into the laws of Israel after their exodus from Egypt. It is a feast of roasted lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread, eaten on the night before their departure. In order to truly understand the communion of the Lord, it is wisdom for us to take a close look at the first passover in which the communion is a fulfillment.

Note: What is often called Passover today has its origins in two ancient observances. Nissan 14 was the Passover as mentioned in the Torah; at this time, an offering to the Lord, the sacrifice of a lamb, was slaughtered during the afternoon and prepared. Nissan 15 (the new day starting at sundown) was the beginning of the seven-day Festival of Unleavened Bread. On this start of Nissan 15, the Passover lamb that had been sacrificed and prepared on Nissan 14 (that same afternoon) was eaten that night (now Nissan 15), along with unleavened bread. Over time, the Festival of Unleavened Bread commonly became known as “Passover” and is usually considered as starting at sundown between Nissan 14 and Nissan 15. (Taken from “The Almanac”) For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

Now this is an interesting statement; “I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” This tells us that the original “passover,” was a type of one to come in the New Covenant. Jesus would be the fulfillment of this ceremony. Moses even prophesied this very fact:

Exodus 12:27

That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. …

Exodus 12:11

And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’s passover.

Leviticus 23:5

In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s passover.

The stage was set for Jesus to be the fulfillment of this ritual as John declared; The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29. Just as Death passed over the children of Israel in Egypt, it has passed over the sons of God in the world today. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die… John 11:26 It is apparent John recognized Jesus to be the sacrificial lamb of God. He would take away the sins of the world that separated man from God. John went on to say… And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John 1:33-34 Jesus would have to shed His blood as an atonement for mankind so that the judgment of God would pass over them. In 2 Peter 2:9 we read; The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: Yes Beloved, Jesus is the passover lamb for us. Now let us look into how this ceremony proceeds.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

The cup of the Lord is to be divided among the people of God. It is for those who have become partakers of the mercy of God; in that the blood of Jesus has cleansed them of all unrighteousness. For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

Take note that Jesus appeared to individuals and groups of people after the resurrection. He even ate with them. However, we do not see where He drinks any fruit of the vine at any meal. This He vowed not to do so until the Kingdom of God had come to the earth. Jesus also declares He will not partake of the passover feast until the Kingdom of God has come. But the Kingdom did not come until the day of Pentecost. He had gone back to heaven fifty days when the Holy Ghost came to the earth.

Luke 22:19

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Partaking of the Holy Communion is not just a mere reminder of Christ, it is an awareness of Him. It is a discerning of His presence in you and other members of the Body of Christ. It is also an awareness of that which we have seen, heard and experienced of Him. It is the realization of the oneness we experience as sons of the Living God. These are not things the unsaved can testify of. Therefore, this Holy Communion is for those who are able to fellowship with Christ and celebrate their spiritual victories in Him.

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

It is the blood of Jesus that has cleansed us and made us ready for the infilling of the Holy Ghost. The fruit of the vine, (the wine) is a symbol of the actual blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross. Now those who partake of the communion know and understand the power of the blood of Jesus. We have been made partakers of that blood. It has been applied to our lives, therefore we are aware of its cleansing power. It has made us free from sin and its power. Those who have not experienced such a thing cannot truthfully testify of it.

Again, Jesus goes on to say, declaring in John 6:51; I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Jesus makes it clear that the unleavened bread used in the ceremony is a type of His flesh. Again, we who are born again can testify of our baptism into the Body of Christ. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3. Therefore, declares the scripture, For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:30-32. My dear friends, we are literally the Body of Christ. He now lives in our natural bodies. Through the eternal Spirit by which we, (our souls), were apprehended; we live in earthen vessels bought and paid for by the blood and suffering of Jesus Christ.

Jesus further explains to His apostles the significance of Holy Communion.

John 6:53-58

53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

This is the meaningful essence of Holy Communion. It is the common union between Christ and the members of His Body. In the communion, there is fellowship and an exchange of mental and emotional desires and aspirations. Please take note of verse 56, He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. Those who eat and drink of these sacraments, must dwell in Christ and Christ must dwell in them. That should settle the controversy as to who should or should not partake of the Communion Table.

The wine is the symbol of the blood he shed for us. The bread is symbolic of His Church. This, the scriptures bear witness of.

1 Corinthians 10:16-17

16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

The Holy Communion is for the “Holy” people of God. We are instructed to present our bodies as living sacrifices as the price we are willing to pay for the privilege to reveal Christ to those who are lost, ignorant and out of the way. As He is the light, so are we the light of the world. As He is the lamb of God, so are we the sheep among wolves, also led to the slaughter, even as our master. Jesus said that he would not eat of the bread nor drink of the wine until the passover has been fulfilled in the kingdom of God. Yes, we know that we will sit down with the Lord at the great supper in heaven, but there is also a fulfillment of this passover in the kingdom of God today. We are the children of God, we are in the world but not of the world. We dwell in the kingdom of God and Christ dwells in us, now. Therefore, everytime we partake of the table of the Lord, it is Christ partaking of the Passover in the kingdom of God. We are now that one bread, being re-membered (the parts of the Body of Christ coming together), by the common union and fellowship we share at the table of the Lord. Beloved, the communion of the Lord is Holy and must be reverenced as such. It is for the Church; those who have become the holy sacraments themselves.