“The Sacraments – Communion”

Scripture: Matthew 26: 17-30

Last week, we began to look at the power, as well as the significance, of Christian Sacraments. The depth of these celebrations will always be an unknown to us, even while Christ calls us to celebrate them. But we have to know that in receiving each of them, we are taking a vow of faith and making a promise of loyalty, which, incidentally, is the basic meaning behind the Latin word “sacramentum”.
Last week, we saw that the central theme behind baptism is the development of a relationship between us and God. The word “communion” has a similar connotation. It’s about examining our intimate relationship with Christ, confessing our unity in spirit with him, expressing and celebrating our common sense of faith – it’s about coming together as one in the Body of Christ to rejoice in our life with our Living God. It’s about experiencing the power, as well as the grace of God in our lives. It’s about celebrating all that he has done for us through his love, his teaching, his suffering, his death and his life in resurrection.
Today, we look at communion through the eyes of both Matthew’s gospel, as well as the others, and a United Methodist document titled “This Holy Mystery” (Adopted by the 2004 General Conference, GBOD, Nashville, TN, copyright 2003, 2004)

Read Matthew 26:17-19

Many phrases have been used to describe this sacrament – it’s been called The Lord’s Supper, the Last Supper, Holy Communion, Eucharist, and several others, with each one describing a unique aspect of this Holy Meal. We must also remember, as Matthew reminds us, that this was originally celebrated within the context of the Jewish Passover. Passover, as we know, is an event ordained by God, as a remembrance to Israel of all that he was able to do to bring about their freedom from slavery, and that his promise of a new and wonderful home was still theirs.
And in communion, this is our remembrance, too. The term “The Lord’s Supper” tells us that we have been invited by our Lord to participate in this holy feast. “Eucharist”, which means thanksgiving, reminds us that we come to the Lord’s Table, not out of obligation, but out of overwhelming gratitude. The term “Communion” tells us that we come, not as servants, but in a true and powerful relationship with Almighty God by faith in Jesus Christ, and that we focus our lives on the giving of himself, making this an occasion of grace and holiness.

We celebrate Communion remembering all that God in Christ has brought to us, the power and significance of his life, his death and resurrection, and the promise that, in Christ, there is freedom from the consequences of human death and his promise that the Eternal Home of heaven is still ours.

John Wesley once described the Lord’s Supper as “the grand channel whereby the grace of his Spirit was conveyed to the souls of all the children of God.” (“Sermon on the Mount” – Discourse Six, III.11) Wesley was known to personally celebrate communion as often as he could, sometimes as many as four or five times a week. For both of the Wesley’s, communion was not only a celebration of life, it was their expression of life in faith itself.

Read Matthew 26:20-25

Betrayal. Have you ever known someone who refused to receive communion because they felt that they were unworthy? My response to that is a resounding “WRONG!” And that should be yours, too! Think about it – who were the people attending that Passover with Jesus? All twelve of his followers, and maybe even more than that. That included Judas who was about to betray him. It included Peter who, in a very few hours, would loudly proclaim that he had never known Jesus. And the others? As soon as Jesus was arrested, all but one would take to hiding, not even having the courage to be with the Lord at his crucifixion.
And as for Judas, the account recorded in Matthew’s gospel, as well as in Mark (14:12-26) and Luke (22:7-38) never even mention Judas’, or anyone for that matter, leaving the table. Luke 22:20 says that Judas actually was still present when the cup was offered, and in John’s gospel (13:21-30), Jesus simply tells Judas to do what he must do quickly. But Judas doesn’t leave until after he receives the broken bread, and everyone else stays with Jesus until the arrest.
Jesus never tells Judas, or any of the others , to leave their company, that they were unworthy to continue to be part of him - and only John’s account of the Lord’s Supper even reveals that Judas did leave. Jesus had announced to the entire assembly that the betrayer was among them, and that Peter would deny him (Mark 14:29-31), and that they rest would abandon him (Mark 14:27-28) and he never sent them away. Did you hear this?

JESUS HAD ANNOUNCED TO THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY (and that includes us!) THAT THE BETRAYER, THE DENIER, AND THE ABANDONERS WERE AS WELCOME AT THIS HOLY MEAL AS ANYONE ELSE! And who are these? Who are the unworthy ones? It is all of humanity. Do you understand that? It is all of us.
But what if someone was actually worthy enough to receive communion? The question would have to be “Why should they?” Would there be any reason that they needed to receive? Think about that. Communion is for the unworthy!

And John’s account of that night even focuses on many things that the other gospels don’t – primarily the washing of the disciples’ feet – ALL of them! And so are we.

This is why the United Methodist communion table is open to all who believe. (I believe that Judas had faith in Jesus - he just didn’t know what to do about it!) We turn no one away who would seek a new relationship with Christ. If all sinners were to be turned away, who would be left? And just in case you still aren’t sure of the answer, NO ONE would be able to approach this table.

Read Matthew 26:26-30

This is an addition to the Passover, and must have been very confusing to those in attendance. The Passover ritual hadn’t changed in a thousand years, and now Jesus was throwing all of these new and strange words into the meal. The unleavened bread was about Israel’s hurry to prepare to leave Egypt, not about consuming human flesh. The cup, presumably the third cup of the meal (Luke 22:20) was the Cup of Redemption, - it was about Christ’s sacrifice, not ours, and not some animal. But through it all, Jesus was making this age old tradition into something new.

“Take and eat; this is my body.” Again, this is not about eating human flesh – it is about spiritual nourishment coming to us from the Lord. Jesus wants us to receive him completely – without hesitation, without concern, without objection, but wholly in faith and trust and expectation of what he brings to our lives.
“This is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” The cup is about creating a relationship through the forgiving of our sin and the cleansing of our lives. I once read a story told by Rabbi Zola Levitt about the Jewish Covenant Cup. It was used as an integral part of a man’s proposal of marriage to his beloved.
He [the young man] would take his family’s Covenant Cup, fill it with wine, and place it before the young woman with these words: “I set my Covenant Cup before you, it is my blood. Take and drink this cup, and seal this covenant to be mine.”
The young woman then had two choices: take the cup and drink, thus sealing the covenant with the young man, or refuse the cup and wait for another groom.
—Beth Quick, “Commitment,” http://bethquick.com. Retrieved August 20, 2006.

Communion is about accepting a relationship that is unlike any other. It is a relationship that is so dear to Almighty God that if it was ever damaged in any way and to any degree, he would become the sacrifice – the only sacrifice – that could make it right again.

And the fourth cup of the Passover is Elijah’s Cup, or the Cup of Heaven - the one that Jesus said he would not drink until we can all be together in the Kingdom. In other words, Passover for Israel, and Communion for the Church, will not be completed until the day when Jesus returns to finish freeing his people from their slavery to sin and death.

Communion is about thanksgiving, and remembrance, and sacrifice, and the working of the Holy Spirit, and the promise of the Better Day that is coming. And it is about a proposal for a relationship that is so unique, that once it is accepted, it can never be taken away.
Take and eat;
take and drink;
and be new again.