Sunday 14th April

Lawrence Kirby shared a message titled, 
'The Sacrament of Communion' 

Jesus didn't just give us the ritual of communion to remember Him by - there is something supernaturally powerful that's available to us in the eating of these elements. 

There is mystery involved with this ritual.

We are unified and celebrating togetherness through this. 

Communion is a way that we can access the fullness of Heaven. 

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NLT
23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

Luke 22:19-20
19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.
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Mark 14:22-25
22 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.”
23 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. 25 I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”

Matthew 26:26-29
26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”
27 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, 28 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. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
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John 6:53-58
53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 

The early Church connected the passages on the Last Supper with the above passage in John 6 and came up with an idea called transubstantiation, a belief that as you eat the bread and drink the wine of communion that they transform into the actual body and blood of Jesus. Martin Luther had an issue with that belief which is part of what led to the Reformation. 

As Protestant Pentecostals, we do not believe in transubstantiation - we believe in accessing God through faith in Jesus. However we do not let differences in belief on this divide us!

Martin Luther did not believe the elements became Jesus, but that He was still present in them. 

Others believe that this ritual is a memorial - something done only in remembrance of Jesus. This makes the elements symbolic.

There is a spectrum of belief here! 

1 Corinthians 10:15-17
15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.

When we take communion we participate, we fellowship, we are sharing in the Person of Christ. There is also a unity because we share with one another. There is something supernatural taking place. 

If you have faith for something to happen - then lean into that. 

There is healing, wholeness, and everything that is true of Jesus' body, which has been made available for you.

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You can watch the full message below: