Every time we participate in a communion service, we are also reminded of the power of the cross.
When we eat the bread and drink from the cup we show the Lord’s death till he comes (1 Corinthians 11:26). And we also experience a kind of death.
By eating and drinking we declare that we share in the suffering of Jesus and that his dying is our dying and his living is our living.
That is why it is so important to examine our hearts our attitudes, our motives, our relationships before we eat or drink. Otherwise the consequences are serious. It is as if we crucify Jesus all over again! (1 Corinthians 11:27-28). And this may even result in sickness or death (1 Corinthians 11:32).
But when we partake in faith, hope and love, the Lord’s Supper becomes a wonderful time of communion with Christ.
In the early Church, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper was named the Eucharist, from the Greek word for ‘thankyou’ (eucharisto). Today it is commonly described as a service of Communion.
If you think about it, both terms are significant and meaningful.
To read more on this topic see Living in the Image of God, Barry Chant (Miranda: Tabor, 2012 available in eBook and Paperback) from which this edited extract is taken.