For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 1 Cor. 11:26 NIV
The Message paraphrases it this way: What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt.
The phrase familiarity breeds contempt has always been interesting to me. Prov. 25:17 in the NIV says, “ Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house–too much of you, and they will hate you.” (or don’t wear out your welcome I would say)
In the context of communion, I believe when it is taken with the right heart and motivation that it matters not how often, but some theologians might disagree. Some churches take communion every day or weekly, ours once a month, and some Scottish churches once a year. Some people take communion when they marry I believe to honor the Lord in their marriage and put him first as a married couple. Some people want to take communion when they know that their time on this earth is nearing an end, for reasons between them and the Lord. In each of the latter cases, I believe they are honoring God and remembering his sacrifice.
Communion unites the church family at one table symbolically to acknowledge Christ died, rose again, and will return. The most important future event will be when Christ comes back to this world. Between these two events, we declare Christ’s death to the world. When we share bread and wine at church, we are declaring the importance of Christ’s death at the same time we personally remember his blood was shed for us all.
I love that we can share communion as a church family and individually as an act of worship and honor to Jesus Christ, the Perfecter of our faith, our Lord and Savior. Personally, it causes me to examine myself and my own heart as I sit at his table and remember what he sacrificed for me. What an honor to come to the Lord’s table! What does communion mean to you? Has it become too familiar? Lord, help us to remember and declare your shed blood and sacrificed body was a substitute for our sin and has set us free.
Thank you for reading or listening today, blessings on the rest of your week.
Deb Hill