A pastor friend of mine related to me the following story:
One Sunday a few years ago, I had the privilege of leading people in communion at our church. It struck me that the Lord’s Supper is a practice that we are meant to participate in together. Communion is not an individual but a corporate activity that demonstrates our unity in Christ as we remember His substitutionary death for us. On that Sunday, this truth was impressed on me in a graphic and unexpected way.
“When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body.” (1 Corinthians 10:16–17 NLT)
That morning when we observed the Lord’s Supper, I looked around and saw that Christ not only died for me, but for these — my brothers and sisters there gathered with me. At the Lord’s Table we are all on a level plane. We all come humbly before Him in need of His grace and love that He extends freely toward us. The Lord’s Supper brings us together like nothing else.
Well, during communion on that Sunday a few years ago, I was blessed to observe something so tender and sweet. Such an occurrence could have only been caught in the context of sharing Christ’s meal together. A mother and her son came forward to the table with about six or eight others. I could see that her son had down’s syndrome.
That Sunday we had people take a piece of bread, dip it into grape juice and then eat it. This boy followed the others’ example. He took some bread and dipped it into the juice. But he wasn’t satisfied with the conservative single dip that the others practiced! Instead, he sloshed the bread back in forth in the grape juice to ensure it was well saturated.
Then he lifted the bread into his mouth, closed his eyes and savored his sacred morsel. Audibly we heard him exclaim, “Mmm, that’s good!” And I thought to myself, this boy in his simplicity understands more deeply than the rest of us what it means to enjoy the Lord in his Supper! I could sense God’s pleasure over this young man and this cluster of Christ-followers who witnessed this holy scene.
When we come together to observe the Lord’s Supper, may we fully enjoy our Lord and His people with whom we share His meal together.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23–28
Personal Application
I encourage you to keep this story in mind the next time you celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Enter the experience with the simple joy of this young man and let Christ fill you with love for those around you.
Jim Grassi, D. Min. and Wendell Morton
We cherish any verse in Scripture that reminds us to keep focused and intentional about evangelism and discipleship. “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5