HOLY COMMUNION

Holy Communion, The Lord's Supper, was established, put in place, by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The bread represents Jesus' body that was scourged and nailed to the cross.  The fruit of the vine represents the precious blood of Jesus that He shed on the cross.  As often as we partake of the bread and fruit of the vine, we do so in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

The last Passover Meal, also called the Lord's Supper, that Jesus had with His disciples is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew and also in the Gospel of Luke.

As it is written:
Matthew 26:26-28
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, take and eat; this is My Body. 
27 Then He took the cup, gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, drink from it, all of you.
28 This is My Blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

In the Gospel of Luke, on the day of unleavened bread, known as the Passover; Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the meal for Passover.  When evening came Jesus and the other ten disciples arrived for the Passover meal. 

Before the meal began, Jesus made the announcement to His disciples that the Passover meal would be the last one He would be having with them because He was about to die. 

As it is written:
Luke 22:15-20
15 And He said to them, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.  
17 After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, take this, and divide it among yourselves: 
18 For I tell you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. 
19 And He took bread, and gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, this is My Body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. 
20 In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, this cup is the new covenant in My Blood, which is poured out for you.  


The Apostle Paul's Account of the Passover Meal

The Apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Corinth wrote why they should take part in the Passover meal.  The Apostle Paul also tells the church in Corinth the reason why some should not be taking part in the Passover meal.

As it is written:
1 Corinthians 11:23-30
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: the Lord Jesus, on the night in which He was betrayed took bread, 
24 And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, this is My Body, which is for you: do this in remembrance of Me. 
25 In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, this cup is the new covenant in My Blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.
26 For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death until He comes. 
27 Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.  
28 But let a man examine himself before he eats of the bread and drink of the cup. 
29 For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.  

Jesus Explains What His Flesh and His Blood Represents 

As it is written:
John 6:53-58
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Truly, truly, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His Blood, you have no life in you.
54 Whoso eat My Flesh, and drink My Blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For My Flesh is meat indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eat My Flesh, and drink My Blood, dwells in Me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father has sent Me, and I live by the Father: so, he that eats Me, even he shall live by Me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eats of this bread shall live forever.