Remember our deliverance at Communion

Everything that Jesus has done for us is an act of love. So is communion. The Lord said to His disciples that it was “with fervent desire that He looked forward to eat the Passover with them before He suffered” on the cross (Luke 22:15-16 NKJV). It was His last corporate act of love for His beloved followers before He died for their sins. It was at this Passover that He instituted communion as something they were to continue doing in remembrance of Him.

Communion without self-examination 

So why did the apostle Paul say that whoever eats and drinks at communion without examining themselves will bring judgment on themselves? He listed that some in the Corinthian church had begun to suffer weakness, illness, and even early death as a result (1 Corinthians 11:29-30). The answer lies in having a biblical understanding of communion within the context of Passover. 

The significance of deliverance of two Passovers

Passover commemorated the Israelites’ great and glorious deliverance from Egyptian slavery. The Lord chose Passover to teach His disciples about communion for a reason. God does everything with a purpose (Proverbs 16:4) and there is often deeper spiritual meaning in His details if we take a closer look. 

God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt and told them to obey His voice and His commandments because they were to be a special treasure, a kingdom of peace and a holy nation to Him (Exodus 19:3-6). In the new covenant instituted by Jesus through His death and resurrection for all of us, we too are called to be a royal priesthood in holy nation, a special people to the Lord (1 Peter 2:9).

Exodus 19:3-6 NKJV  And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

1 Peter 2:9 NKJV  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Remaining in rebellion brings judgment 

But as we can read from the book of Exodus, the Israelites did not turn from the idols of Egypt or throw away the things that were abominable to the Lord. Instead they remained in rebellion against God and defiled by idolatry. Because of this, the judgements that came upon Egypt and her idols began to fall upon the rebellious Israelites, in spite of the Lord’s persistence grace and patience towards them while they were continuously grumbling against Him in the wilderness. There came a point when God relented and gave them precisely what they complained about over and over again, that they would die in the desert (Numbers 14:26-35). Sadly, their deliverance from Egypt and the Passover became meaningless and they reaped Egypt’s same judgements because they did not forsake her idols. These people never made it to the Promised Land.

Ezekiel 20:7-8 NKJV  Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’ But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, ‘I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.’

Through this example, we see that it is crucial for us to examine ourselves before we take the bread and wine at communion. When we don’t forsake our idols and continue to bring them with us to the communion table, we invite judgment upon ourselves. The Lord may be gracious and overlook our initial ignorance but we should not tempt God (Matthew 4:7) and provoke Him to jealousy (1 Corinthians 10:22). The written word of God makes it very clear, “you cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons” for “the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God.” We cannot fellowship with God while fellowshipping with demons. We are to flee from idolatry.

1 Corinthians 10:14-22 NKJV  Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.  Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

Following the disciples to take communion every day

In honour of Jesus’ sacrifice for their deliverance, the disciples took communion with much praise and thanksgiving every day (Acts 2:46-47). They did this in fellowship with one another in their ordinary every day circumstances. Nothing stops us from taking communion before the Lord in our own homes to honour Him. We do this by first inviting the Holy Spirit to examine our hearts for idols. If the Holy Spirit brings us a memory, gives us a word, or shows us a vision, let us seek Him for understanding and clarity, and renounce anything that is in rebellion against God’s Word and will. Then we take the bread and the wine into our bodies as Jesus’ sacrifice for and cleansing from our sins.

“Dearest Jesus, Thank you for dying on the cross to deliver me from this body of spiritual death. I wish to honour every drop of blood You shed for me and repent of anything that separates me from you. Please convict my heart of things that I need to confess. (Please name any sins that come to mind). As I take this bread, I remember that Your body was broken to pay for my sins. As I drink this wine, I thank you for Your blood that washes my sins away. Holy Spirit, please come and renew me, and show me how to glorify You today. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Praise God that Jesus is the Bread of Life (John 6:35) who fulfills all our deepest desires and needs. We do not need to hunger for love, acceptance, or affirmation from this world ever again, once we remember His faithful love, sacrifice, and forgiveness at Communion.

Testimony: Experiencing deliverance through communion

“After learning about the spiritual significance of communion, I began to take communion every day at home. Each time, I ask the Holy Spirit to search my heart for anything that has grieved Him and ask for His forgiveness and repent of whatever that comes to mind. Then I drink a little wine to represent the blood of Jesus cleansing me of my sins. There are times when I literally feel something lift off from me as I do this. Praise God.”