You may not know this, but communion is actually an act of worship to our Heavenly Father. While it is a reenactment of the gospel story, it is also a means of expressing gratitude to our Savior, it is a statement of faith, and it is an act of contrition. In eating the bread, worshippers physically communicate that they are receiving the pierced and wounded body of Jesus for the healing of our own brokenness. In drinking the cup, worshippers physically communicate that they are receiving the atoning blood of Jesus as a cleansing for our sin. Through this act of worship, we declare his death to be our life, the true source of all our comforts and hopes. God ordained this Holy Communion not as a ritual to be observed, but as a blessing to be received. He didn’t say this wafer represents my body, He said this is my body given for you. He didn’t say this grape juice represents my blood; He said this is my new covenant with you. My prayer is that right now as we get ready to reenact this sacred ordinance that you would be drawn back to when Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins and redemption.

Bread: Let me go over with you again exactly what goes on in the Lord’s Supper and why it is so centrally important. I received my instructions from the Master himself and passed them on to you. The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke the bread and said, this is my body, given for you. Do this to remember me.

Prayer- Father, we praise your holy name, we thank you because you paid the ultimate price so we could be a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to you. We thank you for revealing yourself to us and that when we respond we would be transformed. God, as we eat this bread I pray that those who are sick or broken in body would be restored and made new through your miraculous transforming power.

Wine: After supper, he did the same thing with the cup: This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me. 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.

Prayer- Lord, the blood of Jesus is the most precious gift you could ever have given to us. It redeems and cleanses us from sin and protects us from the power of darkness. We humbly praise and thank you for the blood shed at Calvary and we pray that our lives may be a living sacrifice to you and we pray that our actions be a sweet aroma to you. Father, right now I plead your precious blood over us all, we pray that you wash us white as snow, we praise you for redeeming us, and we thank you for paying the ultimate price for our salvation. Thank you Jesus, the name above all names, everlasting Lord, blessed redeemer; Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Amen!