Barnabas Ministries UK

Rev. E. Anderson

THE MEANING OF THE COMMUNION SERVICE

Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples. It was during this celebration that Jesus washed His disciples feet (John 13:1-16); teaching that our lives are to be lived in service. It was also during this celebration that Jesus announced that one of the twelve would betray Him (John 13:21-27). It was also during this celebration that Jesus instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion.

During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to his disciples: Take, eat. This is my body. Taking the cup and thanking God, he gave it to them: Drink this, all of you. This is my blood, God’s new covenant poured out for many people for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28 MSG)

This “Last Supper” was a major turning point. Everything was about to change and the change was going to happen immediately. The institution of the New Covenant was about to take place. Jesus was about to fulfill the prophecies concerning redemption. The main purpose for His incarnation was about to be realized. Jesus, the miracle working Rabbi, was preparing to lay His life down and be the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.

The perfect Son of God was not only about to experience the torturous death of crucifixion but God the Father was about to lay upon Him all of our sins (Isaiah 53:6). The righteousness of God cried out for justice. The holiness of God demanded that sin be punished. In response the love of God had been virgin born in a Bethlehem manger for the express purpose of satisfying the demands of divine righteousness and divine holiness. The price of our freedom was to be the price of blood, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

After the Passover meal Jesus and His disciples made their way to the Mount of Olives and into the Garden of Gethsemane. The suffering of our Saviour was about to begin. He was about to betrayed, arrested, tortured, tried, condemned and crucified.

He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. (Luke 22:41-44 NLT)

We know that Jesus spent that evening and the next morning in trials and torture before finally being led outside of the city of Jerusalem where He was nailed to a cross. This was the cost that my sin demanded as payment for forgiveness. This was the cost that your sin demanded as payment for forgiveness. Our sin demanded the price of blood, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Redemption was made that day for all of humanity. As our suffering Saviour laid His life down for each of us the righteous demands of God’s justice concerning sins were satisfied. The price had been paid, paid in blood. As believers in Christ we have been “Redeemed”.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:13-14 NIV)

The word “redeemed” in this verse is translated from the Greek word exagorazō (ἐξαγοράζω) is defined as , “by payment of a price to recover from the power of another, to ransom, buy off”. Jesus paid the price demanded by the law of God for each one of us. The price of our forgiveness was the price of blood, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. (1 Peter 1:18-19 NLT)

The price that Jesus paid was full payment for you and me. There is no other sacrifice required to be forgiven. There is no religious ceremony to perform. There are no special garments to wear. The work has been done. God asks that we receive His gift of salvation. He asks that we repent of our sins and place our faith in Jesus Christ.

When Jesus paid the price of His own blood that price allows every person who repents and believes in Him to be forgiven of their sins. The price of Jesus’ blood ransomed and redeemed us from the power of Satan. The price of Jesus’ blood justifies us in the sight of God when we believe in Him.

The price of Jesus’ blood opens the door beyond forgiveness of sins, allowing us to experience the new birth. We are not only forgiven but the Spirit of God comes to make His home in each of us. We become a new creation, our consciences are cleansed from sin’s guilt and we experience a real relationship with God.

If you already have experienced this life changing relationship with the God who has redeemed you with His own blood I encourage you to share your faith and the love of God with everyone you can find.

If Jesus is just a name to you from Christian religion I encourage you to seek Him as your Saviour, to make Him your Lord and to follow Him with all of your heart. There are no words that can accurately describe the power of God’s love for you. There is nothing that can separate you from the love of God. The only barrier to experiencing His love and knowing Him is an unwillingness to repent and believe the gospel.  

The price of blood has been paid for each of us. Let us live our lives in praise and thanksgiving for this awesome gift; loving God and loving each other.