Breaking of Bread

Last Sunday morning, I was unable to accompany Lozanne to chapel. There are some nights that I am unable to sleep due to several factors that do not need to be expanded in this space. The resulting fatigue sometimes makes it impossible to do anything but slow down and rest. Later in the morning I decided to work on a blog. While wrestling with some ideas, I began to deeply regret that I was about to miss my weekly Breaking of Bread. Others may refer to this spiritual opportunity as communion. I did something that I have never done before. I broke bread by myself at the kitchen table. It was truly an uplifting moment. I will do so again in the future if I am unable to go to the chapel in order to be in presence of other Christians.

I prepared the emblems which consisted of a small piece of bread and a small amount of wine. As I prepared to celebrate the sacrifice of Jesus on my behalf, I turned to 1 Corinthians 11:24-25.

24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

The Apostle Paul is advising those at the church in Corinth about the very ceremony that I was about to celebrate. Paul’s words are really more of a warning to the church members to not take this ceremony lightly and to do it properly. He is quoting Jesus who spoke these words on the night of His betrayal. He would be crucified the next day.

I did exactly as Jesus did at the Last Supper. I prayed my thanks to the Father. I specifically thanked Him for the sacrifice of His son. I thanked Him for the broken body which paid for the remission of my sin. When I was finished, I broke off a piece of bread and ate it. I then prayed for a second time my thanks for the blood shed on my behalf. I thanked Him for the new covenant created by Jesus. The King James Version of the Bible refers to this covenant as the “new testament in my blood”. A covenant is best described as an agreement between two parties. Jesus is offering me forgiveness of my sin and an eternity in heaven in return for my belief and faith in His sacrifice on my behalf. I then drank the wine.

I have felt the powerful effect of these actions before in the presence of others. On Sunday morning the effect was profound. I still cannot get the feeling of real communion with God out of my mind. Jesus tells us twice in these two verses that we should do these things “in remembrance of Me”. Days later I continue to remember. Next Sunday I hope to remember Him in the company of other Christians, but I can assure you that in the future, if I am unable to leave the house on Sunday morning, I will continue to remember Him in any case or any circumstance.

(Comments, corrections, suggestions or rebuttals are welcome. My email link is contained in “About me: view my complete profile” to the right of this page or use the comment section below which requires that you have a Google account.)