“Celebrating
Communion Remembering Redeeming Savior's Sacrifice!”
Ramesh C. Reddy
Publisher
When I was growing up, I loved to take Holy Communion with my mommy
after I became a follower of Christ. Taking Holy Communion at home
was a way of remembering the ultimate sacrifice Jesus paid when He
went to the cross shedding His precious cleansing blood for me to
save me, redeem me, ransom me, rescue me, and deliver me from the
bondage of sin and death when His body was broken for me. Taking a
piece of bread and drinking an ounce or less of grape juice while
reflecting on what Jesus did for me was a very somber moment. I
loved to take Holy Communion with my mommy.
When I was part of New Hope Christian
Community church, I was so excited to give the Holy Communion
message to the congregation and then take part in Holy Communion
with my brothers and sisters in Christ as the bread and grape juice
was passed in each pew.
When I was part of Asian Indian Christian
Church of Pittsburgh (AICCP), it was also special to take
Holy Communion with my Indian brothers and sisters in Christ.
When I was going to Allegheny Center Alliance
Church (ACAC), I tried my best never to miss the first Sunday
of the month because of the Holy Communion service. What made it
more special was having someone sing a song to reflect during Holy
Communion while we remembered Jesus' sacrifice when His body was
broken for us and His blood shed for us. After everyone received the
bread and grape juice, we would take it in unison after prayer and
reflection on Christ's sacrificial death for us, confessing our own
sins before the Lord Jesus Christ.
When I would go to a St. Paul's Cathedral
for Christmas or Easter Mass, it was a different experience
because we had to all stand in line and go up front and take the
wafer dipped in wine/grape juice as the priest blessed us and said,
'The Body of Christ' while he put it in our hands for Holy Communion
and we said, "Amen' or 'Thanks be to God'
When I went to an Episcopal Church, it
was a new experience again because we stood in line while the priest
put the wafer in our mouth and then we would drink a sip of
wine/grape juice from a chalice remembering Jesus' sacrifice for us
when His body was broken for us and His blood shed for us.
When we went to a church in India, my precious wife
Chandraleela would sing a special song
while the bread and juice was passed so those taking part in Holy
Communion could reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made before taking
Holy Commuion together.
My favorite song to hear was, 'There Is A Redeemer' that Chandra
sang with another sister. It was a sung originally sung by Keith
Green
The lyrics are,
There is a Redeemer Jesus, God's own Son Precious Lamb of
God, Messiah Holy One
Jesus my Redeemer Name above all names Precious Lamb of
God, Messiah Oh, for sinners slain
Thank you, oh my Father For giving us Your Son And leaving
Your Spirit 'Til the work on Earth is done
When I stand in Glory I will see His face And there I'll
serve my King forever In that Holy Place
Thank you, oh my Father For giving us Your Son And leaving
Your Spirit Til the work on Earth is done...
I have also not minded to take Holy Communion when I saw
Pastor Jentezen Franklin invite those
from home who were watching his service to partake of Holy
Communion. For me whether I took it live with people physically
present or whether I took it via satellite church or from the
confines of my home, my excitement and joy was always to take part
in the Holy Communion remembering Jesus' sacrifice for me. It has
always been a special time!
Now I have been excited to be part of Oakland International
Fellowship (OIF) to partake of Holy Communion with my brothers and
sisters in Christ.
My favorite moment of taking Holy Communion to remember the Lord's
sacrifice for His body broken for me and His blood shed for me was
on New Year's Eve many years ago when I was at an Urbana Missions
Conference. There I was blessed to take Holy Communion with
thousands of people in unison from all over the world! Thank you
Jesus!
Everytime I partake of Holy Communion, I am reminded of Jesus'
words: "And he took bread, gave thanks and
broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for
you; do this in remembrance of me." 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." (Luke 22:19-20, NIV)
"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. For as
often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the
Lord's death till He comes." (1 Corinthians 11:25-26, NKJV)
"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." (1 Corinthians
10:16-17, NKJV)
When I see the word WE, I am reminded of
Jesus' words when He said, "For where two or three are
gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
(Matthew 18:20, NKJV)
This is why it gives me confidence that Holy Communion can be taken
amongst two people too whether they are husband and wife, mother and
son, etc. Holy Communion should not be confined to a building itself
but can be taken anywhere is what I believe.
Even though I don't mind taking Holy Communion with another person
after reflection remembering Jesus' body broken for me and His blood
shed for me for the remission of my sins, it is not the same as
taking it with the body of believers in unison. This is what I have
missed since March 15, 2020 since the COVID-19 started. As of
this writing, we have not had a Holy Communion service yet at OIF
since we opened three weeks ago. Even if we do, even though the
worship service is broadcast live on YouTube live, I am not sure if
the Holy Communion service will be.
In moments like this, I am tempted to take Holy Communion with my
wife remembering the Lord Jesus' sacrifice unless Scripture
gives a clear command that individuals who love the Lord Jesus
Christ and want to remember His sacrifice cannot take it on their
own. If so, I have not found those Scriptures yet. If anyone knows
of any Scripture that forbids people to take Holy Communion on their
own between them and the Lord, please let me know.
But, I also believe if I am able to join a body of believers in
Christ to take Holy Communion, I should never forsake that
opportunity and decide to take Holy Communion on my own as an excuse
not to meet with people unless there are COVID-19 restrictions,
medical restrictions, travel restrictions, etc.
"Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter
the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way
opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we
have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God
with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings,
having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience
and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold
unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is
faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward
love and good deeds, NOT GIVING UP MEETING TOGETHER, as some are in
the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as
you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:19-25, NIV)
Holy Communion should be a time to celebrate our relationship with
the Lord Jesus in remembrance of what He did for us.
Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you,
the one who believes has Eternal Life. I AM the Bread of Life...Here
is the Bread that comes down from Heaven, which ANYONE may eat
and not die. I AM the Living Bread that came down from Heaven.
Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This Bread is my flesh,
which I will give for the life of the world...Very truly I tell you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you
have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has
eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh
is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and
drinks my Blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living
Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who
feeds on me will live because of me. This is the Bread that came
down from Heaven...Whoever feeds on this Bread will live forever."
(John 6:47-48, 50-51, 53-58)
It troubles me when restrictions are placed on Holy Communion unless
those restrictions are supported by God's Word.
Just because there are Bible passages where Holy Communion always
took place where there were more than two believers does not negate
the fact of Jesus' words that say,
"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there
in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20, NKJV)
If ANYONE has grown up taking Holy Communion in your family
remembering the words of Jesus being there with you, continue to
remember the Lord Jesus this way if you cannot join with other
believers for Holy Communion. But, if now you believe Holy Communion
needs to just follow Acts 2:42-47 amongst a body of believers, don't
take Holy Communion on your own.
"And they devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching and to
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42,
NIV)
Holy Communion should be a reverent act of worship remembering our
Lord as many times as we partake it. There is no limit to how many
times a person takes Holy Communion in a week but it should be taken
with discernment.
"So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord
in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and
blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they
eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink
without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on
themselves." (1 Corinthians 11:27-29, NIV)
My prayer is that those believers who want to
partake of Holy Communion but cannot physically set foot in a church
will be able to partake of it in their homes as pastors visit homes
and celebrate Holy Communion with those who cannot come to church.
This is what happened to me and my wife some time ago. When I
dislocated my shoulder, Chandra and I were really touched when
Pastor Mike
came to my bedside and administered the Holy Communion to me and my
wife at our home.
If pastors and elders of churches of
different denominations believe Holy Communion should just be taken
in the confines of a church or among multiple body of believers in
Christ where a person of the cloth administers it, it is my hope
that these pastors and elders can go to people's homes like Pastor
Mike did and administer the Holy Communion to families that cannot
make it physically to church so they are not compelled to take Holy
Communion as a family at home on their own because it is always
better to take it in unison :) We should not let COVID-19 stop
believers from celebrating Holy Communion!
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