Communion at GFC
Communion has long been a practice of the church. It was instituted by Jesus Himself the night before His death when He said (breaking bread), “Take; this is my body… (and taking up a cup of wine) This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you. I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:22-25)
Here are three aspects of what’s happening when we participate in this practice, theologically:
- Let’s be honest, we are all really good forgetters. We remember. When we partake in the bread and wine (or juice), we consciously and intentionally reflect on the reality that Jesus Christ died for our sins. And when we practice communion, we remember our Savior who laid down his life for us (1 Cor. 11:24).
- We fellowship. Communion is a symbol of grace. It’s a visible sign of an invisible spiritual reality. And yet, there is a sense in which it’s not only a symbol of grace but an occasion of grace. Nothing is added to the finished work of Christ when we practice communion. Nothing. Nada. Zero. But when we participate in communion, we commune with God in a way that deepens our fellowship with Him.
- We anticipate. Communion points us to a future reality when Jesus will “drink it new in the kingdom of God.” So when we make this our practice, we look forward with anticipation to that day. As the Apostle Paul says to the Corinthians, “As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). So for the early church and for us, communion is an opportunity to look forward to the return of Jesus.
At GFC, we practice communion together every 4-6 weeks. If participating online from home, any bread or juice you have will work!
