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It took twelve years before I could go with my family to the altar to partake of Holy Communion. Certainly I was curious—especially about foods called body and blood. Is anyone else curious?

The cup of Holy Communion is just the beginning. Here are words beginning with the letter “c” for your Contemplation: Celebration (Jesus’ last meal with His Disciples was in remembrance of the Passover—when God spared the Israelites’ first born from death in Egypt), Cleansing (Jesus’ shed blood purifies us from sin), Comfort (believers find this support from others in God’s family), Committed (Jesus displayed willingness to die for us), Communion (that in which we believers partake, also called The Lord’s Supper), Connected (the family of believers are linked to each other as well as to the Lord), Consecration (set apart for the Lord), Covenant (most important word of promise in the Bible), Cross (the vertical plank bridging us to the Father intersected with a horizontal plank that bridges all believers together), Crucifixion (the agonizing death Jesus endured on the cross), Cup (symbolizes life when filled with Jesus’ blood—often represented by grape juice or wine).

Jesus’ perfect life and sacrificial death ushered in a new covenant called Holy Communion. This gift from God the Father to His children reminds us of His gift of salvation. When a believer receives salvation, he is consecrated to the Lord. Not only forgiven of ALL sins—past, present and future—but also indwelt with the 3rd person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit.

At times, believers forget “whose they are” and may yield to temptation. The cup and bread, or blood and body of this sacrament remind God’s children what He expects –a commitment to obey. (Jesus showed us how to obey hard commands when He willingly died for us.)
We’re told to observe the Lord’s Supper as a symbol of cleansing, consecration, communion, and commitment. How many more “c” words can you think of?

Take Home Nugget

The phrase “drink from this cup” has a hidden meaning that most don’t get. While the cup represents the blood Jesus shed that saved us from eternal death, the wafer symbolizes His body that was broken for us. Jesus drank the first cup alone in order to make our salvation possible.

Jesus was separated from God the Father during His death because He had taken on our sin, and God the Father cannot look upon sin. Jesus was ALONE for the first time since the very beginning—eternity past—separated from the Father. (Mark 15:34).

He did this so that we never have to feel this agony of separation from our Father. “Drink from this cup” is our reminder of Jesus’ willingness to die for us so that WE COULD LIVE.

When someone asks what does a cross mean to you,
What will you say, what will you do?
Jesus’ death and resurrection validates our belief
That our eternity is secure—what a relief!