In this sermon, we are going to understand so many things about communion, most especially we will get to know who can take communion according to the bible.
What is communion?
In the Roman Catholic, holy communion, also called Eucharist, is one of the seven sacraments that a devoted member must receive.
It is represented by a white host and a special type of wine; which the priest blesses during holy mass and gives to faithful members.
These members, who receives communion are expected to undergo confession; if they should ever err before being considered worthy to receive it.
In other Christian denominations, communion takes diverse forms; but is always associated with the sharing of the supposed body and blood of Christ; represented by whatever item is eaten and drunk.
Where the doctrine of communion comes from in the bible?
This doctrine is however not man-made because it was introduced by Christ Himself on the last supper, and He afterwards commanded His followers to continue practicing it in His remembrance. Luke 22:19-20.
As you will see from that scriptural passage; holy communion is an act that Christians must practice according to Christ command.
And if we observe and consider it so well we will come to the understanding that the Holy Communion practices fall under the ceremonial laws.
We all know that our Lord Jesus can never tell us to engage in ceremonial practices. Because this was the main reason the Jews could not rightfully obey the laws that God gave to Moses.
And for that reason, the old covenant (made with Moses); had to be done away with in order for the new covenant (made with Him); to stand.
Therefore that understanding leaves us in a position where we have to seek for the significance of this communion.
The Last Supper and Significance of communion.
Now let us move from the book of Luke, where we took our main text; and go over to the book of John to study the events that led to and came after this last supper.
The text we are going to study and make our recovery is John chapter 13.
Now let us outline how this chapter opens i.e. verses 1 and 2:
Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him,
As the above passage helps us to understand, Jesus was aware of His upcoming suffering and death.
Now note carefully how the first verse ends: having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
And how the second verse begins: And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him.
The last supper.
Now this observation should bring us to the understanding that, Jesus, having the fore-knowledge of one of His own disciples going to betray Him, thought of a way He would prevent this kind of thing from happening to any other of His followers, as He would be taken away from them.
Therefore He came up with the idea of the last supper, which was geared at making His disciples understand that the only way they will be free from the devil using anyone of them against each other was to learn how to live, eat, stay together, and do everything in love.
That was why He afterward, from verses 4-20, got down and washed their feet’s, showing them how humility would help them achieve this goal.
But since Judas was not willing to repent after seeing all these things, we see in verse 21-30 how our Lord Jesus asked him to hasten up and do what was in his mind.
And once Judas was off and out, Jesus clearly made known to His disciples in verses 31-35 the purpose of the last supper as well as the significance of communion.
What is the significance of holy communion?
And from our Lord’s statement, we can quickly decipher the significance of Holy Communion as the love we should have for or among our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
That is why we saw this significance is reflected in the life of the pioneer Christians; as recorded in Acts 3:41-47.
And when there was division in the Corinthians church; Paul wrote and reminded the believers there about the significance of this communion.
Now let’s move on to see who can take holy communion according to the bible.
Who can take holy communion according to the bible?
Before we can get to understand who can take communion according to the bible; let us first and foremost explain the scripture where the doctrine of communion originated.
Explaining 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.
Now let me draw out the points that confuse us in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, and make the proper explanation of them.
Now let us discern what Paul was trying to relate to us in the above statement:
- Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. This means that after sharing communion with a fellow believer; you must not go ahead to plan evil against him.
- For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. This means that God will rightly judge whoever goes on to harm or hurt a fellow believer he shares communion with. Since he ignores the significance of communion which is to love and not harm a fellow believer.
- For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. These are those who have been hurt or harmed by a fellow believer. And worst still the fellow believer who harmed the other will also later pay the price for his evil deed. So in essence the one who is harmed dies and the one who harmed also dies. For instance, Judas betrayed Jesus to death and afterward took his own life; which goes to show us that what we do to others shall be done to us.
- Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. Paul wants us to understand that communion should not be seen as food; which one has to eat to subside hunger; that is why he advices us to eat at home before coming to receive it.
The Main Purpose Of The Holy Communion.
Communion has no magical power inside it which can make a hungry person filled or a sick person healed.
But of the latter, some sick person’s faith can move towards this direction and bring about his healing.
The point is that we should all understand that communion means love, oneness, and togetherness amongst God’s chosen race through Christ.
Those who should take communion according to the bible.
And with this knowledge, we can conclude that those who can take the communion according to the bible are those who are able to love their fellow human beings.
