#Jesus22 - Daily DevotionalsSample

Yesterday was about "baptism", the day before yesterday about the marriage covenant. You make these two covenants (hopefully) only once in your life. In any case, that is the way it is meant to be.

But God knows how important it is for us humans to remember our covenant with Him again and again. That's why He instituted the Lord's Supper, as a successor to the Old Testament Passover. Acts 2:42-47 describes the communal life of the first church. What made them special? Good teaching, miracles, communal meals, worship times, sharing of one's possessions. Wow!

Once I looked a little deeper into this passage, something struck me: all those wonderful things I mentioned above are only listed once. Only one thing is mentioned twice: the Lord's Supper. It obviously took an important position. Why? In the Lord's Supper we basically celebrate the same two things as in baptism: the death and resurrection of Jesus. The center of the Christian faith.

In baptism, the immersion symbolizes the death of Jesus, at the Lord's Supper, the bread. When we eat the bread, we remember that the body of Jesus was broken. He suffered for us, took terrible pain, bore the sins of all mankind. When we drink the wine, the blood of the vine, we remember the new covenant, the new life with Jesus. We remember the fact that Jesus has conquered death. That we may live with Him and for Him. We are resurrected with Him. Analogous to the resurrection at baptism.

The Lord's Supper, however, is more than a commemorative meal; it is also a unifying meal. The blood of Jesus flows into my blood. His body fills my body. We may be one with Jesus. That has power! That is why the first Christians celebrated the Lord's Supper daily. A daily renewal of the closed baptismal covenant. Then, in Matthew 26:29, a very special promise follows: we will drink wine together with Jesus in the heavenly kingdom. Hallelujah, I'm in!

ACTION STEP

Take communion today. First, take a piece of bread and thank Jesus for His suffering on the cross of Calvary. Then, take a glass of wine or grape juice and celebrate the new covenant, the resurrection power that is at work in you, with Jesus. If possible, celebrate it with others.