World Communion Sunday | JOY for Today

World Communion Sunday conjures images of us coming together as one to remember our Savior and the sacrifice He made so we all can be one. What JOY, Family, to leave conflict behind and bind together in His love. He's waiting for that day, too.

World Communion Sunday | October's First Sunday

JOY for Today Offerings:

• Did You Know... Facts about communion.
• Wolfe Stew Connects To unity.
• Bible Verses and Quotes Regarding communion.
• Activity Suggestions Songs, Explanations, Comprehension, Discussion questions, and Family challenge

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS: 

• Inner Beauty Day (October 7th Annually)
• Columbus Day (October's Second Monday)
• Reptile Awareness Day (October 21st Annually)

Did You Know:

1. There are several names for communion?  It is also referred to as the Lord's table, the Lord's Supper, holy communion, cup of blessing, breaking of bread, eucharist, giving of thanks, and mass. Many of these names are derived from a Biblical context, although Jesus gave no name for it. (Crosswalk)
2. Various rules exist regarding the elements? Bread, representing Christ's body, and wine, signifying His blood, are the two elements required. However, we're divided on which type of bread: leavened or unleavened and which type of drink: wine or grape juice. Moreover, some insist on a shared chalice and a ripped loaf while others favor individual cups and bread fragments. (Crosswalk & Patheos)
3. The first communion happened at the last meal Jesus shared with His disciples? Before the breaking of the bread, Jesus predicted Judas' betrayal and after drinking the wine, Peter's denial. (Matthew 26:17-30 and Luke 22:7-38)
4. The primary purpose of communion is to remember Christ? We remember His sacrifice which sealed the new covenant by His blood. Because of this, our sins are forgiven. Additional purposes for communion exist that differ from denomination to denomination and believer to believer but, generally speaking, His remembrance is the one on which we all agree. (Luke 22:19 & Matthew 26:28)
5. The Last Supper was foreshadowed in the Old Testament? Most notably when Melchizedek, a seemingly misplaced "priest of the most high God", offers Abram bread and wine after a victory and before a blessing (Genesis 14:17-22). Melchizedek is referred to again by David (Psalm 110) and Paul (Hebrews 7). The following links provide additional examples of last supper foreshadowing in the Old Testament. (1517, Dave Aldon, Catholic Exchange, Catholic News Agency)

We'd Love to Know:   

Which communion fact was new to you?

Wolfe Stew Connects

Merriam Webster defines communion in four ways. The one I am stuck thinking about is the idea of intimate fellowship or rapport.

Embedded in the sacrament of communion is the bond between believers and Jesus: the family to which we all belong. The people with whom we should be developing rapport and engaging with in intimate fellowship. But the elements do not make friendships. 

Jesus knew this. Jesus knew we would struggle with connecting. In fact, on the night He was betrayed (also the night of the Last Supper), Jesus prayed to the Father that we might be one as the Father and Him are one (John 17:20-25). And it will happen. God will manage to pull us together as one, in unity. To me, that phenomenon seems as miraculous as God creating the heavens and the earth.

It is so hard to make good friends, to find "your people," isn't it? We get set in our ideas of what is right or what is comfortable, and we do not bend. In fact, when we meet someone who challenges our way of life, we break ties. It is much easier to cut someone off than it is to commit. We are so different - each with our own gifts, struggles, and convictions - but, in the end, God will make us one: The Bride of Christ. One day, we will know unity with our Savior. One day, we will look at each other and see only love.

The next time you partake in communion, after you lift your gaze heavenly in anticipation of reunification with our Savior, glance around you. Look at your brothers and sisters in Christ and remember that in Him, we are one.

In response:

1. Name the person who currently causes you the most agitation. Pray for that person. Pray for their relationship with the Father and pray for their relationship with you. Pray for unity.
2. Join us in our Proverbs 31 study. Last week, we discovered how it is necessary for us to convince others that Jesus' death, remembered at communion, can clothe them in His righteousness and then they can receive truth. Next week, we will begin to exercise our strength found in Jesus by studying Proverbs 31:17 and 25.

Bible Verses and Quotes 

Bible Verses 

• And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Matthew 26:26-28 KJV
• Every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you tell about the Lord's death until he comes. I Corinthians 11:26 NOG
• Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord. So a man should examine himself; in this way he should eat the bread and drink from the cup. For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. I Corinthians 11:27-29 HCSB
• “Mark my words - I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom.” Matthew 26:29 NLT
• "I am the bread of life," Jesus told them. "No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again." John 6:35 HCSB

Quotes

• "To those of us who believe that all life is sacred every crumb of bread and sip of wine is a Eucharist, a remembrance, a call to awareness of holiness right where we are." - Shauna Niequist
• "To my mind, the very bread, as we break it, seems to say, 'Thus Christ becomes our food.' Bread pass[es] through many tortures before it becomes food to us.... all of which processes may be used as images of suffering...and the juice of the grape also sets forth suffering.... This supper sets forth, to all who choose to see it, the painfulness of Christ's death." - Charles Spurgeon
• "...and after the most solemn fashion, we say to the Lord, 'We know that thou hast accepted the atonement offered by thy dear Son, and we set him forth before all mankind as the accepted sacrifice before his Father's face.'" - Charles Spurgeon
• "[We] believe that there is still efficacy in Christ's blood...and we believe that Jesus is able to save you now if you come to him, - able at once to speak peace and pardon to your heart if you do but trust him." - Charles Spurgeon
• "Christ knew that we should never, in this life, be able to do without outward ordinances; he knew that his people would be forgetful, even of himself, so he gave us this double 'forget-me-not' - this sweet memorial of his death, that as oft as we observe it, we may observe it in remembrance of him."  - Charles Spurgeon

We'd Love to Know:

Which verse or quote makes you think about communion differently?

Activity Suggestions

Communion Songs 

• "Flesh and Bone (We Remember)" by Zach Williams
• "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus" by Reawaken Hymns
• "Jesus Paid it All" by Kristian Stanfill
• "How Deep the Father's Love for Us" by Joy Williams
• "Remember" by Steffany Gretzinger 
• "Friend of Sinners" by We are Messengers

Explanations

• Video from Douglas Talks includes related Bible verses, discussion questions, and prayer.
• Children's Sermon from Sermons4Kids
• Create a mini poster, booklet, or slide presentation that includes:
• The elements
• What each represents
• An explanation of communion in their own words.
• (Optional) A Bible verse about communion

Discuss "Would You Rather..." Questions

• Take communion in church publicly or at home privately?
• Explain the meaning of each element during communion or close communion in prayer?
• Wash the feet of every person joining in communion with you or stay awake all night praying after communion?

These questions are unique to this post. If you would like three "Would You Rather...?" questions for every October day, download this Wolfe Stew PowerPoint or get it (for free!) at our TPT store.

Take on the Family Challenge

Take communion as a family. Discuss the purpose. Imagine if Jesus were physically with you. What would He say? How would you act differently?

We'd Love to Know:

About your most meaningful memory of communion.

We’re excited to share one more day with you and wish you JOY for Today and HOPE for Tomorrow. 

Your Partners in JOY Finding,

Sample these related posts:

Practice peace.

Nourish your activity with the bread of life.
Discover that we are bound together.

Find out how we are the Bride of Christ.

Let love conquer all.

Find even more JOY for Today in our monthly calendars, holiday, and seasonal posts.