Supper of life

Barry Maxwell reminds us that the Lord Supper is a remembrance not only of death, but of new life:

When we ingest the elements we, as it were, receive Christ and his work again to ourselves. By faith, we make Christ and his death a part of us from the inside out. It courses through our veins and satisfies our deepest hunger. We receive his broken body and spilled blood to ourselves so that God doesn’t take ours instead. The cup of God’s wrath is now our cup of blessing (1 Cor 10.16). We can drink it without being killed because it killed Jesus. We declare the death of our sin without having to die for our sin.

The Supper of the Lord doesn’t save us but the Lord of the Supper does. And he said “My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in me, and I in him” (Jn 6.55-56). By taking the elements we say “Yes!” again to Christ’s death and redeeming work on our behalf. We testify that we live always and forever on the substance of the cross. We should celebrate communion as death-row inmates celebrate their pardons. We will not die but live! Praise to the King!

Amen.