At the Communion Service is where we mainly receive the bread and the wine, for some it’s a place of receiving Jesus as their Saviour and of receiving a fresh anointing.
“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Luke 22:19, 20.
For almost two thousand years Christians have observed Jesus words ‘I want this meal to remind you of Me and all that I did for you,’ the act of remembrance is very strong.
Jesus broke the bread and gave it to his disciples.
After Jesus’ death, his disciples and followers were devastated, they hadn’t expected him to die, they were taught from the law that the Christ when he came would remain for ever. John 12: 34. They hadn’t understood even though Jesus told them he would be raised from the dead. It was in God’s plan that they shouldn’t understand like their leaders, as Jesus had to die, resurrected and ascend into heaven, before the whole of humanity and the creation could be saved from the fall of man. Acts 2: 23.
In the house at Jerusalem they were in fear of being arrested, they were broken in spirit, all their hopes had faded away, his rejection was their rejection and then Jesus appeared and gave them his peace and anointed them for service. He breathed on them the Holy Spirit and anointed them with his authority to retain or forgive the sins of people. They proclaimed at Pentecost for the first time that Jesus was the Christ, it was a national calling. “The Messiah’s Secret” by Dorothy Newton www.themessiahssecret.co.uk
God works in ways we can’t understand, and many have like me, to suffer so that God can breaking down our self-driving force, it’s called dying to self.
From my own experience when I’ve been broken-hearted twice, its been through rejection on both occasions. But it has been followed by an anointing. It’s been God’s will for me to die to self, to seek the lowest place so the Lord the lifts me into his place of service.
Jesus the bread of life
“It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life” John 6: 63.
Jesus the living bread, his words are nourishment to our body, soul and spirit. God the Father and the Holy Spirit act on the word. We receive by faith from his words, head knowledge becomes heart knowledge and we are gifted to act, in faith, in response to his calling on our life. I believe that having received his words and in due course the words materialise and become our experience.
At the Communion where we receive the bread and the wine, for some it’s a place of receiving Jesus as their Saviour and of receiving a fresh anointing.
My friend shared with me that after she had received Jesus as her Saviour, at her first communion service when she received the wine, as she swallowed the wine, she experienced being cleansed internally, the wine representing the blood of Jesus and scripture says that we are cleansed by his blood.
“This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
John recorded Jesus’ first miracle; it was the wedding at Cana. At the wedding the New Covenant is symbolised by the water becoming wine, Jesus used the empty jars reserved for purification rites by water under law and having them filled with water, he transformed the water into wine, which represents the blood of Jesus being poured out for the forgiveness of sin, purification under grace. These two elements water and blood poured from his heart when the soldier pierced his heart with the sword at Calvary. John 19: 34.
John the Apostles wrote in his first letter spoke of the three elements: the water, the blood and the Spirit. “This is Jesus who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth. There are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree. 1 John 5: 6, 7.
Water is something that we all use for cleansing purposes and when we add a cleansing agent to it, stubborn stains, dirt and germs are removed.
So when we think of Jesus’ baptism: the water together with the cleansing agent the blood of Jesus applied to our heart, we can understand the implications, it removes sin and its causes, things that spoil our relationship with God and other people too; selfishness, pride, envy, covetousness, rivalry, deceit, fornication, slander, lies, licentiousness and theft etc.
The Holy Spirit witnesses that through Jesus’ blood a person is cleansed. We are made alive by Holy Spirit, a new creation, born again into the kingdom of God.
The Communion a place of receiving a fresh anointing.
On 21st July 2019 I received a fresh anointing while taking Communion at St Andrews. Rev Andy Lindop’s anointed sermon, the Lord acted on the word, Colossians Chapter One – Jesus the image of the invisible God was born as one of us to reconcile us to God. He is the head of the body the church of which we belong. Our faith and love in Jesus bearing the fruit of the gospel of repentance through forgiveness, prayer and witness to family, friends and our neighbours.
At St. Andrews, when we take Communion, we stand in front of the Communion Table. On that morning I received the bread from Andy Lindop and as I was about to take hold of the cup from K to drink the wine, I felt the power of the Holy Spirit come from above onto my head and I began to fall backwards, I resisted and straightened myself up and the power came upon me again and I again began to fall backwards, I straightened myself up again and took the cup, sipped the wine and returned to my seat.
The day afterwards I received a phone calling asking if I would go and pray with a lady. Three days later I was praying again with another person. The anointing has changed my study and I’m learning new things about ministry to people.
It’s in relation to going out with the Street Ministry Team with the good news of God’s love, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16.
Answers to prayer
Like the early church everyone taking part are using their anointed gifts, the signs that are following the message: accepting Jesus as Saviour receiving wholeness.
Prayer
Thank you, Jesus, for being all in all, help us to die to our own desires and firm in faith to resist temptation. In our brokenness mould and prepare us to take up in serving within the body of Jesus the Christ, to make him known. You give us food and drink that will guide, strengthen the weak and save lives. Let us serve you in the joy of our salvation, to your praise and glory. In Jesus’ name Amen.