The Lord’s Supper
(Breaking of Bread)
1 John 1:9
9 If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
Have you ever been
frustrated – with yourself? No matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to
get it right. You try to be patient with that work colleague, but his attitude
and personality just rub you the wrong way. What about your spouse? He or she knows
exactly what to say to get under your skin. That addiction? Every Sunday you
decide to quit, only to give in by Tuesday (sometimes by Sunday afternoon).
Even great followers of
Jesus struggle with sin. One of the most devoted Christians in the first century,
the Apostle Paul, the very man who was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write
much of the New Testament, still struggled with sin.
So, what can we do? One
way the Bible talks about is observing the Lord’s Supper with other believers
as a renewal of our faith. This is a time of gratitude in thinking back to the
crucifixion of Christ. We remember the price that Jesus paid so that we could
be forgiven, the judgement that we deserve because of our sins.
Regularly observing the
Lord’s Supper with other believers is an opportunity to renew our faith. It’s
where a Christian, dirtied by sin and living this life— remembers what Christ
has done to pay the penalty for all that sin. Out of gratitude, we renew
our vows of commitment to him.
We all have
baggage. There’s not a person alive that’s got it all together. We
all struggle with our sins. In the Lord’s Supper, we are brought back to the
incredible love of Jesus. We’re brought back to the fact that Christ has
paid the ultimate price, to die for us on the cross. When we remember
that, the Lord’s Supper is a renewal of faith—not to try harder, but a renewed
commitment to follow Jesus in gratitude for His grace and love for us.
Are you ready for that?
I have good news. You don’t have to wait on observing the Lord’s Supper. You
can do it today. Stop dragging your baggage around – just leave it at the
foot of the cross. Then the observance of the Lord’s Supper will mean even
more.