“²³ For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ESV).”

What do you think about, as you receive Holy Communion (the Lord’s Supper)? Do you pray before receiving? What do you pray? Do you see Him on the cross, in your mind’s eye? Do you see Him coming down from heaven on the clouds?

Let’s look at the above passage of Scripture and some other passages that might help us be better prepared to receive this Holy sacrament.

“This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Jesus asks us to remember Him when we eat the bread remember what he did for you. He took your place on the cross suffered and died to satisfy God’s holy requirement. He suffered and died a horrible death for the forgiveness of your sins. Remember that when you take the bread, look up in your mind and see Him on the cross, you put him there, so look at Him and thank Him for saving your soul.

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” God said without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness for sin. As you drink the cup look up once more and see the blood of the perfect lamb, the Lamb of God, running down the wooden cross. That blood represents the grace poured out for you.

As you take the bread and the cup pray that by partaking in this holy sacrament you will be drawn ever closer to Him, and become more and more like Him in all you do and say.

We are to remember Him, and we are to remember His promise to come again. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:26 ESV).” You proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. The word proclaim can also be translated “preach”. So, when we take communion, we preach a sermon to God Himself, to the Devil and his allies and to the watching world. We look back at what Jesus did for us and we look forward to His second coming and the marriage supper of the Lamb. As we look back it is natural for sadness to come over us, but then we look forward to His return and joy should replace that sadness.

Prayer: Gracious Father, thank you for the great love you have for us and for the mighty acts of Jesus Christ and what He did for us. Each time we partake in the holy sacrament of communion we pray that we will draw ever closer to you. We thank you Lord for what the future holds for us and all that believe and trust in you. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.