body and blood

 

And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many."

Mark 14:22-23

In this way Jesus made sure we would never forget Him or the work He came to accomplish. We are not commanded anywhere in scripture to celebrate Christmas or Easter. But we are commanded by Him to remember Him regularly through this simple meal. The Lord's table was set up by Him at Passover for His disciples to focus on His redeeming work. This is the mission of Jesus in the gospels -- to seek and to save the lost. And this is what the bread and the wine are placed before us to remember, celebrate, and proclaim until Jesus comes again. Communion commerates His death atoning for our sins.

Having been in Christmas celebrations, I now pause to reflect on Christ's sacrifice. This is exactly why  we sing "the King of Kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone Him." Jesus was born to die for sins, taking our punishment upon Himself, so that by faith we might accept His work for us and be forever saved. And the bread and wine of communion are the physical reminders of His sacrifice.

The manger would lead to a cross, and the cross to an empty tomb. And these three are the vivid parts of the story of Jesus our Lord, showing our need for Him to come as our Savior and to give us the glorious new life that we can enjoy in Him! As as we meet together as His followers, we have in common the reality that His blood saved each of us. Remembering Him at His table -- the bread His body, the wine His blood -- we remember God with us, and for us, in Jesus.