Look inside this book.Where the Bush is Burning: A Daily Devotional by [Thomas Tice]

Tag: I Corinthians 11

The Practice of Communion

The Practice of Communion

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The Practice of Communion

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

I Corinthians 11:24

Christ lays out for us the way in which He would have us practice the communion feast.  While we have several accounts of this, the account in the passage which surrounds our text serves our purpose admirably.  We find, “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, ‘Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.’  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, ‘This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.’”  Christ took up in His hands the most common of things, bread and wine, and elevated them to become symbols of His Body and Blood.  The elements themselves had no spiritual meaning apart from what He gave them.  They had and yet have no supernatural power in and of themselves.  They remain simply bread and wine.  Having said that, what gives them meaning and value for us is the spiritual presence of Christ.  As, on the first occasion when Christ took up the bread and wine, so also even now, it is the presence of Christ that makes the feast.  He has instructed us to take the bread and wine in testimony to the fact that we rest by faith in the merits of His Sacrifice.  By this practice, we look to Him and declare that we have heard His words of instruction, and are following His commands.  Christ has instituted the feast, participated in it Himself, established it as a priority for us, and shown us how to practice it.  As we approach the communion table, let us dwell upon its’ origins and the One Who showed us how to observe it.

Our Gracious and Loving Savior,
we rejoice that You meet with us at the communion table.
We praise You that You presence Yourself with us,
in a spiritual way, that we may know You better
and follow You more closely.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
The Priority of Communion

The Priority of Communion

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The Priority of Communion

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, ‘Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me.’

I Corinthians 11:24

Christ used language that was simple and direct.  When He spoke, especially in the matter of the things He considered important, He left no doubt as to what He wanted us to do.  As He spoke on the night before He went to the cross and instituted the communion feast, He was again simple and direct.  He placed a priority upon the sacrament of communion.  He said, ‘Do this….’  This means that He considers it important.  If it is important to Christ, it becomes important to us.  Christ is the Head of His Church.  He is the Bridegroom to our Bride.  What He has instituted in the communion feast is a sacred ceremony whereby He may, by the power of the Holy Spirit draw us out after Him.  It is important to Christ that we highly value Him, His Person and His Work.  This sacrament is one of two which Christ makes a priority.  Therefore, we value it.  Therefore, we practice it.  Therefore, we take it as important that we may know Christ more fully than ever before.  It is a simple ceremony, yet laden with meaning and shall continue until the dawn of God’s Eternal Day.  We invite you to observe it.  We encourage you to value it.  We desire that you would estimate it to be as important as Christ did on the night before His Sacrifice, when He said to His disciples, ‘Do this….’

Our Wise and Wonderful Savior,
we rejoice that You have given unto us this means of remembering You.
We praise You that, again and again, we can come to Your Table
and meet with You there.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
Christ’s People At Communion

Christ’s People At Communion

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Christ’s People At Communion

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

I Corinthians 11: 24

We come today to consider Christ’s institution of the communion feast.  As we find the Apostle Paul relating it, he uses a particular phrase upon which we will dwell for the next few days.  Christ says, ‘do this in remembrance of me.’  Before we consider any other portion of the text, we want to consider to whom Christ was speaking.  Christ instituted the communion feast for His Own people.  He was addressing His Own disciples when He said, ‘do this in remembrance of me.’  Apart from our having a personal, vital relationship with Christ, the communion feast has really very little meaning.  It becomes a form, a ceremony, or perhaps a quaint tradition to us, if we do not know Christ personally.  As we have come to know Him by embracing Him as the Gospel freely offers Him to us, it becomes much more meaningful to us.  When we come to the communion table, we are publicly identifying ourselves as those who rest by faith in Christ Alone.  We are saying that we are His and He is ours forever.  We are making a statement as to upon Whom all our hope depends and where our loyalty lies.  We are participating in the communion feast as part of the Church of Jesus Christ, that is, all of the redeemed of all ages.  Before we approach the communion table, let us examine our standing before God.  If we are His people, then let us keep the feast.

Our Kind and Loving Savior,
we praise You that You desire communion and fellowship with us.
We rejoice that You have ordained this simple feast
in order that we might look again at the great sacrifice
which You have made for us.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
An Earnest Plea

An Earnest Plea

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An Earnest Plea

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

I Corinthians 11:24

As we consider our little gem of a text a little farther, we settle upon the two words, ‘in remembrance.’ Yesterday we considered Christ’s loving and gentle command, ‘This do.’ Today let us consider the earnest plea that lies within the words, ‘in remembrance.’ We all want to be remembered. None of us wants to be forgotten. ‘Remember me,’ is a common theme of literature, song, and verse. All over the world there are statues, monuments, buildings and headstones erected to the purpose that we should remember the people for whom they stand. Let us return to our illustration of the lovers of yesterday. As they draw close to parting, he places the palm of his hand under her chin, looks deeply into her eyes and says, ‘Please , remember me.’ Out of the depths of his heavily laden heart he utters this earnest plea, ‘Remember me.’ Certainly, we hear these tones of love from the Savior’s lips. Certainly, there flows from His fervent, loving heart this earnest desire, that we should remember Him. Hear the words of the Savior today. Feel the very glow of the warmth of His ardent fervor of love towards us. Let us, not just from time to time, or on special occasions, but daily, hourly, and even moment by moment, remember Christ. Christ is worthy of having us reciprocate His Love. Each day, as we arise, to arrive at the means of grace, let us answer Christ’s earnest plea, ‘Remember Me.’

Our Most Lovely Savior, and our Precious Lord,
we praise You that You have loved us with an everlasting love.
We love You because You have first loved us.
Evermore kindle that flame of love until it burns most brightly.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

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