Communion

I was listening to the radio on my way home the other night and the most interesting (probably only to me) Jewish, now Christian, lady was speaking. She was obviously a New Jersey native, I knew a couple girls from there.

She was talking about the mystery of communion and how it was a tripping point to her coming to faith. The story wound in and out of the Old and New Testaments, then into the Catholic church and around to an Evangelical one and then to the Jewish upbringing. I wish everyone had insights and connections like this woman and it made me more clearly understand the Judaizers in the Bible, another topic entirely.

What she had to say was fascinating, I never did hear her name...I tuned in late and left it early--well it left me, suddenly the broadcast stopped strangely mid-sentence. Anyway here are some of the ideas intertwined with my own:

1. The people were always being pursued and taken care of--this is the heart of the message. There were provisions for them to be made presentable before God at every stage. It's always about the people.
2. The one giving a sacrifice would lay their hand on the head of a flawless lamb to transfer their sin onto the animal. The animal was to be killed, its blood spilled and would have been on the one giving the sacrifice. After it was killed it would be burnt, or cooked, and then the animal would have needed to be fully consumed--nothing left. Then it was complete
       a. In the same way Jesus was the lamb, his blood spilled out ... Pilate said he was blameless and his blood was on those insisting he be killed.
       b. Jesus said he was to be consumed.
       c. And like the those at the passover that were safely spared death under the covering of blood, Jesus' blood was to cover us and spare us death as well.
3. The manna in the desert was a provision to the people, a holy bread provided to sustain the people and care for their needs--bread that gave life, bread from heaven. It was to be fully consumed.
        a. In the same way Jesus was the the bread of life and the bread from heaven. He was broken and given for the life of many.
        b. At the last supper Jesus he said he'd be broken and his blood would be spilled.

4. Jesus tied two covenant promises of sustaining a nation and forgiving sins together with his words at the last supper. And weather you like it or not he says "this is my body...my blood" so in whatever capacity you can receive that receive it. And if you take part in communion these are the things to reflect on:
        a. There is a promise he will sustain you.
        b. There is a promise he is in you.
        c. There is a promise he will forgive you.
        d. There is an implication you believe he is the trinity.
        e. There is an implication you are receiving these promises.
        f. There is a mystery of one-ness that is significant.
        g. There is a need to consume the sacrifice that ties all of history together and in whatever way you can receive that, receive that.
        h. When you receive that you are the bride of Christ--you are wanted, pursued, perfected. And he is the perfect lover of your soul.

I can just barely wrap my mind around it how huge communion is.