The Bread Which We Break
1 Corinthians 10:16 says, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”
The Lord’s supper is not a sacrifice but a memorial meal that is to be done “in remembrance” (1 Cor 11:24), of our Saviour Jesus Christ. It symbolizes His death and blood atonement for our sins (Mt 26:26). During this meal, we eat the unleavened bread (1 Cor 5:8), and drink the cup containing the “the fruit of the vine” (Mk 14:25); to remember “the Lord's death till He come” (1 Cor 11:26). The bread is typical of the passover meal (Ex 12:8). Paul referred to Christ as “our Passover” (1 Cor 5:7)! Therefore, every time we commemorate this ordinance (1 Cor 11:2), we are eating from that “one bread” (v. 17) – “the bread which we break.”
We are showing that our communion is in “the body of Christ.” When we got saved by trusting Jesus as our Lord and Savior by faith (Rom 10:9), we became members of or were spiritually baptized by One Spirit “into one body” (1 Cor 12:13), which is “the body of Christ” (1 Cor 12:27)! Just as the passover meal was for the whole “congregation of Israel” (Ex 12:6), the breaking of bread from a larger piece shows that we are all together in that one body of believers within a local church (1 Cor 12:12). After the bread is broken, there will always be some leftover fragments.
Just like when Jesus fed the 5000, there “remained twelve baskets full” (Mt 14:20), of fragments. There was enough to feed more people! During the passover, God instructed the people to invite their neighbors to join them if there were not enough people in the household to eat the lamb (Ex 12:4). As members of the body of Christ, we ought to invite others through our soulwinning (Prov 11:30), so they too can get saved by the “Lamb of God” (Jn 1:29), and partake of the Lord’s supper with us! God bless you!
- Pastor Melito Barrera
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