Breaking Bread Together

MEMORY SELECTION: “As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” —I Corinthians 11:26

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: I Corinthians 11:20-34

ONCE again we have come to that special season of the year when it is proper for the consecrated child of God to break bread and to partake of the cup in remembrance of our dear Lord’s death. Yes, for as often as we eat of that bread and drink of that cup, we praise God for the blessings and privileges which are ours. It is the common union of the loaf and the common union of the cup that bring us together for another memorial of that great event.

The Memorial Supper is properly celebrated once a year on the anniversary of our Lord’s death. It calls to our remembrance, first, the wonderful gift of the Heavenly Father, who gave, at great cost to himself, his only begotten Son, that the world might have an opportunity for life. (John 3:16) Second, it calls to our remembrance Jesus, who yielded himself so completely to the suffering and the horrible death on the cross, in order to provide the ransom price for Adam and the world, and to be the firstborn of many brethren. (Heb. 2:9,10) Then, third, it calls to our remembrance the great privilege we have of sharing, or having a common union, with our Lord in his sufferings and also in his glory.—Rom. 8:17

The Apostle Paul elsewhere 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? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.” (I Cor. 10:16,17) The loaf represented the perfect humanity of Jesus offered for the life of the world. (John 6:51) The footstep followers of Jesus are pictured as having a partnership, or a common union, in this. Not that they add to the efficacy of the sacrifice of Jesus, but they are simply counted in as part of The Christ.—Rom. 6:3-5; II Tim. 2:12; Rev. 20:4; Rom. 8:17; I Cor. 12:12

The cup is symbolic and represents all the experiences that the Heavenly Father permits the footstep follower of the Lord to have. The content of the cup pictures the blood of Jesus, or his perfect life poured out. To partake of the cup pictures the willingness of the footstep follower of the Lord to suffer and die for the prospect of one day sharing in the privilege of giving life to the world.

During the present age of sacrifice, provision has been made for those who are justified believers to share in the sufferings and death of Christ. This, indeed, is the very condition by which they may share the glories of the kingdom as fellow heirs with him. And what a privilege it will be to be associated with him in the blessing of all the families of the earth in due time!

During the present Gospel Age this invitation is extended only to those who aspire to be fellow heirs with Christ. No others have been invited, and no others have yet been justified by the blood of sacrifice. We will share in that glorious work of the future if we are faithful to our consecration. Let us, therefore, renew that consecration and press along in faithfulness. We have the example of the apostle, who rejoiced in his sufferings and was glad to fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ.—Col. 1:24

There is also an additional significance in the cup of which we participate. The fruit of the vine appropriately represents the sacrificed life and blood of Jesus. “For this is my blood of the new testament [covenant], which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matt. 26:28) It is through the New Covenant that the world of mankind is to receive their opportunity for life and blessings. It is Christ’s blood that will seal this covenant. But when Jesus instructed his disciples, and all the footstep followers down through the Gospel Age, to drink of his “blood of the new testament [covenant],” it pictured that it would be the sacrifice of The Christ, Head and body, that would seal the New Covenant. In fact, it is through the New Covenant that the church will be enabled to have a share in giving life to the world.

If we are willing to drink of the cup which our Master drank and to partake of his suffering and death, then we will be prepared to share his future glory. Let us continue to keep the feast, until we drink the new wine with our dear Lord in his kingdom.

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