“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.“
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
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October 3, 2025
I sign contracts all the time: to buy a car or house, to get married, or any time someone hires me to write something or speak somewhere. A contract involves a piece of paper with a lot of legal language, details of what is required of each person, and at least two of us add our signature: the person selling the car and the person buying it; the two people getting married; the organization paying me to speak, and me, who will do the work. Once we’ve signed, this piece of paper becomes legally binding. Reality has changed slightly, and we’re all on the hook to make it so.
What did humans do before literacy, before paper? They entered into covenants. These also changed reality by involving at least two parties who were on the hook for each other in some way. Without paper and signature, one common way to mark this moment was by shedding blood—think of the animals sacrificed in Abraham’s covenant with Yahweh, or a “blood pact.” Then, there was often a shared meal between the parties to seal the deal.
At His last dinner with His friends, Jesus invited His friends to a feast. He took the wine and declared it was His blood. Then He took the bread and said, ‘This is My body.’ He declared that His blood and body would be broken and poured out in a new covenant.
Then He invited His friends and followers—including us, 2000 years later—to feast upon them.
Jesus declared a new covenant between God and humans. This time, it was God’s blood and God’s body being broken, being feasted upon, that equated to the fine print, the legal agreement, the change in reality.
Each time we take communion, we re-represent this legal agreement between God and ourselves. We belong to Him. Our lives and realities have changed such that we are His. That has a significant impact on our lives and resources! And yet all the initiation is on Him, and in Him, and through Him. We’re on the hook to follow Jesus, yes—but astonishingly, God is on the hook for us. God’s own body is the signature.
What a means of grace, indeed.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
- How do you understand communion?
- What do we declare, Christians around the world, by participating in this ritual together?
- In what ways is this a means of God’s grace?
Church Reading Plan:
- Today, October 3: 1 Kings 6; Ephesians 3
- Saturday, October 4: 1 Kings 7; Ephesians 4
- Sunday, October 5: 1 Kings 8; Ephesians 5