6 Myths & 7 Truths about Communion Part 5

​Myth 3: Passover is a Symbolic Memorial, therefore, Communion is a Symbolic Memorial.

He manifested His Holy Mercy to all of Israel once per year at Moses Tabernacle in the WIlderness and in the Land of Promise in the more permanent Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.

In the Old Testament ongoing ritual demanded by the Mosaic Law that the Passover Night of deliverance be celebrated as a memorial.

Passover night included 3 parts. The slaying of a one year old lamb, the painting of the lamb's blood on the doorway of each Jewish household and finally the eating of the entire lamb before morning while they stood up, wearing their sandals with their staffs in hand.

Before God gave Israel the Law from Sinai, like Abraham's visit from Melchizzadek with the Bread and Wine of the Presence of the Lord. Moses and 74 Elders met with and saw the Lord and heard Him speak halfway up Mt. Sinai. (Exodus 23-24) It was after this that Moses went up the rest of the way to receive God's commands and plans.

In the wilderness the Law demanded animal sacrifice and ritual washing in the Outer Courtyard on the Brazen Altar and 
the Washing at the Laver. Inside the first room, The Holy Place (Golden Table of the Bread of His Presence that included Wine and incense; The Golden Lampstand - Menorah; and the Altar of Incense). Then once per year the High priest on behalf of all Israel, would pour out the blood of a lamb on the mercy seat to atone for their sin as His chosen people, a holy nation. 

The Law also said that there would be a perpetual memorial and celebrated once per year and remembered in the weekly Sabbath. to keep it current they were to act as if they were a part of that night as a household. 

Then, after King David restored the Ark of the Covenant as King of Israel, He placed it on Mount Zion where there was 33 years of open worship before the presence of the Lord. Then Solomon built The Temple where the Lord established His House for his Presence as a permanent place of remembrance and sacrifice.  There is more involved in this elaborate Memorial.

​The rebuilding of the Temple, the Life of Jesus and the Apostles, the Destruction of the Temple, The Diaspora, and in 1948 the restoration of Israel as a nation. 

Today there is an annual march to offer up the sacrifices once per year to mark the rebuilding of the Temple. How that will happen we don't know, but in 2016 the 4 men who brought 4 goats were all arrested  and taken from the Temple Mount.

That is a lot of work, focus and history for keeping one memorial alive!

None of this brings Jesus to life for us. It only points to, or foreshadows the Crucifixion. These ritualistic, law driven, types and shadows only contribute as clues God gave to point to His Son. We no longer work to remember clues - We are given the Holy Spirit to bring to mind all that Jesus did, does and says.. 

Truth 3: Communion is bread and wine that, when blessed by the Lord Jesus Christ, is supernaturally sanctified to become 'something else'. Jesus calls it His Flesh and Blood. It's the form He chooses to reveal Himself "as often as we do this" not as a symbolic memorial but as Himself.

Jesus makes himself known to us by the action and work of the Holy Spirit. His broken Body and Poured out Blood make a way for natural sinful men and women to encounter His Holiness and Presence as His provision of Grace to sustain us spiritually until His return.

His once and for all divine sacrifice of His perfect humanity by His own Flesh and Blood satisfied all the demands and conditions of His own Law. So, His once paid in full price of His own life for All who come to Him and believe, He is the Rewarder of every Good and Perfect Gift.

In The New Testament it is clear that Jesus has done the work that we could not and cannot do! You can't obey enough, repent enough, or be faithful enough to accomplish what Jesus accomplished in one moment of time. The crucible of our salvation was His crucifixion. The crown and glory of our salvation was His resurrection on the third day! Now we pray as He taught His disciples to pray, 

"Give us today our day  to day bread."

He is speaking of the day to day provision of Jesus as the bread and wine of His presence. He is revealed in the shewbread  and poured out in the wine as Blood.

When we eat, we see.
When we drink, we hear
Our heart understands
We are converted in His glory
to be transformed from glory to glory
to become whole and healed from the bruises, sicknesses and diseases brought about by our separation from Him due to our sin. 

Now we become His New Creation. We are rooted and grounded in His love, joy and peace. All things have becomes new! We who were dead in our trespasses and sin are born again. 

That's why we "Do this to remember Him!" as He invites us to. We don't "Do this to remember Moses or Elijah - but just like on the Mount of transfiguration, The Father said to the disciples, "Hear Him!" speaking of his only begotten Son full of grace and truth.