Churches have different ideas on who can receive communion. Catholics and Anglicans have real wine. Methodists and other churches have non-alcoholic grape juice. Catholic children have a First Communion before they can receive communion and non-Catholics aren't allowed communion in a Catholic church. Many Anglicans have to be first confirmed by a bishop before they're allowed to take communion. In other churches there are no rules on communion and the only request is that those who love Jesus take communion. In my Methodist church anyone from another church denomination who loves Jesus is invited to receive communion even if they're not confirmed or baptised. On a Maundy Thursday I went to a gathering at a mixed denomination house group where there were no clergy and we were all lay people and the hostess lady gave us all bread and grape juice as communion and gave us a buffet meal. It was great and united us all as Christians.
Dear Joanna,
As we few are in the habit of partaking in this Act of Remembrance with bread and blackcurrent juice once a month in our little Chapel of Peace, I have prepared something in case people wonder about it, so may I give the gist of it to add to your input? This is not for everybody, only for those who are interested.
I believe that the Act of Remembrance was simply instituted and Divinely thought out with the humility of the Christ Mind, with the laying aside of the paraphernalia, pomp and ceremony of physical life, and that the Act of Remembrance has done much for the children of Earth.
Christ entreated: 'Do this in remembrance of Me'. And that entreaty has gone down the ages. I believe that Love must have suffered because it was so necessary that He should ask for the remembrance of His children.
My understanding is that the Great Heart of Christ is anguished because so few remember Him - so few are willing to remember Him in their daily life, even in their hour of need. Many are unwilling, even incapable of remembering the best Friend of all.
I do not believe that Christ only spoke to a few when He declared the Bread and Wine to be His Body and Blood - He spoke to those belonging to the so called past and He spoke to the countless millions who were yet to be born - Christ, through Whom was created all things, asked for Himself to be remembered.
It was the Christ Himself Who communicated Himself to the Bread and Wine. Therefore all who participated willingly in taking that Bread and Wine, thinking of Christ, actually received the purest form of the Christ and the blessing this brings.
There is no need for the physical body of Christ to be present for the Rite of Communion with Christ to be a reality. Christ Jesus manifested in physical and visible form, but the Source of that Manifestation does not alter and remains ever the same; a thing manifested from Spirit does not alter the Source of the manifestation.
The Communion Rite was not given at that supper in order that it never be used again; rather it was given that it be used always by those wishing to commune more fully with God as Christ. Indeed, it is neither the physical body, nor the soul-covering of Christ Jesus which communicates itself to the Bread and Wine, but rather the Source Itself - the Spiritual Christ.
The Great Heart beats forever, and permeates all Life. And as the crowd came running to be with Him along the path He travelled into Jerusalem, and followed with Him, so those participating in the Communion Rite are calling on that Great Heart for His blessing - at His request - and He and the indwelling spirits of the partakers interactively respond immediately, and the purest vibrations come forth from the Heavenly Realms, infusing the partakers. This is literally, and with no reason for compromise, the taking of the spiritual Body and the spiritual Blood of the Christ.
The first Act of Remembrance was the taking of His spiritual Body and spiritual Blood, and every time those actions are re-enacted in thought and deed, so the Bread and Wine become His spiritual Body and spiritual Blood yet again.
He waits for His children to take, and when they take, He can give. The taking on the part of His children does not have to be with a verbal assent nor is there any need to satisfy any doctrinal requirement; all that is necessary is the assent, and the blessing is unfailingly bestowed, just as the first time. This blessing is never forced upon anyone, for Christ responds to the desires of His loved ones for them to be with Him.
The Act of Holy Communion through the taking of the Bread and Wine, is both symbolic and practical - taking in and remembering the Love of Christ, and the extent to which He is willing to sacrifice for His children. There is the deepest satisfaction of love as all those desiring to be with their Master and Friend of friends are instantly granted this blessing. Also, the soul of each partaker receives a blessing.
Peace ✞
For me, Communion of the Body and Blood, is a very sacred and profound act. Perhaps the closest we will get to Heaven, in any way, on earth, except, by loving God and one another.
I don't think we as humans can fully comprehend the mystery of Communion.
Jesus, who sacrificed his life and death, for our forgiveness and Salvation, gives us, his very self, in the form of simple food and drink, which we partake in, together.
I believe it is truly his body and blood, though I don't pretend to understand the particulars of that transformation. I do believe it occurs, first, by God's power, and then, we become participants in this incredible gift, by our faith. Jesus wants us to remember, but, not only remember, but to be transformed to His own image and likeness, through this shared meal, with Him. We come together, as the Body of Christ, we remember, we thank Him, we acknowledge that we want to be transformed, we partake together, and we are given grace, by Him, to become united together, in Him and of Him.
The symbol of ingesting His own self, into us, willingly saying in this event, that we want Jesus to be part of the very fiber of our being, both, in a concrete sharing of the bread and wine/juice, and spiritually. He says to us, come, I am still with you, take of me, for my life and death, and even now, at the right hand of my Father, I am always and forever here for you.
16 The cup of the blessing that we bless -- is it not the fellowship of the blood of the Christ? the bread that we break -- is it not the fellowship of the body of the Christ?
17 because one bread, one body, are we the many -- for we all of the one bread do partake. 1 Corinthians 10: 16 - 17
for in Him we live, and move, and are; as also certain of your poets have said: For of Him also we are offspring. Acts 17:28
The beauty and the glimpse of God's way of thinking about us, and His relationship to us, in this event, is, for me, beyond words. :cloud9:
His body and blood, forgives us; saves us; transforms us; joins us together; frees us from death; is our righteousness; is our strength; is our hope; gives us grace to nourish us in our journey and shows us His extraordinary love for us, in everyway.
Isaiah 53:6
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
I think communion is like baptism, a symbolic act that delivers grace through faith. "Do this in remembrance of me". Paul spoke of the effect of taking communion without the proper attitude, "Have in you the same attitude that was in Christ Jesus".....
He said, "For this reason many are sickly and sleep among you."
If there is a negative effect for eating in an unworthy manner, there is also a positive effect for taking communion in the Spirit of the Lord. A transmission of grace, as is also the case with the laying on of hands- a transmission of grace through faith.
What are reminded of? "Do this in remembrance of me". Him. Who He is. Why he walked as He did. What it meant to us. What it means in us. What it means between us to be as He was and is.
27 Therefore, whoever eats the Lord's bread or drinks the Lord's cup in an unworthy manner will be guilty of desecrating the body and blood of the Lord! 28 So let a person examine himself first, and then he may eat of the bread and drink from the cup; 29 for a person who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. 30 This is why many among you are weak and sick, and some have died! 31 If we would examine ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined, so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
I tend to call it the "breaking of bread" and do it in remembrance of Christ. I see it as a communion of the body of Christ, His church, as in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
I think that the atonement is the key to understanding God. It shows His great love for us, that "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
The "breaking of bread" also speaks of Christ's resurrection and return for we remember Him until He comes. "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come."
"We trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe" "He Himself is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the whole world." It is wonderful to remember the salvation of the whole human race, the restitution of all things and the total victory in and through Jesus Christ alone by the breaking of bread the very institution set up by Jesus himself.
Those who have an understanding that the return of Christ has already occurred would see no reason to continue this institution but for us who see Him in a future return we continue this remembrance with thanksgiving for the salvation in which He already accomplished.
Steve
Wow ,
beautiful pure thoughts everyone of you .....
Joanna , it is done as symbolic the bread and wine unto remembrance till Christ comes in the Spirit to give you His Life
I see this as individual and intimate as can be for each and everyone of us , Till Christ comes
Hi Lastpost , awesome that you witnessed to the Melchizedek priesthood , the one of faith even back in the ages that was always though faith and was always by the Spirit and truth as the bread and wine the wheat gathered at all the harvests cycles and the blood of grapes spilled in the earth to be made Spiritual bread and wine for the sons of Glory to partake of intimately
John , Eaglesway , awesome that we could learn to discern '' the body of Christ ''' and all gathered into ONE from the beginning all that grace bestowed upon mankind from the beginning as faith is what makes it possible to please GOD
And Dandelion , the food of angels and BREAD of heaven the broken bread and the fragments that remain the blood of grapes squeezed out to prove God love for us and those sent and all died in faith as witnesses to Gods glory in the earth
and Steve I agree the Cross is when the Truth Light shines in our hearts for the first time the Light that is of the New Day and new way to remain in Him
we have no real life of our own as flesh and blood , only the Spiritual sons of God glory praise Him in the worshipping the Father in Spirit and truth , no flesh ever pleased God , it was never meant to , I do believe when we become Spiritual beings we do serve Him in the ways that are pleasing in His sight and finally knowing and understanding what this really means to Glorify God
Eating His body and drinking His blood that we might have LIFE in us is all those whom were sent and His Son being last to open heaven for all of us to partake of the divine nature and intimacy though the Love of God on all His creation
We did not have to literally die , but the mortal body could experience Spiritual sonship with Christ though the works and power of God Himself , What Love has been bestowed upon mankind in the here and now
Give us this day our daily bread and forgives us our trespasses and we forgive those who trespass against us and that beautiful prayer of Gods will be done on earth as it is in heaven ..
I am sorry for the overly jubilant excitement , that seems to be taking over within me , it is just this has been hidden from my sight for a long time and now so suddenly its fresh and clean and live and breathing new life within so powerfully moving , it is hard to contain this joy
I just want to praise His holy name !!
and want other to have this same joy in the Lord if God is willing , I know many have helped me along the way and it was always the Lord in Spirit in them doing it :HeartThrob:
I'm not into rituals anymore, but I think there is communion of spirit here on the forum. The word "communion," from the Greek "koinonia," literally "common being," means fellowship of persons. As with everything, the Roman Catholics have a very formal ritual and a strange doctrine called "transubstantiation" that means the bread a wine aren't just symbols but actually become the the body and blood of Christ. Leave it to the Catholics to kick it up a notch into crazy territory. I don't really remember, but I went through the ritual of first communion in the Catholic Church. Like I said though, now I think communion is what we do here on the forum. The Catholic sacrament of confirmation was kind of crazy too. The old guy that was my sponsor almost nailed the bishop when he slapped me with what was a surprise for both of us and I guess is supposed to symbolize being a soldier for Christ. Everything is formal and completely different than scripture with the Roman Catholic Church. I have nothing to do with it anymore and haven't for a long time. I think all churches are into the ritual trip though which I'm not interested in anymore. I experience communion with brothers and sisters wherever whenever it happens not according to a formal schedule in a certain building on a certain day of the week, and it doesn't include any rituals, just sharing the love of God.
Quote from: Tom on June 01, 2015, 09:46:40 PM
I'm not into rituals anymore, but I think there is communion of spirit here on the forum. The word "communion," from the Greek "koinonia," literally "common being," means fellowship of persons. As with everything, the Roman Catholics have a very formal ritual and a strange doctrine called "transubstantiation" that means the bread a wine aren't just symbols but actually become the the body and blood of Christ. Leave it to the Catholics to kick it up a notch into crazy territory. I don't really remember, but I went through the ritual of first communion in the Catholic Church. Like I said though, now I think communion is what we do here on the forum. The Catholic sacrament of confirmation was kind of crazy too. The old guy that was my sponsor almost nailed the bishop when he slapped me with what was a surprise for both of us and I guess is supposed to symbolize being a soldier for Christ. Everything is formal and completely different than scripture with the Roman Catholic Church. I have nothing to do with it anymore and haven't for a long time. I think all churches are into the ritual trip though which I'm not interested in anymore. I experience communion with brothers and sisters wherever whenever it happens not according to a formal schedule in a certain building on a certain day of the week, and it doesn't include any rituals, just sharing the love of God.
I agree Tom is the''' common being '' given the grace of God poured out upon all flesh by the HOLY SPIRIT as a witness
I know some really awesome and beautiful spiritual beings still in the Roman catholic church
Born of God but still in the same captivity of the ages
Only in Christ can any be set free ........
I believe it is so personal that even our own flesh has no clue to How God is working in everyone of us , glimpses yes , and times of refreshment yes ..
:HeartThrob:
Quote from: rosered on June 01, 2015, 05:58:54 PM
Wow ,
beautiful pure thoughts everyone of you .....
Joanna , it is done as symbolic the bread and wine unto remembrance till Christ comes in the Spirit to give you His Life
I see this as individual and intimate as can be for each and everyone of us , Till Christ comes
Hi Lastpost , awesome that you witnessed to the Melchizedek priesthood , the one of faith even back in the ages that was always though faith and was always by the Spirit and truth as the bread and wine the wheat gathered at all the harvests cycles and the blood of grapes spilled in the earth to be made Spiritual bread and wine for the sons of Glory to partake of intimately
John , Eaglesway , awesome that we could learn to discern " the body of Christ "' and all gathered into ONE from the beginning all that grace bestowed upon mankind from the beginning as faith is what makes it possible to please GOD
And Dandelion , the food of angels and BREAD of heaven the broken bread and the fragments that remain the blood of grapes squeezed out to prove God love for us and those sent and all died in faith as witnesses to Gods glory in the earth
and Steve I agree the Cross is when the Truth Light shines in our hearts for the first time the Light that is of the New Day and new way to remain in Him
we have no real life of our own as flesh and blood , only the Spiritual sons of God glory praise Him in the worshipping the Father in Spirit and truth , no flesh ever pleased God , it was never meant to , I do believe when we become Spiritual beings we do serve Him in the ways that are pleasing in His sight and finally knowing and understanding what this really means to Glorify God
Eating His body and drinking His blood that we might have LIFE in us is all those whom were sent and His Son being last to open heaven for all of us to partake of the divine nature and intimacy though the Love of God on all His creation
We did not have to literally die , but the mortal body could experience Spiritual sonship with Christ though the works and power of God Himself , What Love has been bestowed upon mankind in the here and now
Give us this day our daily bread and forgives us our trespasses and we forgive those who trespass against us and that beautiful prayer of Gods will be done on earth as it is in heaven ..
I am sorry for the overly jubilant excitement , that seems to be taking over within me , it is just this has been hidden from my sight for a long time and now so suddenly its fresh and clean and live and breathing new life within so powerfully moving , it is hard to contain this joy
I just want to praise His holy name !!
and want other to have this same joy in the Lord if God is willing , I know many have helped me along the way and it was always the Lord in Spirit in them doing it :HeartThrob:
Dear Rosered, do not apologise for being enthused... in the early days, times were arguably harder for them yet they were overjoyed with the Message of the Saviour, even unto the stake... and we, even now, have reasoned faith and
an unquenchable source of knowledge of the certainty of Eternity in front with Him.
Oh Saviour, how can we thank Thee except by seeking to do Thy Will towards others, that even in our failings Thou would'st never leave us, and in Thy Wisdom none shall escape the fullness of the unimaginable life thou hast prepared for them.The Tender Shepherd, faithful and true, Divinely perfect in speech and thought and action, loving and wise beyond all imagination, gave us
Himself so that we could be
spiritually satisfied at all times...
"And Jesus said to them, '
I am the bread of the life; he who is coming unto
me may
not hunger, and he who is believing in me may
not thirst — at
any time" [John 6:35]
A
Way is described in the laying aside of the
baser self and walking with ones
cross throughout life, and following the Master Christ who
leads the Way...
"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him
deny himself and take up his
cross and
follow me' " [Matthew 16:24]
God, from the beginning, predestined His children to become
transformed into the
likeness of His own Christ, even to become as
family...
"For those whom God foreknew, He also predestined to become
fashioned to the
image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many
brethren" [Romans 8:29]
All will
know Christ as He is, and will come into harmony and unity with each other, and be
perfect in
spiritual nature like Christ, and be
completely filled with Christ...
"...
till we may all come to the unity of the faith and of the
recognition of the Son of God, to a
perfect man, to a
measure of stature of the
fullness of the Christ" [Ephesians 4:13]
The
transformation is being undertaken even now, as spiritually we are dwellers in the heavenly realms, where we await the coming of the Glory of the Saviour Christ in our own spiritual bodies as they are fashioned to His likeness...
"For our citizenship
is in the heavens, where
we await a Saviour — the Lord Jesus Christ — Who will
transform our abased body to be
fashioned to his glorious body according to the exercise of power by which he is able even to subject all things to himself" [Philippians 3:21]
We are children of God
now, yet
we are not in the manifested state of completeness that we are predestined to become, and we know that that state
will be in His likeness and we shall see Him in us...
"Beloved,
now are we children of God, and what we
shall be has
not yet been manifested; we know that if it is manifested
we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" [1 John 3:2]
Jesus the Loving Giver, gave us His life, death and sacrificial Love to think of and remember,
until He manifests...
"For as often as you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death
until he comes" [1 Corinthians 11:26]
Peace and Unity and Reconciliation to all People ✞
Last Saturday my wife and I drove to Brooklyn, New York for my friend's ordination as deacon in the Catholic Church. It was quite an extravaganza. Even as deacon my friend is not able to consecrate the "host." Not long ago (Vatican II in 1959) only the priest could touch the bread after it was consecrated. As Tom put it, communion is expressed in the Catholic Church can be considered a "ritual." Respectfully speaking, to me, the Mass is an attempt by man to unite the natural with the supernatural calling on God to make the bread and the wine the body and blood of Christ. I see this happening with things like the tabernacle, burning of incense, sprinkling of "holy" water, the use of statues, the high vertical and cross-like construction of the church buildings along with its windows and paintings. These things can be beautiful and can succeed in their purpose for some people. Others are hindered by them.
I believe, as Rosered said, it is Christ Jesus who will "open heaven for all of us to partake of the divine nature and intimacy though the Love of God on all His creation." The "true communion" is obtained by Christ who gave his life for the sins of the whole world uniting all people by the Love of God. Our communion services are nothing in and of themselves but only has significance by what they represents which is the unlimited, inescapable, love of God, power of God and the wisdom of God in our Lord Jesus Christ!
Steve
Blessings Lastpost
You are right we are to speak boldly , and not be timid in proclaiming the gospel '' good news
''
Quotelaspost
The transformation is being undertaken even now, as spiritually we are dwellers in the heavenly realms, where we await the coming of the Glory of the Saviour Christ in our own spiritual bodies as they are fashioned to His likeness...
"For our citizenship is in the heavens, where we await a Saviour — the Lord Jesus Christ — Who will transform our abased body to be fashioned to his glorious body according to the exercise of power by which he is able even to subject all things to himself" [Philippians 3:21]
I find this very bold and beautiful ! the words speak are Spirit & Life
John 6 62"What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?
63"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing;
the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
64"But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him....
Proverbs 4:13
Hold on to instruction
, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.John 5:21
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.John 6:68
Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
Acts 5:20
"Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "
and tell the people all about this new life."2 Corinthians 3:6
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Quote from: sdileo on June 02, 2015, 01:30:06 AM
Last Saturday my wife and I drove to Brooklyn, New York for my friend's ordination as deacon in the Catholic Church. It was quite an extravaganza. Even as deacon my friend is not able to consecrate the "host." Not long ago (Vatican II in 1959) only the priest could touch the bread after it was consecrated. As Tom put it, communion is expressed in the Catholic Church can be considered a "ritual." Respectfully speaking, to me, the Mass is an attempt by man to unite the natural with the supernatural calling on God to make the bread and the wine the body and blood of Christ. I see this happening with things like the tabernacle, burning of incense, sprinkling of "holy" water, the use of statues, the high vertical and cross-like construction of the church buildings along with its windows and paintings. These things can be beautiful and can succeed in their purpose for some people. Others are hindered by them.
I believe, as Rosered said, it is Christ Jesus who will "open heaven for all of us to partake of the divine nature and intimacy though the Love of God on all His creation." The "true communion" is obtained by Christ who gave his life for the sins of the whole world uniting all people by the Love of God. Our communion services are nothing in and of themselves but only has significance by what they represents which is the unlimited, inescapable, love of God, power of God and the wisdom of God in our Lord Jesus Christ!
Steve
Amen Steve !! :cloud9: by no other name under heaven by which you must be saved !! acts 4
11"He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone.
12"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
Our Lord Jesus Christ !