Christians are familiar with the concept of taking communion in the form of bread and wine/grape juice. The bread represents Jesus’ body that was scourged before and during His crucifixion, while the cup symbolizes His blood. Ultimately, the Holy Communion, known also as the Lord’s Supper, represents the greatest expression of God’s love for His people. But what are the reasons why we take communion?

The Lord’s Supper, or communion, is a way for believers to show their love and fellowship with Christ and one another. It also ensures we remember the atoning sacrifice Jesus made and look forward to when He will partake with us in the kingdom of God.

Reasons Why We Take Communion

• Jesus Commanded It

On the night Jesus was betrayed, He ate the last supper with His disciples. Knowing what He would accomplish through His sacrifice, He instituted the Holy Communion (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24). He told His followers to take the communion to remember Him. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record that while celebrating Passover, Jesus established communion with his disciples. When He said, “Do this in remembrance of me,” He indicated this was something that must be continued in the future.

• It’s a Sacred Time of Fellowship With God

Communion is a sacred practice where believers experience intimate fellowship with God and remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. During this unique time of worship, we also commemorate the Lord’s death through prayer and reflect not only on our sins and need for forgiveness but on the love Christ exhibited on the cross (John 3:16). By partaking in communion together, Christians demonstrate their union with each other and with Christ.

Paul the apostle emphasized the need for fellowship during communion by saying: “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf” (1 Corinthians 10:16–17). So, communion in the church also contributes to the unity of believers.

• To Remember Jesus’ Atoning Sacrifice

The communion typified the Old Testament prophecies about Christ who will come as a lamb without blemish and die for our sins. In the New Testament, His blood was shed so that our sins were forgiven, and through that act, Jesus redeemed our lives. His sacrifice made it possible for the people to stand before God, who is perfect and holy (Romans 5:10-11). So, partaking in communion is a way to remember Jesus’ atoning sacrifice for us.

• Communion Represents Entry Into a New Covenant With God

After the last supper, Jesus took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Matthew 26:28; Luke 22: 20; 1 Corinthians 11:25). When referring to the new covenant, Jesus was announcing that through His death and resurrection forgiveness of sins is available to all and that believers could once again live in communion with God (2 Corinthians 3:6).

Drinking wine or grape juice during the Lord’s Supper prompts us to recall Jesus’ sacrifice, symbolized by the blood he shed for us. And Just as the old covenant relied on the sprinkling of animal blood, Jesus’ blood inaugurated the new covenant (Hebrews 9:18-28). By partaking in communion, we are united in Christ (John 6:56).

• It’s a Testimony to His Death

Communion is a way to look back to the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. His sacrifice points to how much God loves us that He sent His only begotten son to die for us so that we may have eternal life. The Bible says “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day” (John 6:54).

Although the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of his death that lasted for three days, it’s also a reminder that Jesus has conquered death and set free all who were enslaved by a fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15). When we take the bread and the wine, we are reminded not just of the death of Jesus but also of His victory.

• As an Act of Thanksgiving

Everything we have is a gift from God. We didn’t do anything important to deserve it, yet our generous God keeps meeting our needs. This reminds us that we should be thankful every day.

Jesus understood the importance of thanksgiving. That’s why He took the bread, gave thanks, broke it, and followed it up by taking a cup, giving thanks, and offering it to the disciples (Matthew 26:27; Luke 22:19, 17; 1 Corinthians 11:24).

In fact, the word “thanksgiving” in the New Testament is the Greek word “eucharist,” derived from “eucharistia,” which means the Lord’s Supper/Holy Communion. So, when we come to the Lord’s Table, that is an act of pure thanksgiving and an opportunity for a believer to give thanks for the greatest gift and sacrifice ever given to man.

• To Anticipate His Return

Jesus instructed his disciples to partake in communion because he had foreseen His return. That’s why He said: “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

The Bible reiterates the second coming of Jesus by saying: “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him” (Hebrews 9:28). By taking communion we remember Jesus’ past sacrifice, while also anticipating His future return as the ultimate King.

Conclusion

When we partake in communion, we are reminded not only of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins and His victory over death but also of His future return as King. And through communion taken in a congregation, we can remember and express gratitude for God’s goodness. As a result, communion acts as a shared experience that unites us in faith and reminds us of the core aspects of our beliefs.