The first thing we did in this new year was to share communion with our church family. What a wonderful time. We worshiped out the old year and welcomed the new as the body of Christ. As I was preparing to share the Lord’s Supper with the family, this is what the Lord brought to my attention.

Let’s start with Matthew’s account.

While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. – Matthew 26:26-28 NASB

Look at the picture here.First He took the bread and broke it. He said, “This is my body.” Then He distributes it to His disciples.

Now think about this with me for just a minute. The scripture makes it very clear that not one of His bones was broken in His crucifixion. He was placed in that tomb in one very beat up piece. But in communion, we understand that he broke the bread and distributed it.

Broken and Distributed.

We are the body of Christ. Paul tells us we are each a different part of the same body. When you take unleavened bread and break it, there are no two pieces alike. Various sizes and shapes. So it is with Christ’s body. We are all different. Each unique in talents and giftings, an endless variety of personalities and temperaments.

Christ takes this diverse body and distributes us throughout the world. No two parts are exactly the same, but each is essential to the function of the body. None is more important than the other, but each is required for a fully functioning body.

Now hold that thought for a moment, and let’s think about the cup.

Poured out and Shared

When we come to the cup. He says “this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out.” So where He broke the bread, the wine–the cup–is poured out. Where He distributed the bread and each had his own piece, He shared the cup.

He gave it to them saying, “Drink from it, all of you.”

You see, the Spirit of the Lord comes into every believer. We share this One Spirit. Paul tells us,

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. – Ephesians 4:4-6 NKJV

We carry His blood. We are all one blood. You and I, we’re blood. This common blood holds us together. The blood unifies us–gathers us–makes us one.

So this distributed and dispersed church, made up of many parts, shares this blood.

Think of the Great Commission with me for one minute, so you get a sense of how this works.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20 NASB

We go, or more accurately, as we go into all the world – distributed, each carrying out our function in the body of Christ, the world is changed, and the promise remains–I am with you–by the shared blood of Christ, His Spirit indwelling every believer.

Join me as we take this broken bread and consider the Body of Christ broken and distributed. Consider your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Now let’s share in the cup of the New Covenant, poured out and shared, and see how this blood is what makes us one.

Blessings in this New Year.
In Jesus,
Ben