Communion: Given And Shed — Not Taken And Claimed

Text: 1 Corinthians 11:23-32

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

You have probably heard it said before that communion is a personal moment between the Christian and Jesus. That is to say, you have probably heard someone say, 

“Communion is between me and Jesus. It is about my personal relationship with Him - nobody else.”

These individuals may go on to say:

“Other people’s beliefs and the teachings of the church do not matter, for what matters most is what is in my heart.”

Dear friends, it may not come as a surprise to you, but individuals who speak this way about communion tend to be the same individuals who advocate for open communion — that communion should never be denied to non-members of the Church. They regard practices like closed communion as too rigid, too exclusive, and even arrogant. The communion rail, they argue, should be open to all, no matter the confession or the church affiliation, just as long as the heart is sincere.

Furthermore, these same individuals tend to be perfectly comfortable with self-communion. For them, no pastor is needed, and there is also no need for a public confession or taking communion together with a local church. In their mind, all that a person needs is one of those pre-packaged plastic portions of grape juice and bread. Peel it open and consume it alone in the living room, and one is good to go. Furthermore, if this is done while watching a church live stream, it is even better.  

Now, you might be tempted to think that I am being too harsh. That I am just nitpicking. But I assure you, the opposite is true. We must be clear about what these attitudes are truly saying. In other words, while these people may not come out and say it directly, what they are implying — what is being inferred without words — is this:

- The Church doesn’t matter.

- Doctrine doesn’t matter.

- The Office of the Holy Ministry doesn’t matter.

- And God’s institution of the Lord’s Supper doesn’t matter either.

Dear friends, let’s not beat around the bush – if you or your friends have held to the sentiments previously mentioned, what is happening is that you and your friends are divorcing yourselves from the very church that Christ gathered for the purpose of delivering His gifts.  When someone says,  

“Communion is a personal matter between me and Jesus.” 

…whether they know it or not, they are saying, 

“I don’t need the Church.”  

But here's the tragic irony: in saying this, they are also disconnecting Jesus from the Church as well. They are not simply snubbing their nose at Christ’s Church, but they are also attempting to hijack Jesus from His Church and hold Jesus hostage inside their own private, isolated spirituality.

There is more, too.  When they say that communion is between them and Jesus only, they are essentially saying, 

“I don’t need to be under any spiritual authority.  I will decide what is right for me.  I will commune how I want, when I want, with whomever I want and nobody is going to tell me otherwise.” 

And regarding self-communing without a pastor, with no confession, no church with pre-packed plastic communion portions while watching a service on the internet?  Well, excluding those who do this out of complete ignorance, for the rest of the people, this is often done with a spirit of extreme individualism.  That is to say, it is not an act of humility, dear friends. But I say this as gently as I can - It is an act of arrogant autonomy, dressed in the robes of personal piety. Taking self-communion by yourself sounds spiritual; it looks sincere. But it is not. Again, I say this as gently as I can - it is the rotten fruit of spiritual pride. Bluntly stated, excluding those who do this out of ignorance, more often than not, the voice of “communion is between me and Jesus” is the old Adam rising up with clenched fists, saying:

“I don’t need the church. I don’t need a pastor.  I don’t need anyone to teach me or correct me.  I will come to God on my own terms, in my own way, and everyone else can mind their own business.”

Dear friends, this is not humility.  This is not faith.  This is rebellion cloaked in pious religious language. 

Please listen carefully. This mindset we are calling out tonight may sound like personal sincerity, but in reality, it is pride, not piety. When someone insists on communing themselves, apart from the Church, apart from doctrinal unity, apart from pastoral care – when a person insists that communion is a personal matter between them and Jesus and that nobody else can say anything otherwise — what they are truly declaring is this:

“I know better than 2,000 years of historic, biblical Christian practice. I don’t need to be united with fellow Christians. I will determine what is acceptable before God. And no one — no pastor, no elder, no confession—has the right to tell me otherwise.”

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy on you and especially me.

Baptized Saints, we need to repent of this North American individualistic self-centered version of Christianity that we have absorbed far too easily.  This is not the Christianity of Scripture.  This is not the faith of the Church.  It is not how we understand communion. 

Tragically, what we are calling out is a spirituality built in the image of the autonomous sinful nature.  It is a spirituality that refuses to be taught, refuses to be corrected, and refuses to be joined in good doctrine to fellow believers at the communion rail.  It is a spirituality that attempts to tear the Lord’s Supper from the Lord’s own hands and run it according to the old Adam.

We must repent of the belief that the Lord’s Supper is an individualistic meal between “me and Jesus.” We must turn away from the idea that communion is about feeling close to Jesus on our own terms, or that sincerity of heart is enough, apart from the Word, apart from the Church, apart from the Lord’s good order.

Dear friends, hear this clearly: the Lord does not give His Supper to isolated individuals. He gives it to His gathered Christians.  He gives it to His blessed church that is under the care of His pastors – a church that is gathered in the fellowship of one faith, one confession, and one baptism. Communion is not about what you feel in your heart — it is about what Christ gives. Communion is not something you do — it is something you receive.

Furthermore, communion is not your Supper. It is the Lord’s Supper. And that means He is the host, not you. He gives. You receive.

Ah, but what does He give?

Blessed Saints, He gives His very crucified and risen body and blood.  He places it upon your tongue and into your mouth for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

There is no doubt about it, tonight, we are surely being corrected in some of our thinking.  And the beauty of this is not simply that we are being corrected — it’s that we are invited. Jesus does not rebuke us to cast us away. He disciplines those He loves. He calls you to repentance so that He might give you something better — not your way, but His way, which is the way of mercy.

Baptized Sains, listen up! His way sounds like this:

“Take, eat; this is My body, given for you.  Take, drink; this is My blood of the new covenant, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

Again, listen up!  Communion is no reward for good behavior. It is no spiritual trophy for emotional sincerity. Communion is no personal religious experiment. This is Christ’s own pure, unearned, blood-bought gift to poor, miserable sinners like you and me. He gives you Himself — not a symbol, not a metaphor, not a feeling — but His real, crucified, risen body and blood. And He gives it to you – together – with your brothers and sisters in this church - not in isolation - but in the assembly of this church. He gives it to you in the unity of doctrine and under the care of His called and ordained pastors.

This, dear Baptized Saints, is why we practice closed communion — not to build walls, but to preserve the beauty of this meal. Closed communion is not an act of exclusion. It is an act of love, care, truth, and pastoral responsibility. It is our way of saying, 

“This meal is sacred. This gift is precious. And we want to give it to you rightly.”

So, tonight, come this evening.  Come not with pride, but with repentance. Come not with autonomy, but with faith. Come not on your terms, but on Christ’s terms. Come not alone, but with your fellow Christians in this sanctuary. Come not with uncertainty, but with confidence in His Word. Come trusting in Jesus’ promise and gift to you:

“Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

It is the meal of the redeemed that He instituted on Holy Thursday long ago.

Communion is the fellowship of the forgiven.

It is heaven breaking into earth; it is grace placed into your hands.

Communion is eternity placed upon your tongue.

You are not worthy — but Christ is.

And He invites you still.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.