Ever since Jesus rose from the dead Christian believers have celebrated Holy Communion when they came together to worship God. It all started with what Jesus did and said at the last supper he ate with his disciples on the night before he was crucified – the same night he was betrayed.

Jesus and his disciples, like all Jewish people, got together as a family every year to celebrate the Passover meal. The Passover had already been celebrated for more than 1200 years. The Passover meal was first eaten when Moses led the Jews (also called Hebrews or Israelites) out of Egypt to the land which God had promised long before Abraham. (Bible Reading: Exodus 12:1-28)

The name Passover came from the experience the Israelites had just before they left Egypt to start for the promised land. They ate their last meal in Egypt together as a family. They ate roasted lamb and unleavened bread. They also ate bitter herbs to remind them of the bitter times they had as slaves.

God told Moses that they should put some blood from a lamb on the doorframes of their houses as a sign of their faith in God. That night God sent the last of ten plagues on Egypt. The firstborn child in every house died – except where the people had believed and obeyed the Lord’s word. The angel of the Lord “passed over” those houses whose doorposts were painted with blood. And in the morning the Egyptians not only let the Israelites go, but urged them to hurry away.

Every year, on the anniversary of the exodus (meaning: going out) from Egypt, the people of Israel remembered and celebrated the Passover. When Jesus and his disciples ate their last Passover supper (Bible Reading: Mark 14:12-26),Jesus was the host, the one in charge. That is why Holy Communion is also called the Lord’s Supper. It reminds us that Jesus is the host. He gives us this special meal. It was a ceremonial meal. Things were always done the same way and in the same order. There were prayers and songs. The host always took the flat, dry bread, gave thanks to God and broke it, so he could give a piece of it to each person at the table.

When Jesus took the bread, he said a prayer of thanks to God, and broke it into pieces. Then he gave pieces of the bread to the disciples and said, “Take eat, this is my body, given for you.” The disciples remembered that he also said, “Do this – in remembrance of me.”

Later, after the supper, Jesus took the cup of wine and said a prayer of thanks. Then he handed the cup to the disciples and said, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many, for the forgiveness of sins.”

The disciples also remembered him saying, “Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

As he gave them the cup, Jesus said, I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” He knew he was about to die, and though he would rise again he would not be with them on earth much longer.

After Jesus and the disciples had sung a hymn, they left the room where they had eaten supper and walked a short distance to an olive grove called Gethsemane. (Bible Reading: Mark 14:32-50) Judas, who had left the supper early, betrayed Jesus by leading a crowd of people who wanted to arrest Jesus to that place.

The next day the enemies of Jesus called for a death sentence on him. Later, they got their way. Jesus was crucified. (Bible Reading: Mark 15:16-39) By the end of the day Jesus was dead and his body was buried. But on the third day after the death of Jesus God made him alive again! We call this the resurrection. (Bible Reading: Mark 16:1-8) That day and the days following Jesus appeared to his disciples – first one, then another, then to several, then to many.

Each time it happened, they learned something more about Jesus. At first they didn’t recognize him. Then, sometimes gradually, sometimes suddenly, they realized who he was. There was something different about him – and something the same.

One evening at suppertime Jesus joined two disciples as they were walking home. They thought he was just a traveler, and they invited him to rest and have supper. At the table he took the bread and blessed it, then broke it into pieces and gave it to them. He acted as though he were the host who had invited them to supper! Suddenly, they recognized Jesus when he gave them the bread. (Bible Reading: Luke 24:13-35)

As the days passed, Jesus appeared many times to his disciples. The last time the disciples saw Jesus, he said to them, “I am with you always.”

Through his appearances to them, Jesus was encouraging his disciples to believe in him. He wanted them to believe that he really was alive and would always be with them as their Savior and their Lord. Although we can’t see Jesus as the apostle’s did, he wants us to believe that he is with us too, and that he is our Savior and Lord. (Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

In Holy Communion we do what Jesus told us to do. He said, “Take and eat” – and we do. He said, “Drink of it, all of you” – and we do. He said it was for all of his disciples, and all of us who believe him to join together and worship him as we receive Holy Communion.

In the service for Holy Communion we hear the story of how Jesus gave us this special meal. Holy Communion is a way of worship; it is a way in which Jesus brings his word of love and mercy. The pastor uses the words of Jesus to tell us that Christ’s body was “given for you,” that his blood was “shed for you,” and that it was done “for the forgiveness of sins.” These words are spoken as we eat the bread and drink the wine. Whoever believes these words receives forgiveness of sins.

We go out from Holy Communion feeling stronger as Christ’s believing people, assured that he is with us and will be with us as we go about our lives. We have salvation to share with everyone who will believe Christ. We know too that we come back to the table of Holy Communion again and again for new strength.