Thoughts On The Communion Cup

[stmatthew]

We will be having our communion and foot washing service tonight. We will be using kosher grape juice for our cup. I would not fall out with anyone that uses wine, but wanted to comment on why I see grape juice as the proper method.


The fruit if the vine within the communion cup represents the pure blood of Jesus that was shed for us. Jesus said he was the vine. I corrulate his blood to be the fruit of his body, the vine.

Wine is juice that has been firmented, or leavened. It is a corruption of the pure fruit juice. A spoiling if you will. Jesus did not see corruption in his body. His blood was pure. It was not firmented.

The reason I believe that the Jews did not drink firmented, or leavened wine, is that prior to passover, all leaven was cleaned out of the house. Even pots and pans that were used in conjunction with leaven were disposed of. No trace of leaven was to remain in the house. As I said above, wine would be considered firmented, or leavened, and would be disposed of accordingly.

I do not believe this is a salvation issue. I believe as long as we do not allow contention and division to come between us, there is no reason 2 that see this issue differently cannot still worship together.

As the thread states, these are simply my thoughts on the communion cup.

[Adoniyah]

Wonderful thoughts, dear friend.

I agree with every one of them, as ususal.

[Sandy]

I agree Matthew. My family and some believer friends take communion together in the homes, when led to. This began some years ago amongst the elders of a church we attended, of which Al was at that time. They would come together, and often take communion with one another at their meetings or when meeting even in the homes with one another. As a result of doing this, and then sharing this with others down thru the years, we came up against those that insisted wine was to be used, and alternately those that insisted it was grape juice. As a result, Al and I both determined that it was not what you used necessarily, but the condition of the heart. And that if all you had was water, God could turn that into the kind of wine that was served then, just as He did at that wedding if need be. In fact, there have been times when I could not tell whether it was grape juice they were serving or wine, even though I knew which it was at the time. So we defiitely agree with you. This should not be an issue that separates us from one another.

In fact, IMHO, there are a lot of issues like this one that do tend to cause schism in the body, which should not be. In fact, there are those that would say we should not be taking communion in our homes, outside of church even.

[stmatthew]

Sandy,

I believe the time to take communion is, as Paul says, when you come together. It doesn't say where they were coming together. House Churches, as far as I understand, were very prevelant in the early church.

I think too often we kill ourselves to comply with the letter. And I believe we need the letter, but we loose much of the spirit in the process. A well balanced diet makes for a healthy saint. :)

[Sandy]

But what I was saying is that we partake at times in our own homes, with other believers, whether in a house church meeting or not. And have been doing so for quite a few years now, receiving many blessings as a result.

[jbenjesus]

Originally posted by stmatthew
Sandy,

I believe the time to take communion is, as Paul says, when you come together. It doesn't say where they were coming together. House Churches, as far as I understand, were very prevelant in the early church.

I think too often we kill ourselves to comply with the letter. And I believe we need the letter, but we loose much of the spirit in the process. A well balanced diet makes for a healthy saint. :) Amen Bro. Burdette,

To me it seems like the communion (in some parts) has become a ritual to comply with the letter "do this in remembrance of me", rather than partaking in the spirit spontaneously.

[stmatthew]

On a side note,

My Pastor taught on this subject last night and brought out an interesting thought.

Passover was observed to remember the day the destroyer passed over the houses of those that had the blood applied to the doorpost. It was done once a year.

We partake of the Lords Supper, a new testament counterpart of the Passover, in remembrance of the death of the lamb of God and his blood that has been applied to our doorposts. Both observances looked for the coming of Messiah.

Since the Passover was only observed just once a year, my Pastor feels that we should only have the Lords Supper once a year.

Any thoughts??

[jbenjesus]

"We" as in the church community or just "we" in general should only do this once a year?

[Sandy]

I have never heard of this before Matthew?

I would tend to disagree with that thought though, for several different reasons. The first one being that no place does it specify communion should be taken in remembrance of the passover only to my knowledge. Although it is certainly a wonderful way to celebrate our passover thru Jesus Christ I do believe certainly. But to say this is the only time we should do so, just does not appear to be correct entirely either as I see it at this time anyway. And perhaps Col. 2:16 might be the answer to this being correct. Although, on the other hand, it would also hold true for what your pastor believes is right as well, and nobody shold judge him in respect of what he believes either. As I can see some reasons why he believes this as well.

[stmatthew]

I probably didn't make myself clear enough.

The communion is done in remembrance of the new testament lamb, who because his death is applied to our lifes, causes the judgement of the 2nd death to pass over us.

I personally see a corralation to this. Jesus was instituting a new testament rite in what we call the Lords Supper. It is not an old testament rite of the Passover that we observe, but a new testament rite. Yet it is tied together in that the Jews looked backward to their purchase by blood, and we look backward to our purchase by blood.

In many ways we could call the Lords Supper the New Testament Passover, even though I think some would feel to the contrary.

The point is, the Jews did it in there homes. Jesus did it in an upper dining room, possibly the Upper Room of Acts. But Pauls wording was "when you come together". He did not stipulate how many were gathered, just that they were gathered.I do not believe it is to be done alone as a personal ritual, but at a gathering of believers.

[Bro.Steingass]

Communion and Foot Washing is truly an Intimate Experience.

Remember, God's Spirit is stronger than wine, or any Alchololism. If done "worthily" I don't doubt that God will take care of all situations

[Sandy]

I agree it is to be done in remembrance of what He has done for us, and also with other believers as well.

I think you and some others as well, may be misunderstanding what I am saying too, Matthew.

[Ysan]

I have a question.

I once heard that the Jewish people when a man and women plan to mary later, the man first offers her to drink from his cup. As you would think, the apostles were surprised to hear him offering them to drink of the cup. So another words, we are accepting the Lord's offer into marriage.

Any thoughts?

[ddc101]

We had communion service last night and it was beautiful.We invited a pastor and wife from another home missions work.
We ladies set the long tables with candles and deco.We also put out the wine glasses for our grape juice.
Heres the part of the thought I shared when it was my turn.
The rest of the world celebrates holidays. And even in the celebrating of "Christian Holidays" they celebrate his birth and his resurrection.I love the Lord's Passover so much as we are celebrating the one act that he did that made all the difference
His crucifiction.The enemy mocked at it but we rejoice in it.The cross made the difference for me.lv sis.c