YouTube Link
1 Corinthians 10:16-20 16 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? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
Luke 22:14-20 14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Do This in Remembrance of Me World Communion Sunday 2025
Today is World Communion Sunday—a day when Christians across all cultures, languages, and denominations gather at the Lord’s Table. From cathedrals in Europe to huts in rural Africa, from megachurches in America to underground churches in Asia, the people of God come together in remembrance of Jesus’ body and blood, broken and poured out for the salvation of the world.
And yet, we do not gather around many tables—we gather around one. We celebrate “the oneness of the family of God” as believers from many traditions share in the Lord’s Supper together. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians, “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.”
Jesus says, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”
These are the words of a Savior longing to be with his people. He knows what is coming. He knows betrayal, suffering, and the cross are only hours away. And still, his heart is set on fellowship.
Jesus tells the disciples he will not eat or drink again until the kingdom of God comes (v. 16, 18). The Last Supper points forward to the wedding feast of the Lamb—the day when people of every tribe and tongue will gather at God’s eternal table.
The table is not just a formality. It’s a place of love, vulnerability, and unity. When we come to the table we are entering into that same longing of Christ: to be united with him and with one another.
Luke tells us that Jesus takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and says, “This is my body, given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (v. 19) The bread is broken, but the body is united.
Though the bread is broken into many pieces and shared by many hands, it comes from one loaf. In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in Christ. On this World Communion Sunday, we affirm that our unity in Christ is deeper than our differences.
We may not be united by language, race, politics, worship style, or even doctrine—we are united by the broken body and shed blood of Jesus.
As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:17: “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.”
Let’s look at how the early church celebrated communion. In the New Testament what we call the Lord’s Supper or Communion they call, “the breaking of bread”. After Peter’s first sermon when 3,000 were added to the church we are told in Acts 2:42 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
In 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Paul writes, 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Much of our current communion service comes from these verses.
What about after the New Testament? There is a book called the Didache: or The Lord’s Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations. It is believed to have been written between 70AD and 100AD but the author is unknown. It is NOT scripture, It is the earliest known Christian document outside of New Testament and provides insight into beliefs and practices of early church. It gives instructions for the Lord’s Supper and the prayers that are to be used. It is a lot wordier but it is also quite similar to our current service.
After the 14th century the Catholic church, stopped sharing cup with the laity. It wasn’t until 1970 that the cup was restored cup.
The cup has always been part of the Protestant service. Martin Luther’s views on communion are deeply rooted in his theological convictions and personal experiences. Central to his understanding of communion is the concept of “real presence,” which asserts that Christ is truly present in the bread and wine.
John Calvin expressed similar views with Luther although there are some technical differences that I won’t get into now. John Knox through faith that believers partake in the spiritual nourishment offered.
John Knox, the father of the Presbyterian church believed that through faith, believers partake in the spiritual nourishment offered.
Our Book of Order states, “In the communion service the bread is Christ’s body given for us and the wine or grape juice is His blood shed for our sins. As Presbyterians, we believe that Jesus is here, present with us in a special way, in and through these elements. They are set aside from a common use to a special use. We do not believe there is any physical change to the elements but we are fed spiritually, our souls are nourished.”
What are the benefits of spiritual feeding? Why do we take communion? Reformed theologian Donald McKim summed up the benefits when he said, “The Lord’s Supper is God’s gracious gift to be received by faith and is a means by which God in Jesus Christ nourishes and strengthens our faith by the 3power of the Holy Spirit.” John Calvin, the father of the Reformed faith said, “Christ’s body is the only food to invigorate and enliven our soul…These benefits are to nourish, refresh, strengthen and gladden.” Communion is an opportunity to take Jesus into our innermost being by faith.
As Christians we are to remember the Lord’s death in communion until He returns. As is part of every communion service we say, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
It is our custom here in Aston to present a variety of breads to show the variety of people around our world. Here on the Lord’s table we have pita bread which originated in the Middle East, naan from India, baguettes from France, croissants from Austria and sourdough which San Francisco is famous for but it actually originated in ancient Egypt.
The diverse array of communion bread types reflects the multifaceted nature of Christian worship and the theological meaning embedded within the ritual. Each type of bread carries its own theological symbolism, catering to the diverse spiritual needs and convictions of the global Christian community. As such, the choice of communion bread serves as a tangible expression of the rich diversity and unity found within the body of Christ.
The bread Jesus broke on that long-ago Passover night would have been unleaved bread. From the book of Exodus we know the Israelites had to flee Egypt quickly and has no time for the bread to rise. God told the Israelites to celebrate Passover from then on and that they were to eat only unleavened bread during that time. Jesus’ last meal with his disciples was a Seder meal, a Passover meal so the bread he broke would have been unleavened bread, similar to what is now called matzah.
Traditional communion wafers, as used in Catholic and some Protestant churches, are unleavened bread. They are made from just two ingredients: pure wheat flour and water. There are no leavening agents, no salt, no sugar, and no preservatives. The simple, pure composition is meant to reflect the purity of Christ.
Here at Aston Presbyterian Church we take communion by Intinction, we take the bread and dip it into the cup and then eat it. We use leavened bread. In the past the bread and cup were passed in the pews by the elders. During COVID we used the packaged wafer and juice. The wafer was unleavened. I thought the wafer in them tasted awful so I’m glad we don’t still use them.
The Eastern Orthodox churches use leavened bread and for them it is highly symbolic. For the Orthodox, the leaven, which is what causes the bread to rise, represents the Resurrection and the new life in Christ. It symbolizes that the Gospel is a living, breathing thing. The rising of the bread mirrors the rising of Christ from the tomb. I didn’t find this idea in Presbyterian theology but I think it is something to think about as we take communion.
Our Presbyterian Book of Order simply says the bread is to be “common to the culture of the congregation”. I know some churches that make their own communion bread. I took communion at a Presbyterian church in central Pennsylvania and it was the most delicious bread I ever had at communion.
The communion bread holds profound significance within Christian theology and spirituality, serving as a focal point of contemplation and reverence during the sacred ritual of communion. Its significance extends beyond mere food, encompassing rich symbolism and theological depth that resonate deeply with believers across denominations.
At the core of the communion bread’s significance lies its representation of the body of Christ. As Jesus broke bread and shared it with his disciples during the Last Supper, he imbued this act with profound meaning, instructing his followers to partake in remembrance of him. The communion bread thus becomes a tangible symbol of Christ’s sacrificial offering, embodying the essence of his selfless love and redemptive mission. Through the act of consuming the bread, believers enter into a profound spiritual communion with Christ, embracing his presence and the transformative power of his sacrifice.
Ultimately, the significance of communion bread lies in its ability to encapsulate the central tenets of the Christian faith – the sacrificial love of Christ, the redemptive power of his sacrifice, and the unity of believers in the body of Christ. It serves as a tangible expression of the profound spiritual realities that define Christian identity and community, inviting believers to partake in a sacred encounter with the living Christ through the simple yet profound act of consuming the bread.
The communion bread, in all its theological and symbolic richness, stands as a poignant reminder of Christ’s abiding presence and the enduring grace that sustains and unites the global Christian community.
That is the communion bread, what about the cup? In Luke 22:20 we read, , “In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
In the Old Covenant, the people of Israel were bound to God through the Law. Yet the prophet Jeremiah said, “31 “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” (Jer 31:31) The New Covenant, established by Jesus’ blood, all nations are invited to the table. This is a covenant of grace, not works—a covenant sealed not by what we do, but by what Christ has done.
Should the cup contain wine or juice? All three gospels and Acts call the cup the fruit of the vine. So the Bible doesn’t actually say wine but in those days only wine was available, they didn’t have grape juice. In fact, it wasn’t until 1869 that a way to pasteurize grape juice was invented by Thomas Welch, a dentist and Methodist steward in Vineland, NJ. He did this in response to the Temperance Movement which was against any form of alcohol. Today some churches use wine, some grape juice, some both. Again, we see unity in diversity.
Today, as we partake in the Lord’s Supper, we get a foretaste of that coming kingdom. It’s a small piece of bread, dipped into a small cup of juice—but it points to something immeasurably vast: the banquet table of God, where tears will be wiped away, swords turned into plowshares, and war studied no more.
As we rise from the table today, let us not forget who we are: We are one people, redeemed by Christ. We are one body, broken and blessed to be a blessing. We are one mission, called to proclaim this good news to the ends of the earth.
Let the bread you eat today strengthen your resolve to live in peace with your neighbors. Let the cup you drink deepen your thirst for righteousness and justice. And let the Spirit that gathers us here send us out ambassadors of reconciliation in a broken world.