More Than a Meal: The Sacredness of Communion

1 Corinthians 11:23-30 (NIV): “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Paul reminds the church that whenever we eat the bread and drink the cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

In “More Than a Meal: The Sacredness of Communion,” Rev. Dr. Gordon V. Barrows invited the church to look again at something familiar and recover its wonder. Communion can become routine if we are not careful. We may think about lunch, schedules, or the next part of the day, while missing the sacred gift placed before us. But the bread and the cup are not ordinary reminders. They point us to Jesus Christ, who gave his body and shed his blood so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life.

The sermon centered on three truths: “the bread remembers, the cup proclaims, and the heart examines.” The bread calls us to remember Jesus himself. He did not say, remember a building, a denomination, or a tradition. He said, “Remember me.” The bread reminds us that salvation was costly, that the Creator stepped into creation, the King became a servant, and the sinless one died for sinners. As Dr. Barrows said, “The bread reminds us that Jesus gave us everything so that we might be saved.”

The cup proclaims the story of grace. It looks back to the cross, looks around to the family of God, and looks forward to Christ’s return. Communion is a quiet sermon, with “no microphone required, no pulpit needed.” Every time we receive the cup, we remember that Jesus established a new covenant, a new beginning, a new life, and a new hope. Yet the sermon also made this clear: “The cup itself does not forgive sins. The bread itself does not save us. Only Jesus saves.” Communion points us to the Savior, but it never replaces the Savior.

The heart examines. Paul’s instruction is personal: let a person examine themselves. Communion is not the time to inspect someone else’s life. It is a time to bring our own hearts before God. Are there sins to confess? Is there someone to forgive? Is there someone from whom we need to seek forgiveness? Have we treated holy things casually? These questions are not meant to push us away from Christ, but to draw us closer to him.

The main point of the sermon is that communion is more than a meal. It is a sacred reminder of the gospel in our hands. This week, slow down before holy moments. Remember Christ’s sacrifice with gratitude. Confess honestly. Forgive quickly. Worship reverently. Come to the Lord with fresh eyes, and do not let familiarity steal the wonder of grace.