Jesus Christ made us whole—spiritually and physically—and the memorial of holy communion reminds us of this! Partaking of holy communion helps us remember the significance of Christ’s accomplishments for us as our redeemer, building our believing expectation for continued wholeness both spiritually and physically.
Holy communion is a memorial that was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ at the last supper, before his suffering and death, as a way to remember what his death would accomplish. This memorial is one that was observed by the first-century believers after Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension—and one we recognize today, memorializing the believers’ deliverance from the bondage of sin and its consequences. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, specifically reminding them of the significance of this memorial to help them claim the physical deliverance they were in need of.
I Corinthians 11:23-25:
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
Paul reminded the Corinthians that Jesus Christ instituted this memorial himself (which is recorded in Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19,20). He reinforced that they were to partake of this memorial in remembrance of Jesus Christ, to proclaim publicly what he had made available by his death.
I Corinthians 11:26:
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew [proclaim] the Lord’s death till he come.
In redeeming mankind, God desired that every man and woman would confess Jesus as lord, believe that He raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9), become His children, and claim all His benefits. Jesus Christ instituted this memorial and Paul admonished the Church of its significance so that they wouldn’t forget what had been accomplished for them. Sometimes we need reminding of this as well.
As born-again believers we have every right to claim the wholeness that Jesus paid the price for in his physical body. Isaiah 53 prophesies of the coming redeemer and what he would endure to secure our wholeness, and I Peter tells us that because of Christ’s sufferings, our healing is an accomplished reality.
Isaiah 53:5:
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
I Peter 2:24:
Who [Christ] his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
By Jesus Christ’s stripes we were (past tense) healed. His wounds overcame our transgressions, our external sins; his bruises overcame our iniquities and internal sins; his mental distress overcame our lack of peace and unsound minds; and his stripes overcame our physical sickness. Jesus Christ, with his broken body and shed blood, paid the price for the physical and spiritual wholeness of mankind. By Jesus Christ’s accomplishments as our redeemer, we have both spiritual and physical deliverance. This is something each person who has made him lord in their life, believing God raised him from the dead, can claim as a sonship right.
At this time of year, as we approach our celebration of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we can participate in communion fellowships around the world and pause to give thanks unto God for all that He freely gave to us through His Son. When we drink of the cup, we remember that we are redeemed from sin by the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we eat of the bread, we bring to mind that we were healed by the broken body of our lord and savior. By his stripes we were healed.
As God’s children, let’s recognize and claim the rights we have received through Jesus Christ’s accomplishments and walk out with believing expectations for even more healing wholeness in our households.
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